50 years ago girls joined the state tourney fun

        The year 2025 marks a half-century since South Dakota first crowned state champions in both boys and girls basketball in the modern era. During the calendar year of 1975 titles were earned by the Freeman and Aberdeen Roncalli boys in March and by Jefferson and Yankton in the inaugural girls tournaments staged in December.

        Each of the boys championships held historical significance. Freeman emerged from a Class B title game that for the first time ever matched two undefeated teams. Roncalli reigned in Class A as the first parochial school to do so.

        Freeman defeated Dell Rapids St. Mary 61-55 in the finals at the Sioux Falls Arena. Ron Bennett coached the Flyers to a 27-0 record. Aberdeen Roncalli, led by Coach Francis Zacher, also won its championship at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Cavaliers downed Rapid City Central 50-42 in the championship game to conclude the season at 23-2.

        Jefferson defeated Northwestern Lutheran Academy 65-33 in the title game of the Class B girls tournament that was held at the Huron Arena. The Hawkettes of Coach Fred Tibbetts would go on to win four of the first six state championships awarded in Class B. Coach Bob Winter and his Gazelles turned back Watertown 39-34 in the Class A girls finals at the Aberdeen Civic Arena. During the first five Class A state tournaments Yankton would garner four titles.