Canistota/Freeman used a dominant pitching performance from Evan Scharberg and solid offensive output across the board to defeat Clark 12-1 in second-round action and qualify for the VFW 14U state championship game Sunday afternoon. The Sticks will face three-time defending champion Canova in the title tilt in a game scheduled to start at 4 p.m. in Freeman. Canistota/Freeman's win over Clark came in the nightcap of a four-game lineup Saturday, July 24 in Freeman. In other action on Saturday:

Canistota/Freeman knocked off Baltic 6-1 in the nightcap of the opening round of the VFW State 14U Baseball Tournament in Freeman Friday, July 23 — the last of four games played. The others included: Parkston 16, Onida 6 Canova 5, Salem 2 Clark 16, Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 14 (extra innings) Action continues beginning at noon on Saturday and is as follows. Games will be played on a rolling schedule.

Here is the schedule for the upcoming 2021 VFW State 14u Baseball Tournament: Friday 12 p.m. Onida vs. Parkston 2:30 p.m. Salem vs. Canova

The bracket for the District 6 Amateur Baseball Tournament is set, with games taking place July 22-31 in Tabor. Freeman is the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 Tabor at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22. Menno is the No. 7 seed and will face No. 2 Wynot Friday, July 23 at 8 pm.

Six years ago, when Freeman’s Dustin Tschetter and Canistota’s Brad Miller got together to form a team that would become the Canistota/Freeman Sticks, they saw potential in the boys and a love for the game that they hoped would eventually lead to a Teeners team. That’s exactly what has happened. Who knew they would also be hosting a state tournament? That will be happening, too.

Madison Hofer, who graduated from Freeman Public last week, was the sole local representative at the State B Golf Tournament in Brookings June 7 and 8. Hofer finished with a 106 the first day after posting a 53 on both the front and back nine, and then shot a 101 on Tuesday with a 54/47. She was one of 99 golfers taking part

Click here to view the Courier's 2021 State Track Meet photos.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER There were a number of questions that accompanied the Freeman Academy/Marion boys to last week’s State B Track Meet in Rapid City. Would the 4x800 live up to expectations and run to a win? How would the sprint medley do in a competitive field? And what would senior Titus Roesler’s final act as a standout runner with the Bearcats look like? By 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, there were but two questions remaining: How should the boys stand for the team photo, and who should hold the hardware?

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER In the week leading up to the 2021 State B Track Meet, Menno girls coach Ryan Liebl was quietly thinking that his team could crack the top three in the team standings and even told that to the girls before action began in Rapid City last Friday. But Jesse Munkvold questioned her coach’s optimism. “We were lined up and ready to go and Ryan was telling us how things could pan out,” says Munkvold.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER The Menno High School girls made history last week when they won the first region track championship in school history. The Wolves hope to catch lightning again this weekend at O’Harra Stadium and return to their community with a top-five finish in Class B, which would be another first for these breakout Wolves.