From Yahoo Sports · · 3m
South Dakota High School Football Title Games 2026 Facts
Seven South Dakota high school teams vie for 2026 state football titles with historic streaks and rematches.
In brief
Seven South Dakota high school teams vie for 2026 state football titles with historic streaks and rematches. Seven South Dakota high school teams compete in 2026 state football championships with record-breaking win streaks and repeat matchups. Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Seven Teams Crowned
Seven games remain, and seven champions will be crowned this week to close the 2026 South Dakota high school football season.
23-Game Win Streaks
Both teams enter the state championship games on 23-game win streaks after going undefeated in 2025 and leading into the 2026 title game.
First Defending Champions Matchup
This is the first matchup between two defending state champions since 2009, when 2008 champions Hanson (9A) and Avon (9B) met, and Hanson won 20-16.
Dell Rapids St. Mary's Quest
Dell Rapids St. Mary is seeking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles in Class 9B since Kimball in 2003 and 2004.
Wall's Championship History
Wall has 4-2 in previous contests, with this being Wall's seventh all-time appearance in a state championship game.
Wall's Class Diversity
Wall has won titles in 1994, 2022 (9AA) and 2025 (9A), making the Eagles the only program to claim championships across all three classes of nine-man football.
Cardinals' Championship History
The Cardinals are playing in their sixth all-time state championship, having lost in 2002, 2009, and 2020 before winning championships in 2021 and 2025, all in Class 9B.
Freeman's Back-to-Back History
Freeman is looking to be part of back-to-back state championships for the sixth time in school history, with many of these same players part of the 2025 title win over Elkton-Lake Benton.
Tayden Kerrigan's Touchdowns
Flyer quarterback Tayden Kerrigan enters the state championship game one touchdown shy of 50 touchdowns accounted for this season, with 37 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing scores.
Bennett County's First Title Game
For Bennett County, it is the Warriors' first trip to the championship game in school history, following a three-win season in 2025.
Bennett County's Win Streak
Bennett County is on a 10-game win streak, the best in school history since 2008, with the Warriors winning 10-0 until a loss to Groton Area in the Class 11B semifinals.
Mountain Time Zone Teams
The Warriors join Wall and Harding County as the only nine-man teams in the Mountain Time Zone to reach the DakotaDome since 2010.
Parkston and Platte-Geddes Rematch
This is the sixth year in the last seven that either Parkston or Platte-Geddes will play in the Class 9AA championship game, with Parkston making it in 2020 and 2021.
Class 11B Rematch History
For the third time since 2018, the Class 11B state championship game is a rematch of the previous season, with the Warriors bouncing back to win the championships in both 2020 and 2021.
The main idea
Seven South Dakota high school teams compete in 2026 state football championships with record-breaking win streaks and repeat matchups.
