JEREMY WALTNER - PUBLISHER The Freeman Academy soccer team may have dropped a home game to Vermillion 6-0 Tuesday evening, Sept. 27, but in the larger scheme of things that really doesn’t matter. Because it looks like the Bobcats are going to the playoffs. With the regular season set to end next week, Freeman Academy — which includes players from Freeman Public, Marion and Parker — will most likely finish sixth among 11 teams in the Class A division, which would give the Bobcats the final spot in the state tournament field.

The Jim River football team evened up its record at 3-3 after starting the season 0-2 with a 19-0 win at Wagner Friday night, Sept. 23. The Trappers scored touchdowns in the first, third and fourth quarters to pull away from the Red Raiders, who dropped to 2-4 on the season. Jim River’s touchdowns came on a 1- and 2-yard run by Ajay Herrboldt and a 61-yard scamper by Logan Sayler.

Freshman quarterback Riley Tschetter threw for all six of Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy’s touchdowns to lead the Phoenix to a 44-22 homecoming win over Colome Friday afternoon, Sept. 23 in Freeman. The win moved the Phoenix to 4-1 while the Cowboys dropped to 2-3.

Top-ranked and defending Class 9AA champion Howard proved to be too much for Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy as the Tigers (5-0) routed the Phoenix (3-1) 51-0 in Howard Friday night, Sept. 16. Howard’s explosive offense put up 528 total yards and averaged 12.3 yards per play while F/M/FA tallied just 120 yards and 2.5 yards per play.

If Phoenix football wasn’t the talk of the town before, it certainly deserves to be in the conversation now. Competing in just their third game as a cooperative, the Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy football team knocked off No. 2 Avon in Class 9AA action Friday night, Sept. 2. The Phoenix built a 22-0 halftime lead and hung on for 34-24 win on the road to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Pirates fell to 2-1.

The Jim River Trappers were held to just 76 yards of total offense on an average of 2.1 yards per play, and two touchdowns in the first half by Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central was all the Blackhawks needed to come away with a 14-0 win in 11-man action Friday night, Aug. 26. The win improved W/WS/SC to 1-1 while the Trappers fell to 0-2.

As was the case in the season opening game at Burke one week earlier, Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy used a strong second half to slam the door on their gridiron opponent and pull off another inspiring win — this one in Freeman against Iroquois/Lake Preston Friday night, Aug. 26. Leading 12-8 at the half, the Phoenix went on a 32-0 run to emerge with a 44-8 win.

Oct. 27 Football: Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy 14, Elkton-Lake Benton 52 (7-3)   Oct. 25 Volleyball: Freeman 3, Alcester-Hudson 0 - 25-17, 25-18, 25-19 (18-9)   Oct. 24 Volleyball: Freeman 3, Canistota 1 - 25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 25-18 (17-9)   Oct. 20 Volleyball: Menno 1, Avon 3 - 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 19-25 (5-19)   Oct. 20 Football: Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy 36, Florence/Henry 30 (7-2)

The Freeman Academy soccer team, which is in a cooperative with a number of area schools, defeated Custer 7-0 on the road Saturday Aug. 20. The Bobcats saw a nice all-around effort, with Jonathan Lopez leading the way with four goals. Chris Cardona had two goals and two assists, Lester Richards added a goal and Emma Tuschen and Albert Kolonji each tallied an assist. And keeper Liam Ortman had a perfect game in the goal with eight saves in the shutout win. The Bobcats play at Vermillion on Tuesday and are home against Dakota Valley at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.

The Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy Phoenix are 1-0. Competing in Burke Friday night, Aug. 19, the brand-new football cooperative shrugged off a slow start and cruised to an impressive 34-12 win over the Cougars less than nine months after the Canistota School Board dumped Freeman Public by voting to dissolve the Pride cooperative.