St Mary Cardinal Football Set to Defend 9B Title

The Dell Rapids St Mary Cardinal football team is set to defend their 9B title and look to make a third straight trip to the Dakota Dome in 2022.  The Cardinals are coming off an 8-3 record and 2021 South Dakota 9B state title in a double overtime win against Potter County.

The Cardinals return 12 letter winners and five starters on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  Gabriel Lindeman, CJ Smith, Kyle Bares, Tate Bunkers, Dylan Mathis, Aiden Allen, and Noah Afsahi are this years seniors.  Juniors Lucas Flemmer, Nic Gaspar, Camden Gilbert, Owen Vargas, and Wyatt Geraets will also be upperclassmen leaders this year.

“We will need to stay healthy and free from injury.  We will also need our leaders to step up and lead the younger players.  Our younger players will need to mature quickly and fill in for the players we lost to graduation.  I feel we have a great group of young men that are willing to work hard.  I think our schedule from top to bottom will be very tough this season,” said head coach Ross Flemmer.

The Cardinals open the 2022 season at home against Waverly-South Shore on Friday, August 19th.