SIOUX FALLS – Players from 11AA champion Pierre, 11B champion Winner, 9AA champion Platte-Geddes, 9A runner-up Herreid/Selby Area and 9B runner-up Potter County highlight the South Dakota Football Coaches Association 2021 All-State Teams, announced Wednesday.
11AA
Six players from the Pierre Governors, winners of the 11AA championship for the fifth straight season, were named to the All-State team. Named were quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, wide receiver Jack Merkwan, defensive lineman Jaden Flor and defensive back Jacob Mayer. Named as honorable mentions were Christian Busch and Jayden Wiebe.
Kienholz, a junior, became the Governors’ all-time and single-season passing yardage leader, throwing for 3359 yards and 37 touchdowns with only six interceptions this season. He has 5678 yards passing with 58 touchdowns in three seasons. Kienholz also rushed for 1165 yards and 12 touchdowns this season with four games of at least 100 yards rushing. He passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two in Pierre’s 30-27 11AA championship game victory over Tea Area on November 12.
Merkwan, a junior, set a school record with 1297 yards receiving in 2021. He caught 15 touchdown passes.
Flor, a senior, led the Governors in tackles for losses with 18 1/2. He had 53 total tackles (37 solo), three and a half sacks and a fumble recovery.
Mayer, a junior, was Pierre’s third-leading tackler with 81 (51 solo). He led the Governors with five interceptions, and the fifth set up Cole Peterson’s winning field goal on the last play of the championship game win over Tea Area. Mayer also had a fumble recovery and two tackles for losses.
Busch, a junior, led the Governors’ offensive line, which protected to the extent that the Governors averaged 425 yards per game.
Wiebe, a junior, had a 94-yard kickoff return and a 55-yard touchdown punt return this season. He also 45 tackles (39 solo), an interception, a sack, two forced fumbles, and two tackles for losses.
11A
Junior Noah Hutmacher of Chamberlain was named honorable mention on the 11A All-State team. Hutmacher had 54 solo tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and 23 tackles for losses for the Cubs.
11B
Six from the repeat state champion Winner Warriors made the 11B All-State team: running back Riley Orel, offensive linemen Charley Pravacek and Achilles Willuweit, defensive linemen Joey Cole and Jackson Vesely and defensive back Kaden Keiser.
Orel, a junior, played wingback this season after playing at fullback the previous two seasons. He rushed for over 13 yards a carry with six touchdowns while having four touchdown receptions.
Pravacek and Willuweit, two seniors, helped the Warriors rushed for over 300 yards a game.
Cole, a senior, registered two and a half sacks. Vesely, a senior, returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
Keiser, a senior, had seven tackles for losses and five pass breakups.
9AA
Stran Scott of Stanley County was named honorable mention on the 9AA All-State team. Scott, a senior, started for three seasons on both sides of the line for the Buffaloes. Head Coach Max Foth called Scott Stanley County’s best offensive lineman.
Lyman Raider offensive lineman TJ Moran and athlete Colton Collins made the team. Moran helped protect a Lyman offense that averaged over 40 points per game. Collins rushed for 1,874 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Platte-Geddes, who won the championship for the second straight season, placed five players on the team: linebacker Grayson Hanson, tight end Cayden Foxley (his third straight All-State selection), offensive lineman Royce Finney, defensive back Jackson Neuman and special teams player Jackson Olsen.
Two of Timber Lake’s outstanding skill position players, senior running back Hank Kraft and senior fullback Jayce Lawrence, were named All-State. Kraft rushed for 1,983 yards and 24 touchdowns in his senior season. For his career, Kraft rushed for 53 touchdowns, received 20 and had over 5,600 all-purpose yards. Lawrence rushed for three touchdowns in 2021 and 12 for his career.
For Ipswich, offensive lineman Zach Geditz and linebacker Luke Peterson made the All-State team. Ty Kadlec and Carson Gohl were named honorable mention.
9A
Herreid/Selby Area, who fell in the state championship game, is represented by five All-State players: quarterback Tray Hettick, running back Brenden Begeman, offensive lineman Chance Gregg and linebackers Trey Sayler and Trevor Sayler.
Hettick, a junior, passed for 27 touchdowns and completed 63 percent of his throws. Begeman, a junior, rushed for 1,720 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also caught nine touchdown passes. Gregg, a senior, helped the Wolverines amass over 400 yards of offense per game. Trey and Trevor Sayler combined for over 270 tackles and five interceptions.
9B
Potter County, who lost a heartbreaker in double overtime to Dell Rapids St. Mary in the 9B title game, has five players on the All-State team: quarterback Grant Luikens, wide receiver Drake Bassett, defensive lineman Colt Wieseler, linebacker Cooper Logan and offensive lineman Alex Tanner, who was named honorable mention.
Luikens, a senior, passed for 25 touchdowns in 2021 and 43 for his career. He also rushed for 24 touchdowns this season and ends his career with 32. Bassett, a senior, had 37 catches for 701 yards and six touchdowns this season, giving him 15 receiving touchdowns in three seasons. Wieseler, a senior, had 79 tackles (51 solo), 11 and a half sacks and a fumble recovery. Logan, a senior, amassed 140 tackles (89 solo), four sacks, three interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Senior defensive lineman Jesse Schall of Sully Buttes was named All-State as a defensive lineman after being named in 2020 as an offensive lineman. Schall made 101 tackles (76 solo) and started for four seasons for the Chargers.
Three Faulkton Area players made the team: defensive lineman Hunter Niederbaumer, linebacker Simon Bowar and defensive back Parker Geditz. Niederbaumer was in on 93 tackles (36 solo) and had 10 sacks as part of 20 1/2 tackles for losses. Bowar had 90 solo tackles among his total of 134, along with two and a half sacks and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
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