Watertown's Sam Mooney, Aberdeen golfers & Northern State athletes honored

Recent sports briefs from Watertown and Aberdeen include recognition of three South Dakota residents receiving the 2026 James Farrell Award of Excellence, USA Softball's highest honor. Sam Mooney, a Watertown softball commissioner, was honored for hosting the Men's Northern D National Championship at Watertown's Premier Softball Complex. Rick Graff and Dave Nielsen, both from Sioux Falls, received the award for hosting the Northern A and B Girls Fastpitch National Championships in Sioux Falls.

Aberdeen Junior Golf has selected Claire Crawford and Grayson Rehder as recipients of the 2026 Dean Shortridge Scholarship. Crawford, a 2026 Aberdeen Roncalli High School graduate, is now playing women's college golf at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. Rehder, a 2026 Aberdeen Central High School graduate, is studying mechanical engineering at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Northern State junior wrestler Sloan Johannsen of Watertown was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week. He won the 125-pound championship at the Jimmie Open hosted by the University of Jamestown, recording falls in the first two rounds and technical falls in the semifinals and championship.

All-NSIC Volleyball honors three Northern State University players: sophomore outside hitter Katelyn Schroeder and redshirt junior setter Ava Nilsson. Additionally, Linnea Nesheim, a redshirt junior outside hitter from Sioux Falls, earned first team honors on the All-NSIC volleyball team.