You haven't really lived through a South Dakota autumn until you've stood on a sideline with the wind whipping across the prairie at 40 miles per hour. It’s brutal. But for the teams that survive October, the reward is a trip to the literal "mecca" of the 605: the DakotaDome in Vermillion.
Honestly, the south dakota high school football playoffs are kind of a religion here. It doesn't matter if you're from a town of 400 people or a "big city" like Sioux Falls. When November hits, the focus shifts to those seven classes of football and the quest for a trophy that feels heavier than it actually is.
The 2025 season was a wild one. We saw dynasties continue, some heart-pounding rematches, and the kind of 9-man football that makes you wonder why anyone bothers with 11 players.
The 2025 State Championship Breakdown: Who Left Vermillion with Hardware
If you missed the action at the Dome this past November, you missed some of the best high school football in recent memory. The SDHSAA state championships are spread across three days, and the energy inside that building is basically unmatched.
Class 11AAA: Brandon Valley Flips the Script
Everyone expected a battle in the big-school division. Brandon Valley and Sioux Falls Lincoln have been circling each other like sharks all year. Lincoln beat them in the regular season, but the playoffs are a different animal.
In a 34-27 thriller, Brandon Valley managed a late-game stop to secure the title. It was redemption, pure and simple. They finished the year 11-1, and Coach Matt Christensen’s squad proved that being the #1 seed actually meant something when the lights were brightest.
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Class 11AA: Pierre Just Keeps Winning
Seriously, what is in the water in Pierre? The Governors took down Yankton 56-35 in a high-scoring track meet. That makes eight titles in the last nine years for Pierre TF Riggs. Coach Steve Steele has built a literal machine. Yankton put up a massive fight, but Pierre's offensive depth is just too much for most 11AA teams to handle once the bracket narrows down.
Class 11A: The Rematch That Lived Up to the Hype
Sioux Falls Christian versus Lennox. 11A football at its finest. Last year was a different story, but in 2025, the Chargers held on for a 28-24 victory. It was a one-score game that came down to the final possessions. Sioux Falls Christian finished an undefeated 12-0 season, cementing their spot at the top of the 11A rankings.
Small Town Pride: The 9-Man Revolution
You can't talk about the south dakota high school football playoffs without mentioning the 9-man classes. This is where the speed is. This is where the scores get crazy.
- Class 9A: Wall was a buzzsaw this year. They didn't just win; they dominated Howard 60-6. Jace Mohr, the Joe Robbie MVP, ran for over 200 yards. Wall set a 9A record by scoring 656 points over the course of the season.
- Class 9AA: The Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy Phoenix co-op proved that coming together works. They downed Elkton-Lake Benton 46-22 to finish their season on top.
- Class 9B: Dell Rapids St. Mary’s took care of business against Avon with a 54-6 blowout. It's their second title in recent years, showing that their program is built for the long haul.
St. Thomas More Shakes Up Class 11B
Class 11B is often the most competitive "small school" 11-man division. This year, St. Thomas More made a statement. They faced off against Elk Point-Jefferson, a team that has been a powerhouse lately.
The Cavaliers won 48-38.
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It was a back-and-forth game that reminded everyone why 11B is so fun to watch. You've got teams from the Black Hills traveling all the way across the state to play teams from the Missouri River valley. The logistics alone are a nightmare, but the football is elite.
Why the Playoff Format Actually Works
South Dakota uses a point system to seed the playoffs, and while fans love to complain about it, it usually gets the matchups right. The top eight teams in most classes make the cut.
- Quarterfinals: Usually played at the higher seed's home field. This is where the "home field advantage" really matters—think frozen turf and shivering bleachers.
- Semifinals: The last hurdle before Vermillion.
- The Finals: All seven classes (plus the All-Nations brackets) converge on the DakotaDome.
The All-Nations Football Conference also crowns champions during this window. In 2025, Winnebago took the 9A title and McLaughlin claimed the 9B crown. This conference has grown significantly, providing a massive platform for tribal schools to showcase their talent on a statewide stage.
The "Dome Fever" Factor
There is a psychological element to the south dakota high school football playoffs that people outside the state don't get. For a kid from a town like Wall or Avon, playing in the DakotaDome is the equivalent of playing in the Super Bowl.
The turf is fast. There’s no wind. The echoes of the crowd are deafening.
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Teams that rely on "ground and pound" sometimes struggle when they hit that fast indoor surface, while teams with speed suddenly look like they're playing at 1.5x speed. It changes the game.
What to Watch for Next Season
If you're already looking ahead to the 2026 playoffs, keep an eye on the moving parts.
- Pierre's Dynasty: Can anyone in 11AA actually stop them? They graduated some talent, but their pipeline is deep.
- Sioux Falls Shifts: With the way the Sioux Falls schools (Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Washington) beat up on each other, the 11AAA bracket is always a toss-up.
- 9-Man Realignment: Small schools are always fluctuating in numbers. Keep an eye on which co-ops form or dissolve, as that completely changes the power balance in the 9-man ranks.
If you want to keep up with the latest brackets and schedules for the upcoming season, the best move is to bookmark the SDHSAA (South Dakota High School Activities Association) official site or follow SDPB (South Dakota Public Broadcasting) for their "State of Football" coverage. They live-stream the finals, which is a lifesaver if you can't make the drive to Vermillion.
Start tracking the "seed points" around mid-October. That's when the playoff picture actually starts to clear up and the real math begins for coaches across the state.