Brycen Bruening keeps Parkston's championship standard, stability rolling at QB

Nov. 3—PARKSTON, S.D. — Stability at quarterback can be one of the most important pieces of a successful football program, especially when a team has established a winning standard.

For Parkston, that steady hand has come from senior quarterback Brycen Bruening, who has helped keep the Trojans’ offense rolling while continuing a tradition of success that began before he became the team’s full-time starter.

Bruening has been around Parkston’s biggest games since his freshman season in 2023, when Parkston captured a Class 9AA state championship with Carter Sommer behind center. Sommer also led the Trojans to the state championship game in 2024, finishing as the runner-up, before Bruening took over as the starting quarterback in 2025 as a junior.

As a freshman, Bruening had an opportunity to start against Hamlin in the 2023 state semifinals, helping Parkston secure a 26-3 victory and a trip to the DakotaDome. Sommer returned for the state championship game, but the experience gave Bruening an early opportunity to learn what it takes to compete at the highest level.

“Carter Sommer is a great guy, and he’s an even better leader,” Bruening said. “He taught me everything that I need to know. He led us to state twice, and he was such a great quarterback. He really took me under his wing, and I appreciate everything he did for me.”

Those lessons have translated into a smooth transition at quarterback and another successful stretch for the Trojans.

In his two seasons as the starter, Bruening has helped Parkston compile a 19-2 record, reach the state semifinals twice and remain in contention for another trip to the DakotaDome. The Trojans enter Friday’s semifinal matchup with a perfect 10-0 record, the No. 1 seed in Class 9AA and the only undefeated team remaining in the division.

Parkston will host No. 4 Britton-Hecla at 7 p.m. Friday with a chance to reach the state championship game for the fourth time in five seasons.

“I take a lot of pride in myself to keep this train rolling, and it’s not just me but our entire team,” Bruening said. “And the coaching staff puts a lot of trust in us as athletes. They are all great coaches, and they put so much time into us.”

The Trojans have been dominant offensively, outscoring opponents by an average of 41.6 points per game, the highest scoring margin in Class 9AA this season. Bruening has been a major part of that with his arm, legs and decision-making that allow the offense to operate efficiently.

Through 10 games, he has completed 43 of 75 passes for 960 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He has also added 348 rushing yards on 29 carries and eight touchdowns.

What makes Bruening particularly valuable, however, goes beyond the statistics.

“He is very knowledgeable, and he knows how to communicate with his teammates,” Parkston head coach Matt Grave said. “He is a phenomenal leader, and he’s very mature because he’s been athletically gifted at a young age, and you naturally are put into a leadership spot whether you want to in fifth grade or not. And he’s been able to be very humble about it.”

That trust extends throughout the coaching staff and locker room. Grave knows Bruening can make the right read at any given moment.

“I have trust in him. He’s a coach on the field,” Grave said. “I talk to him quite a bit on what personnel he likes, and that’s pretty rare. He tends to make the right decisions all the time, whether that’s making the right read or a pass play or using his legs. He has a gift for it.”

That confidence also allows Parkston to take advantage of its strengths in the running game. Behind Mason Jervik and Sean Deckert, the Trojans have one of the strongest rushing attacks among the nine-man divisions. When defenses commit to stopping the run, Bruening has consistently found opportunities to connect with open receivers and deliver the football in stride.

“The line does everything for me,” Bruening said. “They protect us. They are my guys. It starts with them and it ends with my receivers. We have all just been best friends forever, and we all have such a great connection on the field right now.”

That connection is especially evident between Bruening and Jervik, whose relationship stretches back to their childhood.

“I mean, we’ve been best friends forever,” Jervik said of Bruening. “We have just always had that connection. Even in third-grade recess football, we were always throwing deep routes like we are now. It just just means a lot to us.”

The numbers, the record and another semifinal appearance have shown that Parkston hasn’t missed a beat with Bruening leading the offense. He has carried forward the standard while creating his own legacy as the Trojans’ quarterback with a chance on Friday to make it back to the DakotaDome.

For Grave, though, Bruening’s impact reaches well beyond what he provides on the gridiron.

“It’s going to be sad to see him leave someday because of the person he is. He is one of a kind,” Grave said.