Yankton Middle School

YMS Jazz Band Toured to Beadle, Majestic Bluffs, Lincoln and Stewart Schools! A great day for music!

The Yankton Middle School wrestling team had a strong showing at the Yankton Middle School Scramble on their home mats today, with several wrestlers reaching the podium!

Leading the way were champions Sammy Schulz, Anthony Reyes, and William Hoefs, who each went undefeated in their brackets. Schulz recorded a tech fall, decision, and pin, Reyes earned three hard-fought decision victories, and Hoefs secured two falls and a decision on the day.

The Bucks also had an impressive group of runner-up finishers, including Walker Warren, Hunter Smith, Dominick Swenson, Oliver Hysell, Walker Robinson, Mariah Thygeson, and Braylie LaPointe, with multiple pins and strong matches throughout the tournament.

Third-place finishers for Yankton were Quinn Sayler, Eduardo Gonzalez, Wyatt Rivera, Mercy Reyes, Shaliyah Cook, Brinn O’Gorman, and Bentlee Haas-Hoebelhinrich, each battling back for podium spots.

Several other Bucks gained valuable experience against tough competition in front of the home crowd. Great effort by the entire team — keep improving and working hard! 💪

Congratulations to the YMS 8th grade badminton champions! Trying to be like Miles K!

Yankton’s middle school wrestlers continued to stack podium finishes across the remaining weights, highlighted by a tournament championship, multiple runner-up performances, and strong consolation runs. Top Finishers Sammy Schulz (140) went a perfect 2-0 to win the championship, earning two falls and a decisive finals victory to score 20 team points. Ahser Powell (110), Anthony Reyes (130), Quinn Sayler (185), and Maple Gereaux (G80) each placed 2nd, combining for 54 team points. Hunter Smith (120) battled back through consolation to finish 3rd, earning three wins including two falls. Additional Placers Walker Robinson (85) placed 4th after two consolation wins. Baila Loomis (G100), Ava Kruse (G137), Bentlee Haas-Hoebelhinrich (G139), Aaliyah Campbell (G147), and Mercy Reyes (G160) all earned 3rd-place finishes, gaining valuable experience and team points. 🤼 MS ESD Scramble Results Yankton also had a strong showing in the scramble division with several wrestlers earning top-three finishes: Deondre Davies and Damon Lauritsen each went undefeated to place 1st, combining for 9.5 team points. Reihgan Lynde, Dominick Swenson, Brennan Hoover, and Cale Cameron all finished 2nd. William Hoefs, Blake Engle, Drake Killion, Charles Harder, and Houston Saul rounded out the lineup with 3rd-place finishes. Overall: Yankton showcased depth across both boys and girls divisions, with multiple champions, finalists, and hard-fought podium runs that capped off a productive day on the mats in Watertown.

We are proud of these students for displaying great character at YMS this week!
"Your actions define your character, your words define your wisdom, but your treatment of others defines REAL you."

Over the weekend, Tate Bertrand, represented Yankton at Middle school all state jazz band with a phenomenal performance at the Mitchell Performing Arts Center. Way to go, Tate!

It's Newton's Scooters time for 6th grade Science at YMS. Students built scooters last week and today is the day! Whose will be the fastest?

The Yankton 7th and 8th grade wrestling team turned in a strong performance at the Brandon Valley Middle School Invitational, highlighted by multiple champions, several podium finishes, and a lot of bonus-point wins. Boys A Division Yankton crowned four champions in the A division. Walker Robinson (84–86) went a perfect 3-0 to claim first place, earning two falls after a narrow decision win to score 29 team points. Hunter Smith (119–121) dominated his bracket with a tech fall and two pins, finishing first and scoring a team-high 31 points. Anthony Reyes (122–128) captured first place with two decisions and a pin, adding 26 team points. Sammy Schulz (135–140) placed second, picking up a tech fall and a forfeit on his way to 21 points. Asher Powell (105–111) battled back after early losses to place third with a quick pin, scoring 13 points. Quinn Sayler (187–202) competed tough in a challenging bracket and finished third. Boys B Division Yankton continued its success in the B division with another title and several top-three finishes. Blake Engle (110–112) was outstanding, going undefeated with two falls and a major decision to win his bracket and score 30 points. Brennan Hoover (115–126) placed second after two pins and a sudden-victory loss, earning 22 points. Charles Harder (134–137) also finished second, rebounding from an opening loss with two pins. Cale Cameron (144–146) earned second place with two strong wins. Drake Killion (119–123) and Damon Lauritsen (121–125) both placed third, contributing key team points. Reihgan Lynde (93–99) rounded out the lineup with a fourth-place finish. Girls Division The Yankton girls wrestlers also made their mark with several podium finishes. Bentlee Haas-Hoebelhinrich (126–134) finished second with two impressive first-period pins. Ava Kruse (125–130), Mariah Thygeson (126–132), Aaliyah Campbell (132–145), Shaliyah Cook (136–147), and Brinn O’Gorman (141–155) each earned third-place finishes, showing resilience and competitiveness throughout the day. Overall, Yankton showed depth across all divisions, racking up pins, tech falls, and major decisions while consistently placing wrestlers on the podium at a tough Brandon Valley tournament.

Congratulations to the YMS BBB athletes of the week. The 7/8th grade boys play @Norfolk today!

The Yankton Middle School wrestling team delivered an outstanding all-around performance at the SSC Middle Invite, piling up championships, podium finishes, and a ton of bonus-point wins against strong competition from South Sioux City, LeMars, Norfolk, and North Bend Central. Boys Highlights Yankton crowned nine individual champions on the boys side, showcasing depth across the lineup. Oliver Hysell (82–89) dominated his bracket with three quick falls to earn 1st place and 20 points. Reihgan Lynde (90–96) went a perfect 3–0 with all pins, including a head-to-head win over a teammate, scoring 20 points. Dominick Swenson (94–100) was nearly untouchable, recording three lightning-fast falls for 1st place and 20 points. Asher Powell (102–107) captured the title with two falls and a major decision, totaling 19 points, while William Hoefs finished 2nd in the same weight. Blake Engle (112–119) claimed 1st place with two falls and a narrow decision win over teammate Deondre Davies, who placed 2nd. Hunter Smith (115–119) pinned all three opponents to earn 1st place and 20 points. Anthony Reyes (124–128) and Brennan Hoover (125–126) each took 1st place, combining technical wrestling with clutch pins. Sammy Schulz (128–135) was dominant, recording two tech falls and a pin for 1st place and 19 points. Quinn Sayler (187–213) capped the night with three decisive falls for 1st place and 20 points. Additional podium finishes came from Walker Robinson, Wyatt Rivera, Walker Warren, Damon Lauritsen, Eduardo Gonzalez, Cale Cameron, and Houston Saul, all contributing valuable team points. Girls Highlights The girls continued their strong season with multiple finalists and champions. Mariah Thygeson (123–125) and Shaliyah Cook (146–153) were unstoppable, each winning 1st place with 20 points, combining for six total pins. Ava Kruse (129–131) earned a 2nd-place finish, battling through a close championship loss and scoring 14 points. Mercy Reyes (154–167) placed 2nd, finishing strong with a fall and a shutout decision. Jhanae Rivas (84–92) had an impressive run to 2nd place, including a tech fall. Baila Loomis and Bentlee Haas-Hoebelhinrich both finished 3rd, while Aaliyah Campbell added a 4th-place finish with a major decision victory. Overall Between the boys and girls, Yankton Middle School showed exceptional depth, pinning power, and competitive toughness, with numerous teammates facing off in finals and pushing each other to higher levels. The SSC Middle Invite was a big success and a strong statement as the season continues.

Here's some news to warm your heart on a cold and blustery day! These students are making a difference at YMS!

A HUGE congratulations to these six YMS orchestra students who were accepted into this year's SD Middle School All State Orchestra!! These students competed against 220 other students from 28 schools in the state, with one being accepted for the second time in a row! This is a new record for our orchestra program at YMS!

These students will perform with the All State Orchestra on Saturday, February 21st in Rapid City at 3:00pm. There is no cost to attend this performance, so feel free to attend if you're in the area.

Congrats, string players! We're very proud of you!!

A BIG Congratulations to these 8 individuals who made middle school all state band! There was 524 auditions form 71 schools in the state! A BIG accomplishment! Also congrats to Tate Bertrand on making middle school all state Jazz! Another feat that took an improv solo audition! WAY TO GO MIDDLE SCHOOL!

What's your new years resolution? These students are showing others how to be kind, be respectful and be safe at YMS this year!

🎾 **Winter Youth Tennis Clinic in Yankton!** 🎾

The NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center, with help from the Yankton Tennis Association, is offering **group winter tennis lessons** for kids **ages 6–13**—perfect for **beginners, intermediate, or advanced players**.

📅 **Mondays | Jan. 26 – March 2**
⏰ Age-based session times starting at 4:00 PM
💲 **$32 Members | $40 Non-Members**

Scan the QR code to register or learn more.
📧 [gfink@neyac.org](mailto:gfink@neyac.org) | 📞 605-689-0487

Get your kids on the court this winter! 🎾💙

To get on Santa's nice list, these students focused on being kind, helpful, and well-behaved all semester!

Congratulations to the YMS GBB athletes of the week!

🥇🤼‍♂️ Yankton Middle School Wrestling Shines at Norfolk! 🤼‍♂️🥇

The Yankton Middle School wrestlers turned in a strong performance at the Norfolk Middle School Wrestling Tournament on 12/16/25, bringing home multiple titles and podium finishes.

Champions:
🏆 Walker Robinson (75–85)
🏆 Ethan Smith (120–123)
🏆 Anthony Reyes (122–127)
🏆 Eduardo Gonzalez (140)
🏆 Quinn Sayler (187–204)

Runner-Up Finishes:
🥈 Reighan Lynde (91–96)
🥈 Cale Cameron (140–146)

Other Placers:
🥉 Blake Engle (104–112)
🥉 Charles Harder (130–134)
4️⃣ Asher Powell (104–111)
4️⃣ Drake Killion (121–125)

Several wrestlers recorded multiple falls, highlighted by dominant pinning performances from Eduardo Gonzalez and Quinn Sayler. Great effort, toughness, and improvement shown across the lineup. Proud of this group—keep building! 💪🟠⚫

After assessing the road conditions in the rural areas, the late start for Yankton School District has been canceled. Yankton School District will not have school today, Monday, December 15, due to the poor road conditions in several rural busing areas. Our first priority is the safety of the students, and the current road conditions in several areas put them at risk at this time.