Freeman Flyers return to the top of the football mountaintop for the first time since 1999

VERMILLION — For the first time in over a quarter-century, the Freeman Flyers are state football champions.

In their first season returning to the gridiron since 2014, the Freeman Flyers captured their sixth football title in a 57-12 win over Bennett County at the DakotaDome.

The championship marks the first Flyers state football title since 1999 when it won four straight.

Freeman had won state football titles since then under two separate co-ops, including three with the Canistota/Freeman Pride (2018-20) and another title with Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy last season.

“(It’s) pretty remarkable,” said Freeman head coach Dustin Tschetter. “What these guys have accomplished in there short time and high school career. The seniors going out with back-to-back. Just the Flyers, that’s hard to imagine because who would’ve thought we’d ever be here again. That’s small towns. Ups and downs, you have those years where you’re really talented and this is our group right now going through that makes us so talented.”

From last season’s rollercoaster of emotions for the coach and former player, Tschetter says it was an awesome feeling bringing home the first Flyer championship in 27 years.

“Last year, first time being here as a head coach it was a very emotional day for me, I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Tschetter said. “My oldest son (Riley) graduated last year so I’ve been coaching them for a long time. That group was really, really special to me. This is a special group, don’t get me wrong. But being the Flyers is kind of special and having four guys on the staff that won titles in the 90s, it makes it even more special.”

And plenty of influence from the Flyers success in the late 90s is being instilled on the present day. Along with Tschetter, fellow coaches Kyle Weier, Ryan Sorensen and Mike Andersen all contributed to the Flyers’ four-peat from 1996-99.

“Kyle Weier, he’s the offensive coordinator, he was on the last team,” Tschetter said. “Me and Mike (Andersen) were the year before that graduating and then Ryan was the year before that. Kyle has us beat, he’s got six titles under his belt now. It’s just exciting to be in this hometown and to come back and win a couple of titles is pretty special.”

On top of coaches, plenty of current players on the newly-formed Flyers have connections to that prior success, including junior running back Axle Schultz.

Schultz powered the ground attack in the Class 9A championship with 11 carries for 125 yards and a score in the win.

Schultz’s dad, Jeff, and uncle, John, both played for Freeman in the late 90s.

“I think it’s awesome,” Axle said on winning a championship as the Flyers. “My dad and my uncle both played for those teams and they both love to see it. Just the Flyers. It’s good to bring it to our school.”

Whether it was Freeman, Canistota/Freeman or Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy, Tschetter says the community always showed its support.

“Regardless of if we’re the Pride, the Phoenix or the Flyers, our crowd is the best,” Tschetter said. “Our home games are packed almost every Friday night or Thursday when the playoffs start.”

And the Flyers don’t plan on landing this plane anytime soon. While they’ve secured two straight state football titles and a Class B boys basketball championship back in the spring, Tschetter has high hopes for the 2027 season.

“We’ve got a lot of talented kids coming back so we hope to be here next year,” Tschetter said.