JEREMY WALTNER  -  PUBLISHER More than 3½ years ago, when the coaching staff and players of the newly formed Canistota/Freeman football cooperative got together to come up with a team name, it wasn’t hard for them to settle on their pick, even if it took a little time. The team would be the Canistota/Freeman Pride.

Tyce Ortman has been named the Class 9A/9B MVP of the Cornbelt Conference for his play during the 2020 football season. The announcement came Monday morning, Nov. 16 along with the all-conference selections for the season that wrapped up last week.

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.

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.

BY JEREMY WALTNER  |  COURIER EDITOR & PUBLISHER The Tigers delivered the first blow. But the Pride won the fight — and the night.

BY JEREMY WALTNER  |  COURIER EDITOR & PUBLISHER You don’t have to remind the Freeman High School girls of the old cliché, “There is no ‘I’ in team.” They proved it Thursday night.

Freeman High School swept its way past Irene-Wakonda in the second round of the Region 5B Volleyball Tournament in Freeman Tuesday night, Nov. 3, beating the Eagles 25-19, 25-13, 26-24. The No. 3 Flyers are now one win away from their third-straight SoDak 16 appearance and a spot in the state tournament; they play again Thursday night at No. Gayville-Volin, which defeated Menno 25-21, 25-16, 25-14 on Tuesday.

Seventh-seed Menno advanced to the second round of the Region 5B Volleyball Tournament with a 3-0 win over No. 10 Viborg-Hurley while No. 11 Freeman Academy/Marion lost to No. 6 Irene Wakonda 3-0 in the first round of postseason play Monday night, Nov. 2.

The Region 5B Volleyball Tournament bracket it set. Freeman Academy/Marion and Menno will both play Monday night, Nov. 2; Menno is the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Viborg-Hurley while FA/Marion is the No. 11 seed and will travel to Irene-Wakonda. If Menno wins on Monday, the Wolves will travel to No. 2 Gayville-Volin on Tuesday.