YANKTON, S.D. — Tyson Miller rushed for two touchdowns and caught another to lead Watertown past Yankton 35-25 in the Class 11AA semifinals at Crane-Youngworth Field.
The victory sends the Arrows back to the DakotaDome for a rematch of the 2024 state championship game against top-ranked Pierre.
The semifinal matchup proved much tighter than the regular-season meeting between the two teams, which saw Watertown spoil Yankton’s homecoming with a 42-14 victory.
Watertown struck first when Kaeden Himmerich connected with Miller for a touchdown at the 10:23 mark of the first quarter.
Yankton responded with 10 unanswered points. Following a field goal, Bucks quarterback Jackson Kudera hit Miles Drotzmann for a touchdown with 2:09 remaining in the opening quarter to put Yankton ahead 10-7.
The Arrows answered four seconds before the end of the first quarter on a touchdown run by Miller, reclaiming the lead at 14-10. Himmerich extended the cushion to 21-10 mid-way through the second quarter, connecting with Kutler Swenson for a touchdown at the 6:14 mark.
Yankton mounted a third-quarter rally. Kudera found Ivan Hirschman for a touchdown at the 9:00 mark, and a successful two-point conversion cut the Watertown lead to 21-18. Later in the quarter, Emmett Hirschman rumbled into the end zone at the 3:00 mark to give Yankton a 25-21 advantage.
Watertown took control in the final frame. Hunter Peterson rushed in for a go-ahead touchdown with 5:19 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Arrows up 28-25. Miller secured the victory with his third score of the night, punching in a rushing touchdown with just 11 seconds left on the clock.
Watertown (8-3) advances to face Pierre in the Class 11AA Championship Game on Friday, Nov. 13, at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The title tilt renews a rivalry between the two programs. Watertown won the 2024 championship matchup 14-13, though Pierre claimed a 55-14 victory over the Arrows earlier this season at Allen Mitchell Field.
The championship game will be broadcast live on SDPB-TV1, SDPB.org/Football, and the SDPB YouTube channel.
Article will be updated with official statistics once they become available.
