• The Groton Boys Soccer team traveled to Sioux Falls O'Gorman on Monday in a playoff challenge game that started at 6:30 pm.  Only the top seeded teams (determined by season records and power points) earn playoff games.  Earlier in the season, the Sioux Falls team had defeated the Tigers but the Groton boys came to the playoff game determined to win.  
• In the first half, at 8:49 Rayce Harder scored with an assist going to Luca Kother.   The first half ended with Groton leading 1-0.  The Tigers came out a little flat in the second half but continued to battle the Knights.  At 15:54 O'Gorman's Brenden Branick scored to tie the game.  At the end of the 80 minute regulation game time, the score was 1-1 so the Tigers went into overtime play - two 10 minute overtimes.   When the overtimes still ended in a tie, the Tigers and Knights went into a shootout.  During the shootout, each team takes turns having their players take penalty shots against the opposing team's goalie, one shot at a time.   Groton placed more penalty shots into the net than the Knights - the Tigers won the game 2-1.  Chance Strom, Groton's goalkeeper, did a great job defending the goal during the entire game and during the extremely stressful shootout!
• Both the Groton boys and girls teams now advance to the SD High School State Soccer Tournament to be held in Aberdeen this week.  Only four boys and four girls teams in SD earn the chance to participate in the state tournament.  Congratulations to both Groton teams!
• Here are the results from Monday's SDHSAA Play-In Soccer contests:
• Boys:
• Groton over Sioux Falls O'Gorman, 2-1 (3-2 in Penalty Kicks)
• Tea Area over James Valley Christian, 4-1
• Girls:
• Groton over Tea Area, 3-1
• St. Thomas More over Harrisburg,1-0
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• As a result, the following are the first-round match-ups for Thursday's opening round State Tournament play in Aberdeen:
• Boys
• #1 SF Christian v. #4 Tea Area, 11 AM Thursday
• #2 Aberdeen Central v. #3 Groton Area, 1 PM Thursday
• Girls
• #1 Aberdeen Central v. #4 St. Thomas More, 5 PM Thursday
• #2 SF O'Gorman v. #3 Groton Area, 7 PM Thursday
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