All three defending state champions are back in Aberdeen this weekend to try to defend their softball titles and all three are top seeds in their respective classes.

Sioux Falls Lincoln is unbeaten in Class AA, West Central is also undefeated in Class A, and Castlewood is the number one seed in Class B.

Bon Homme went into the round of SoDak 16 as the top seeded team in Class B, but fell 9-8 to Elkton-Lake Benton.

“The girls played hard and we for sure deserve to be here,” said E-LB coach Cali Christianson. “We’re happy to put on a couple of good games and see what we can do.”

The Elks had lost 11-0 to Bon Homme early in the season, but were able to exact a huge measure of revenge last week.

“We just started a softball team this year, so first time going to state,” Christianson said. “Seeing (Bon Homme) a second time around, we improved a ton since the beginning of the season.”

Christianson said her girls played with a lot of confidence and were able to pull off the rare 16 seed vs. 1 seed upset.

“I think we started to believe in ourselves and we stuck to the fundamentals, and the girls showed up and did a good job and we rocked it,” Christianson said. “That’s what we plan to do in the tournament.”

Christianson said her girls have come a long way in a short amount of time and plan to make the most of their time in Aberdeen at the state tournament.

“We’re taking it one step at a time, we’re taking everything in, and just really enjoying our time out here,” Christianson said. “It’s our first time ever having a softball team, so to get here first time with only having minimal practices, only 16 games under our belt, we did a great job, so I’m proud of them.”

Could the Elks provide some more post-season magic in the state tournament?

“We are a Cinderella story to say the least,” Christianson said.

Today’s First round Class B matchups at Players South Complex include: Elkton-Lake Benton (7-10) vs. Castlewood (15-4) at 10 a.m., Scotland-Menno (12-4) vs. Gayville-Volin (14-5), at 12:30 p.m., Florence-Henry (11-2) vs. Alcester-Henry (18-6), at 3 p.m., and Deuel (14-5) vs. Chester (17-1) at 5:30 p.m.

CLASS A

While West Central has not lost a game since it hoisted the Class A state championship trophy last year in the Hub City, there are formidable foes waiting in the wings, including last year’s runner-up Tea Area.

The Titans plans on once again making an impact on the state tourney, and Tea Area coach Emmie Uitts believes it’s a balanced field.

“I’d say this is anyone’s game. I think all the teams that are here have earned the right to be here,” Uitts said. “Our strategy specifically is to just take it one game at a time. You can’t get ahead of yourselves or I think anyone could run away with this thing.”

Tea Area enters the tourney as the third seed. Uitts said that producing in two of three key areas will be pivotal for her team.

“For us, we just have to play our game. We have to go every pitch at a time, every inning at a time,” Uitts said. “We always say we have to have two of three things working, whether it’s our defense, hitting or pitching, as long as two of those three are working, then we like our odds.”

One thing is for sure, the Titans will be used to the big stage after having played in last year’s state championship contest.

“I think it’s good,” Uitts said of the state tourney atmosphere. “I think our girls always rise to the challenge. They rise to the level of competition around them, so I think it will be good for them to just enjoy the atmosphere.”

The Titans face Beresford in today’s opening round. The two met earlier in the season with Tea Area securing the victory.

“We played them once in regular season pretty early on,” Uitts said. “We won, but again, it was early on so a lot has changed since then, in both our team and I’m sure in their team, so it will be a great game.”

Today’s First round Class A matchups at Players South Complex include: Elk Point-Jefferson (9-9) vs. West Central (20-0), at 10 a.m., Tri-Valley (13-7) vs. Madison (15-4) at 12:30 p.m., Dakota Valley (10-10) vs. Dell Rapids (12-2), at 3 p.m., Beresford (15-9) vs. Tea Area (13-4), 5:30 p.m.

CLASS AA

While the majority of the teams from last year are returning to the Class AA field, one team might be just a bit more comfortable than others at Koehler Hall of Fame Field. The Harrisburg Tigers just played at the facility slightly more than two weeks ago.

Harrisburg coach Keith Flemmer thinks that the recent appearance could help his club.

“We’re very comfortable with where we’re at. Coming up here and being successful against an Aberdeen team, plays a big role in that, too,” Flemmer said. “It’s a comfort level and we’re feeling good.”

The Tigers enter the tourney as the second seed, right behind top-rated Lincoln, who Flemmer feels is the team to beat.

“I think Lincoln is a clear favorite. Everybody is going to come in here hoping to be that team that finally gives them their first loss of the year,” Flemmer said. “At the same time, they’re going to come in with the mentality that this is the state tournament and anybody can be successful. Softball is weird like that sometimes, where you either have it or you don’t. On any given day it could go either way.”

The Tigers (14-3) have definitely had success more times than not. A key to the Harrisburg attack, according to Flemmer, is offensive production.

“I think our bats are going to be what sets us apart from a lot of other teams. When we’re rolling as a team, our bats are really, really good,” Flemmer said. “Then if we can just back that up with playing good defense, we know we have the skills to score a lot of runs, but if we can play good defense behind that, I think we’re going to be alright.”

Flemmer is happy that sanctioned softball has allowed a bigger spotlight to shine on the state’s best players.

“That’s one of the things that I really looked forward to the most with it being sanctioned is I think a lot of the communities and the public get to see these girls that they don’t normally get to see,” he said. “They’ll see that we’re a really talented state in softball and we’re strong.”

While the Sioux Falls metro area schools have had club softball programs long before the sport became sanctioned a year ago, Flemmer pointed out that numerous programs across the state have made noticeable gains in just the past two years of sanctioned softball.

“They made some really big strides between last year and this year,” Flemmer said. “Aberdeen and Watertown, and the Rapid City teams have shown really great improvement.”

The Tigers are ready to compete in this year’s state tournament.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Flemmer said, “and I think its going to be a lot of fun to watch some good softball.”

Today’s First round Class AA matchups at Koehler Hall of Fame Field include: Watertown (11-9) vs. Sioux Falls Lincoln (19-0), at 10 a.m., Brandon Valley (13-5) vs. Sioux Falls Jefferson (16-5), at 12:30 p.m., O’Gorman (11-8) vs. Harrisburg (18-2), at 3 p.m., Rapid City Stevens (13-5) vs. Sioux Falls Washington (15-3), at 5:30 p.m.