Estelline-Hendricks gymnastics coach Sherri Johnson is one of five coaches who have been named 2026 Winter Coaches of the Year by the South Dakota High School Coaches Association.
The coaches will be honored at the SDHSCA's awards banquet set for Sunday, July 9, 2026, at the Mitchell Performing Arts Center.
Johnson guided Estelline-Hendricks' gymnasts to their fourth-consecutive state Class A championship in February. The Redhawks won with a score of 140.5334, followed by runner-up Parkston-Ethan-Hanson-Mount Vernon at 137.8168.
The Redhawks also shined during the Class A individual and all-around competition on the second day of the state competition. Maggie Hausman won the floor exercise, uneven bars and all-around titles and teammate Riah Hartung won the balance beam and finished third in the all-around competition. Jaylee Berwald also added a top-10 finish in the all-around.
Johnson was also named to the SDHSCA's Gymnastics Coach of the Year in 2023.
Other COTY honorees include:
Tim Buddenhagen of Huron (Boys Basketball)
Buddenhagen guided the Tigers to a 20-4 season that ended with a state Class AA championship.
Huron downed previously-unbeaten and No. 1 Sioux Falls Lincoln 59-37 in the state championship game in March.
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Matthew Rama, Mahpiya Luta (Girls Basketball)
Under Rama's guidance, Mahpiya Luta went 23-1 and finished second in the state Class A tournament for a second consecutive year.
Lennox defeated Mahpiya Luta 65-51 in the championship game of the state tourney in March.
Mike Abell, Sturgis (Boys Wrestling)
The Scoopers enjoyed another stellar season in 2025-26, captured the state Class AA dual and individual tournament team championships for the third-straight year.
Strugis capped a 21-0 dual season with a 58-7 victory over Aberdeen Central in the championship match of the state Class AA dual tournament in mid-February and then scored 219.5 points to win the team title in the South Dakota State Individual Wrestling Championships in late February. Brandon Valley finished second with 174.5 points.
The Scoopers crowned one individual champion and had 12 other wrestlers place in the state tourney.
Joel Martin, Spearfish (Girls Wrestling)
Martin led the Spartans to a third-place finish in the South Dakota State Individual Girls Championships. Canton won the tourney with 169 points, followed by Watertown at 131.5 and Spearfish 104.
Six Spearfish wrestlers placed in the tourney.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sportsor email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion:2026 SDHSCA Winter Coaches of the Year