High school football rematch sets record stakes for South Dakota

St. Thomas More and Elk Point-Jefferson will face off again on Friday, November 13, at 9 a.m. Mountain Time inside the DakotaDome. The two teams met last year in a state championship game that produced 86 combined points, a record for the Class 11B division.

The Cavaliers won that matchup 48-38 to claim their first state title. This season, St. Thomas More is averaging 43 points per game while allowing 13.6. The Huskies average 35 points per contest and surrender only eight points per game.

St. Thomas More is playing in its eighth state championship game since 2004. The team has passed for more than 2,500 yards and rushed for over 1,700 yards this season. Elk Point-Jefferson relies heavily on running back Brody Van Roekel, who has rushed for more than 1,200 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.

Head coach Nick Wald called the Huskies physical and noted that they run the ball very well. "We're going to have to get created on defense and try to get some stops," Wald said. "On the offensive side of the ball, we're going to have to stay sound. Play sound football. Take what they give us depending on how they play us. It's going to come down to who gets stops."

The playoffs began with 88 teams competing for state titles. The field has now narrowed to two teams in each class. The Friday game will determine the Class 11B champion for the 2026 season.