Tournament notebook: Dimock native earns girls’ basketball active officials award

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Dan Sudbeck, of Dimock, received the National Federation Officials Association Active Officials Award Friday night in Brookings at the Class AA girls’ state basketball tournament.

The award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to high school officiating in South Dakota and is a member of the National Federation Officials Association.

Sudbeck, who is also a football official, began officiating in 1975 while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. He continued officiating basketball when he moved back to his hometown of Dimock. He has worked many district, region and state tournament competitions.

On Jan. 27, 2011, Sudbeck was working a Sioux Falls O’Gorman vs. Yankton girls’ basketball game. He suffered a heart attack at halftime, and had to undergo triple-bypass surgery the next day. In August, Sudbeck was cleared to officiate football and basketball games again.

Avon’s Poppe earns 25-year coach award

Avon boys’ basketball coach Brad Poppe will be presented the 25-year coaching award this weekend.

Poppe began coaching at Andes Central High School in 1987 and has spent the past 23 years with Avon. He coached girls’ basketball for 17 years and helped his teams win 10 district titles and nine region titles. His boys’ teams have won four district titles.

Poppe is also the head coach of the boys’ track and field team at Avon.

Tim Hagedorn, Kadoka, and Todd Jutting, Watertown, will also be presented with the 25-year coaching award. Hagedorn worked at Corsica in the 1980s and early 1990s, coaching girls’ and boys’ basketball. Jutting coached basketball at South Shore.

SC/W, McCain having success in first year as a cooperative

The Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (21-3) lost to defending state champion Summit on Friday night, but the team is enjoying success in its first year as a cooperative.

The Blackhawks are guaranteed a top-four placing at this year’s the Class B state tournament. Their only regular-season losses came against Northwestern and to Hanson. SC/W avenged one of its losses when it beat Hanson in the first round of the tournament. The Blackhawks were on a 13-game win streak before Friday night’s loss.

SC/W, which plays at 6 p.m. today for third place, is led by coach Tim McCain, who is in his 29th year of coaching basketball. He also coached 18 years for Artesian-Letcher (Sanborn Central) and had stops in Mitchell and Montrose. His overall coaching record is 229-172.

Van Laecken enjoying memorable year

Parkston girls’ basketball coach Rob Van Laecken became the state’s leader for all-time wins in girls’ high school basketball on Dec. 16. He picked up win No. 552 then, and now has 570 wins after Friday’s night’s victory over Miller.

Parkston is on a 15-game win streak after the Trojans beat Miller in the Class A state semifinals in Spearfish.

Van Laecken is coaching in his 10th state tournament in his 35th year of coaching girls’ basketball. The highest placing his team has ever gotten was third place in 1989.

Today, Van Laecken and the Trojans are going after a state title.

Tags: girls state, sports, updates, basketball, dimock, parkston, avon, forestburg, letcher, artesian, woonsocket