Basketball Dudes: SD Standouts in Football

Football is well underway and I wanted to find a way to tie football in with hoops. The state of South Dakota has many talented football and basketball players. In this article, we want to look at guys that are excellent at both sports. See below for some of the top SD football players so far this season.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/SD-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/SD-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1399487" width="202" height="126"/></a></figure>   Football Standouts   [player_tooltip player_id='963824' first='Blake' last='Volmer'] (2023) |6'3 SG| Winner   A versatile baller that can do it all on the hardwood. Blake is an All-State basketball player and a standout athlete. In football, the Warriors are 4-0 and the #1 ranked team in Class 11B. Volmer also has Winner on a 27-game win streak! The Warriors are a run-heavy team, as the QB Volmer is 7-10 passing for 107 yards and 3 passing TD's. On the ground, Blake has 8 carries for 31 yards and 1 TD. On defense as a FS, Blake has 6 tackles and one interception. Volmer is one of the best leaders to come through Winner. He makes sure the whole team knows exactly what their role is. He gets everyone lined up on defense as the free safety and he controls the huddle as quarterback on offense. Best of luck to Volmer and the #1 ranked Warriors!   [player_tooltip player_id='963773' first='Brayden' last='Pankonen'] |5'10 G| Dell Rapids   In hoops, Pankonen is as quick as they come and he is a lights-out shooter. If you want to see a 3-sport athlete, check out Pankonen. He has a great chance this year at being All-State in football, basketball, and baseball. This fall the Quarriers are 3-0 and Brayden has only played 8 of 12 quarters because of the lopsided scores. Pankonen has 4 TD's with 100 yards receiving and rushing. He has 220 all-purpose yards and 8 tackles on defense. Brayden and the Quarriers are off to a great start and I expect that to continue.   [player_tooltip player_id='963810' first='Cooper' last='Long'] (2023) |6'2 SG| Lyman   He is an impressive athlete on the basketball court. Long is a playmaker on both ends of the floor and he can score from all levels. In football, Cooper was All-State last season and he is off to an amazing season so far this fall. Long is new to Lyman and he has made an immediate impact on the #5 ranked Raiders who are 4-0. He is an elite WR with 21 receptions for 465 yards and 9 TD's. He is also a star DB with 3 interceptions and two of those have been returned for TD's. Cooper has knocked down 6 passes and he has 21 tackles. Look for Long and Lyman to continue their success. Cooper is on his way to putting up historic numbers!   [player_tooltip player_id='963766' first='Damon' last='Wilkinson'] (2023) |6'10 C| De Smet   In basketball, Wilkinson was a State Champion and an All-State player last season. This year, he will be the best BIG in Class B. I can guarantee you that Damon will be a walking double-double. In football, De Smet is 3-1 and ranked #3 in 9B. Wilkinson plays TE and DE and is easily one of the best in the State. He has one punt block and 4 sacks through 4 games. He is a major part of the Bulldogs outscoring opponents 146-15 over the last 3 games. On defense, Wilkinson controls half of the field for the Bulldogs and he often sees double teams. Damon is also a huge part of the Bulldogs special teams unit as he is the kicker. At 6'10" 260 lbs Damon is an imposing figure on the football field. Wilkinson currently has college D1 football offers from UND and NDSU.   [player_tooltip player_id='1266269' first='Lane' last='Tvedt'] (2024) |6'0 G| Castlewood   In hoops, Tvedt is a skilled and athletic guard. He is a sniper from beyond the arc. In football, Tvedt has led the Warriors to a 3-0 record and a #3 ranking in class 9A. Lane is a stud QB that has thrown for 413 yards while going 19-43 with 7 touchdowns. On the ground, Tvedt has rushed for 213 yards on 24 carries, which means he averages 8.9 yards per carry! Lane and the Warriors are a scary squad!   [player_tooltip player_id='963751' first='Lincoln' last='Kienholz'] (2023) |6'3 G| Pierre   On the hardwood, Kienholz is a stud PG and a ferocious athlete. He has to be one of the best dunkers in the Midwest and he can get his jump shot off any time that he pleases. In football, Kienholz is a Blue Chip recruit that has committed to the University of Washington out of the PAC12. This season, Pierre in 3-0 and they are #1 ranked team in 11AA. Lincoln is top in the State in passing TD's and in the top 3 in rushing TD's. He has an impressive 17 total TD's through 3 games! The Gov's have a big matchup this Friday vs. Yankton, a game with undefeated teams.   [player_tooltip player_id='963787' first='Randy' last='Rosenquist'] (2023) |6'0 PG| Dakota Valley   He helped lead the Panthers to a perfect season, a State Championship, and he was a 1st team All-State player last year. DV will be looking for a repeat this basketball season and Rosenquist will be one of the top PG's in SD. In football, Dakota Valley is 2-1 and ranked #5 in 11A. As a WR, Randy has 5 catches for 80 yards and 1 TD. As a DB the stud Panther has 27 tackles, 1 interception, and 4 pass breakups. This kid is a winner and STAR multi-sport athlete.   [player_tooltip player_id='963752' first='Rugby' last='Ryken'] (2023) |6'0 G| Yankton   He is a season veteran on the basketball court and a successful leader. Rugby can do it all in hoops and he is a two way player. Get ready for a big season on the hardwood from Ryken. In football, Rugby is the QB for the #3 Bucks. This week the Yankton travels to Pierre to take on the mighty Govs. It is going to be a great matchup between Ryken and Kienholz, two of the top QBs in SD. Last week Rugby had some impressive stats, 16-25 passing for 218 yards and 3 TD's, add in 2 rushing TD's. Get ready for a big one on Friday, it will be must watch football, Bucks vs. Govs!   [player_tooltip player_id='1415229' first='Tage' last='Ortman'] (2023) |6'0 G| Canistota   He is a stud athlete on the hardwood and on the field. This summer Ortman proved that he is a high caliber player when hooping with Sacred Hoops. On the gridiron, Tage is standout safety and quarterback. This season the Hawks are 2-2 and Ortman has been putting up big numbers. For passing, Tage is 40/72 for 630 yards with 8 touchdown. He has rushed for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Look out for Ortman and the Hawks, they are likely the best 2-2 team in SD and they will be a scary matchup for everyone at the end of the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='963819' first='Tate' last='Van Otterloo'] (2023) |6'4 SF| Beresford   In hoops, Van Otterloo is a hardworker that can do it all. He is a tough matchup with his length/size/skill. Tate is also an impressive athlete and an above-the-rim-finisher. In football, the Watchdogs are #4 in 11A and they are 2-1. Van Otterloo is one of the top dogs for this tough Beresford team. Tate has 2 passing touchdowns, 2 rushing touchdowns, and 2 interceptions on defense. Look out for Van Otterloo, he is a talented player.   [player_tooltip player_id='963741' first='Taylen' last='Ashley'] (2023) |6'0 PG| Sioux Falls Jefferson   In basketball, he is one of the top PG's in South Dakota. Ashley recently committed to USF for hoops. In football, the Cavaliers are 3-0 and #1 in 11AAA. The Cavs have come out smoking this season, they have 3 blow out wins so far. Ashley is 31-47 (66%) with 550 yards passing the ball with 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Taylen also has 2 rushing TD's. Expect the Cavs to keep rolling this Friday night. You are not going to find a better multip-sport athelte in SD than Mr. Ashley!   [player_tooltip player_id='963842' first='Tray' last='Hettick'] (2023) |6'2 G| Herreid/Selby Area   He is a strong and athletic guard on the basketball court. Tray can light it up from deep and is prime for a monster season on the court. However, its football season and Hettick is dominating! The Wolverines are 3-0 and #1 in class 9B. Tray is a rockstar on the football field. On defense, he has 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass break ups. As the QB, Hettick is 22-34 with 276 passing yards, 6 TD's and 0 interceptions. He has rushed for 193 yards on 22 carries and has put in 5 two-point conversions. Hettick and the Wolverines are having a fantastic season and I fully expect that to continue.   [player_tooltip player_id='1534279' first='Tye' last='Merrill'] (2023) |5'10 G| Canistota   In hoops, Merrill is a lockdown defender, a smooth shooter, and an all-around athlete. In football, Tye has been a DUDE. The Hawks are 2-2 with a tough schedule so far. Merrill has been outstanding as a RB/WR. He has rushed for 200 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns. Tye also has 150 receiving yards with 1 touchdown and 11 catches. On the other side of the ball, Merrill is a lockdown corner. He has 20 tackes and 1 INT on the year. Canistota has a tough game this Friday at home vs. Elkton-Lake Benton, expect Tye to have a big one!

Football is well underway and I wanted to find a way to tie football in with hoops. The state of South Dakota has many talented football and basketball players. In this article, we want to look at guys that are excellent at both sports. See below for some of the top SD football players so far this season.