First HS Softball Tourney Planned

The first-ever girls’ softball tournament sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association will take place June 1-3 next year in Aberdeen.

At the SDHSAA board meeting on Thursday, assistant executive director Jo Auch said the tournament would be held at Northern State University. She told the board that the first tournament would include all three classes at the same site.

“They’ve got a beautiful facility,” Auch said of the softball fields at Northern. She noted that the only drawback is a lack of lights which may limit the number of championship games that can be played at the main field. There are 55 schools signed up to offer the newly sanctioned sport with teams to be split into AA, A and B classifications.

SDHSAAExecutive Director Dan Swartos said that the staff will analyze how the tournament plays out using just one site. Subsequent tournaments could be held at three sites in three communities, he said.