BRITTON, S.D. – Selby Post 100 earned the South Dakota VFW State Championship over three days with strong pitching, timely hitting, and contributions from different players every game.
After opening pool play with a hard-fought tie, Selby steadily gained momentum, finishing unbeaten the rest of the weekend before surviving a thrilling championship comeback against the host Britton Lumberjacks to bring home the state title.
Selby’s tournament began Friday with a 3-3 tie against KWL Varsity. Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the third inning, Selby answered immediately as Keegan Russell delivered an RBI single before another run crossed on an error to even the contest. Peyton Lutz struck out three over two innings on the mound, while Luke Fiedler, Russell, Lutz and Kaleb Claymore each collected hits.
That resilience carried into Friday’s second game, where Selby earned its first victory with a 6-2 win over Leola-Frederick. The offense broke a 2-2 tie in the third inning as Xavier Hobert delivered an RBI single before Kaden Russell followed with a two-run double to create separation. Hobert also dominated in relief, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to secure the victory. Luke Fiedler added two hits and two stolen bases as Selby played flawless defense without committing an error.
By Saturday morning, Selby found its offensive rhythm.
Against Baltic Post 175, Selby exploded early and never looked back in an 11-4 victory. Hobert sparked the first-inning scoring with a two-run double before Luke Fiedler drove home two more runs in the second. Keegan Russell and Kaden Russell each added RBIs as Selby built a commanding lead. Fiedler earned the win on the mound before Russell closed things out with a scoreless relief appearance.
The semifinal against Gregory showcased Selby at its most complete.
After erupting for six runs in the second inning, the knockout blow came one inning later when Keegan Russell crushed a grand slam to left field as part of a five-RBI afternoon. Russell also doubled home a run earlier in the game, while Houston Hauge added two RBIs during the decisive second inning. Peyton Lutz was equally dominant on the mound, firing a one-hit shutout over five innings as Selby rolled to an 11-0 victory and punched its ticket to the championship.
Waiting in the title game was host Britton, and the championship tested Selby more than any game all weekend.
Britton surged ahead 5-1 by the third inning and appeared to have seized control.
The comeback began with steady offensive pressure before a dramatic seventh inning erased the deficit. An error allowed one run to score before Kaden Russell lined a game-tying RBI single to knot the score.
The extra-inning battle shifted in Selby’s favor in the eighth.
Luke Fiedler, who had been one of Selby’s most consistent hitters all tournament, delivered perhaps the biggest hit of the weekend with a two-run single that gave Selby the lead for good. An additional run extended the advantage before Britton mounted one final rally in the bottom half, but Selby held on for a thrilling 9-8 victory and the state championship.
After opening the tournament with a tie, Selby responded by winning four consecutive games, outscoring its opponents 37-14 over those victories. From overcoming early deficits to delivering clutch hits in the biggest moments, Selby Post 100 saved its best baseball for championship weekend and left Britton as the 2026 South Dakota VFW State Champions.
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