High school football: Sioux Valley Cossacks move to No. 1 in coaches poll

Sioux Valley’s Boden Schiller runs with the ball during a 53-0 win over Hill City on Sept. 8 in Volga. Sioux Valley beat Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan on Friday to improve to 5-0 and was ranked No. 1 in the Class 11B SDFBCA Coaches Poll on Monday. (Andrew Holtan/Brookings Register)

The Sioux Valley football team moved up to No. 1 in Class 11B the South Dakota Football Coaches Association coaches poll that was released Monday.

The Cossacks moved up to No. 1 after a 42-6 defeat of then No. 3 ranked Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan. The Cossacks are now 5-0 and had eight first-place votes and had 94 points to edge out former No. 1 ranked Winner. The Warriors had 12 first-place votes, but had only 92 points.

Hot Springs moved up to No. 3 and had three first-place votes and 46 points. Deuel, who is the third unbeaten team in 11B, is ranked fourth with 29 points. Elk Point-Jefferson rounded out the top five with 22 points.

Sioux Valley will hit the road once again on Friday. The Cossacks will head to Salem to take on McCook Central/Montrose at 7 p.m.

The other area team that was represented in Monday’s coaches poll was Elkton-Lake Benton in Class 9AA. The Elks remained fourth despite a 24-12 defeat to Canistota, who is the No. 1 ranked team in Class 9A.

Parkston remained at the top of Class 9AA with 22 first-place votes. Hamlin remained in second with two first-place votes and Howard is still third with three first-place votes. Hanson is ranked fifth.

The Elks will head to Lake Preston on Friday to take on winless Iroquois/Lake Preston. Kickoff between ELB and ILP is set for 7 p.m.

Deubrook Area received 11 votes in Class 9A. The Dolphins improved to 4-1 with a 50-0 win over Iroquois/Lake Preston. They’ll play winless Florence/Henry in White on Friday at 7 p.m.