PIERRE – Frustration permeated the open forum session of Wednesday’s SDHSAA Board of Directors meeting.
More than 10 people from White River expressed how upset the community remains over mistakes made that hurt the Tigers in the third-place game of the Class B Boys Basketball state tournament in Aberdeen last month.
An Aberdeen Christian player was mistakenly awarded a point on a missed third quarter free throw. When the White River scorekeeper, Peri Strain, who also is the high school principal, went to the scorer’s table to point out the mistake, she said that she was brushed off by those working at the table. Aberdeen Christian eventually won the game in overtime.
White River Superintendent Louie Krogman said that the group came to the meeting to have the board “acknowledge the mistakes and not sugarcoat the truth. We just want proper acceptance that the mistakes occurred.”
Longtime White River boys coach Eldon Marshall became emotional as he addressed the board, saying that the program’s remarkable success has turned some people against White River.
Various board members and SDHSAA Executive Director Dan Swartos apologized and promised that changes will be made.
In anoother matter, Pierre Athletic Director Brian Moser expressed his wish for greater consequences for those who display poor sportsmanship.
Moser described the events of a neutral site basketball playoff game at the Riggs High Gym where a coach used bad language with his players and that Moser had to escort the officials out because some fans were waiting for them.
Moser said that an athletic director took no action when the game started to get out of hand, causing problems.
SDHSAA board member Eric Denning suggested that the association form an ethics committee to help allay such behavior.
Pierre School Board member Randy Hartmann will join the SDHSAA board as a school board member from a large school. He replaces Aberdeen’s Mark Murphy, the board chairman.
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