Scoop and Score: Sturgis football is on fast track to more winning seasons (2024)

STURGIS— The Sturgis Brown football team has been on the rise for years now. Last season, the Scoopers collected a strong 6-4 finish last year, highlighting what is to come.

A dominant defense paired with a growing offense will define the season of a team that’s already got high expectations.

Head coach Chris Koletzky is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the Black Hills. His ninth year is on the way, but the changes he’s made to this Scoopers program have been immense.

In his first season as a head coach, the Scoopers were winless and struggled to score on every drive. Now, he’s coming off his best season as a head coach, with both a winning record on the season and a winning record amongst regional teams.

His goal now is to execute week by week, with a focus on staying locked in on the field, in the classroom and throughout the day.

“That's our word of the week is focus,” Koletzky said. “Lock in and try to make sure they're productive when they're out there, because the only thing that we have in common with every other team is they get the same time as we do. So, we’re trying to be productive with our time.”

How do you be productive with your time? By having players that are willing to go and use what time they have left.

That’s the mission for senior Kalvin Ketelsen and senior Chase Temple.

Temple is a returner with a chip on his shoulder. Not only does he want to play, he wants to get back the time he lost last season.

“I just came back from my season-endingshoulder injury last year," Temple said. We're looking pretty good this year."

Injury recovery is a long and grueling process that Temple is happy to be done with. Along with feeling good to play once again, Temple is also ready to prove some people wrong about the Scoopers, and show the state why his team deserved to be ranked in the preseason football media poll.

“Honestly, I feel like we should've gotten more (recognition),” Temple said. “We're kind of, in my opinion, underdogs this year. We came off a really great season last year. We're going to one-up it this year. I think we can go out there and turn some heads.”

Ketelsen joins Temple as both a senior and one of the team's veteran linebackers. Despite only playing middle linebacker for the first time last season, he is still excited about not only his development, but also the development of a group that might not show in stature.

“Our defensive line isn't quite as big as it was last year, but they got the technique down,” Ketelsen said. “It's just really great seeing them do the work. We haven't had a lot of big guys. So, it's good seeing some of the younger guys step up and be able to take that responsibility. Our linebackers are as good as always.”

A defense built with veteran linebackers is sure to scare some teams, but it will all come down to game week. Koletzky will now have to embrace the nature of being a coach and embrace what his players are going to bring every Friday.

“As a coach, you need to enjoy the process of getting ready for football games, doing the scouting and all of the weekly stuff,” Koletzky said. “It's just really at a point where we're getting to that. We just want to see somebody in a different colored jersey. I believe every coach probably feels that way. Our players feel that way. It's a kind of an unknown coming out of that first game, how your kids are going to execute and succeed.”

Koletzky has been consistent in his pursuit of growing a dynamite program in Sturgis, but this will be a test to see if the Scoopers can compete for the Class 11AA state championship.

“I just want to try to have a winning record against East River teams,” Koletzky said. “I want to win a first-round playoff game. That's something that's really plagued us. We're trying to get over that hump, where we are one of the top three or four teams in the state, and we can’t get past the first round. That's the big one.”

With the first game behind the Scoopers, Sturgis will look to bounce back and get things going. The Scoopers will play host to Douglas (0-1) for their home opener, which is set for 6 p.m. next Friday at Woodle Field in Sturgis.

Sturgis Scoopers

2024 regular season football schedule

August 30 at Brookings 7 p.m.

SEPT. 6 DOUGLAS 6 P.M.

SEPT. 13 RAPID CITY STEVENS 7 P.M.

Sept. 20 at Huron 7 p.m.

SEPT. 27 ABERDEEN CENTRAL 6 P.M.

Oct. 4 at Yankton 7 p.m.

OCT. 11 PIERRE 6 P.M.

OCT. 18 WATERTOWN 6 P.M.

OCT. 24 at Spearfish 6 p.m.

ALL CAPS DENOTE HOME GAMES, PLAYED AT WOODLE FIELD, STURGIS.