Former Lynx track star sets sights on WWE future
EDITOR
MARCUS TRAXLER mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SARA LEITHEISER
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
CHRIS JOHNSON
MOLLIE BURLINGAME
MINDY WIRTZFELD
JAMIE HOLTE
the team meet the contributors
CONTRIBUTERS
MATT ZIMMER
ADAM THURY
TRENT SINGER
BLAKE DURHAM
LANDON DIERKS
NATHAN SWAFFAR
JUSTIN WICKERSHAM
MARCUS TRAXLER
Marcus Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. A past winner of the state’s Outstanding Young Journalist award and the 2023 South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year, he’s worked for the newspaper since 2014 and covers a wide variety of topics.
MATT ZIMMER
Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting.
LANDON DIERKS
Dierks covers prep and collegiate athletics across the Mitchell Republic’s coverage region area. He is a Mitchell native who graduated from South Dakota State University with his bachelor’s degree in journalism in May 2020. Dierks joined the Mitchell Republic sports staff in August 2021.
BLAKE DURHAM
Blake Durham is a Sports Reporter for the Mitchell Republic, having joined the newspaper in October of 2023. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in December of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Durham can be found covering a variety of prep and collegiate sports in the area.
TRENT SINGER
An Iowa native who grew up in the south, Singer is a 2012 graduate of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he received his bachelor of arts degree in photography with a minor in journalism. Singer was most previously the editor of high school sports at Just Women's Sports and, before that, was a sports reporter and editor at the Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New Era, respectively.
Meghan Walker poses for a photo in December while visiting WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn. MEGHAN WALKER ON X
side by side
South Dakota Prep Hoops: Media Polls vs. Seed Points
BY LANDON DIERKS
Mitchell Republic
— Media polls versus seed-point standings.
What’s the difference between the two rankings? Which should you pay attention to as the South Dakota high school basketball season heats up?
Think of the South Dakota Prep Media poll as a subjective power ranking, often a reflection of how teams are playing in the moment. There’s regular movement up and down in the poll as teams go through hot and cold spells throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the seed-point standings provide an objective way to measure teams against one another and are typically a better reflection of a program’s entire body of work. Each time a team plays a game, they receive a set number of points based on a win or loss and the strength of the opposition. As the season progresses and more games are added to the calculation, a team’s seed-point average begins to stabilize, and the standings become less volatile.
Both have their place, and, in many cases, the polls and seed-point standings largely mirror one another. Ultimately, it’s the seedpoint standings that are used by the South Dakota High School Activities Association to seed postseason competitions such as region tournaments, the SoDak 16 rounds and state tournaments.
So, as February nears and basketball programs statewide begin their push toward the postseason, here’s a look at where the South Dakota Prep Media polls and SDHSAA seedpoint standings line up, and where they differ coming down the stretch.
Note: For clarity, whenever a program’s media poll ranking is mentioned, it will be in numeral form (example: No. 3). If referring to a position in the seed-point standings, it will be in ordinal form (example: third). Further, the term “rankings” always refers to the media poll, and “standings” always refers to seed points. All poll rankings and positions in the standings are current through action on Jan. 27.
BOYS
CLASS AA
As the lone undefeated team remaining among the Class AA boys, Sioux Falls Lincoln is the unanimous No. 1 in the media poll and first by a comfortable margin in the seed-point standings. Behind the Patriots, seed points favor Harrisburg ahead of Brandon Valley for second, while the media poll has Brandon Valley ranked at No. 2 and Harrisburg at No. 3. Mitchell is ranked No. 4 and fourth in the standings.
The seed-point standings fancy Spearfish for the fifth spot, while No. 5-ranked Washington is tied with Huron for sixth in the seed points. Recent poll vote-getters Tea Area and O’Gorman are eighth and ninth, respectively, in the seed-point standings.
CLASS A
Much like Lincoln in Class AA, Sioux Falls Christian is the last undefeated team among the Class A boys, earning distinction as the unanimous No. 1 in the media poll and a clear front-runner in the seed-point standings.
But Hamlin, the unanimous pick at No. 2 in the poll, is fourth in the standings behind Rapid City Christian in second and West Central in third. In the poll, Rapid City Christian is No. 3 and West Central is No. 4. Not far behind, new No. 5 Clark/Willow Lake matches up at fifth in the standings.
Outside of the top five, there’s more deviation. A West River quartet of Custer, Hill City, Stanley County and St. Thomas More occupy sixth through ninth in the seed-point standings, but only Custer and STM are receiving votes toward the poll. Dakota Valley, at 10th in the standings, is receiving votes, as is Lennox, which was ranked as high as No. 4 in the poll just last week before tumbling out. The Orioles are currently 15th in the seed-point standings, with Winner, CheyenneEagle Butte, Hanson and Elkton-Lake Benton between them and Dakota Valley at 10th.
TOP: Parkston’s Berkley Ziebart (14) drives with the basketball around Lyman’s Brooke Palmer during a Hanson Classic high school girls basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at the Corn Palace.
ABOVE: Dakota Valley’s Aubree Worden (22) handles the basketball in the open court against Groton Area during a Hanson Classic girls high school basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at the Corn Palace. Dakota Valley is ranked No. 3 in the latest South Dakota Prep Media poll, but the Panthers are first in seed points among Class A girls programs.
ADAM THURY / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
MITCHELL
CLASS B
The Class B boys rankings present Viborg-Hurley as a third unanimous No. 1 in the poll and the Cougars also top the seed-point standings, but the seed-point race is currently much tighter than in either of the larger enrollment classes.
Dell Rapids St. Mary and Castlewood are both hot on Viborg-Hurley’s heels in what is currently a three-way battle for the top spot come postseason time. Though No. 2-ranked Castlewood recently defeated No. 3 DRSM headto-head, the Cardinals have a leg up on the Warriors for second in seed points.
Lemmon, a team that has yet to receive a single vote toward the media poll at any point this season, is fourth in the standings. Defending state champion Howard and Parkston, both currently receiving votes outside the poll’s top five, are tied for fifth in seed points. No. 4-ranked Wessington Springs and No. 5 Leola/Frederick Area come in at seventh and eighth, respectively, in the standings. Wall, another squad yet to receive attention in the poll, is tied with the Titans for eighth seed points.
GIRLS
CLASS AA
The top of the Class AA girls seed-point standings and media poll are nearly identical. Both the rankings and standings have O’Gorman, Brandon Valley and Sioux Falls Washington, in that order, at the top. Notably, O’Gorman is unbeaten and a fourth unanimous No. 1 in the poll.
By seed points, Rapid City Stevens is in the No. 4 position, followed by Mitchell at No. 5, while the Jan. 27 media poll has the Kernels ahead of the Raiders. Of note, Mitchell won the head-to-head meeting against Stevens. As the top team receiving votes in the poll outside of the top five, Aberdeen matches up as the No. 6 team in the standings. Other recent votegetters such as Brookings, Spearfish and Harrisburg all fall between seventh and 10th in the standings.
CLASS A
Almost inarguably the class with the largest separation between the poll and seed-point standings, little lines up among the Class A girls.
Dakota Valley, one of three remaining undefeated teams in the class, stands tall by seed points despite being a distant No. 3 in the most recent poll. Sioux Falls Christian and Mahpiya Luta are No. 1 and No. 2 in the poll, respectively, but lag behind at third and fourth in the standings, also trailing two-loss Hamlin, which is second in the standings but No. 4 in the poll.
No. 5-ranked Elk Point-Jefferson is seventh in the standings, as Aberdeen Roncalli occupies the fifth spot in the standings, with Mobridge-Pollock in sixth. Defending champion Vermillion, who is receiving votes in the poll, and Groton Area are in a tie for eighth, and another vote-getter, Sioux Valley, is 10th.
CLASS B
A fourth unbeaten squad at the top and fifth unanimous No. 1, Centerville has separated itself from the rest of the Class B girls for the first position in the seed-point standings.
No. 2-ranked Parkston holds a narrow edge for second in seed points over Harding County, the other undefeated team left in the class. Though third in the standings, the Ranchers are No. 5 in the poll. Rounding out the top five by seed points are Lyman in fourth and Ethan in fifth, though Rustlers are ahead of the Raiders in the poll, slotting in at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Currently, Dell Rapids St. Mary and Sanborn Central/ Woonsocket are lone programs receiving votes, and while DRSM is sixth in seed points, SCW is 13th. Other recent vote-getters Andes Central/Dakota Christian and Colman-Egan are ninth and 11th, respectively. Filling in the gaps between these programs are largely under-the-radar squads including Bennett County, Northwestern, Kadoka Area and Lemmon.
TOP: Rapid City Christian’s Benson Kieffer, right, drives against Hamlin’s Jackson Wadsworth during a Hanson Classic boys basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at the Corn Palace.
ABOVE: From left, Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Trimmier Hanson, Parkston’s Sean Deckert and Grady Bowar and Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Jaxon Baumberger attempt to grab a rebound during a Hanson Classic boys basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at the Corn Palace. MARCUS TRAXLER / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
NEXT IN LINE
Former Brandon Valley
track star Meghan
Walker sets sights on WWE developmental program
BY TRENT SINGER
Sioux Falls Live
LINCOLN, Neb. — A month has passed, and Meghan Walker still can’t quite wrap her head around the opportunity that’s in front of her.
A Brandon Valley graduate, Walker is now a junior at the University of Nebraska, where she competes on the Cornhuskers’ track and field team, and since arriving in Lincoln, she has constructed a massive audience on social media. On Instagram alone, she has more than 101,000 followers, and she’s also cultivated a follower count of more than 46,000 and 34,000 on X and TikTok, respectively.
Now, though, Walker’s eyes are fixed on a new opportunity with the WWE, professional wrestling’s global juggernaut, and the following she’s already amassed is sure to only get bigger.
Last month, Walker was invited to visit WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, as part of the promotion’s Next In Line (NIL) program, which was established in 2021 with the intention of recruiting and developing future WWE Superstars.
Following that visit, Walker returned to the Sioux Falls area over the holiday break and worked out daily at the Sanford Fieldhouse alongside other college athletes in preparation for the Huskers’ indoor track season.
It’s been a month that has surpassed anything she ever dreamt.
“I thought it was cool that I was going to be a D-I athlete,” Walker said, “and now the fact that I have this WWE opportunity, it is truly a blessing.
“I couldn’t have imagined any of this. All of it is surreal to me.”
DISCOVERING HER PASSION
Volleyball and basketball were the first sports that Walker gravitated toward in middle school, but as fate would have it, track and field became her only option.
In seventh grade, Walker suffered a traumatic brain injury after colliding into a tree while skiing. The accident kept her out of school for about a year and a half and resulted in a loss of motor function, forcing Walker to relearn how to walk, balance and read.
Miraculously, though, her motor function eventually returned, but the only sport she was cleared to compete in was track.
Walker was heartbroken by the news, but she chose to lean into the sport. It didn’t take long for her to discover a gift she didn’t know existed.
“It was just an outlet for me because I was dealing with a lot of stress,” Walker said. “I was dealing with a lot of emotions, so working out gave me that dopamine and the endorphins to just kind of get back into life.”
It wasn’t until she qualified for the Class A state meet as an eighth grader at Sioux Falls Christian that Walker began to recognize her talents on the track, and as she grew older, her confidence also blossomed.
A year later, Walker placed third as a freshman in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races, the latter two of which she set a school record. In 2020, the state meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she returned as a junior for Brandon Valley in 2021, posting her best marks at the high school level.
In the 400, Walker logged a time of 56.08 to win her first individual championship at the Class AA state meet in Sturgis. She also took second in both the 100 and 200 and was a part of a Lynx team that finished third in the 400-meter relay.
Collectively, the Brandon Valley girls were crowned co-team champions along with O’Gorman.
“I wanted to chase my goals and my dreams,” Walker said. “I didn’t have any at the beginning, but once I started hitting those marks, it was like, ‘I really want to do this.’ … That goal-setting process just really gave me so much gratification.”
As a senior, Walker claimed another state title in 2022, this time as a part of Brandon Valley’s 200-meter relay team.
It was around that time she was deciding on which school she was going to continue her track career. UConn, Army West Point, North Dakota State and Iowa were among the schools she was considering, and of course, there was also Nebraska.
Walker admits she initially wasn't very interested in going on her official visit to Lincoln, but from the moment she first stepped on campus, she felt something tugging at her from the inside.
“It was like, ‘This is where you belong,’” Walker said. “I’ve only felt that moment a few times in my life, and I’m grateful I felt it when I came to Nebraska. I couldn’t have picked a better place for me.
Nebraska’s Meghan Walker, a Brandon Valley graduate, poses for a photo ahead of the 2024-25 track and field season. SCOTT BRUHN / HUSKER ATHLETICS
“I couldn’t have imagined any of this. All of it is surreal to me.”
Meghan Walker poses for a photo with Chief Content Officer of WWE Paul Levesque in December during a visit to WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn. MEGHAN WALKER ON X
“I just felt like I could do so much here and that I could make a difference and an impact. I felt so loved, and the community here is just so spectacular. Plus, I love being close to my family.”
At Nebraska, Walker has competed on the Huskers’ 400-meter relay team the last two seasons at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, finishing ninth and eighth in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Just last year, she logged a personal record in the 400-meter dash with a 13thplace time of 55.47 at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Like any athlete adjusting to the college level, Walker has experienced the highs and lows of college life, but she’s thankful for the endless support from her coaches and teammates.
“You’ve got to manage it and get through it,” Walker said, “but I’ve been blessed to have an amazing support system, amazing coaches and great teammates who have helped me through each and every moment.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
"A DREAM COME TRUE"
Last summer, a direct message from the WWE Recruit account on Instagram caught Walker’s attention and sent her mind into a frenzy.
Walker had long been a fan of former UFC champion and WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey and had been following the path of newcomer Tiffany Stratton, a Minnesota native who burst onto WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, back in 2021.
So when WWE initially reached out to gauge her interest in being a part of their new NIL initiative, Walker saw the opportunity as “a dream come true.”
“I had seen athletes do it last year, and I was like, ‘I want that so bad,’” Walker said. “That was my dream NIL deal.”
From there, Walker agreed to take part in multiple phone calls and video chats as part of the selection process.
Then, finally, she and six other college athletes from around the country were flown out last month to the company’s headquarters in Connecticut.
For Walker, the day-long trip to WWE headquarters was a long one, beginning at 2 a.m., before her flight landed in Newark, New Jersey, where she met up with the others. Together, they took an Uber north to Stamford through the pouring rain, but the weather did nothing to damper their excitement.
First, they were introduced to NXT tag partners Hank Walker and Tank Ledger and took part in a lighthearted video for social media in which they tasted pizza from two local pizza shops. Then, they met with members of WWE’s media and marketing team to learn about merchandising and how the company intended to help them grow throughout the developmental process.
Finally, the seven invitees got the chance to meet the Chief Content Officer of WWE himself, Paul Levesque, or Triple H as he’s better known.
“There were talks and conversations about what was going to be next,” Walker said. “I’m super excited. I feel beyond blessed for this opportunity.”
Growing up, Walker says her father had always been a big fan of the WWE, but perhaps more than anything, he was a fan of Rousey, who Walker gravitated toward at a young age.
Walker also has a friend who’s already a part of NXT in Trill Williams, a former undrafted safety in the NFL whose contract with the WWE was officially announced in November.
“I’ve always been so fascinated by it,” Walker said about the WWE. “I’ve always been
Sioux Falls Christian’s Meghan Walker, left, competes in the prelims for the girls’ 100-meter dash at the Class A state track and field meet Friday, May 24, 2019, at Tea Area High School in Tea. SDPB
Meghan Walker begins her sprint Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls. CONTRIBUTED / SANFORD HEALTH
Brandon Valley’s Meghan Walker stands atop the podium after winning the girls’ 400-meter dash at the Class AA state track and field meet Saturday, May 29, 2021, at Woodle Field in Sturgis. SDPB
“I’m trying to focus on what I’ve got going on right now and just see where life takes me afterwards.”
kind of that scrappy person, and I always wanted to wrestle. But my mom was like, ‘No, you can’t. You’re going to get hurt. Something’s going to happen.’
“In the back of my head, though, I’ve always been like, ‘If I wasn’t doing track, I’d probably be wrestling.’”
WINTER WORKOUTS
Over the holidays, Walker took advantage of a Sanford Health initiative that allowed her to stay in shape while back at home on winter break.
Several years ago in the aftermath of the pandemic, Sanford set out to provide college athletes who were home for the holidays with an affordable option to stay in shape. Instead of giving day passes for the many amenities at the Sanford Fieldhouse, a 45-day membership for just $65 is now offered between a shorter window (Dec. 1 - Jan. 31), providing a natural fit for college athletes.
“Most of these college athletes aren’t working, so we had to kind of make it reasonable for them to be able to afford to come to our facility and get the needs they were trying to get,” said Jesse Haines, who has served as Sanford’s manager of sports performance for the last five years in Sioux Falls.
This winter, Haines says there have been about 10 college athletes who have taken advantage of the winter initiative at the Fieldhouse. That includes Walker
and former Sioux Falls Lincoln defensive back Payton Hughes, who returned to his hometown just before Christmas after helping lead Ferris State to a Division II national championship.
Haines, who has been with Sanford since 2004, says the initiative, on top of keeping athletes in top physical shape, allows for plenty of camaraderie among former friends and teammates.
“We open up at 5:30 a.m., and then at this time of the year, we close at 9 p.m. So it’s a big window, as far as if they’re in town or if they happen to be working or have family commitments, those kinds of things,” Haines said. “There’s a big window of time where they can get in so that it’s convenient for them.”
Along with strength and agility training, the Sanford Fieldhouse offers a performance lab that’s led by exercise physiologist Jason Dorman, who’s able to conduct body composition testing for those who are interested. There are also recovery and nutrition services on hand, with newly acquired sports dietician Natasha Hansen available to help with any questions or concerns.
“We’ve got 14 strength coaches. Six of those go out to our partner high schools, but with no school over Christmas break, we’ve got all 14 strength coaches in house,” Haines said. “Most of these college programs with these
kids coming in, they’re doing their college programs and may not have access to their high school gym. We feel like we’ve got everything that those programs are asking those athletes to do, but the biggest thing is we’ve got our strength coaches there as well.
“If they need a spot or need guidance, we’ve got a lot of eyes that are in the building who can assist them with the questions they have.”
For Walker, it was all about speed work and endurance this winter at the Fieldhouse.
“We have a new coach this season at Nebraska, so it was kind of a different type of Christmas break workout for me,” Walker said. “There was a lot of weightlifting and explosive work, Olympic lifts. It was just a jampacked Christmas break of workouts.”
Throughout Walker’s journey as an athlete, Sanford has been there pretty much every step of the way.
Following her skiing accident in middle school, Walker says Sanford proved to be a blessing during her recovery process.
“They did an analysis of my body and everything, and that was years back,” Walker said.
“They’ve always been an amazing asset for me.
“The fact that they let me use their facility during my Christmas break was spectacular because I used to go to gyms and pay tons
of money and didn’t have all the equipment I needed. It was always packed, but Sanford has just been perfect. … Everything you need is at Sanford, and it’s cool to see other athletes, NFL players and just reconnect with people that I used to know in high school.”
For now, Walker’s dreams of pursuing a career in the WWE must remain on the back burner while she focuses on her junior year with the Huskers.
However, the moment her track career is finished, she says she plans to bulk up and add
muscle mass in order to transition away from her track physique.
“I’m trying to focus on what I’ve got going on right now and just see where life takes me afterwards,” Walker said.
Meghan Walker poses for a photo in December while visiting WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn.
MEGHAN WALKER ON X
Matthew Mors for South Dakota State finding his footing
After two underwhelming seasons for Jackrabbits, former Yankton star coming into his own
BY MATT ZIMMER
BROOKINGS
The timing might have been the worst thing for Matthew Mors.
He announced he was going to be a South Dakota State Jackrabbit in early April of 2022, just weeks after former Summit League MVP Doug Wilson had graduated, and only a month later another Summit League MVP, Baylor Scheierman, transferred to Creighton.
Those were two enormous losses from a 30-win, NCAA tournament team, but Mors seemed to offer relief. One of the greatest players in South Dakota high school basketball history, he was a three-time player of the year and fivetime All-State pick at Yankton, where he averaged 24 points per game and joined the Wisconsin Badgers as a four-star recruit in 2021.
After a redshirt season with the Badgers that was, by all accounts, a promising one, Mors entered the portal and eventually joined the Jacks.
A 6-foot-7, four-star recruit coming in from a Big Ten program? These were credentials on par with Mike Miller, who’d had a long NBA career out of Mitchell, or at least Cody Larson of Sioux Falls, who transferred to SDSU from Iowa and became an All-Summit League first teamer.
“People thought he was going to be the savior of Jackrabbit basketball,” said Jacks coach Eric Henderson. “The expectations put on him were so unfair. We felt like he would make a great impact on our program but for the average fan, they see what he did in high school and who recruited him and are like, he
should be the best player in the Summit League. But it doesn’t work like that.”
That became apparent quickly. Mors was a useful player in his debut season at SDSU, playing in all 32 games, starting 15, and averaging 6.2 points per game, which included a 23-point game in a win over North Dakota. But the hope was that Mors would take a step forward in his second year, and if anything, he took a step back. Mors was used exclusively off the bench in 2023-24 and averaged 5.0 points and 1.5 rebounds, never once scoring in double figures all season. Again he did some good things in his role for a team that went back to the NCAA tournament behind an experienced starting five, but two years in and it was fair to say Mors’ return to his home state had been underwhelming.
But with most of last year’s roster moving on, Mors was undoubtedly going to have a larger role this year. The question was how he would respond to it, and as the season moves towards February, the returns are positive. Mors still isn’t a superstar, but he has clearly found himself as an upperclassman. Mors has started all 22 games for the 14-8 Rabbits, averaging 9.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting .510/.393/.750 in 27 minutes per night. He’s also been a key cog in a defense that’s been the second best in the Summit League, but beyond even the box scores and the statistics, if you watch the Jacks play, it’s obvious that Mors is a different player. One who’s enjoying the game, enjoying being a Jackrabbit, and not worrying about any pressure to live up to anyone’s expectations.
“It’s been fun to watch him,” said assistant coach Rob Klinkefus. “It’s no secret he came here with really, really high expectations, and to see him grow
Sioux Falls Live
South Dakota State Jackrabbits forward Matthew Mors (11) warms up during the NCAA first round practice session on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at CHI Health Center Omaha. DYLAN WIDGER / USA TODAY SPORTS
into the role he’s got right now, in this program, I mean, it’s way more than the numbers. He’s a ‘first one in the locker room, last one out’ kind of guy. The vocal leadership, the communication on defense, he’s just taken such a huge step in filling his role on the floor and leading us in the locker room. We have so many new guys and young guys this year, so we really needed someone to step up and make sure things are doing the right way, and he’s been there doing it every single day.”
It started in the offseason. Henderson said he could sense Mors was dissatisfied with his production in his first two seasons, so they went about attacking things from a new angle. They first got to work on changing his body, and Mors dropped more than 25 pounds, enabling him to be quicker and more versatile. They also switched up his practice routine, encouraging him to take shots from spots and angles he hadn’t before and take on different responsibilities in practice. Long a strong spot-up shooter, Klinkefus recalls a practice where Mors commented that he felt like he’d never worked so hard and realized he hadn’t even put up a shot.
“It’s pretty incredible, his determination,” Henderson said. “I mean he’s just outwilled it at the end of the day. The work ethic and the attitude are really showing out on the floor and his confidence is at an all-time high.”
That, Mors said, has been the biggest key. At some point, he had to remember he’s a guy who averaged 24.4 points per game as a freshman at Yankton.
“For me it’s always been a confidence thing,” Mors said. “Just playing with the guys each and every day, just getting more comfortable was the key. Now I’m out there playing and having fun and that’s what basketball should be. I can’t give enough credit to my coaches and teammates to help me through this process.”
With opposing teams directing much of their attention to 6-11 big man
Oscar Cluff and young shooters like Joe Sayler, Kalen Garry and Owen Larson emerging as capable contributors, Mors still had to find his role, a task Klinkefus notes can be harder for a Jackrabbit, as they don’t run many designed sets on offense. But Mors seems to have figured out how to contribute, and Henderson is optimistic that he’s only scratching the surface of his talent. An all-conference player might still be in there.
But Mors isn’t worried about that. He wants to win, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
“I see myself as an everyday guy who shows up and does the little things,” Mors said. “I believe I’m a leader in the locker room, someone who’s making sure everyone’s doing what they need to do on a day-to-day basis.”
South Dakota State’s Matthew Mors holds the ball on offense during the Field of 68 Opening Day Showcase men’s college basketball event on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. MARCUS TRAXLER / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
South Dakota State’s Matthew Mors goes up for a finger-roll against South Dakota on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 in Brookings.
DAVE BORDEWYK / S.D. NEWSMEDIA ASSOCIATION
BIGGINS BLENDS WORK AND FUN BIGGINS BLENDS WORK AND FUN
FOR BIG GYMNASTICS SEASON FOR BIG GYMNASTICS SEASON
Cubs junior among Class A’s best in all five categories
BY NATHAN SWAFFAR Mitchell Republic
CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. — In fifth grade, Kylah Biggins faced a decision that would shape the future of her athletics career.
She was balancing three winter sports with wrestling, basketball and gymnastics. Her dad left her with a difficult decision: to focus on one of the three sports over the other two.
She was already an incredibly accomplished wrestler with four AAU state titles and it seemed like the obvious choice. But that wasn’t the path she wanted to walk.
“I was having a lot of fun with gymnastics and I really loved doing wrestling, but I felt like I’d already accomplished a lot there,” Biggins said. “I wanted to do more in gymnastics because I knew that I could. So I decided on sticking with it.”
Her mind was made up. Her time, sweat and dedication were now focused on becoming the best gymnast she could be. It’s paid off as Biggins has become one top gymnasts in South Dakota and is aiming to end the season on the podium at state.
Her introduction to gymnastics came in third grade when she lived in Winner. Longtime Chamberlain gymnastics head coach Sherri Knippling would travel to do tumbling sessions, giving Biggins her first experience with the sport. Knippling said it was evident from those introductory camps that Biggins had sky-high potential.
“From the first day she walked into the gym, I was like, this kid’s got some talent. You just spot those ones,” Knippling said. “There’s a lot of athletes that are naturally talented, but just don’t really work that hard and things come easy and they just coast. Then there are those kids that have
to work for absolutely everything they have. Kylah is that rare combination of both. She’s very naturally talented but she works way harder than 90% of the people in the gym.”
Current Cubs head coach April Reis saw her during her beginning stages as she helped with some of those camps.
“Her mom would bring her up because she wanted, even then, to do better at gymnastics,” Reis said. “Even at that age, I remember seeing her drive and her love for the sport. She worked so hard as a little kid.”
Shortly after being introduced to the sport, Biggins moved to Chamberlain and became more serious about her skills. As she focused more on gymnastics, she also joined a club team with MEGA Gymnastics in Mitchell, which helped her hone her skills before it was time for her to compete at the high school level.
BUILDING TALENT
Kylah Biggins goes through
Once she reached seventh grade, it was time for her to put her skills on display for the Cubs at the varsity level.
Reis, who worked as a volunteer for local meets and was around the program at the time, said it had been a few years since she saw Biggins compete. However, after watching her suit up for the Cubs in seventh grade, she knew she was watching something special and that there was more to come.
“I remember watching her compete and thinking she was everything we thought she was going to be,” Reis said. “That little girl grew up and was already showing us all the potential she has.”
However, she was one of the youngest members of the team, a position that would be intimidating for some in the same position. But not for Biggins.
“It's hard being the only seventh-grader amongst a bunch of high school kids,” Knippling said. “But Kyla, she was always like, she didn't care. She was just going to do whatever she could do to get where she wanted to be.”
She worked hard and began to make noise. She competed at state both in seventh and eighth grade, and while she didn’t finish top-10 in any events through those first two years for the Cubs, her freshman season ended up being her best to date.
At the 2023 Class A state competition, she was one of the best. She finished top-10 in four of the five individual events, including a second-place finish on the balance beam and fifth-place in the all-around. She was one of only two freshmen to finish in the top 10 in the all-around competition and Chamberlain finished second in the team standings as well thanks to her efforts.
Expectations for her 2024 season as a sophomore were sky high and she was ready to take the next step.
“I wanted to do that all again, but I wanted to do better that year individually because I did pretty
well my freshman year,” Biggins said. “But I didn’t exceed my expectations my sophomore year.”
A down year for Biggins would have still been an incredibly successful year for many others. She still finished in the top 10 in four of the five individual categories at the 2024 state competition. However, she did not record a top-three finish and dropped to 10th in the all-around.
Multiple factors led to the outcome. Knippling left her coaching prior to the season and Reis took over as a first-year head coach, which brought on change. With higher expectations came mounting pressure, and Biggins always pushed herself to be better. She admitted sometimes she didn’t do well enough coping with that pressure and it affected her performance.
But if there is one thing Biggins is known for, it’s her work ethic. She’s always been committed to working harder than everyone else and the disappointing sophomore season only created more motivation for her to improve.
“I really wanted to do well and so it kind of just pushed me to go to the gym more,” Biggins said. “Some days it'd be kind of hard to go, but then I'm like, 'Well, how bad do you want it?' So then that would help push me to go. And then, since I was already there, I better work as hard as I can so that I can make the most of it.”
AIMING HIGHER
With more motivation and drive than ever, Biggins has proved herself to be one of the top gymnasts in South Dakota, especially in Class A.
As of Jan. 24, she has recorded top-five scores in all five individual categories. Those include a current state-best 9.400 score in the vault and a second-best 36.750 score in the all-around. She’s also broken some school records. One of those includes a 9.200 mark in the uneven bars, which broke the 2006 Chamberlain record of 9.150, held by Knippling’s daughter Whitney.
While the extra work is one thing, coping with the pressure and mental side is another. So instead of putting a spotlight on that pressure, she decided to focus on what all sports boil down to: having fun.
“This year, I've really just changed my attitude and gone in having a fun vibe to me,” Biggins said. “I’m not worrying about anyone else but worrying about how I do and competing against myself. … I always just kind of tell myself that God has a plan. How I do today doesn't determine how practice is going to go
tomorrow and I can only do so well on a certain day. ”
However, a lot of it has boiled down to her superior work ethic, one that has been with her since she first started playing sports.
“I like to work hard because my dad always told me that if you're going to do something, why not just aim for the top?” Biggins said. “Don’t just do it, always aim to be the best that you possibly can.”
“Even as an adult, I often want to have that kind of drive to work towards something,” Reis said of Biggins’ work ethic. “She just continually keeps striving to do better. She has great grades, she's working towards her other sports, but she knows what she wants and she continues to work for it. Her love for gymnastics, even with everything else going on, work, school and other sports, she finds the time and makes it work to do that. You don't see that in a lot of athletes.”
While state titles could very well be in her future at the state competition on Feb. 14 and 15, there is still a way to go before that opportunity presents itself. For now, Biggins is focused on enjoying the rest of the season and preparing for state.
“I'm really just trying to stay healthy this season and have the best state meet that I possibly can on that day,” Biggins said. “In the end, just be happy with how this season turned out because really, I am achieving all the goals that I've looked for since I was a little seventh-grader.”
Chamberlain’s Kylah Biggins prepares to compete in the uneven bars at the 2023 South Dakota Class A state gymnastics meet in Aberdeen. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
“I like to work hard because my dad always told me that if you’re going to do something, why not just aim for the top?”
WITH MITCHELL
DON’T MISS A BEAT Spartans ON THE BENCH,
Wessington Springs used huge rally to win 281, improve to 9-1
BY MARCUS TRAXLER
ESSINGTON SPRINGS, S.D. — As a coach, Joey Mitchell has always been in the Wessington Springs boys basketball team’s corner.
And now this season he’s back on their bench, too.
After a two-year hiatus for his professional career, Mitchell took advantage of the chance to get back in the head coaching role for the Spartans, who have started the season at 9-1.
Wessington Springs’ Parker Graff drives in and shoots the ball over the hand of Wolsey-Wessington’s Moshe Richmond during the 281 Conference boys basketball tournament championship game on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at the Huron Arena. MARCUS TRAXLER / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
Mitchell Republic
Wessington Springs head coach Joey Mitchell looks on from the sidelines during the 281 Conference boys basketball tournament championship game on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at the Huron Arena.
MARCUS TRAXLER / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
The season had its biggest swing on Thursday, Jan. 23, when Wessington Springs rallied from a 25-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining to stun rival Wolsey-Wessington 58-56 for the 281 Conference Tournament title at the Huron Arena.
“We weren’t playing basketball like we potentially could,” Mitchell said of his message before the big comeback. “We talked about getting the lead down to 16 and then we had another timeout and we had it under eight. Our team accepted the challenge, and that’s really something they’ve done all year.”
Nothing about Wessington Springs’ season has been easy, however. The Spartans have had a litany of injuries impact the rotation and playing time. Ryder Michalek, an all-281 Conference player from 2024, has been out with a foot injury and Parker Graff, the star of the Jan. 23 game, missed nearly all of the season with a knee injury before playing his first full game in Huron.
“We’ve had four of our top guys out, so we have some guys who are playing minutes that are new,” Mitchell said. “They might not have been able to play at the start of the year otherwise, and now they’re coming in and making contributions in varsity games.”
Mitchell, who played college basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University, was the Spartans’ coach for three seasons until 2022, helping lead Wessington Springs out of the doldrums as a program after a decade of sub-.500 seasons. That’s when he earned a promotion to lead the Nordby Center for Recreation in Huron, where he’s now director of the fitness center. At that point, he had to leave the head coaching position with the Spartans.
Kenny Huether stepped in and continued to build the program, with Springs winning 16 games and reaching the SoDak 16 in 2023 and then going 24-2 and finishing in fifth place at the Class B state tournament last season.
“Mitchell had previously been helping with open gyms and workouts, even playing with and against some of the players during gym time. But when Huether decided to step down as coach, it wasn’t long before Mitchell’s former players put the recruiting pitch on him.
“I was probably more of a mentor than anything the last few years,” Mitchell said. “And then it got to a point where they didn’t have a coach and some of the kids I coached when they were eighthgraders and freshmen were texting me and saying, ‘You’re going to coach us, right?’ I didn’t really know because of work and I have young children at home. I checked with my wife and with work and got the go ahead. Everything just fell into place and I’m glad to be back.”
Graff, who scored 35 points in the title game win from off the bench, said Mitchell is the best coach he’s had the chance to work with.
“He is one of a kind. I’ve never learned more from another coach,” Graff said. “He’s always telling us we can get better and we’re working in new guys and it’s coming together. We’re trying to learn and play together but we all know we’re capable of having another strong season and getting a chance at a state title in March.”
And winning the 281 Conference title remains a special accomplishment, an event dating back to 1966 for the conference. The title effort included a 27-7 fourth quarter for Springs and Branden Flowers had the eventual game-winning shot with 19 seconds left to power the Spartans to their eighth-straight win.
He is one of a kind. I’ve never learned more from another coach — Parker Graff
Mitchell, who was a Class B star player at fellow 281 member Hitchcock-Tulare, said it’s always a highlight of the season, and considering Thursday’s comeback, it likely won’t be a game any Spartan soon forgets.
““This is a unique tournament with a lot of history,” he said. “These last five years or so, we’ve always been back and forth with Wolsey, and both teams have pretty good basketball programs. It’s always up for grabs and to win it, it’s a great feeling.”
Wessington Springs head coach Joey Mitchell looks on from the sidelines during the 281 Conference boys basketball tournament championship game on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at the Huron Arena. MARCUS TRAXLER / MITCHELL REPUBLIC
BY NATHAN SWAFFAR | MITCHELL REPUBLIC
Annalee Pierson: Sturgis Brown girls wrestling athletes JAN 30 of theweek
Only an eighth-grader, Pierson has been one of the top girls wrestlers in the state. Ranked as the No. 2 wrestler at 107 pounds, she picked up another individual tournament victory at the Governor Girls Wrestling Invite in Pierre. She picked up three victories, including a narrow 7-3 decision over Mobridge-Pollock’s Jasmin Perez in the title match. The victory clinched her fifth varsity title this season and she improved to an impressive 35-1.
WESTON REMMERS: HOWARD BOYS WRESTLING
ELIZABETH BOSCHEE: SANBORN CENTRAL/ WOONSOCKET GIRLS BASKETBALL
Sanborn Central/ Woonsocket’s Elizabeth Boschee drives inside against the Highmore-Harrold defense during the 281 Conference girls basketball tournament championship game on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at the Huron Arena. Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
Boschee, a junior forward for the Blackhawks, made some personal history last week. Boschee aided SCW to the 281 Conference girls basketball tournament title behind multiple big performances, including a 29-point game in the semifinals against Wessington Springs and a 34-point performance in the title game against Highmore-Harrold. However, with that 34-point game, she eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her career. Boschee and the Blackhawks now sit at 9-2 on the season and have matchups at Hanson on Tuesday and at Wessington Springs this week.
Last year’s third-place finisher at state in the 165-pound division, Remmers has been one of Howard’s top wrestlers this season and had his biggest triumph yet last Saturday. Remmers claimed the 175-pound individual title at the Parkston Little B wrestling tournament, defeating the Trojans’ Kolter Kramer in the title match via an 11-1 major decision. For Remmers, it was his first individual title of his season after multiple second-place finishes at previous tournaments. He improved to 12-2 in his senior season with the tournament victory.
TREVON
BECKMAN:
DELL RAPIDS ST. MARY BOYS BASKETBALL
The week didn’t start out great for Beckman and Dell Rapids St. Mary as Castlewood handed them their first loss of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 21. However, the Cardinals rebounded with a big victory over Parkston and Beckman was the catalyst. Against one of the top defenses in Class B, Beckman scored a game-high 29 points against the Trojans, including a critical 12 points when it mattered most in the fourth quarter. Beckman and DRSM have games at Duebrook and at Chester this week.
Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Trevon Beckman controls the ball on offense during a Hanson Classic boys basketball game against Parkston on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at the Corn Palace. Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
Howard’s Weston Remmers, right, wrestles against Central Lyon/GeorgeLittle Rock’s (Iowa) Kenddrell Thomas during the Little B high school wrestling tournament on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 in Parkston. Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic