Sports Sidelines - Vilas County News-Review
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  • Northwoods Share sets golf fundraiser

    Area golfers looking for a fun golf outing in support of a local service organization might want to try the sixth annual Northwoods Share (NWS) golf fund­raiser set for Sunday, Aug. 15, at Eagle River Golf Course. 

    Northwoods Share is a nonprofit service organization committed to
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  • New rule: pitchers must take a sign

    There is a slight change in store for high school baseball pitchers starting next season.
    High school baseball pitchers who do not receive signals from the catcher must now simulate taking a sign with one foot on the pitcher’s plate before
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  • Girls hockey trailblazer reaches national hall

    Wisconsin native Karyn Bye Dietz was one of 12 individuals inducted into the 2020 National Federation of State High School Associations’ Hall of Fame during the induction ceremony held in Orlando, Fla., last week.
    Bye Dietz was
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  • WIAA board makes change due to COVID

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control acted on additional accommodations for transfer students in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and followed  coaches’ committee recommendations impacting hockey and wrestling at its June meeting.

    Many students experienced challenges with
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  • Jean Kaczkowski to be inducted into athletic Hall

    The Eagle River-Northland Pines High School ­Athletic Hall of Fame Committee announced it is scheduled to induct one standout athlete, along with the 2020 class of hall of famers, at an induction ceremony set for Friday, Aug. 20.
    The 2021 inductee will be
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  • Fans getting ready for ’21 training camp

    Believe it or not, football season is just around the corner. The Green Bay Packers are planning a series of Back to Football events for fans to kick off the Packers’ 2021 training camp.

    While the schedule for Packers training camp is
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  • Badgers will battle Fighting Irish in ’26

    As a longtime fan of Wisconsin Badgers football, it was good to see the University of Notre Dame and University of Wisconsin have agreed to reschedule their neutral-site matchup at Lambeau Field in Green Bay to Sept. 5, 2026.
    The Irish and Badgers were originally scheduled to play
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  • Two events planned for runners, walkers

    While the Journeys Marathon came to an end in Eagle River after 23 years, there are several other runs planned in the area this summer.

    The YMCA of the Northwoods and Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 14th annual Hodag Run For Your Life featuring a 10K, 5K, 5K Stroller and the free Kids Chase the Hodag events Saturday, June 26; and
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  • WIAA deserves a pat on the back

    When a person thinks about the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), you think of exciting State Tournaments, most recently including the Three Lakes girls basketball team in 2021 and the Northland Pines boys hockey team in 2020.
    But the WIAA also has plenty of other work when it comes to overseeing interscholastic athletic programs for
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  • Hockey hall plans 46th induction event

    More people tied to hockey in the Badger State will be recognized for their efforts later this summer at the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame’s 46th annual enshrinement banquet.
    The board of directors of the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame has named its inductees for 2021, including
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  • WIAA prepares for spring tourneys

    It’s nice to see high school teams participating in spring sports after not playing in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Last spring was pretty tough on our sports pages as schools were shut down and sports were put on the back burner until fall. 
    This spring, it’s a whole new ball game. Baseball, softball, golf, girls soccer and
    read the full story

  • Three Lakes names hall of fame inductees

    Three Lakes has always been regarded as a solid sports school, with multiple teams and individuals winning conference championships and advancing to Regional and Sectional finals, and State tournaments over the years. 

    Some of those outstanding players, teams and coaches will 
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  • Decker to be featured in 6-part documentary on female athletes

    Eagle River native Natalie Decker, who recently completed her first Xfinity race at Talladega, made sports news last week for another reason.

    Writer Jennifer Maas wrote about Decker as part of a story for The Wrap. Maas wrote that Whistle Studios and Insight TV are partnering on “Making (Her)Story,” a documentary following 
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  • Will Packers draft another QB in ’21?

    For many Green Bay Packers fans, the NFL Draft is one of the most exciting times of the year, unless the Green and Gold is in the Super Bowl.
    The NFL Draft 2021 will begin this Thursday, April 29, and end on Saturday, May 1. The first round will take place on Thursday with rounds two and three on Friday. The last four rounds will be Saturday.
    Last year, only General Manager Brian Gutekunst knew
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  • Spring sports teams back on field, track

    Last year at this time, I was writing about a strange spring without high school sports or youth activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    It was pretty weird. There were 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
    read the full story

  • Over 2,500 state athletes compete in target league

    More than 2,500 student athletes representing 101 high school teams across the state are participating in the Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League (WISHSCTL) this spring. 
    The WISHSCTL is a part of the USA Clay Target League (USACTL), which offers
    read the full story

  • Brewers have the pieces for 4th straight playoffs

    With spring arriving early in the North Woods, it’s pretty easy to think about baseball and the Milwaukee Brewers.  
    The Brewers, after finishing the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020 with a record of 29-31 and sneaking into the playoffs, have high expectations for a successful
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  • Hall of fame seeking athlete nominations

    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
    read the full story

  • WIAA sets tournaments for alternate fall season

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is planning culminating championships and tournaments for an alternate fall season created by the WIAA Board of Control last August as a COVID-19 accommodation for member schools opting to not conduct interscholastic athletics last fall.

    The WIAA is planning those tournaments for
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  • Decker back on track at Charlotte Roval

    Decker back on track at Charlotte Roval

    Eagle River native Natalie Decker, highest finishing female in a NASCAR Truck Series race, will pilot the Red Street Records/N29 Capital Partners Audi R8 with Ave Motorsports at the famous Charlotte Motorspeedway Roval this weekend. 
    “We are excited to continue our sponsorship of Natalie Decker in Charlotte, N.C.,” said
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  • Bill to protect officials gains renewed support

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is expressing its support of a reintroduced bill in the legislature that would make it a Class A misdemeanor to harass or intimidate a sports official in response to action taken or with intent to influence a referee, umpire, judge or
    read the full story

  • Lady Jays make most of post-season run

    High school basketball teams get energized at the start of the WIAA?post-season tournament each February and March as it is considered a new season for every team across the state.
    It doesn’t matter what your record was during the regular season or 
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  • Girls State Tourney features new format

    The 2021 WIAA Girls Basketball State Tournament will be held at two sites this Thursday, Feb. 25, through Saturday, Feb. 27, and will include the Three Lakes Bluejays in the Division 5 field. 

    The games will be played at
    read the full story

  • Boys, girls hockey to lead tourney action

    For high school sports fans, it doesn’t get much better than post-season play for winter sports.
    While the tournament schedule got watered down this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic — as some teams did not participate in post-season activity —  there is still plenty of action in boys and girls hockey and
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  • WIAA selects sites for State basketball

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) has named the Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh, as the second venue to host the 2021 State Girls and Boys Basketball Tournaments with games scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27 and March 5-6, respectively.
    “We are thrilled to be partnering with
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  • WIAA advances plan for tournament series

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control addressed the pending winter tournament series at its meeting last week.
    The board approved hosting and attendance policies due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as requiring appropriately worn masks by participants and spectators, except for
    read the full story

  • Packers come up short in NFC title game, again

    I’m sure Green Bay Packers fans across the state had a sick feeling in their stomach after watching the Packers lose the NFC Championship Game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 at Lambeau Field Sunday.

    A horrible sequence of plays at the end of the first half and
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  • Packers just one win away from Super Bowl

    While snowmobile race fans were cheering on their favorite drivers at the 58th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby Saturday afternoon, many other sports enthusiasts were watching the Green Bay Packers defeat the Los Angeles Rams  32-18 at Lambeau Field. 
    The Derby photography crew from the Vilas County News-Review and The Three Lakes News was able to sneak away from the track just in time to catch
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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
    read the full story

  • 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
    read the full story

  • 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
    read the full story

  • 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
    read the full story

  • 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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