NE South Dakota schools among SDHSAA approved classification calls

PIERRE — Every two years, the South Dakota High School Activities Association approves school enrollment numbers that determine sports and fine arts classifications. Prior to such approval, the board may hear appeals from member schools.

On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the board heard nine appeals, upholding six of them.

An appeal from Parkston High School has been approved to cut a Hutterite student whose religious beliefs prevent him from participating in sports. Dropping that student allowed Parkston to stay in the B class.

A two-student reduction appeal for the Eureka/Edmunds Central co-op was approved. School officials explained that one student was not allowed into the building due to violence and safety concerns, and another student lost his eligibility to play high school sports.

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Sisseton had two appeals approved. One was the reduction of students who lost eligibility. The other appeal was to allow the school to move from 11-man football to 9AA. Sisseton Superintendent Tammy Meyer said she realized the downgrade would mean the Sisseton football team could not compete in the playoffs.

“Our intention would be to go back to 11 people in the next cycle,” Meyer said, referring to the two-year classification system.

An appeal from Flandreau Indian School, which has 10 students who lost eligibility, was approved.

The board had a lengthy discussion about the appeal from Hamlin High School, which traditionally requests an exemption for students who are members of the Apostolic Church. Those students are prohibited by church membership from participating in extracurricular activities.

Board member Billy Clanton of the Harding County School District questioned the procedure of determining which students belong to the Apostolic religion and then allowing them to be exempt from school enrollment. Superintendent Jim Hulscher said the school is relying on information from board members and staff who are members of the Apostolic faith.

Clanton made a motion to dismiss the appeal. This failed on a 1-8 vote. A motion to approve the appeal was successful on an 8-1 vote.

The board also approved an appeal from De Smet High School, which allows the school to reduce four students from the Apostolic religion.

The South Dakota School Activities Association board approved school enrollment numbers that determine sports and fine arts classifications and then ruled on nine appeals from member schools at its meeting Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Pierre.

The board rejected an application from the Mount Vernon/Plankinton co-op. School officials representing the co-op said their enrollment fluctuated as students dropped out of school during the year to go to work. The board rejected the request because there was no precedent in association policy.

An application from Douglas High School was also denied. High school principal Beau Voegeli said the school has had a difficult time competing at the current classification in football because of the transient nature of families living on the nearby Air Force Base.

The school requested to move from 11AA to 11A football and retain the ability to compete in the postseason.

SDHSAA Executive Director Dan Swartos said there are plenty of teams that could make the same argument about not being competitive. He said the association has a committee looking into a way to determine rankings based on a success factor.

Sioux Falls Lutheran High School used its appeal to seek a move down one football ranking. Activities director James Stubkjaer said the high school football program was built from the ground up and the players have suffered because they don’t have the experience in the sport that would come from middle school and junior high programs.

The appeal was rejected by the commission.

Later in the meeting, the board approved each school’s enrollment or average daily subscription. Here’s how the classifications break down for sports and fine arts.

Basketball/Cross-Country/Track & Field/Volleyball

Class AA — 450,000 and above
Class A — 90,000 to 449,999
Class B — 89,999 and below

Soccer (soccer rankings use only male ADM)

11 AAA “The top eight schools, plus O’Gorman.”
11AA — The next 11 largest schools
11 — The next 14 largest schools
11B — All remaining schools with ADM of 56,001 and above
9AA — Top third of all schools with ADM of 56 and below
9A — Middle one-third of all schools with ADM of 56,000 and less
9B — Bottom third of all schools with ADM of 56,000 and below

Gymnastics/Competitive Cheer & Dance/Soccer

• Class AA — 450 and above

• Class A — 449,999 and below

Golf/Softball

• Class AA — 450 and above

• Class A — 140 to 449,999

• Class B — 139,999 and below

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Tennis

Divide the total number of teams competing based on ADM evenly, with the odd number moving to Class AA

Fight guys

Class A — 225,000 and above
Class B — 224,999 and below

Fighting girls

Schools in the process of petitioning

Schools applying to move up sports for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years include:

Football — O’Gorman (11AA to 11AAA)
Golf — Aberdeen Roncali (BOYS), Groton Area, Parkston, Redfield, Tiospa Zina (B to A)
Football — Sioux Falls Christian (boys) (A through AA)
Tennis — Sioux Falls Christian (A to AA)
battles — Chamberlain, Milbank (B to A)

Fine arts

Journalism/One-Act Play/Oral Interp/Visual Arts

Class AA — 450 and above
Class A — 90 to 449,999
Class B — 89,999 and below

Choir of all states

725 students and over five quartets
575 to 724,999 students-four quartets
425 to 574,999 students-three quartets
125 to 424,999 students-two quartets

Debate/Individual Events

Class AA — Top 14 teams, plus those who opt
Class A — All remaining schools

ESports

School petition up

Schools applying for fine arts activities for 2026-27 and 2027-28 include:

• Debate — Huron, O’Gorman (A to AA)

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: SD High School Activities Association board meeting classifications