LOCAL SPORTS 5-11-23

Eleven members of the Mount Marty baseball team earned all conference honors, headlined by the Lancer’s all-time home run leader Billy Hancock’s selection to 2nd-team.

Joining Hancock on the second team were Kiko Nunez, Chris Rofe, Noah McCandless (mick-cand-less), and Bodi Waller. Earning honorable mention recognitions were Jared Miller, Zach Hegge (Hag-e), Myles Brown, Ethan Wishon, Heston Williams, and Braeden Cordes. Cordes was also named to the GPAC gold glove team as a shortstop.

The Lancers hold a 38 and 15 record, and will find out if their season continues this afternoon, as the NAIA tournament selection show takes place at 4:00 PM.

It was announced yesterday that former Mount Marty men’s basketball player Eric Lappe would be inducted into the South Dakota Basketball Hall of Fame this year, due to his standout career for Harrold high school.

Lappe led Harrold to a class B state title in 1992, and scored 2,055 points over his high school career, earning a share of Mr. Basketball honors following his senior season. Lappe and the rest of the class will officially be inducted during a ceremony on August 26th in Sioux Falls.

Yankton Bucks tennis athletes Zachary Briggs and Harrison Krajewski (Kra-ski) took home the doubles flight one championship in yesterday’s ESD Tournament, as the Bucks took home 2nd place overall.

Outside of Briggs and Krajewski’s victory, Christopher Rockne and Jack Pedersen were the consolation champions in flight two, while Luke Moeller and Ethan Marsh fell in the consolation championship match of flight three.

With the ESD meet in the books, the Bucks turn their attention to the state tournament in Sioux Falls on May 18th.

Yankton Gazelles’ golfer Elsie Larson announced yesterday that she had committed to Northwestern College to continue her golf and academic careers.

Larson, a member of the Gazelles golf team since the seventh grade, had her work ethic and growth praised by head coach Brett Sime during her signing event yesterday at Yankton high school. Larson hopes to become a veterinarian after college.

Larson and the Gazelles golf team will compete in Mitchell tomorrow morning during an invitational at Lakeview Golf Course.

Yankton Gazelles softball will celebrate senior night tomorrow evening as they host Brookings at Sertoma Park in Yankton. First pitch is set for 6:00 PM.

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers starting quarterback Casey Thompson, and running back Ajay Allen have both announced where they will be playing football next year following their stints in the transfer portal.

Casey Thompson will reunite with Tom Herman, who recruited Thompson to Texas out of high school, as he has committed to Florida Atlantic University for the 2023 season. Ajay Allen, a four star recruit out of high school, announced that he would be joining the Miami Hurricanes next season.

At the time of writing, nine members of last year’s Husker squad still remain in the transfer portal.