Six players from champion Yankton named to Class 11AA All-ESD football team

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Six players from champion Yankton named to Class 11AA All-ESD football team

Six players from Watertown and Aberdeen Central have been named to the 2025 All-Eastern South Dakota Conference football team.

The squad is selected by the league’s coaches.

Watertown honorees include senior offensive lineman Luka Lessin, senior linebacker Cooper Kettwig and senior defensive back Keslar Swenson. The Arrows went 5-5 overall and 3-2 against Class 11AA ESD teams.

Aberdeen Central selections are senior offensive lineman Jaxon Henley, senior linebacker Joey Dallman and senior defensive back Evan Sichmeller.

The only repeat honorees on the team are senior tight end Bergan Tetzlaff of Brookings and senior defensive lineman Edly Amara Jr. of Yankton, which won the conference title with a 6-0 record.

Other Class 11AA All-ESD Offense

  • Yankton — Senior quarterback Tate Beste, senior wide receiver Owen Eidsness and junior offensive lineman Austin Conway.
  • Huron — Senior running back Landon Hulstad and senior offensive lineman Charlie Martin.
  • Pierre — Junior wide receiver Carter Schiefelbein and senior offensive lineman Tucker Otte.
  • Tea Area — Junior wide receiver Griffin Wiebenga and senior offensive lineman Cody Petersen.

Watertown defenders, including Cooper Kettwig (5) and Lincoln Schutt (20), tackle Douglas' Paiden Sandal during their high school football game on Friday, Sept. 26, 2026, at the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex. Watertown capped homecoming week with a 48-0 win.

Other Class 11AA All-ESD Defense

  • Huron — Senior linebacker Oakley Anderson.
  • Tea Area — Senior linebacker Carter Brown, senior defensive end Chase DeBoer and junior defensive end Hayden Bialas.
  • Pierre — Senior defensive back Ayden Behm.
  • Yankton — Senior defensive back Cale Haselhorst.
  • Mitchell — Senior defensive back Colton Smith.

Watertown’s Kaden Decker corrals Aberdeen Central’s Joey Dallman to hold him for s short gain during the first quarter of their Class 11AA high school game on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at the Brownell Activities Complex in Aberdeen. Watertown won 33-27 in four overtimes.

All-ESD Specialty

  • Yankton — Liam Villanueva.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Yankton honors for All-ESD Conference Class 11AA football team

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