2017 Hall of Fame: Undefeated ’79 Lynx clinch BVHS’s first-ever ‘A’ crown

Setting their sights high - wanting to be as good as the ’74 Lynx - a team that allowed just two touchdowns scored against the first team all year, and just four TDs during the entire the season.

“We were able to meet that goal as well – and go undefeated!” head coach Glenn Sellevold remembers of the ’79 champs, which is reason enough for this squad’s induction into the BVHS Hall of Fame.

“It is a well-deserved honor,” Sellevold offers on behalf of the ’79 champs. “This was the first team in the history of Brandon Valley High School to be recognized as Class A champions in any team sport.”

If you recall, Class A was the large-school division at that time.

“We were No. 1 in all the state polls!” Sellevold reminds.

The veteran-loaded squad achieved their elevated goal that season by outscoring their nine opponents combined by a lopsided 379-58 margin.

“We were a veteran team,” Sellevold said. “The senior class had played a big part as we shared the Big 8 Conference championship in the ’77 and ’78 seasons, and won it outright in ’79! Seven of the ’79 seniors had started on all three of those championship teams, and the commitment of the ’79 seniors along with the underclassmen helped make them the champions that they were.”

The team also bought into the concept of Sellevold’s weight-lifting program.

“The big reason our backs did so well was the offensive line they had playing in front of them. They over-powered the opposition,” Sellevold said.

On the ‘77 team, there were only four players that could bench 200 pounds, but the ‘79 team, Sellevold recalls, had 30 players that could bench at least 200 pounds.

From the record books, Sellevold found Craig Anderson was the team “beast”, benching 315 pounds. Dennis Clark and Alan DeShepper, they reached 275. Jim Raley hit 265; Gary Maassen, Bryce Bly, Kevin Rollag, and Jon Eitreim all benched 255 pounds.

“In nine games, only one team scored against the first-team defense, and that was two TDs by Beresford, who were the Class B champions,” Sellevold said. “I feel they could have beaten any team we had played.”

But in Sellevold’s opinion, the 42-6 state championship “massacre” of Rapid City Stevens was the shining moment of the season, as it led to BV’s first ever State A football title. Following the game that night, the Rapid City coach told Sellevold that the Lynx were the top team the Raiders had encountered in a several state area.

The Lynx contained the Raiders to 75 rushing yards, 41 of which came in the fourth quarter, and held them to 43 yards in the air.

While Sellevold had the title of head coach, he said assistant coaches Denny Halseth and John Pierson played important roles in molding this bunch of determined young men into state-championship caliber.

“I cannot say enough about Denny and John’s contributions to our success,” Sellevold said. “Denny was the backfield coach and no coach ever did a better job in teaching backs how to block! And John did a fantastic job with the defense.”

And what a job it was, with Beresford being the only team to score against the BV’s first team defense.

The secondary did their part, too, intercepting 14 passes, of which five were picked off by Tommy Archer, who finished the season as the team’s leading receiver behind 13 catches (328 yards, six TDs). Steve Pierson - Coach Pierson’s son - led the defense in tackles as a linebacker, scoring 174 defensive points, a noted in the 1980 Lynxonian. He was equally impressive as the kicker, converting 43 of 49 extra point attempts.

Alan DeSchepper was second behind Pierson, scoring 168 defensive points, according to the 1980 school annual.

Quarterbacking the ’79 team was returning starter, Wade Rasmussen, who had the job in ’78 and ’79, garnering All-State accolades his senior year. Sellevold had confidence in young Rasmussen, who was a starter on the trio of championship teams as a defensive back, and picked up 937 passing yards for the Lynx that season.

Sellevold coined Rasmussen’s performance in the Rapid City game as “picture perfect.” It was the BV quarterback’s best game of the season, passing for 185 yards and three touchdowns. 

Bryce Bly was a force on foot for the Lynx. He rushed for 1,154 yards on 146 attempts (7.9 yard average), racking up 17 TDs in nine games in the ’79 season. He, too, garnered All-State Football honors.

But he also liked to get the job done in the passing game, too, grabbing 12 passes for 334 yards (27.6 yard average) and three TDs that season.

Rasmussen and Bly, who co-captained the ’79 squad, are both prior BV Hall of Fame inductees.

Anderson was another avenue Coach Sellevold utilized to move the ball on the ground that year. As a two-year starter at halfback, he carried the ball 82 times, generating 615 yards (7.5 yard average), and was second in scoring with 14 TDs.

Jon Eitreim and Don Versteeg also received All-State honors, and Versteeg was selected as captain of the Argus Leader’s First Defensive Team. BV’s entire starting backfield of Bly, Anderson, Rasmussen, and Clark all went on to play college football.

But the “un-sung heroes” of the ‘79 team, Sellevold says, were the squad members “that helped everyone improve as a team,” despite not having a starting role.”

Coach Sellevold was an “un-sung hero” himself, as he won the coveted South Dakota High School Coaches Association, “Coach of the Year” award.

1979 BVHS Lynx State Championship Football Team

Season Record:  9 wins, 0 losses

Brandon Valley 21, Luverne 0

Brandon Valley 49, Flandreau 12

Brandon Valley 45, Canton 0

Brandon Valley 50, Lennox 18

Brandon Valley 48, West Central 0

Brandon Valley 57, Elk Point 6

Brandon Valley 27, Beresford 16

Brandon Valley 40, Vermillion 0

Brandon Valley 42, RC Stevens 6