The seniors on this year's Canistota/Freeman football team, including (from left) Blake Anderson, Ethan Ortman, Cole Papendick and Clayton Smith, hoist the Class 9A championship trophy after the Pride's 12-0 win over Warner in the DakotaDome Thursday night, Nov. 12. It was the third consecutive title for Canistota/Freeman in four seasons as a cooperative. 

In a year without much to celebrate, Canistota/Freeman gave its fans and communities something to cheer about in a big way with another Class 9A state championship Thursday night, Nov. 12.

Players from Canistota/Freeman celebrate their semifinal win over Howard last week. The Pride will take the field one last time this season when they face Warner for the Class 9A title tonight, Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The game will be played at the DakotaDome in Vermillion; the team plans to leave from Freeman High School at 3:45 p.m. South Dakota Public Broadcasting is once again televising all seven South Dakota championship games today, tomorrow and Saturday.

Cheryl Duerksen, age 57, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion, S.D. A private service will be held at a later date.

Judy Schrag clears snow from her front steps Wednesday morning, Nov. 11 following Tuesday's all-day snow that amount to around six inches in Freeman. It wasn't the first snowfall of the fall but the biggest — and heaviest — with high moisture making it hard to push. Even though it's cold, some melting has taken place thanks to the power of the sun and with highs returning to the 40s later this week, it would be gone sometime this weekend. 

Students at Freeman Public who are considered close contacts with a positive COVID-19 case are no longer excluded from school and school-related activities for 14 days — the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control that the district had been following.

At 23-20, the Freeman High School volleyball team was two points away from winning an all-important first set against Chester Area in the SoDak 16 Tuesday night, Nov. 10, but the Flyers — the Chester Flyers — won the final five points to take the first set 25-23. For the Flyers — the Freeman Flyers — it was a blow from which they would not recover.

Elmer J. (Slug) Hofer — one of a set of twins — was born March 20, 1927, to the Rev. Jacob B. Hofer and Barbara (Wipf) Hofer, on his grandparents’ farm near Freeman, S.D. He passed away at the age of 93, on Nov. 9, 2020, at Freeman Regional Health Services from complications of COVID 19. He lived in the Freeman area and attended country school and Freeman Public.

Robert L. Glanzer, age 85, of rural Huron, S.D., passed away Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, at Avantara – Huron. A private family funeral service was held Saturday, Nov. 7 with burial in the Bethel Mennonite Brethren Church Cemetery. Memorial may be directed to James Valley Christian School or Byron Bible Camp. 

Alfred A. Hauck, age 93 of Marion, S.D. and formerly of Menno, S.D., died late Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020 at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion. Graveside services were held Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Menno Cemetery, with Military Graveside Rites by the Rames-Bender American Legion Post #152 Honor Guard and the SDARNG Honor Guard.