These helmets will be on full display as the Canistota/Freeman Pride host Chester Area in Freeman in the first round of the playoffs tonight, Thursday, Oct. 22. Game time is 7 p.m., and it's going to be cold. The winner moves on to the quarterfinal round Thursday, Oct. 29. The Pride are 7-1; the Flyers are 6-2.

Pumpkins, gourds and other October/Halloween decorations can be seen on doorsteps, porches and in front yards as the fall season wears on. 

The area received its first visible reminder that winter is just around the corner thanks to a light dusting of snow Monday, Oct. 19. While it was enough to "decorate" the fall colors, it didn't stick around long. The cold has, though, with highs today in the 40s and overnight lows expected to be around the freezing mark.

The sunny days of the weekend have been replaced by something else entirely — cloudy skies and moisture. Light precipitation was falling in Freeman Monday morning with a 50% chance of more throughout the day and also on Tuesday. It's cold, too; highs aren't expected to exceed the low 50s all week long and on Saturday, when the State Cross Country Meet commences in Rapid City, highs are forecast to be in the 30s — with a chance of precipitation. 

The temperatures have dropped but the sunshine lights up the leaves on this row of trees along College Street.

A group of students from Menno reacts after thinking they won a game during Menno's pep rally Friday afternoon, Oct. 16. It was part of a fun Friday that include a homecoming parade and an evening football game, although it didn't end the way Menno/Marion had hoped. Instead, Irene-Wakonda emerged victorious 30-26 to end the Razorbacks' season and that franchise; 2020 was the final year for the Menno/Marion football cooperative.

The Menno/Marion football team is pictured at halftime of its Monday, Oct. 12 game against Colman-Egan. The Razorbacks are in action again tonight against Irene Wakonda in Menno's homecoming game. An afternoon pep rally and parade is also on tap for today.

Freeman Academy senior Titus Roesler crosses the finish line in first place at the Region 3B Cross Country Meet in Platte Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 14. Roesler crossed the 5,000-meter winding course well ahead of the rest of the field, finishing in 17:33.00; Bon Homme's Nate Hill was second in 18:16.91.

The morning sunlight hits leaves on a tree extenuating the beautiful colors of the fall season.

Menno/Marion head football coach Austin Unruh sets up a play with quarterback Payton Arbach during the Razorbacks' Oct. 12 game against Colman-Egan. The game was scheduled after Menno/Marion had its Oct. 9 game against Parkston canceled because of a COVID-19 issue there; kickoff was at 4 p.m. in Menno. The Razorbacks ended up on the short end of a 24-6 score and dropped to 1-6 on the season. The C-Hawks, who play in Class 9B, improved to 4-2.