Watertown's Corey Neale named Coach of Year in boys golf and former WHS coach Scott Ewald to join SDHSCA hall

SIOUX FALLS — Current and past Watertown High School coaches Corey Neale and Scott Ewald are set to receive special honors from the South Dakota High School Coaches Association.

Neale has been named the high school boys' golf Coach of the Year for the spring of 2024. Neale guided Watertown's boys to their first state golf title since 1971 last fall and also led Watertown's girls to their first state golf title since 1979 this spring.

Ewald, a longtime varsity tennis coach and varsity and middle school basketball coach in Watertown, is one of six people scheduled to be inducted into the SDHSCA Hall of Fame during the group's annual awards banquet on Sunday, July 14 at 1 p.m. in the Mitchell Highland Conference Center.

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Spring 2024 Coaches of the Year

The state's Boys Golf Coach of the Year isn't announced until the spring since the state's Class B teams play in the spring. Class AA and A boys golf is held in the fall. Neale and Kim Zimmerman of Aberdeen Central were each nominees for the Girls Golf Coach of the Year.

Other Spring 2024 Coaches of the Year include Brad DeBeer of Deubrook Area, boys track and field; Kris McCafferty of Aberdeen Central, assistant in middle school sports; Tyler Uecker of Burke, girls track and field; John Williams of Sioux Falls Christian; Lauria Biagi of Chester Area, softball; Adam Anderson of Chester Area, girls golf; Jayd Schuyler of Winner, assistant in boys sports; and Matt Mueller of Brandon Valley, assistant in girls sports.

Other nominees for the awards include:

Tennis — Tim Hedblom, Huron; Tom Krueger, Sioux Falls Lincoln; Pat Moller, Mitchell; and Kevin Plank, Lennox.

Boys Track — Jim Jarovski, Sioux Falls Lincoln; Karen Karim, Custer; Kurt Stukel, Gregory; and Luke Vander Leest, Sioux Falls Christian.

Girls Track — Samantha Hicks, Bennett County; Aaron Nida, Spearfish; Troy Sturgeon, Brandon Valley; and Luke Vander Leest, Sioux Falls Christian.

Softball — Cali Christianson, Elkton-Lake Benton; Trent Dlugosh, Sioux Falls Lincoln; Heather Harden, West Central; and Emmie Uitts, Tea Area.

Boys Golf — Kirk Hogen, Vermillion; Tom Jansa, O'Gorman; Matt Pollock, Ipswich; Tate Schoenfelder, Hanson; and Andy Shaw, St. Thomas More.

Girls Golf — Kirk Hogen, Vermillion; Karren Rogers, Miller; and Steve Vant Hul, Sioux Falls Christian.

The 2023 winners included Hedblom, tennis; Stukel, boys track; Julie Preheim of Colman-Egan, girls track; Harden, softball; Schoenfelder, boys golf; and Jeff Meyerink of Mitchell, girls golf.

SDHSCA Awards Banquet

The spring Coaches of the Year will also be honored at the awards banquet, along with the Fall 2023 and Winter 2023-24 Coaches of the Year, Hall of Famers and other award winners.

Ewald will be inducted into the SDHSCA Hall of Fame along with Ken Bonte of Beresford, Roger Loecker of Huron, Rich Luther of Lennox, Joan Rachetto of Lead-Deadwood and Charlie Sizer of Miller.

Ewald spent nearly 40 years as teacher, coach and public address announcer in Watertown before retiring in 2018. He coach Arrow boys and girls tennis for nearly 20 years and led the teams to 13 Eastern South Dakota Conference (seven boys and six girls) titles as well as the 2013 state boys championship.

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Fred Obermeier of Clark, a longtime official and scorekeeper, will receive a Jerry Miller Distinguished Service Award and Bruce Kleinsasser of Aberdeen Central, a longtime cheer coach, the Max Hawk Award during the luncheon.

Georgia Adolph of Flandreau and Lou Eggebraaten of Brookings also will received Jerry Miller Distinguished Service Awards. Kevin Bad Wound of Rapid City and Bob Brave Heart Sr. of Pine Ridge are set to be awarded Bryan Brewer Power of Influence Awards.

Other 2023-24 Coaches of the Year to be recognized include Eve Langerock of Harrisburg, cheer; Amanda Stoeser of Pierre, dance; Scott Muellenmeister of Mitchell, girls occer; Curt Nelson of Vermillion, boys soccer; Jessica Larson of Potter County, girls cross country; Ralph Kroetch of Philip, boys cross country; Ben Kramer of Hot Springs, football; Jean O'Hara of Chester Area, volleyball; Les Coin of Sioux Falls Lincoln, gymnastics; David Michaud of Lakota Tech, girls wrestling; Mike Abell of Sturgis, boys wrestling; Tucker Tornberg of Centerville, girls basketball; Nick Koepsell of Howard, boys basketball; Paul Nepodal of Lead-Deadwood, athletic director; and Bob DeBoer of Huron, official.

For tickets to the awards luncheon, visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/65743742-9362-45de-b31f-4664877d1d85 .

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Watertown's Corey Neale named Coach of Year in boys golf and former WHS coach Scott Ewald to join SDHSCA hall