Watertown Arrows Football Team Advances to State Title Game
November 9, 2026
YANKTON, S.D. (Wtn. Sports)– 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.
Catch the action from the DakotaDome here on KWAT 950 Radio.
