Watertown Arrows Football Celebrates 100-Year Milestone in South Dakota

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Collage of 1926 and 2026 Arrow football teams, plus centennial graphic with two footballs and 100 YEARS OF ARROW FOOTBALL

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Watertown High School and the Arrow Education Foundation are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Arrow football program this fall, marking a century since the school officially adopted the “Arrows” name in November 1926.

The centennial celebration honors generations of Watertown student-athletes, coaches, and fans who have built the Friday night football tradition over the past 10 decades, from the program’s early playing fields and more than 80 years at Watertown Stadium to the team’s current home at the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex.

Origins of the ‘Arrows’ Name in 1926

While Watertown football dates back more than a century, the school’s athletic teams did not always compete as the Arrows. According to the Arrow Education Foundation’s historical retrospective in its November 2026 newsletter, Watertown High School officially became the Arrows in November 1926.

The moniker was inspired by a story written by Gen. Mark Sheafe and a homecoming float constructed by the school’s Normal Club. During that 1926 season, Elmo Rose and Lorraine French served as the school’s homecoming royalty. Following the adoption of the mascot that fall, the Watertown High School Class of 1927 became the first graduating class to carry the Arrow name.

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Key Milestones in Arrow Football History

The Arrow Education Foundation highlighted five major milestones across the century of purple and gold history:

· November 1926 — The Arrows Are Born: Watertown High School athletic teams officially adopt the Arrows name, inspired by Gen. Mark Sheafe’s story and the Normal Club’s homecoming float.

· Spring 1927 — The First Arrow Graduates: The Watertown High School Class of 1927 becomes the first graduating class under the Arrow name.

· 1952 — The Watertown School Song: Band instructor Armond Pappone composes the music for the official Watertown school song, paired with lyrics written by Watertown High School seniors Mary Ann Peterson and Nona Marquardt.

· 2025 — A New Home for Arrow Football: After playing for more than 80 years at Watertown Stadium, the Arrow football program relocates to the on-campus Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex.

· 2026 — Celebrating 100 Years: Watertown marks a full century of competing under the Arrow name.

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2026 Homecoming Festivities and Double-Overtime Thriller

The 100th-anniversary season included a full slate of 2026 Homecoming Week traditions, including the Burning of the W, student-decorated homecoming vans, and the Arrow Education Foundation’s annual pregame Homecoming Tailgate inside the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex, which raised more than $1,000 for the foundation. Watertown Intermediate School earned the award for Best School Float during the 2026 Homecoming parade.

Selected by their fellow seniors and teammates, the 2026 Watertown High School Homecoming Royalty included Alayna Smith as Guardian of Gold, Andrew Dahl as Champion of Arrows, and Lukas Brandlee as Protector of Purple. Additional senior royalty candidates included Guardian of Gold nominees Olivia Dettmann, Abigail Kruger, and Sianna Stanton; Protector of Purple nominees Max Martinson, Lennon McIntosh, and Owen Muller; and football team-selected Champion of Arrows nominees Hunter Peterson and Kutler Swenson.

On the field, the 2026 Homecoming game between the Watertown Arrows and the Mitchell Kernels went to double overtime at the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex before Mitchell secured a 23-22 victory. Following a defensive battle that ended tied 13-13 in regulation, both teams converted field goals in the first overtime period to knot the score at 16-16. In the second overtime, Mitchell’s Brady Hoesing scored on a 9-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful extra point, to put the Kernels ahead 23-16. Watertown answered with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kaeden Himmerich to Braden Jenc, but Mitchell’s Rocky Clark blocked the ensuing point-after attempt to end the game.

Preserving Arrow Football History: Game DVDs and Stadium Stools

In conjunction with the centennial, the Arrow Education Foundation is offering two historical keepsakes for alumni and fans:

· Archived Arrow Football Game DVDs: Made possible by a gift from the family and friends of Rick D. Hanson (WHS Class of 1979) and the ongoing preservation work of Virg Polak and Nick Kranz, historic Arrow football game films have been digitized onto DVD. Full-season DVDs are available for 49 seasons spanning from 1953 through 2010 — plus a 1976-77 defensive highlights package — for $100 per season (plus $5 shipping and handling). The foundation is also seeking any community members who may have old reel-to-reel film of historic Arrow football games to help expand the archive.

· Old Watertown Stadium Padded Stools: Following the move from the historic Watertown Stadium to the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex, the foundation is selling purple and gold Arrow padded stools from the old stadium for $144 each.

To order historical football season DVDs, purchase an old stadium stool, or donate old reel-to-reel game film, contact the Arrow Education Foundation at (605) 882-5321, email WatertownAEF@k12.sd.us, visit arroweducationfoundation.org, or mail orders to P.O. Box 730, Watertown, SD 57201.