Orphans

WHO WERE THE ‘ORPHANS’ OF BOYS BASKETBALL?

After the 1951 season the State Athletic Association increased number of Class “A” teams from sixteen to thirty-two.  This division remained until the split to three class after 1985.  The smaller Class “A” teams were eventually referred to as “Orphans”.  Who exactly were those teams?   Here are the teams and their state tournament appearances.

Name: A” Team:      State Tournament Appearences

Belle Fourche: An “A” Team: Class “A”: 47, 48, 49, 56, 57 Class “A” Champion; 61, 62, 65, 66, 67,69

Beresford: An “A” Team: Class “A”: 58,59; moved to “B” in 1960s; Class “B”: 79, 80, 81

Canton: Class “B”: 1938; petitioned to be in “A”, 1940s; Class “A”: 66; Class “B”: 72; Class “A”: 79

Chamberlain: Class “B”, 60, 61; Class “A”, 66

Custer: An “A” Team: Class “A”: 54, 63: Class “B”: 67, 76, Runner-up

Deadwood: An “A” Team: Class A: 52, 54 Class “A” Champion

Flandreau: Class “B”: 40, 48, 50,51; Class “A”: 57; Class “B”: 75

Flandreau Indian: An “A” Team: Class “A”: 39 A Champion; 43, 44, 56, 57, 60, 73

Gregory: Class “B”: 40; Class “A”: 63

Hot Springs: Class “B”: 45

Lead: An “A” Team: Class “A”: 42, 46, 53, 59, 60, 63, 68, 75

Lemmon: Class “B”

Madison (Central): Class “A” 42, 44: Lost law suit to stay in “A”, 1944: Class “B” State Champion; 47, 54, 75, 81

Milbank: Class “A”: 53

Miller: Class “B”: 46,47,48, 49 “B” Champion: Class “A” 67, 68; 72 Class “A” Champion

Mission: Class “B”: 43

Mobridge: Class “B”: 42, 43, Class “B” Champion; 44 Class “B” Champion; 50, 51; Class “A” 62

Parkston: Class “B”, 46, 47,49: Class “A”: 54, 55, 56; Class “B”; 66 Class “B” Champion: 82

Redfield: Class “B”: 42 Class “B” Champion: Class “A” 71; Class “B”: 81

Scotland: Class “A”: 60

Sisseton: Class “B”: 49, 50; Class “A”: 55, 56, 62, 63 Class “A” Champion; 65, 81, 85

Spearfish: Class “B” 46; Class “A”: 58, 70, 76, 80, 82,

Vermillion: An “A” Team: Class “B”: 37, 40: Class “A”: 48, 49, 50, 68, 77

Webster: Class “B”: 45, runner-up; 46 Class “B” Champion; 47 Class “B” Champion; 48 Class “B” Champion; Class “A” 64, 66 Class “A” Champion: Class “B”:  77 Class “B” Champion; 78; 82 Class “B” Champion; When did Webster move to “A”?  Webster was a Class “A” team in 1957.

Winner: An “A” Team: Class “A”:  51, 69

There are twenty-seven teams in this category.  Seven can be designated as continual “Class “A” teams.  Are the remaining seventeen the orphans?