Watertown Finishes State Runner‑Up After Thrilling Championship Battle With Brandon Valley
- Steve Jurrens
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A remarkable postseason run powered by dominant pitching and timely hitting carried the Watertown Arrows all the way to the Class A state championship game this weekend. But with the title just one strike away, a late Brandon Valley rally in the bottom of the seventh lifted the Lynx to a 4–3 walk‑off victory Saturday night at Augustana University’s Ronken Field.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, Watertown closes the high school season as the state runner‑up with a 15–8 record — a postseason surge that included upsets, complete‑game gems, and standout performances across the roster.
Quarterfinals: Watertown 4, Harrisburg 3
Eighth‑seeded Watertown opened the tournament by knocking off top‑seeded Harrisburg on Friday, fueled by a sixth‑inning sacrifice fly from Maxx Sears that broke a 3–3 tie.
Jonathan Lake, Sam Olson, and Jaxon Falak each tallied two hits, while Hunter Halajian delivered a strong start, striking out eight and allowing just three runs over 6 2/3 innings.
Harrisburg’s Treydon Hofer drove in two runs, and Bryson Esser added two hits. Grady Wolbrink took the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits.
Semifinals: Watertown 6, Yankton 2
On Saturday, Jackson McClemens turned in one of the tournament’s best pitching performances — a complete game that held Yankton scoreless for six innings in a 6–2 semifinal win.
Carter Buisker led the offense with a 3‑for‑4 day, while Olson added two hits and an RBI. Lake, Ashton Rabine, Markus Pitkin, Cain Everson, and Sears each contributed a hit.
Yankton pushed across two runs in the seventh on RBIs from Samuel Gokie and Beck Ryken, but McClemens closed the door to send Watertown to the championship.
Championship: Brandon Valley 4, Watertown 3
Watertown struck early in the title game, building a 3–0 lead in the second inning. Everson forced in a run with a bases‑loaded walk, Buisker scored on a wild pitch, and Cole Hansen added an RBI single.
On the mound, Tripp Jorgenson was electric — striking out seven and allowing just one hit and one run over six innings.
But Brandon Valley chipped away late. A sacrifice fly from Max Peters in the fifth put the Lynx on the board. In the seventh, Bryce Plucker grounded out to score a run, Bryton Stroh tied the game with an RBI single, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Caleb Severin drew a walk to bring home the championship‑winning run.
Jack Blomgren earned the win in relief for Brandon Valley, striking out five over 5 2/3 innings. Buisker took the loss for Watertown.
“Right now this is a tough one for all of us,” Arrows coach Ryan Neale said. “When you’re one strike away from a state title and aren’t able to finish it, that’s hard to process.
“But moments like this can also bring a team closer together, and I think that’s what we’ll take with us as we move into our next season starting next week.”
Up Next
Watertown closes the high school season as the Class A state runner‑up, completing a postseason run that included wins over the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be the coach of this group and of the effort they showed all weekend,” Neale said. “Throughout the year, we’ve grown up, learned a lot, and continued to improve and play good baseball each day.”
The Arrows now transition immediately into the American Legion season, opening at home against Aberdeen on Wednesday, May 27. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., with coverage on Post 17 TV on YouTube.