This is a production of SDPB.

When you think of the passion for high school sports, it doesn't take much to land on basketball.

We might not be as big as some of the other states, but never question our heart with the sport.

Basketball means so much to so many people and our communities in South Dakota that when the temp drops in the fall, the feeling of basketball begins to take over.

Today's show is going to highlight a few of the individuals who surround the game in our state.

As you'll notice, it's the heart of our people that drives the passion that we all admire and crave.

I'm Nate Wek and welcome to Mitchell.

This is our 2026 edition of tales from the Hardwood.

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We're joining you today from one of the most unique and iconic basketball venues in the state.

The Corn Palace has hosted thousands of games throughout the years.

The building that resides in Mitchell today was built in 1921.

Prior to the construction of the current structure, Mitchell had two prior Corn Palace establishments as well, one being built in 1892 and the other in 1905.

Throughout the past century, the current Corn Palace has underwent numerous renovations and design changes.

Along with being one of the more unique basketball venues in the nation.

It has played host to many other entertainment acts in its time.

Today, the Corn Palace even houses the Oscar Howe Art Gallery.

It's a venue that has stood the test of time as it pertains to basketball.

Mike Miller played his high school ball here.

He would go on to become an NBA champion in his hoops career.

The late Gary Menson also spent numerous years coaching the Colonels at this building.

His resume includes being one of the most successful coaches in state history.

As the Mitchell's boys coach.

He won nine state championships as the girls coach.

He won three state titles.

Imagine the stories and memories that lay within these hallowed walls.

Our first story tonight takes us to the town of Clear Lake, to Deuel High School.

There's a young gal for the Cardinals that is combining two passions in her life around the sport of basketball.

Camden Peterreins was born to be a basketball player.

I love the game of basketball, honestly, for the love of the game ever since I was little.

It's kind of just been like a family thing.

So that's been really cool.

Sharing that opportunity with my dad and my grandpa.

Also, before you know, it just kind of been a big basketball family and just playing is something I really enjoy.

Her joy the game of basketball doesn't just fall to her playing on the court.

Peterreins, she's up to four points on the night.

It also includes calling the action as a play by play announcer for the Deuel Cardinals.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to the Cardinal Gymnasium.

Tonight, your dual cardinals are taking on the Sioux Valley Cossacks.

So Mr.

Mack asked me to announce it was a sea volleyball game.

I believe, my freshman year.

And it was a cool opportunity.

And I kind of, you know, it was a little lax.

But last year, I really started getting big into announcing, growing up after my games.

It just something that flowed naturally for me.

I got up there, put on the mic, and I just kind of didn't really think about anything just so it was happening and it came really naturally because I know a lot of the players on the court and from the opposing teams as well.

Winter attacks, and he wants the jumper, and that's going to roll right in putting the Cardinals.

On the board here tonight.

Camdyn is just she seems like she's naturally gifted in about anything that I've seen her do whether it be academically but especially I would say communication is where, her foundation really is.

She has a great knowledge of basketball, and, you know, she's confident.

And that's a big part of being an announcer is being confident and trusting your instincts and just, being able to communicate to the audience what you see and really break it down.

Over to her, sink down.

Low.

Nice pass.

And and one finish.

Nice pass there by Ruthie.

And Sadie.

Is just able to finish those.

With vast majority of Deuel Cardinal games being doubleheaders.

Camdyn has a busy schedule.

On game days.

I get through the school day and then after the game going to the gym and I watch the JV girls kind of, you know, prepping, cheering for them, sitting on the bench, helping them out.

And then after that, during the JV boys kind of gets ready for the varsity game because a lot of our games are doubleheaders.

So that's kind of the time to prepare, you know, get dressed and then start shooting in the other gym.

Just try to get in the right mindset and then obviously going to play the varsity game.

And then after that it's a talk in the locker room.

And then it's a pretty quick change to get up and get on the call and start with the starting lineups.

That is, if Camdyn's head coach, her dad Jon, gets her out the door on time.

We're honestly so into the game that, you know, we want to make sure we have closure to the game itself.

You know, if it was a win, we're celebrating.

If it was a loss, we're learning.

And I honestly have to be reminded that, hey, it's time to come up to the booth, because I do get kind of wrapped up into the game itself.

She has missed a tip.

I know that's the toughest part for me is when when she's still in the locker room and I just, I love to do pre-game, different thing like that.

But, the opportunity isn't necessarily there just because it's it's such a scramble getting somebody, you know, from the locker room all the way up to the booth.

And ready to go.

So, yeah, she's missed a tip here and there.

And I'm sure it's disappointed the viewers, but they're always happy when she shows up.

In fact, recently for Jon and Camdyn, they have went from a father daughter relationship a coach athlete relationship.

So now broadcast partners.

Calling the game tonight will be myself, Camryn Peterreins and I'm joined along with.

Jon Peterreins here.

Thanks for the invite again cam.

So cool.

Just having that opportunity to call with him because obviously he's the guy that's, you know, sitting on the recliner with me watching basketball on the TV and he's the one coaching me in the stands.

So to have that is just such a cool opportunity to also experience, you know, calling the game with him.

It's a way for us to kind of, come down from our game, you know, win or loss.

It's it's, way to just, kind of see the game that we enjoy watching and, and now we get a chance to call it.

So whether it's playing or with a microphone, you can bet Camdyn is going to be around the game of basketball.

You know, Camdyn, I would say she's the type of student, broadcast partner that makes it easy for a teacher.

She's the type of student that you want to become a teacher.

So that you can see and help shape and mold these students because, she's just so impactful and incredibly positive.

You know, out of all the other broadcasts that there are, and it's becoming more popular for each high school to live stream.

But I'd say I have probably the best asset of all.

The opportunity for me to, like, almost share my gifts with others and have other people, you know, be able to listen.

Because I know I really enjoy listening to basketball more than watching it without sound.

It's something that's really cool, and I'm glad that I'm able to, like, share that with others.

Make sure to tune in to Cardinals Live and we'll catch you next time.

Life can sometimes feel like a roller coaster.

It has its ups and downs and there can sometimes be uncertainty around the corner.

For Levi Atkins of Clark/Willow Lake, there have been some rocky moments throughout the past couple of years.

But Levi will tell you his journey has made him stronger.

His attitude and perspective on life is something that we can all be inspired by.

I grew up, my dad played and my mom played.

So I grew up around basketball, and that's kind of what runs in my family.

I mean, my little brother plays just everybody in the family plays.

So now I might not be the best player on the court, but I like to stick with it.

It just brings me a lot of joy to be able to go out there and go play the game.

Just every day in practice, we know we can get better.

You think you've hit that top spot, but there's always that spot you can get a little bit better.

So Levi Atkins is a senior this year at Clark Willow Lake.

While he's certainly enjoying his final few months in high school, it hasn't been easy.

The summer in between his sophomore and junior year, he received news that no kid should ever have to hear.

Fighting sickness for, like, the first three months of summer.

And we're getting into August and I just couldn't get over anything.

And it was about August 6th that I had to go into the hospital, and they took my blood, and my white blood cell count was very, very high.

And when the news broke that I had AML, it just shook my family.

My mom broke down, I wrote down.

It was probably some of the worst news I've ever gotten.

I was in the hospital from that day on till March 3rd.

So I missed a lot of school.

Luckily, they kept me up going online and, a lot of things that brought me joy.

Like getting to see friends much.

I didn't get to play sports.

It was a rough period for me.

I had to go through five rounds of chemo and that really took a toll on my body.

There were just days that I didn't want to get up and do anything, or it hurt to get up at.

You know, at first I think it was very emotional.

Yeah, especially for the kids in his class, to know that one of their own was diagnosed with leukemia and, and the big C word, and and no one ever wants to hear that and to know then have a kid have that.

You know, we knew that summer he had been sick for a while.

We knew something was wrong.

He just.

Things weren't right.

And when he came back and said that, our guys were kind of devastated by that, especially that senior group that was then.

They're a close group of guys.

And they kind of all rallied around him a little bit.

They went down and saw him a couple times in Sioux Falls, and I think that lifted his spirits, as well as the those the guys that went down there.

Community support, not just from the Clark and Willow Lake communities, rallied around and supporting Levi.

I feel like there's some schools that they have that hatred towards each other.

I don't think we really have that in these small communities because we know that we really can't hate on each other.

We have something in common with each other.

Communities just absorb these kids like their own.

So that's important.

As as a dad, as a coach and as a teacher.

Last spring, right around the time that Clarke Willow Lake was making their push in the postseason, Levi received the news that lifted the hearts of everyone.

March 3rd of 2025 I was officially released from the hospital and then I believe it was two months later, maybe three.

I got the great news that I was officially, cancer free.

So I've been cancer free now for about six months and life isn't the exact same, but it's way more closer to normal than I had to deal with in the hospital.

To add to it, Levi surprised the team by showing up on the final day of last year's state boys basketball tournament.

I went into the hotel and surprised all the guys, and it was just a great moment.

And I when I entered or left the locker room, I didn't expect him to be doing warmups and he was out there doing the warm up line with the guys, and I think that brought a lot of joy to him and anyone with our guys, even our parents, you know, they became kind of emotional when they saw Levi out there.

Throughout Levi's journey, he leaned on his faith.

I just bought this a little while ago.

It is a little cross that says Philippians 413, which is my favorite verse.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I even wrote it on my tile in the hospital.

It is a verse that has stuck with me throughout my journey, talking about like there's no reason to give up.

Can't measure his heart, you know, this guy comes to practice every day and he works his tail off every day, and he kind of knows that there's not a huge reward for him at the end, because he's not going to see a lot of playing time, but he takes every opportunity he can is to play the game.

He takes every practice as an opportunity to play the game, whether it's in front of fans or not.

That's what he's looking for.

Our next stop is with the girls basketball team from Elkton, Lake Benton.

They have a new head coach this year that the school is excited about.

What makes Mallory Babb unique is her age, and she's one of the youngest head coaches we've seen in the state.

Elkton Lake Benton's Mallory Babb, is a lot like many first year coaches trying to find the balance between life on the sidelines and life in the classroom.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have like almost a full day of classes from 10 to 2 50 or 150.

And then after that I really go straight to practice, or games or I'm just getting ready to go do my job Tuesdays and Thursdays, my lighter schedule for classes.

So I do have a little break time.

That's a lot of time where I like to watch film or do what I can to prepare the girls for practice or games, and then I end up going to practice or the games, and I'm getting ready to go and getting these girls prepared for what they need to do.

The difference between Coach Babb and many other first year coaches and teaching classes while she's taking them is a sophomore at Sdsu.

But how did this 19 year old be at the helm of a class A program?

Well, it all starts a year ago.

I knew a lot of people, the CSU assistant basketball coach here, Shelby Selin, she was my freshman year basketball coach at Brandon Valley.

And she asked me at first to be a manager for the Sdsu women's basketball team.

I decided to decline.

Just wanted to focus on school.

And now a Brandon Middle school, an old Brandon middle school teacher.

She's now the principal at Elkton, texted salon and was like, hey, we need a JV girls basketball coach.

Like, would anyone, you know, be interested in it?

And she texted me and I was like, well, I've always wanted to coach.

I've always loved it.

So I was like, yeah, I'll take it on and got the job on the spot.

After a year on the JV sidelines and the previous head coach leaving that left the Lady Elks with an opening and a possible opportunity.

You know, we kind of went into the summer without a without a head coach.

Mallory did a bunch of stuff with the girls last year as far as open games and camps and getting them to stuff.

And then, you know, it was getting getting towards the middle of summer and we had some applicants and stuff.

And just with her familiarity with the program, having been in it a year and what she was doing throughout the summer just kind of showed that that it was it was her time to, you know, take the helm of it.

While Mallory might not have the most experience in coaching, she does have a pretty deep bench of coaches to go to.

And her family tree.

Both my grandpa's, really successful coaches, my Grandpa Jim, Barb Hall of Fame at Beresford, grandpa Bob Harding, he coached at canton, and my dad used to coach my uncle coaches at US school in Florida.

So I'm actually the first female in my family to do it as well.

So I'm definitely making history in my family line.

And with about a year age gap between the head coach and her oldest player for the Lady Elks, it's a coach player relationship with maybe a sprinkle of big sister.

Before games or after games.

The girls are telling me they're sitting next to me and they're talking to me like I'm their sister.

And, well, they'll talk about they're the boys that they like or the outfit that they want to wear, or like the dress they want to wear to prom.

And all the things she talks about all the time, how she, like mirrors the line between like, crossing things and.

But she's very good at knowing, like when she needs to be each each person.

Like she's good at knowing.

Like when it's time to be, like, silly and then time.

Like when we need to focus and like she she needs to be the coach in certain situations towards like the beginning of the year, she had told us that we're still going to be close, obviously as a team, like keep the chemistry and stuff, but try not to make it like we're all siblings, like the girls on the court, like, yeah, we're going to get along, act like we're sisters, like as a team.

But with her, like, treat her as a coach.

Not like she's on the court playing with us and not like she's our age.

No matter the age.

The Lady Elks know they have the right person calling the shots on the hardwood.

I think for my senior year, definitely.

She's the perfect coach.

She's just so dedicated and willing to, like, put in the time.

She's always watching film on other teams and us.

And her feedback, like, is what I've always, like, wanted in a coach.

Actually, we talk about this a lot, how if we weren't in basketball or we're like in high school, Mia's in high school and college, we'd be like best friends.

We like to relate to a lot of stuff.

We both like dogs.

So yeah, I think it's really nice having her as a coach because we can relate to stuff really well.

She's done a great job for us right so far.

At this point, I feel and and hopefully we can keep her as long as she's she's wanting to to continue.

So I've never really put it into perspective that I'm 19 and I'm breaking down a barrier or doing something else.

I, I just feel confident enough that I know what I'm doing and I'm here to help the girls.

So that's what I really just put into place, that I'm confident enough that I can do this.

And I'm here for these girls for whatever they need, personal or basketball.

Helping me.

For our final story tonight, we're going to take a trip down to Wagner to meet one of the best girls basketball players in the state, Ashlyn Koepel.

The Koupel name is well known amongst basketball fans in South Dakota, and Ashlyn certainly adds to the names legacy.

The town of Wagner is located in southeast South Dakota, east of Lake Andes, west of Avon, and south of armour It's a nice town that is home to one of the most heavily recruited athletes we've seen in the state, Ashlyn Koupel It's always been one of my passions and something I've been wanting to be really good at.

It's always been like a really big part of my life.

My parents are both coaches, so I've kind of grown up in the gym, running the family of basketball.

So yeah, it's all really special.

Ashlyn's aunt, Mandy Koupel, had a standout career in both high school at Wagner and collegiately at the University of South Dakota.

But for Ashlyn, she's dedicated to creating her own unique legacy.

She's kind of always just pushed me.

After I beat her scoring record, she sent me a text, just like saying how proud of me she was.

And yeah, she's just been like a really important person in my life growing up.

So it's all been super cool to just kind of follow in her footsteps.

I try to get here every morning.

I wake up at six and come shower and then yeah, I'm usually here until like eight and that's I try to do that every morning.

I mean, there's days where I sleep in or like we get home late so I don't come in.

But yeah, I put a lot of hours into this game.

So it's just nice to see that it's all paid off from November to March is kind of just all basketball.

I mean, I wake up, go to the gym, and then I'll be in school and I'll be watching film if I don't have anything to do.

Yeah.

Practice after school, usually watching like college game.

Ashlyn quickly rose to being one of the most sought after young basketball players in the nation.

I think the recruiting process alone was like one of the hardest things I've been through.

It sounds bad to say because there's a lot of people that want to be in my situation.

There's a lot to deal with at first.

I mean, I was super excited, like, loved the phone calls, loved texting the coaches, and just, like, soaking it all in.

And then it started to get, like, more and more busy, and I felt like I was, like, constantly on the phone with people, dreading calls, like dreading going to visit schools.

And it kind of just like, consumed all my time.

And I felt like I was like, not enjoying my high school experience.

And just like being a kid.

So I decided to just narrow it down and that, like, really let the pressure off me and things got a lot better then.

Once the list was narrowed, she made the decision to commit to the Cornhuskers.

I just really like their coaching staff the way they play.

Just like the campus.

It's only four hours from here, so, like, when I want to come home, I'll be able to come home.

My family will be able to make it to games.

So, I mean, it was really a no brainer to go to Nebraska.

Ashlyn's dad, Mike, is her high school head coach.

Yeah, that's an experience that I don't think is very common.

So, I try to soak it in.

I mean, I'm not going to lie, there's definitely days where, like, we butt heads or don't get along.

But I think finding the right balance between him being my coach and being my dad has been really important.

And we've kind of found that more and more over the years.

And yeah, I'm super excited to just, play my last year with him being my coach and just soaking it all.

I really don't think as a dad, you know, like, when I have her, like, I consider all my girls, I've always told them they're.

You're all my kids.

I want to treat you like dad.

I respect you and care for you guys all that way.

Just as a coach, you know, you got to cut that separation.

Like, yes, she's my own blood.

It's like she's one of my players.

And, you know, I hold her standards just as high as all the other kids standards.

Having your own kid to going back when you're when you're a dad.

Plus the coach I mean, I get after her just as much as I get after the other kids.

And it's kind of a by example like, oh geez, he's after Ashlyn.

Like, I better, I better do what he's telling me to do because he really does mean it.

Because it's not just, oh, she knows everything, or she's better and and she's more skilled.

It's everybody's on the same court.

It doesn't matter if you're the top or the bottom link.

It's we're we're coaching you all up, and you all have expectations and standards that you need to abide by.

Her mom, Tera, is an assistant coach for Wagner who brings balance to the bench.

She's definitely, like, the one that can settle him down and just like being character on the team.

And then he's going, that's kind of like the more aggressive one.

But yeah, they balance each other out well and usually figure it out.

So she also had told me once she doesn't like that she's just known for basketball.

And I said, what do you want your legacy to be.

Whatever it is she goes, I just want people to know that that I have these talents because of God.

God gave me these talents, and I want to give him the glory that that he deserves.

Because of that, I can see her really trying to rise up to that during college and and just hanging on.

To that a little bit tighter.

Ask the Koupel's and they'll tell you they love Wagner, and they think it's a place that everyone can enjoy.

You know, there's a lot of people around the state, like all Wagner's from a reservation.

You know, I just wish they could come and spend a few weeks here at our school because it doesn't matter.

Matter?

The, the color of our skin.

All these kids are willing to give the clothes off their back and do whatever it takes to make it better.

Just here for the kids and here to make.

It a great experience for them.

Or try to get them to enjoy it and find some passion for.

Keep going.

There's a lot of communities like ours that just like love their teams, love their community and just support in any way they can.

And I feel like that's how Wagner is.

I feel like everyone here just knows everyone.

So that's like a big help.

And I just have a lot of family here too.

So yeah, it's just been really cool to be a part of.

There are so many great people in South Dakota that make basketball what it is a staple to our high school athletic identity.

Well, tonight is just a small glimpse behind the curtain into our basketball identity.

Great people are everywhere, great coaches, great schools, and inspiring student athletes.

As we take one last look around the Corn Palace and Mitchell, it reminds us to remember.

Remember the memories that you hold close to your heart from when you were in sports.

Remember some of the greats you enjoyed watching when you were young, and remember to keep supporting our kids, no matter the sport or activity.

That's what will truly keep the passion alive.

We'd like to thank you for joining us tonight for another year of tales from the hardwood.

I'm Nate Wek saying so long from Mitchell.