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Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025

Is Sioux Falls the only South Dakota team to ever reach the Little League World Series?

Michael Klinski, South Dakota News Watch
no

Three teams from Rapid City advanced to the Little League World Series before Sioux Falls’ recent dominant run. 

Harney Little League went 0-3 in 2011 and Canyon Lake was 0-3 in 2008 and 1-2 in 2014. Canyon Lake beat a team from the Czech Republic 5-3 for South Dakota’s first win in the tournament. 

Sioux Falls Little League, which advanced to the 2025 event taking place Aug. 13-24, has qualified for the LLWS four times.

The most notable effort was in 2021, when pitcher Gavin Weir threw a no-hitter and a combined no-hitter to lead Sioux Falls to fourth place. 

Marcus Phillips, a star on the Sioux Falls team that made its LLWS debut in 2017, was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft in July. 

Sioux Falls advanced to the 2025 tournament by beating North Dakota 6-0.

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