American Legion Baseball Stays Hot At Creighton’s BerryPepper Days Tournament

The annual summer tournament in Nebraska featured college bound seniors, high school standouts, fundamentally sound baseball, and a frozen treat of Americana.

Calvin Wilmes, who led Creighton High School to a Nebraska Class D state championship is a key star on the Creighton, Bloomfield, and Wausau American Legion squad. / Knox County News

When temperatures reach triple digits in late June around Knox County in northeast Nebraska, there’s only one way to truly stay cool. 

Enjoy a BerryPepper.

What…you’ve never had one before? The refreshing frozen concoction – originally made with Dr. Pepper and Strawberry pop, and later incorporating Dr. Pepper syrup and water – can only be found at BerryPepper Days, the annual event held each year in quaint Creighton, Nebraska where the iconic cold treat was invented by local teenagers at the community swimming pool in the 1960s.

Locals believe there's an art to eating a BerryPepper. Squeeze the bottom of the cup. Force the frozen treat upward. And enjoy the cold slushy to your hearts content as you beat the heat. Backed by the Creighton Area Chamber of Commerce and local sponsors the weekend festivities also included the popular Road Rally, the Ribfest at the city park, and a parade down main street (according to sources, the town sold out of BerryPeppers). 

While people slushed their way through the heatwave and around Creighton, the Class B American Legion Baseball games at Greg Paesl Field got hot on Saturday and Sunday with Senior and Junior teams from Wagner (South Dakota), Wakefield Post 81, Tri-County Titans, Creighton-Bloomfield-Wausa, and Albion (Juniors Bracket Winner) all competing in the BerryPepper American Legion Baseball Tournament.

Tall and lean, Frank Soukup showed zero fear on the mound for Wagner. The pitcher/centerfielder is officially Mount Marty bound. / Frank Soukup

Wagner Arms Flex Way To A Clean Sweep

When they weren’t hitting their way around the field with ease, Wagner controlled their games from atop the hill resulting in a 3-0 sweep of the tournament following their 8-6 win over Wakefield on Sunday. Along with a strong performance on the mound, Joey Cournoyer put on a display at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a double with centerfielder Frank Soukup adding a single and double. Committed to play at Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota, Soukup was equally impressive during his outing as the long lefty consistently threw strikes, mixed in his fastball and curveball, changed speeds, and overmatched hitters all day long. 

When he's not anchoring down first base for Wakefield, Jesse Lundahl's busy getting batters out on his way to playing at Ellsworth. / Jesse Lundahl

Wakefield American Legion Still Knows How To Play

Some things never change. Regardless if you played American Legion baseball against Wakefield in the early 90’s (like some of us) or are tasked with facing the tough nine nowadays, there remains a constant thread from past to present. Bunting. Moving guys over. Sacrificing outs for runs. Up and down the line up. The comparison that comes to mind is the San Antonio Spurs, who consistently performed at a championship caliber clip because they played the game “the right way.”

Purists around baseball might call it “small ball”. Up in Wakefield, they just call it baseball. The standout stud for the maroon and grey? That goes to pitcher and first baseman Jesse Lundahl who threw a no-hitter last year and helped his team finish as runner-up at state. From being an honorable mention all-conference in football and setting a school record for the discus during his time at Wakefield High School, Lundahl may have saved his best for last after going yard against Tri-County on Saturday. The recent grad is slated to play his college baseball at Ellsworth Community College. 

It took 4 holes to break the tie for first place, but in the end Calvin Wilmes (center) took home the 2025 NSAA Class D Boys State Golf Championship for the Creighton Bulldogs. / Calvin Wilmes

Rising Senior Proving To Be Dual Threat In Creighton 

See No. 6 over there in the white jersey for Creighton’s Post 74-Post 249 composed of players from Creighton, Bloomfield, and Wausau, Nebraska. Not only has Calvin Wilmes recently thrown a no-hitter for the American Legion squad, but he’s also the reigning and defending NSAA Class D State Champion after leading Creighton High School to its first team golf title in the spring and a personal thrilling playoff hole victory at the two-day tournament at Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus. Showing off his athletic range, Wilmes got into the swing of things in Creighton’s night cap on Sunday against Wakefield where the righty tossed his way to a 10-7 complete game win to wrap up the 2025 BerryPepper Days American Legion Baseball Tournament.