CANISTOTA PULLS PLUG ON FOOTBALL CO-OP

And just like that, the Canistota/Freeman Pride are no more.

Five weeks after the football cooperative played in its fourth consecutive state championship game and in its fifth postseason in as many years, the Canistota School Board voted 4-1 to dissolve the partnership. The action came Monday night, Dec. 13.

Those voting to end the co-op — which was established in 2017 and won state titles in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and finished runner-up in 2021 — were Angie Scott, Melissa Weber, Timothy Buseman and Nathan Ligenberg.

Jerry Bertelson voted against dissolving the co-op.

Mandy Keller, a business owner in Canistota, abstained from voting.

The action means Canistota will take the field as the Hawks next fall at the Class 9B level while school leadership at Freeman Public will have to quickly decide what steps to take for its own football program.

The Freeman School Board was also in session Monday night and, after learning of the decision, Superintendent Jake Tietje shared the news with the board.

“I look forward to what’s next for Freeman Public,” he said. “One door closes, another door opens, and I’m excited for the opportunity that we have moving forward — very excited to have conversations with districts that we’ve met with and have shown interest in being part of a cooperative.”

Freeman Public has, in recent weeks, been in contact with Freeman Academy and Marion about future partnerships, and school leadership has said those conversations have gone well.

Freeman School Board President Emily Andersen — who has been part of a task force that has spent the fall discerning the future of the district as it relates to partnership with area schools — told The Courier on Tuesday the task force would meet this week.

“We’re a little bit ahead because we’ve already reached out to these districts; we’ve already formed a relationship,” said Andersen. “We’re really going to lean on our task force to figure out our next steps.

“All of us want the same thing,” she continued, “and that’s what is best for the Freeman School District.”

Dan Swartos, executive director with the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA), did not specify exactly when Freeman Public would have to have a plan in place, but said there is precedent for a grace period.

“In situations like this we give a little leeway,” he told The Courier Tuesday morning. “We want to provide opportunities for our kids, and the board will work with the school to provide that opportunity.”

Swartos did note several key dates the SDHSAA is concerned about.

His board is scheduled to approve enrollment numbers at its Jan. 12 meeting — the same meeting SDHSAA will accept paperwork from Canistota formally dissolving the football cooperative — and will hold its first reading on football alignments on March 2.

“That’s really the critical thing,” he said.

Canistota’s decision

The action by the Canistota School Board on Monday came one night after a special school board meeting featuring public opinion that included opinions on both sides of the debate.

Much of the discussion revolved around a jump from 9-man to 11-man football, which would have been the case per a reclassification by the South Dakota High School Activities Association had Canistota and Freeman continued to play as the Pride.

Those in favor of dissolving the co-op said Canistota has the players to win at the 9-man level without Freeman, and that participation would actually increase without Freeman as part of the equation.

“More kids will go out if there is no co-op,” Jeff Merrill told the Canistota School Board at Sunday’s special meeting — one of eight speaking in favor of dissolving the Pride. He also suggested that Canistota could take the lead on a 6-man program at the younger levels to help develop a program.

And Ryan Ortman, whose sons Trey, Tyce and Tage have all quarterbacked the Pride, said that Canistota has the numbers locally to compete — 27 this coming fall, 21 in 2022, 20 in 2023 and 16 in 2024. Most 9B rosters have around 20 players, Ortman said

“We are right there. I believe we have the numbers to make this work.”

But those opposed to dissolving the co-op said that Freeman has higher participation at the lower grade levels that will benefit Canistota in the years to come. They also emphasized that a continued partnership would benefit a program that has been established through South Dakota Junior Football, and at the junior high and junior varsity levels.

Misty Miller was one of nine who spoke on Sunday night in favor of keeping the cooperative. She said that, in the fall of 2022, “numbers start to increase at Freeman while Canistota will decline,” and noted that projections for the fall of 2021 show that the combined junior high team would include eight players from Canistota and 13 from Freeman.

“While it appears we might be able to hold our own for a short period of time, the fact is we will need them — or some other school to co-op with in the future,” Miller said. “Our numbers would directly lead to a very successful co-op as it stands today and for many years to come.”

Head coach James Strang, when asked what he thought about the future, said he would coach whatever was asked of him; “My job is to coach,” he said, “and that’s what I plan on doing.”

But he said he was most interested in the health of the program as a whole.

“I want more kids,” Strang said. “I want more opportunities for young men to be part of something. I want more opportunities for players to step out and play because of the valuable life lessons that are taught through this game.

“A program, at least from my perspective, is 7-12.”

But numbers and a quest to hang another banner on the wall ultimately ruled the day in Canistota. That was reflected in a poll conducted by the district prior to Sunday’s meeting that shows 61 in favor of dissolving the co-op and 37 against it.

And it was reflected in passionate comments on Sunday by Canistota stakeholders to return to the football field as Hawks.

“Freeman’s participation is unbelievably low; ours is unbelievably high,” said lifelong Canistota resident Doug Siebert, noting that the Pride finished the 2021 season with just seven players from Freeman on its 31-player roster. “We are holding up our end (of the bargain). What is Freeman doing wrong?

“We need to think about Canistota,” he continued. “Canistota; remember that.”

Jim Robertson, whose senior son, Isiah, was an all-conference running back for the Pride, noted Canistota has seven returning starters “who want to play for a championship next year. We all want to win. Our best possibility is as the Canistota Hawks.”

And several questioned Freeman’s long-term plan as it relates to an all-sports cooperative and possible school consolidation. After a survey of those living in the Freeman School District earlier this fall showed overwhelming favor for moving in that direction, the school sent letters to area districts — Canistota, Freeman Academy, Marion and Menno — seeking their level of interest.

“Is this actually going to be a two-school co-op?” asked Ryan Ortman.

At Sunday’s special meeting, of the first 16 individuals to speak, nine were in favor of keeping the Pride cooperative while seven wanted to play as the Hawks at the 9-man level. 

The 17th to address the board — Canistota junior Ty Merrill — was joined by next year’s varsity players from Canistota to set the record straight and offer a plea to the board. 

Merrill said those signing a petition that was circulated among Canistota football players did so by their own free will and were not forced to sign it.

“The players and I will stay around after this meeting if anyone wants to talk to us about this petition,” he said. “The reasons why we want to play 9-man football and dissolve this co-op (is) we want more home games. Our town deserves us to play our home games here in Canistota. We also won’t have to travel every other week a half-hour away to have practice.

“But most of all, we want to play 9-man as the Canistota Hawks.” Merrill concluded. “Please don’t deny us the opportunity to play for this community as the Canistota Hawks.”

A brief history

Freeman’s relationship with Canistota actually predates the establishment of the Pride.

In 2016, one year after the Flyers abandoned their varsity schedule because of low numbers, the two schools reached an agreement that allowed Freeman players to play for Canistota as the Hawks — a deal that was ultimately approved by the SDHSAA.

A brand-new team, the Canistota/Freeman Pride, was announced in April of 2017 and the co-op played its first season that fall, finishing 6-4 and going out in the second round of the playoffs.

The Pride won 9A state championships the following three seasons and finished as the state runner-up last month at the Class 9AA level after losing to Platte-Geddes 12-8 on a late touchdown pass.

In Canistota/Freeman’s four seasons together, the Pride posted a combined record of 46-12.

The Pride found success at the junior level (5-6), as well, winning state championships in the South Dakota Junior Football League in 2019 and 2021.