Sports Sidelines - Vilas County News-Review
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  • Conference needs to adjust sports calendar

    The Great Northern Conference (GNC) needs to make an adjustment to the way it schedules boys and girls athletics.

    Specifically, basketball.

    Growing up in a close-knit community where it was a fun experience to
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  • Wrestling may return to prominence again

    The Three Lakes wrestling program is growing, and with the growth also continues to gain strength through not only numbers, but in results.

    With the recent bolstering of the lineup that came with adding the Laona-Wabeno school district to the high school program athletes in almost every weight class have been able to see better competition in the practice room day-in and day-out, which has translated to
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  • Packers enter playoffs as Super Bowl favorite

    The Green Bay Packers will rest, relax, recoup and get ready for what should be a run to the Super Bowl following the completion of the regular season this past weekend.

    Although a loss to
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  • Action begins at WCDC, welcome Derby racers

    Eagle River will again become the center of World snowmobile racing this week with the running of the 21st annual Vintage Championship. Following that of course will be the 59th annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby, still considered by many in the sport as the Super Bowl of snowmobile racing.

    Events at
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  • Prep athletes keep busy over holidays

    Area high school athletes, though taking a break from classroom activities, will keep busy across their holiday break traveling to and from sporting events over the next few days.

    Between holiday tournaments and
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  • ERRA, Cyclones partner for great event at Dome

    Area hockey fans lucky enough to have taken in the Eagle River Junior Hockey Classic this past Friday night got a treat.

    In an unconventional way, it was more than just another hockey game at the Dome. Fans, family and friends of former Pines hockey player and high school graduate Gunnar Schiffmann were able to see the
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  • Sterne, Stephenson win opener, sets stage for 59th Derby

    Gunnar Sterne will come to Eagle River in a few weeks, and with him bring the label ‘best driver to never win the World Championship.’

    Sterne, driver of the No. 220 Ski-Doo Pro-Champ and Formula III snowmobile race sled gave many a reason to believe he’ll again be one of the top picks to challenge for the World Championship title. This after winning
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  • It’s been 36 years of covering sports

    When I moved to Eagle River in the spring of 1985 to be an assistant editor at the Vilas County News-Review, little did I know that 36 years later I would be retiring from the same company.

    After a couple phone and in-person interviews, News-Review Editor Kurt Krueger hired me as an assistant editor to
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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 exciting sports stories during the fall, including
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  • Champion named in 8-player football

    While seven teams won titles at the 2021 State Football Championships at Camp Randall Stadium last Thursday and Friday, a champion was also crowned in the 8-man football program.

    Newman Catholic (12-0) scored 35 points in the second quarter and
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  • Packers announce sixth stock offering

    Did you ever dream of becoming an owner of the Green Bay Packers — the only publicly-owned franchise in the NFL.

    Rather than being the property of an individual, partnership or corporate entity, the Packers are held as of 2021 by 361,300 stockholders. No one is allowed to hold more than
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  • WIAA panel to work on competitive balance

    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Board of Control has identified 20 individuals to serve on the Competitive Balance Ad Hoc Committee concerning public and private school athletic programs, including Crivitz Superintendent Patrick Mans and Niagara Superintendent Nathan Burklund in
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  • Boys soccer teams ready for State tourney

    The 40th annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Boys Soccer State Tournament will take place this Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 4-6, at Kohler Engines Stadium at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee.

    Admission is 
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  • Packers to induct Harris, Jennings

    The Green Bay Packers are off to a great start in 2021, taking a 6-1 record into a big game at undefeated Arizona this Thursday.

    But the Packers also have some other big news. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame announced it will induct former Packers Tim Harris and Greg Jennings at the 51st Hall of Fame Induction Banquet next
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  • Fall sports teams ready for playoffs

    High school teams participating in fall sports are gearing up for the tournament season, with volleyball, boys soccer and football playoffs all starting this week.

    In girls volleyball, Three Lakes received
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  • Activities month honors athletes, coaches, officials

    The annual celebration of National High School Activities Month is underway for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) and the 50 other state high school associations that are members of the National Federation of State High School Associations  (NFHS).

    High school students — more than 12 million — in all 50 states are
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  • Three Eagle Trail ready for runners

    Get ready to run folks. The eighth annual Three Eagle Half Marathon and 5K run will be held this Saturday, Oct. 9, on the Three Eagle Trail between Eagle River and Three Lakes.
    The point-to-point run on the crushed limestone trail will begin at
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  • ‘IF YOU BUILD IT, HE WILL COME’

    ‘IF YOU BUILD IT, HE WILL COME’

    “If you build it, he...
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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 18th annual Noontime Hockey League kicked off for another season, according to Michael Eder, the coordinator of Noontime Hockey.
    “We started Noontime Hockey nearly two decades ago and
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  • Snomo Hall of Fame to induct 2021 class

    The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF), located at the World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River, will host the 2021 induction ceremony this Saturday, Sept. 18, at Eagle Waters Resort in Eagle River.
    A variety of snowmobile enthusiasts will be inducted this year, ranging from
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  • Sportsmanship vital to high school sports

    With the onset of another high school sports season, it’s important for players, coaches and fans to remember that sportsmanship is a key part of any athletic competition. 
    The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), in partnership with
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  • Badgers to kick off ’21 season with fans

    There is excitement in the air for football fans as they will get a heavy dose of college football this Saturday, Sept. 4. Many conferences across the country will start league matchups Labor Day weekend.
    The University of Wisconsin (UW) will open its season Sept. 4, as the matchup with Penn State will be the first time in 40 years that Wisconsin is opening the season with a home game against a Big
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  • Decker back on track at ‘The Glen’ Sept. 9-12

    Eagle River native Natalie Decker will be back on the track with Ave Motorsports at “The Glen” in New York in the Trans Am Series.

    Decker will make her debut at Watkins Glen International in Schuyler County, N.Y., in the WiscLift Audi R8, driving with Ave Motorsports in the Trans Am Championship Round 9 presented by
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  • Doyle to be inducted into Hockey Hall here

    The board of directors of the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame has selected four candidates for induction into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame in September, including Dr. Tom Doyle of Eagle River.

    The other inductees are
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  • Popular sportscasters set to battle Alzheimer’s

    Popular sportscasters set to battle Alzheimer’s

    For years, Wisconsin football, basketball and hockey fans have listened to Matt Lepay and Paul Braun on the radio and TV, giving play-by-play of Badger sports.
    Now, the
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  • Packers preparing for 2021 season

    Football fans know the NFL season is getting close when the Green Bay Packers hosts its annual Packers Family Night, presented by Bellin Health. This year’s festive event is set for this Saturday, Aug. 7.

    Now in its 20th year, Family Night will serve as the introduction of the 2021 Green Bay Packers —in-person to
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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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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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