By 
Ahead of South Shore’s 125th Anniversary, the Current is pleased to publish a special section on the community’s history.
Boys basketball was organized at South Shore High School in the 1924-25 academic year. In January 1929 Ed Osberg and Leigh Klix submitted a team name suggestion. After a vote of the student body, “Comet Spirit” was born.
The Comets took fourth in the Class B Girls Basketball Tournament in 1986-87.
The Comets were members of the Whetstone Valley Conference, which included many of the Class B schools in northeastern South Dakota. It is now known as the Eastern Coteau Conference of the South Dakota High School Activities Association.
Girls basketball was added in 1974. In 1978-79, both the girls and boys teams earned first place in district contests. The 1986-87 girls place fourth in the State B’s and earned the district title. The boys would also capture the district title in 1990.
Rick Hansen was the Class B discus champion in 1980. In 1990, the 1,600-meter relay team took the Class B championship with members Nathan Noeldner, Erick Jensen, Jamie Flemming, and Elton Jensen.
In 1994, the boys track team took first in regions, despite a roster of only seven.
The boys cross country team was the State B runner-up in 1994, and earned region titles in 1988, 1992, 1993, and 1994. The girls team placed second at regions in 1994.
A football co-op with the Waverly Woodchucks began in the 1982 season, and in 2000 this was expanded to include all sports. By a vote of both student bodies, the Coyote was chosen as the combined team name. The relationship with Waverly was furthered in 2008, as South Shore School consolidated and the Waverly/South Shore School was formed.
The Waverly/South Shore Coyotes marked these mergers and milestones with championships.
The Waverly/South Shore Coyotes claimed the Girls Class B state basketball title in 2000, the first year of their co-op.
The girls basketball team of 2000 went 25-0. The team won the Class B championship by beating Hitchcock-Tulare at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Todd Jutting earned Coach of the Year honors and Jaci Jensen was named Class B Player of the Year. Other members of the championship team include Kym Kennedy, Lynn Kesler, Sara Jensen, Katie Meyer, Alicia Schroeder, Patti Meyer, Heather Chrtt, Nicole Hagen, and Cindy Meyer of South Shore, and Janelle Bludorn, Emily Johnson, and Jackie Zemlicka of Waverly.
“Both schools had success. It was an opportunity to combine the two schools and have a lot more success,” Jutting said.
Even 25 years later, Jutting praised the team. “Good players make good things happen; they make coaches look awful good.”
The next year, the Coyotes also recorded a perfect regular season before falling to Baltic in the state tournament. In total, the Waverly/South Shore Coyotes won their first 47 games.
In 2011, the Coyote football team went 12-0. At the Dakota Dome, the team beat Avon by a score of 58-24 to take the 9B Championship. The team was coached by Billy Kirch. Members include Sam Pond, Taylor Zemlicka, Virgil Leclercq, Bailey Comes, Carson Britzman, Branden Thyen, Zach Stricherz, Chris Arthur, Brent Zemlicka, Jordan Buchholz, Tyson Zemlicka, Austin Buchholz, Tyler Mundahl, Gage Whitted, Zach Adair, Andrew Thyen, Elton Schmeling, Jason Thyen, Louison Clark, Jesse Bush, Ridge Lindberg, and Lucas Rude.
2011 State 9B Football Champions, the Waverly/South Shore Coyotes.
The girls basketball team placed eighth in the Class B tournament in 2019 under Coach Rob Carpenter. The team was the consolation runner-up in 2021 under Coach Taylor Rymerson. Under the leadership of Coach Bryan Zemlicka, the boys basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2024 and 2025.
“Comet Spirit” extends beyond the playing field or court of competition. Since the 2012-13 school year, Coyotes Against Cancer has raised over $40,000 for the American Cancer Society with “player pledges” and other forms of community support at athletic events.
