Brandon Valley baseball aims to become the first team in a decade to repeat as SDHSBA Class A state champions. They are the No. 2 seed and will face No. 15 Sioux Falls Washington in a best-of-three series this weekend.
Key points
Brandon Valley aims to repeat as state champions
No team has repeated since Brookings in 2015-2016
Brandon Valley is the No. 2 seed in the tournament
They have a 20-6 overall record this season
They will face Sioux Falls Washington in the postseason
Brandon ValleySioux Falls WashingtonSDHSBA Class A state championshipSDHSBA
Brandon Valley baseball aiming to be first repeat champ in a decade
BRANDON — The Brandon Valley baseball team has a chance to make history this postseason, and it's a bit more than just the program's third SDHSBA Class A state championship.
No team has repeated as a Class A state champion since Brookings went back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. The Lynx are the No. 2 seed in this year's tournament as they look to end that decade-long repeat drought.
Brandon Valley was pretty dominant in its title defense season, going 15-3 against Class A competition and 20-6 overall. It will face No. 15 Sioux Falls Washington in a best-of-three series this weekend to advance to the state quarterfinals.
"Washington's a good team," Brandon Valley head coach Jeremy VanHeel said. "They have some good wins. We've played them. The ball bounced our way a few times when we played them that gave us some runs. We've got to go out and compete, play our game. You can't look ahead, can't do anything but play one game at a time, do what you do and we'll be fine if we compete."
This 2026 team is most of the same characters that won it all in 2025. They have the experience and feel that's come because of their chemistry.
"We know each other so well," senior Bryton Stroh said. "We've been playing together since we were young. I just think that connection we all have together, it's really strong and we're able to play with each other and have fun."
This team has also bought into everything VanHeel has taught them. Brandon Valley plays a scrappy, aggressive brand of baseball, one that requires a lot of attention to details and focus on every pitch.
VanHeel calls that the team's "purpose," which is a mean to win baseball games.
"The purpose is we're all on the bus together, we're all going to compete, we're all going to do the little things," VanHeel said. "They're the expectations. If we all do our job, our one little role, then we're going to be good. We can't let that falter."
Brandon Valley's Taylor Melby winds up to deliver a pitch on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Q&A
When did Brookings last win back-to-back Class A state championships?
Brookings last won back-to-back Class A state championships in 2015 and 2016.
What is Brandon Valley's overall record this season?
Brandon Valley has an overall record of 20-6 this season.
Who will Brandon Valley face in the postseason series?
Brandon Valley will face No. 15 Sioux Falls Washington in a best-of-three series.
What seed is Brandon Valley in the Class A state tournament?
Brandon Valley is the No. 2 seed in the Class A state tournament.
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Brandon Valley's Ryan Fenton follows through after taking a hack on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Grady Gindorff, left, watches the ball while retreating to second base on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Brayden Knutson looks back to the dugout after a sprint down the first-base line on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Mason Veld, right, sticks a pitch in front of the umpire on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Cooper Ness jogs off the field from left field on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Ryan Fenton throws a ball from his position at third base across the diamond on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
Brandon Valley's Bryce Plucker squares to bunt on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Taylor Melby winds up to deliver a pitch on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Taylor Melby winds up to deliver a pitch on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Ryan Fenton follows through after taking a hack on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Grady Gindorff, left, watches the ball while retreating to second base on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Brayden Knutson looks back to the dugout after a sprint down the first-base line on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Mason Veld, right, sticks a pitch in front of the umpire on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Cooper Ness jogs off the field from left field on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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See photos of Brandon Valley baseball vs Madison
Brandon Valley's Ryan Fenton throws a ball from his position at third base across the diamond on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
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Brandon Valley baseball aiming to be first repeat champ in a decade
Brandon Valley's Bryce Plucker squares to bunt on Monday, May 11, 2026, at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon, South Dakota.
The players' buy-in to that purpose led them to their second state championship in 2025, and first since 2018. They talk about how they want to play the game daily, and that has led to lots of wins in Brandon.
"Our coach is always talking about the little things," senior shortstop Brayden Knutson said. "That's what they preach every single day. We talk every single day for about 20 minutes before practice about things and getting people to buy in because we've been here for so long. People are buying in and it's going really well now."
This season hasn't gone without mishaps, as the Lynx have lost to three separate South Dakota teams this season. That includes top-seeded Harrisburg, which overcame a 3-0 deficit and won on a walk-off home run.
"It motivates us a lot, especially for me being the one giving up that walk-off bomb," Stroh said. "We know we can compete, we know we can hit the ball. We can do all the things they can, but I think we've got a lot of anger and a little resentment to come back and beat them."
The Lynx players are hoping to get a second shot at Harrisburg, one of the only Class A teams they played once.
"It was a good experience overall," Knutson said. "We got to see their best arm in case we see him again. Seeing him and knowing we can beat them, knowing we played good enough to beat them."
This Brandon Valley team has gone with a core group of players most of the second half of the season, with Knutson manning shortstop, Bryce Plucker at second base, Maxwell Peters at first base, Mason Veld behind the dish, Stroh, Grady Gindorff and Cooper Ness in the outfield and Jack Blomgren bouncing between the outfield and the mound.
VanHeel knows exactly what he's going to get out of this core heading into the postseason, and is just hoping they can put it all together when the games matter the most.
"Everybody's main goal is to be the final team that doesn't get that loss," VanHeel said. "As a coach, you never want to have that speech where it's, 'Hey guys, the season's over. We did good.' Everyone wants to have that one like, 'We did what we needed to do and took care of business.' These guys have the ability to do that, but so do a bunch of other teams."
The players are entering with all the confidence in the world, and have history in their sights. Even if they aren't thinking about winning two in a row, they want to be the last team celebrating at Augustana's Ronken Field on Saturday, May 23.
"We're going to come for it," Stroh said. "We've got a winning mentality, we've got a good team behind us. We're just ready to get back at it and play our best baseball."
