Just win a set. That’s all head coach Jen McConniel and the Freeman Academy/Marion volleyball team were aiming for when they stepped onto the court in Irene to face Irene-Wakonda in the opening match of the Region 4B Volleyball Tournament Monday night, Oct. 30. They came oh so close. The Bearcats ha...

A cold, windy and wet night in Platte hindered Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy’s ability to spread out its offensive attack while favoring Platte-Geddes’s relentless ground game as the two teams battled in a rugged Class 9AA quarterfinal game Thursday night, Oct. 26. The result was a 34-6 win and tri...

In the fall of 2018, Ashton Massey embarked on a cross-country journey that started strong but was marked largely by frustration along the way. Her reward came on Saturday. Competing in the final 5,000-meter race of her high school days, the Menno senior finally earned a medal thanks to a 19th place...

Freeman Academy/Marion cross-country coach Suzanne Koerner surmised several weeks ago that the Bearcats would turn in the best one-two finish since the boys’ remarkable run of strong state meets began in 2012. She was right. Running at the 2023 State Cross-Country Meet at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux...

A severe concussion sustained in gym on Monday, Oct. 16 and a hospital stay in the days that followed prevented Brayden Mangel from competing in what would have been his second State Cross-Country Meet on Saturday, but the Freeman Public eighth grader was there to cheer on his classmate and teammate...

Two big plays One of the biggest plays of the game that could have made an enormous difference came at the end of the first quarter. With the play clock expired and Weber scrambling near midfield, he launched a pass downfield that was hauled in by Evan Scharberg for an apparent touchdown. But the pl...

In a game marked by momentum swings and high-stake plays, it was the Phoenix who turned in perhaps the biggest of them all. Facing a 4th-and-5 from the Stanley County 10-yard-line and trailing 28-24 with 6:10 to play, sophomore quarterback Karter Weber found senior tight end Evan Scharberg over the ...

Zenovia Butler and Ella Waltner each had five kills and Emily Mendel led the team with 19 digs in what was a straight-set loss for Freeman at the hands of Canistota. The Flyers had three set points in the first frame but the Hawks responded to claim a 26-24 win, and went on to take care of business ...

Menno scored a set win against a tough Avon team, but the Pirates prevailed in volleyball action Friday night, Oct. 20. Set scores were in favor of Avon 25-21, 17-25, 25-21, 25-22. Ashton Massey had a big match at the net, recording 14 kills and 5 blocks. The senior also had 5 aces while Joslynn Fis...

Ashlin Jacobsen's 11 kills, 25 digs and 2 aces helped lead the Freeman High School girls volleyball team to its second win in as many nights as the Flyers took down Cornbelt rival Hanson in Freeman Tuesday, Oct. 17. The Flyers won 25-20, 25-13, 25-23 and improved to 13-13. The Beavers, who play in C...