Howard Football Determined to Avenge State Title Game Loss Even as It Returns to Class 9A – Mitchell Republic

HOWARD SD — Last season didn’t end the way members of the Howard High School football program wanted.

After losing to Canistota in Week 2, the Tigers reeled off nine straight wins en route to a Class 9AA state title with a 10-1 mark. The championship was not meant to be, however, as Howard fell to Parkston 12-7.

Head coach Pat Ruml said the team left the field at the DakotaDome knowing that if just a few plays had been played differently, the Tigers would have won the title.

“We were annoyed that we had a chance to win,” Ruml said. “A lot of people didn’t even give us a chance because Parkston was so good, but we were just as good as them. I think the mindset of these guys is that we were so close and had a chance to win with a 7-0 lead. All we really had to do was score in the second half, but we made too many mistakes.”

Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

But when the 2024 season began, Howard was robbed of a chance to avenge its loss in the state title game — at least in Class 9AA. The Tigers were one of several teams in the state to switch classes in the final round of reclassification, returning to Class 9A, where they won the 2021 state championship.

For the Tigers, however, the division they play in is indifferent. They are hungry to get back to a title game and win it this year.

“I think everybody that came back this year, the guys that came back last year, could see that we were so close and had a good chance,” Ruml said. “Obviously their goal is to come back and win.”

And the team has carried a huge chip on its shoulder into this season. Ruml said the weight room work has been intense, the focus on practice has been sharp and that extra motivation has made it easier on the coaches, too.

Nathan Swaffar / Mitchell Republic

But everyone knew the road back to the DakotaDome wouldn’t be easy, even if the Tigers played in a lower division.

“We’ve always had the mentality that you play where they put you and whoever they put you in and you just go,” Ruml said. “But for us, it doesn’t matter what division we’re in. There’s some good teams in 9A, really good teams. You don’t just go to 9A and automatically win. There’s a lot of good teams with talent and speed. We’ve got a lot of work to do before we even think about that.”

After three games, the Tigers appeared poised for another shot at the state title.

Howard has outscored opponents 135-16 through three games, highlighted by a 55-0 win over Deubrook Area last Friday. The Tigers hold a well-earned No. 1 ranking in the Class 9A South Dakota Prep Media poll, receiving 19 of the 20 first-place votes in the most recent poll released Monday. Wall, another Class 9AA transplant from last season, was the only other team to receive a first-place vote.

But the key going forward is not to take your eyes off the prize. Ruml said complacency could set in after a dominant start to the season and that players should avoid that mentality at all costs.

“Our theme is to get better as you are, at your position, and good things will come,” Ruml said. “We’re going to face teams that are as big as we are, as strong as we are, as fast as we are, and you can’t let that surprise you. The hardest part for us is when we practice hard, and then when we come out here to games, we want everybody on the field to play hard. So when we get into game situations and stuff like that, it’s not a surprise.”

Ruml also said he hopes the conference season will show just how good his team really is, as the Tigers face off against strong teams in the Cornbelt Conference.

“We’re hoping the games will be tougher,” Ruml said. “We really need that for the playoffs. It’s not that the teams we played weren’t strong; we just can’t wait to play teams that are notoriously good in our conference, like Hanson, Viborg/Hurley and Canistota, and see where we stand.”

Howard travels to Chester for the next game, kick-off is on Friday 13th September at 6pm.

Nathan Swaffar is a sports reporter for the Mitchell Republic. He joined the Mitchell Republic in July 2024 after graduating from the University of Kansas in May 2024 with a degree in journalism and a minor in history. He covers a variety of prep and collegiate sports throughout South Dakota, including USD Football.