Sports Sidelines - Vilas County News-Review
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  • WIAA continues football realignment

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Conference Realignment Task Force Committee reviewed plans on Jan. 6 for football-only conferences that were initially advanced for further consideration and to conduct appeals of realignment requests that were denied last month.
    The 11-player realignment proposals that were advanced for further review will
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  • Badgers, Packers battle to big wins

    It was a good week for Badger State football fans as the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers each got big victories.
    Graham Mertz accounted for three touchdowns and Wisconsin turned four second-half interceptions into 21 points to beat Wake Forest 42-28 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last
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  • Pines boys hockey, Bluejays volleyball lead sports in 2020

    While the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on high school sports in the spring and summer, there still were many exciting local sports stories for high school teams and individual athletes during 2020. The following were some of the highlights of the past year:
    1. The Northland Pines boys hockey team, under
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  • WIAA continues quarantine period

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) board of control has reviewed and reaffirmed the winter sports guidance recommendation requiring a 14-day quarantine period before student-athletes return to participation following close contact with anyone tested positive for COVID-19.
    The board’s decision requires
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  • WIAA continues work on football conferences

    The Conference Realignment Task Force for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) recently reviewed 17 football-only requests in the first meeting of the membership’s 2022-’23 realignment review process.
    Ten plans involving
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  • WIAA board asks athletes to mask up

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control reviewed and approved several pandemic-related topics, effective immediately at its recent meeting.
    The board issued a statement to address individuals and
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  • Clay target shooting growing at schools

    The Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League completed its 2020 fall season in late November, a sport that is growing across the Badger State.

    This fall, more than 700 athletes from 40 teams registered to compete in the annual fall program.

    “The league congratulates the top student athletes this season, and
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  • It’s a new season for area teams, fans

    The changing of the season from fall to winter also means a new season for high school sports, with hockey, basketball and wrestling getting underway for players and coaches.
    There were some
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  • Badgers, Packers get big victories

    It was a good weekend for Wisconsin sports fans as the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers both got victories.

    No. 13 Wisconsin was ready in its first game in three weeks against Michigan, while the Packers played a lackluster game but
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  • Nominations sought for Pines Hall of Fame

    The Eagle River/Northland Pines High School Athletic Hall of Fame is seeking nominations for future inductees, the committee has announced.
    The Hall of Fame, established in 2003, recognizes persons who have contributed or excelled in high school, college and/or professional sports, and includes athletes, coaches and
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  • Pond hockey event returning in 2021

    USA Hockey will return to Eagle River to host the 16th annual Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships, with some adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The four-on-four pond hockey event is set for
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  • Pro sports teams join stop COVID coalition

    All three of Wisconsin’s major professional sports teams are getting involved in a new coalition effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19. 
    The “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition released its second public education announcement on broadcast TV and digital platforms statewide, featuring three players from the Green Bay Packers. The Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks are also joining the “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition as
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  • Badgers, Big Ten to start this Friday

    It’s been a long fall without Big Ten football, but that will all change starting this Friday, Oct. 23, as the Wisconsin Badgers will be opening their 2020 football schedule. 
    The Badgers will host Illinois at
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  • WIAA approves attendance policy

    With the fall sports tournament season ready to start next week in volleyball and the following week in boys soccer, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)?Board of Control ratified last week a culminating event attendance policy.

    The policy was shared with
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  • It’s good to watch local sports again

    It sure was a good feeling to walk on the sidelines of the Northland Pines soccer and football fields the last couple of weeks to take photos of high school teams back in action.
    The last time I had been around high school sports was the
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  • Time to lace ’em up at Noontime Hockey

    It’s time to lace them up at the Eagle River Sports Arena as the 17th annual Noontime Hockey League kicked off this week, according to Michael Eder, the coordinator of Noontime Hockey.
    “We started Noontime Hockey more than 15 years ago and
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  • WIAA adjusts rules to navigate pandemic

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control approved several modifications of the membership’s rules to allow more opportunities for athletes in addressing the ongoing challenges of navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The board approved a number of pandemic-associated rule alterations for this school year only. It
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  • Fall WIAA tourneys won’t be in Madison

    With the uncertainty of conducting culminating events and tournaments and given the challenging situation with COVID-19 restrictions in Dane County, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) and UW-Madison announced WIAA tournaments will not be conducted at UW facilities this fall.
    The WIAA has
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  • Majority of schools opt for fall sports

    The 513 schools in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) declared by the Sept. 1 deadline for either the traditional fall season or the alternate fall season to be held in the spring of 2021.
    In July, the WIAA Board of Control voted to
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  • Northland Pines gets Award of Excellence

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) has recognized 46 schools, including Northland Pines, that met the criteria to be named recipients of the Award of Excellence in 2019-’20.

    The award recognizes the
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  • Another pandemic hit, no fans at Lambeau

    It’s going to be a very different football season for fans this fall on the high school, college and pro levels, especially for those enthusiastic spectators at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
    As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities around the country and throughout Wisconsin, the
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  • Hope high school sports can return

    It could be an interesting year for high school sports in Wisconsin

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) approved several details of a one-year alternative season in the spring for fall sports and reduced the number of weeks for sports during the 2020-’21 winter and spring seasons at its
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  • College football up in air this fall

    It looks like the fall sports season may take another hit. The Big Ten conference presidents met over the weekend to discuss whether to have a football season this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a story in USA Today. 

    A 
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  • WIAA starts campaign to aid fall sports return

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is initiating a statewide social media campaign, #TeamUpToBeatCOVID, in an effort to enhance the likelihood of returning to school and school activities by following safe practices to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

    The WIAA is encouraging all Wisconsinites to
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  • Brewers finally start bizarre 2020 season

    The 2020 Major League Baseball season is underway. It took awhile in coming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Milwaukee Brewers are back in action.

    The shortened 60-game schedule got underway last weekend, though the Brewers
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  • WIAA makes changes in hockey, basketball

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control acted on coaches committee recommendations impacting hockey and basketball, and several issues in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at its recent June virtual meeting.
    In hockey, the board approved
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  • Golf tournaments support YMCA, Trees

    While the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled or postponed sporting events for much of the spring and summer, two nonprofit organizations are still planning golf tournaments as fundraisers this summer. 

    The YMCA of the Northwoods will host its
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  • Pines Hall to induct four athletes, coaches

    The Eagle River-Northland Pines High School ­Athletic Hall of Fame Committee announced it is scheduled to induct two standout athletes, an athlete who returned to coach at Pines, and a student who went on to be a prominent coach, Friday, Aug. 21, though the induction ceremony could be postponed due to 
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  • Trees center changes golf tournament date

    Despite the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the cancellation of many sporting events this summer, Trees For Tomorrow is hosting its annual golf tournament fundraiser on Friday, Aug. 28, at the Eagle River Golf Course in Eagle River.

    The tournament is
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  • Snomo hall of fame to induct four in 2020

    The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame, located at the World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River, has announced its Class of 2020 inductees.

    For more than 30 years, this prestigious Hall of Fame honor is bestowed on annual recipients in recognition of their achievements for the sport of snowmobiling in several categories: inventors, designers and
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  • Eagle River Speedway ready for safe opening

    Let the racing begin.

    Eagle River Speedway promoters Pat and Patti Zdroik said the track’s season-opening race will be Tuesday, June 23, at the D-shaped, third-mile clay oval located in
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  • WIAA implements automated seeding for 2020 football

    WIAA implements automated seeding for 2020 football

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) will be rolling out an innovative formula that will automate the seeding process for teams within the groupings for the 2020 football playoffs.

    The formula — and the computer application to process the data to determine the seeds — was developed with
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  • Owners and players working on MLB plan

    There is a possibility for Major League Baseball (MLB) at some point this summer.
    The Major League Baseball Players Association delivered a return-to-play proposal to MLB over the weekend that includes a 114-game season.
    The plan, in response to 
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  • Rule changes OK’d for hockey, basketball

    While players and fans are waiting for the high school sports scene to return, people behind the scenes are busy adjusting rules.
    Measures to reduce the risk of injury for participants and to provide an additional scenario for instant replay usage comprise the prominent components of the 2020-’21 high school ice hockey rules changes approved by the
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  • WIAA surveying high school athletes

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) has endorsed a University of Wisconsin (UW) research study to determine how school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the physical health and well-being of high school students.
    Approximately 2,500 male and female student-athletes aged
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  • Packers announce tough 2020 schedule

    With the COVID-19 pandemic still influencing sports on a daily basis, there is hope there will be some resemblance of an NFL football season this fall — especially for Green Bay Packers fans. 
    The 2020 NFL schedule has the Packers opening the regular season at
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  • There is outside chance for limited spring sports

    There is outside chance for limited spring sports

    There still could be a chance of some high school sports this summer, including baseball and softball, track and field, and girls soccer.

    While the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) board of control voted to cancel 2020 spring sports regular-season competitions and the Tournament Series due to
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  • Volk of Three Lakes named Scholar Athlete

    Volk of Three Lakes named Scholar Athlete

    Sixteen senior girls — including Kortnie Volk of Three Lakes in Division 4 — and 16 senior boys have been selected as finalists to receive the prestigious 2020 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Statewide Scholar Athlete Award underwritten by Marshfield Children’s Hospital.
    To determine the top 32 finalists, four boys and four girls were
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  • High school sports likely done for spring

    It’s been a weird spring without high school or youth sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No indoor track and field meets at the impressive Northland Pines field house, no softball or baseball games at Don Burnside Park in Three Lakes and no soccer games at Oldenburg Sports Park on Highway G.

    It has resulted in
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  • Decker also waits as racing put on hold

    Decker also waits as racing put on hold

    The COVID-1 pandemic has really put a halt on sports at all levels. No NCAA Basketball Tournament, the NBA and NHL seasons postponed, and no start to Major League Baseball. It’s been a weird spring.

    For NASCAR and other race fans, the season also has been put in a turmoil as
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  • Free online courses offered for officials

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is always looking for more officials for high school sports.

    Since many individuals are at home for an indefinite period of time due to the current worldwide COVID-19 health crisis, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has decided to make its
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  • Two inspiring shows moved this sports fan

    With the world of sports basically on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, including no high school sports, no March Madness basketball games and no professional sports, I turned to ESPN one night last week to see what might peak my interest.

    My wife said she was
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