Get the inside scoop on Eau Claire area sports from the guys who know it best. Our sports staff provides a look behind the scenes on local sports, as well as offering a unique perspective on the national scene.
Latest
Entries....
Updated:
11/4/2009 1:59:37 PM
Categories:
Local Football Updates,
Local Football Update
We're getting down the end of the regular season in the world of college football and once again, the Chippewa Valley is seeing plenty of its talent making an impact. Here's a few highlights:
Cody...
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Eau Claire native Jake Dowell is back in the NHL.
The Chicago Blackhawks recalled the 24-year-old forward from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Saturday after injuries to center Jonathan Toews defense...
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Updated:
10/23/2009 4:20:03 PM
Categories:
Local Football Updates,
Local Football Update
With the transition to our new Web site (pretty isn't it?) the blog has kind of fallen by the wayside. But never fear, it's back up and we've got everything you want to know about our local athtletes ...
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Updated:
10/23/2009 4:06:45 PM
Categories:
College Hockey,
UW-Stout is preseason NCHA favorite
After a run to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four last year, the UW-Stout men's hockey team was picked by the coaches as the preseason favorite to win the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association in a po...
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Updated:
10/5/2009 7:21:34 PM
Categories:
Bethke named Big Ten offensive player of the week
Minnesota's Katie Bethke was named Big Ten Conference offensive player of the week Monday.
The Eau Claire Memorial grad had five goals and two assists last week. She converted the game-winning pena...
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Updated:
10/5/2009 4:39:22 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
This week's AP ballot
Sorry for the lack of a ballot last week. I had some time issues last Monday and wasn't able to post it. Here is what I submitted this week.
LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Mequon Homestead
2. Milwaukee Marquet...
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Updated:
9/30/2009 2:16:14 PM
Categories:
AAU basketball,
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Reetz gets another offer
Michigan Tech is the latest school to offer a scholarship to Fall Creek senior Jordan Reetz. Al Harris, Reetz's AAU coach with 43 Hoops Basketball Club, said that Tech became the second Division II sc...
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Updated:
9/29/2009 11:20:02 PM
Categories:
Bethke among Big Ten leaders
Former Eau Claire Memorial soccer standout Katie Bethke is having a fine season for Minnesota. Bethke is tied for fourth in the Big Ten with six goals -- two of which are game-winners.
Bethke, a ju...
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Updated:
9/28/2009 11:19:37 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Chippewa Falls,
Hudson,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Eau Claire North,
Abes in driver's seat
Mathematically, four teams still are alive in the Big Rivers Conference boys soccer race. But realistically, it’s a two-team race between Hudson and Eau Claire Memorial. For either Eau Claire North or...
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The Big Rivers Conference volleyball race just got very interesting.
Chippewa Falls stormed back to beat Eau Claire North in five sets Tuesday night at Chi-Hi, leaving every team with at least one ...
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Updated:
9/22/2009 7:13:41 PM
Categories:
Local Football Updates,
Local Football Update
It was a good week for several area football players at the college level. Here's a few highlights:
Rob Berger (Rice Lake), St. Norbert
Berger threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns Saturday...
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Eau Claire Memorial stayed at honorable mention in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 1 state poll released Tuesday. I was wondering if this would be the week a Big Rivers team cracked ...
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Updated:
9/21/2009 2:03:33 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
This week's AP ballot
Here it is. A bit of a shakeup in the large school division for me. Waukesha West, which beat Wisconsin Lutheran and Hartland Arrowhead, jumps in at No. 6.
LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Mequon Homestead
2. Mi...
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Updated:
9/19/2009 8:59:20 PM
Categories:
Leonhard featured in NY Times
New York Times writer Greg Bishop recently made the trip to Tony for a story on New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard, a Flambeau graduate and former University of Wisconsin standout.
Follow the link a...
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I've got to admit, I'm still in football mode at this point of September, but hockey season is right around the corner already Eau Claire's Jake Dowell is making some noise at the Chicago Blackhawks' ...
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Updated:
9/16/2009 6:24:35 PM
Categories:
Local Football Updates,
Local Football Update
It's taken me a little while, but I've finally compiled a list of local athletes playing collegiate football complete with links and stats for your perusal.
For those of your who read the Hockey up...
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Updated:
9/15/2009 10:51:38 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Chippewa Falls,
Cards hope to close gap on top three
Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to Eau Claire Memorial dropped Chippewa Falls into fourth place in the Big Rivers Conference boys soccer standings. With nine points to their name, the Cardinals (3-3-0 BRC) are thr...
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Updated:
9/14/2009 10:18:36 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
This week's AP poll
And here's the actual poll:
Large Division (enrollment 744 and up)
School Record Points Last Week
1. Mequon Homestead (9) 3-0 117 1
2. Hartland Arrowhead (3) 2-0 111 2
3. Stevens Point 3-0 ...
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When things are going right for the Eau Claire North boys soccer team, Keilor Eggen and Ethan Blodgett usually are in the thick of the action.
The two seniors have formed one of the best – if not t...
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Updated:
9/14/2009 1:38:57 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
This week's AP ballot
Just submitted my ballot for the state AP football poll. One big change in the poll this week was Fond du Lac Springs being bumped up from a small school to a medium school. It has 285 students, and t...
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Updated:
9/10/2009 11:26:04 PM
Categories:
Fall Creek,
Prep football,
Dickinsen named POY
Fall Creek running back Matt Dickinsen was named player of the week by the Wisconsin Sports Network after rushing for 272 yards and five touchdowns in a 38-26 victory over Spencer/Columbus.
Dickens...
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Talk to UW-Eau Claire inside linebacker Bryant Dorsey off the field and he has a professor-like quality to him. But talk to him after a game, and he's as exciteable as anyone.
And after last week's...
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Updated:
9/8/2009 10:43:26 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
McRegis earns honorable mention
McDonell/Regis earned honorable mention in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 3 state poll released Monday.
No love for any of the Big Rivers Conference schools. I have a hunch, thou...
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Baldwin-Woodville's Jake Keefer is drawing interest from several Division I schools, including Wisconsin, according to a report by Marlin Lee of wissports.net.
Lee reported that Keefer attended Wis...
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Updated:
9/8/2009 8:26:13 PM
Categories:
Prep football,
AP polls,
This week's AP ballot
Here's my ballot for the second AP poll:
LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Hartland Arrowhead
2. Mequon Homestead
3. Milwaukee Marquette
4. Stevens Point
5. Marshfield
6. Sun Prairie
7. Verona
8. Appleton ...
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Updated:
8/31/2009 4:02:39 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
This week's AP ballot
Just submitted my first ballot for the AP state football poll. The first few weeks are a huge guessing game as far as voting goes. Nobody really knows how good any of these teams are until they get a ...
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One of the details I couldn't fit into my game story Saturday morning from Menomonie's 42-41 overtime loss to Marshfield was a quote coach Joe LaBuda gave me when I asked why he didn't choose to go fo...
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There will be an effort this football season to keep the sidelines a bit tidier than in years past.
No longer can coaches occupy the two-yard belt inbetween the 30s (the white box) while the ball i...
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Updated:
8/10/2009 4:30:36 PM
Categories:
AAU basketball,
Fall Creek,
Reetz gets offer from Northeastern
Fall Creek senior-to-be Jordan Reetz recently his first Division I scholarship offer from Northeastern, according to Al Harris, his AAU coach with 43 Hoops Basketball Club.
Reetz will be visiting M...
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Updated:
7/21/2009 4:44:05 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Chippewa Falls,
Girls prep soccer,
Williams will be missed
I just wanted to offer up a few thoughts on the tragic and unexpected passing of former Chippewa Falls soccer coach Stan Williams. I won't sit here and say I knew him real well but I knew him.
Stan...
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We started picking All-Area teams at the Leader-Telegram in the fall, so this was my third rodeo. I picked a volleyball team late last year and a wrestling team this winter, but no process was more di...
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Behind the scenes of the All-Area girls soccer team
As promised, here's some thoughts and insight on the Leader-Telegram's first All-Area girls soccer team.
The first question many of y'all probably have is, "How is this team picked?"
Well, for s...
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Their names might not ring out to area basketball followers quite like last season, but the newest Blugolds could have a chance to make that happen soon enough.
One area standout, a pair of post pl...
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MADISON -- The Altoona softball team held strong in the game's first half, but they were undone by a couple of timely hits and one impressive ace in a 3-1 loss to Luxemburg-Casco in the WIAA Division ...
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MADISON -- Jeni Luzinski threw all 12 innings, Jamie Szymanski helped the winning run score, and the Thorp softball team outlasted undefeated Rosholt, 3-2, in the WIAA Division 4 state tournament semi...
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Updated:
6/11/2009 11:23:33 PM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls,
Prep softball,
Cardinals rally again, make title game
MADISON -- Kendra Bowe threw her fifth consecutive postseason shutout and the Chippewa Falls softball team pulled off another dramatic rally, earning a 3-0 victory over Appleton East in the WIAA Divis...
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Updated:
6/11/2009 5:57:25 PM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls,
Prep softball,
Late rally send Cardinals to semis
MADISON -- Carissa Maes hit the game-winning single in the seventh inning, Kendra Bowe threw a one-hitter, and the Chippewa Falls softball team beat Greenfield, 1-0, in the WIAA Division 1 state tourn...
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Ladysmith senior Joel Effertz was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in the 37th round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft.
Effertz was taken with the 1,117th overall se...
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Updated:
6/9/2009 4:35:27 PM
Categories:
Eau Claire Aris FC,
National Premier Soccer League,
Ohnesorge scores Aris' first goal
The answer to the triva question is Mike Ohnesorge.
The UW-Green Bay player and Mosinee graduate scored the first goal in Eau Claire Aris FC history Sunday in a 2-1 loss to FC Indiana in Lafayette,...
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Here's another AAU update for y'all. The Northwest Wisconsin All-Stars took fourth place in the boys 15U Division 1 Wisconsin District championship this weekend in Stoughton.
The almost entirely loca...
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The USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede have dipped into the Eau Claire area to find a defenseman for the second straight season.
Eau Claire Memorial's Jake McCabe was the latest area defenseman taken by ...
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Updated:
5/12/2009 4:08:39 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Dahl, Donnellan head to Youngstown
It looks like former Eau Claire Memorial hockey standouts Jefferson Dahl and David Donnellan will be sharing the same uniform once again.
The two former all-state hockey players, who helped lead t...
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UW-Eau Claire's Jenny Ross recovering from surgery
UW-Eau Claire pitcher Jenny Ross, who hasn’t seen any action in the Blugolds past six contests, is recovering from emergency surgery to remove all four of her wisdom teeth Blugolds coach Leslie Huntin...
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Updated:
4/29/2009 6:44:48 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Reetz plays well at King James Classic
I wanted to pass along an update on how Fall Creek junior Jordan Reetz is doing with his 43 Hoops AAU team.
Reetz and the 43 Hoops 17U team took part in the King James Shooting Stars Classic this pas...
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Few coaches would be angry after a 10-0 victory. But there aren’t many coaches like Altoona’s Jay Johnson.
Johnson ripped into his team after its 10-0 victory over Thorp on Tuesday. He didn’t think...
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Former Eau Claire Express pitcher Jordan Zimmermann sparkled in his MLB debut Monday night, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves, 3-2.
Zimmermann, the first Express alumnus to p...
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Updated:
4/11/2009 7:56:06 PM
Categories:
National Hockey League,
Jake Dowell,
Local hockey updates,
Dowell recalled by Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks recalled Eau Claire native Jake Dowell from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League on Saturday. He made his season debut later Saturday, collecting a high sticking p...
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Updated:
4/9/2009 9:43:21 PM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls,
Prep softball,
Hogan to play softball at St. Cloud State
Chippewa Falls senior catcher Mikayla Hogan has signed a letter of intent to play softball for Division II St. Cloud State this fall, Huskies coach Paula U'Ren announced Thursday.
"Mikayla can flat...
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Updated:
4/8/2009 6:13:56 PM
Categories:
Jason Rabedeaux,
Rabedeaux in CBA semifinals
Eau Claire native Jason Rabedeaux and the Jiangsu Dragons advanced to the Chinese Basketball Association semifinals with a sweep of Fujian SBS.
The playoffs resume Sunday when the Dragons travel to...
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Another northwestern Wisconsin girls basketball standout is heading to Iowa.
Kasey Laramy, a 6-foot center from Colfax, committed to Division III Dubuque University, coach Mark Noll said today. Lar...
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UW-Superior coach Dave Buchanan added another player to his recruiting class Tuesday with the announcement that Gilmanton standout Brendan Bauer will play for the Yellowjackets.
Bauer, a third-team...
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Updated:
4/7/2009 4:57:29 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
All-Northwest,
Thoughts on the All-NW team (updated)
This is the third All-Northwest boys basketball team I’ve been involved in picking and I have to say, this one was hands down the most difficult. This is the deepest pool of players this area has prod...
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Updated:
4/6/2009 11:44:55 PM
Categories:
Boys prep hockey,
Five Area players make Chicago Showcase
THe Big Rivers Conference was well represented on this year's Team Wisconsin entry into the Chicago Showcase. A squad made up of entirely seniors, saw five area players make the team.
Headling the ...
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Updated:
4/1/2009 7:25:47 PM
Categories:
Boys prep hockey,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Menomonie,
Rice Lake,
Area players make USA Hockey Central District tryout teams
The Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association announced its list of state players who have been invited to participate in the USA Hockey Midget Central District tryout camp being held May 8-10 in Fond du L...
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Updated:
3/29/2009 12:48:51 AM
Categories:
All-Northwest,
Girls prep basketball,
Behind the All-Northwest girls teams
Well, another All-Northwest girls basketball team has been put to bed. I'll admit this one wasn't nearly as difficult to put together as last year's team, but it was no piece of cake either.
For th...
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Updated:
3/21/2009 6:32:31 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
WBCA all-state teams released
The Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association released its all-state teams Saturday.
In Division 1, Eau Claire North's Tyler Brown earned honorable mention.
Rice Lake's Alex Culy and Northwestern...
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Updated:
3/20/2009 7:25:05 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Future bright for Fall Creek, B-T
Twin brothers Rick and Randy Storlie celebrated their 50th birthday Friday in Madison. Both are hoping to celebrate future birthdays with state tournament appearances.
Like Fall Creek, Randy Storlie’...
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Updated:
3/20/2009 7:24:23 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Northwestern,
Tecker surprises Davis
Wisconsin Lutheran’s Flavien Davis had played against Northwestern’s Steve Tecker before. But that came on the AAU circuit, when Tecker played on a loaded Wisconsin Playground Warriors team. Since Tec...
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UW-La Crosse senior and Eau Claire Regis graduate Mackenzie Hunter was one of 31 players to receive honorable mention on the NCAA Division III all-America team from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Asso...
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Eau Claire North’s Tyler Brown and Evan Anderson saw their season come to an end at the hands of a friend. Racine Horlick star Jamil Wilson, a former AAU teammate of Brown and Anderson, scored 24 poin...
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Updated:
3/19/2009 8:02:29 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Crickets will learn from loss
Fall Creek lost Thursday morning’s WIAA Division 3 state semifinal at the Kohl Center. However, it gained some valuable experience in its 77-57 defeat to Racine St. Catherine’s.
The junior-heavy Cr...
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Updated:
3/18/2009 5:13:47 PM
Categories:
Blair-Taylor,
Northwestern,
Boys prep basketball,
Eau Claire North,
Fall Creek,
More from shootaround
A few more observations from Wednesday's shootaround at the Johnson Pavilion in Madison:
* Twin brothers Rick and Randy Storlie each showed off their basketball skills during shootaround. Randy Sto...
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Updated:
3/18/2009 5:10:34 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Crickets familiar with Pavilion
This is the first trip to the state tournament for all the members of the Fall Creek boys basketball team. But it’s not their first time playing in Madison.
Fall Creek played in a summer tournament...
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It appears ESPN has removed the direct link to the video of Andy Kleist's appearance on the SportsCenter top 10. I did manage to find this in the world of YouTube.
- Joe Ziemer...
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Updated:
3/16/2009 2:45:17 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
With the hockey season hitting the final month of action in most leagues, some players have already seen their seasons come to an end.
That's true for any players in the MNJHL after the Wisconisn ...
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The Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association released its all-state girls basketball team today, and several local players were recognized.
The team is rather large. The WBCA picks 10 players in ...
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MADISON — How big was Durand's quick start?
It probably was the difference in the game. Durand was 4 of 9 in the first quarter while Notre Dame missed its first 11 shots. The Panthers were loose; t...
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MADISON — It’s a good thing someone got Amber Doverspike the right jersey.
The Durand senior made brought the wrong color jersey to the Panthers’ WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Green Bay N...
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Updated:
3/12/2009 7:19:52 PM
Categories:
Jason Rabedeaux,
Rabedeaux in The Sporting News
The Sporting News recently did a blurb and Q & A with Eau Claire native Jason Rabedeaux, who is coaching professional basketball in China.
Here's the link:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/...
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MADISON — Durand coach Todd Poeschel credited three influences with helping him build the Panthers to a point where they could return to the WIAA girls basketball state tournament.
The first two ar...
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Updated:
3/12/2009 5:12:32 PM
Categories:
Girls prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Future bright at Fall Creek
MADISON — Although the season came to an end for the Fall Creek girls basketball team, there's plenty for the Crickets to look forward to in the future.
Let's start with sophomore guard Jenni Geske...
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Updated:
3/12/2009 1:10:39 AM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Eau Claire North,
Checking in at No. 3
Andy Kleist of Eau Claire North earned the No. 3 spot on SportCenter's top 10 on Wednesday for his heave at the buzzer Saturday against Hudson. I'll try to find some video at some point.
Certainly,...
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Word on the street is that Andy Kleist's buzzer-beating shot from Saturday will be a part of SportsCenter's top 10 plays tonight after the Syracuse-Seton Hall Big East Tournament game.
So any Eau C...
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Updated:
3/10/2009 10:39:36 PM
Categories:
ECA Stars,
St. Croix Valley,
Chippewa Falls,
girls prep hockey,
Hayward,
Girls all-state hockey team
ECA Stars forward Erin Stenseth and Chippewa Falls forward
Mikayla Hogan were named to the Girls Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association all-state first team Tuesday.
They were joined on the first te...
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UW-Stout junior Julia Hirssig and UW-La Crosse senior Mackenzie Hunter were selected to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association all-Region 7 team, released Tuesday.
Hirssig, a 5-foot-11 forward,...
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Updated:
3/9/2009 10:05:17 PM
Categories:
Rice Lake,
Boys prep hockey,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Eau Claire North,
Hayward,
Hudson,
River Falls,
Boys hockey all-state team announced
Eau Claire Memorial junior defenseman Shayne McLaughlin highlighted a group of four area players who were named to the Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association boys all-state first team released Monday.
...
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UW-La Crosse senior and Eau Claire Regis graduate Mackenzie Hunter was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball player of the year Thursday.
Hunter, who become the...
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Updated:
3/2/2009 10:34:27 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
If it’s not already playoff time, it’s the home stretch of the regular season for former area hockey players. As always, here are a few highlights from the week that was.
Jefferson Dahl, USHL (Gre...
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Updated:
3/2/2009 3:16:54 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
AP polls,
This week's AP poll
We just voted on the boys this week. This is the final poll of the year.
BOYS
Division 1
1. Madison Memorial
2. Bay Port
3. Milwaukee Washington
4. Racine Horlick
5. Milwaukee Marquette
6. M...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team is in the NCAA Division III tournament for the second consecutive season after receiving an at-large berth Monday morning.
The Blugolds (22-5) travel to Bl...
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In less than 24 hours, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team will find out whether its season is over.
After losing to UW-Stevens Point in the championship game of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate...
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MADISON - In one of the final matches at this year's WIAA wrestling individual state tournament, Boyceville junior Matt Wyss fell just short of a state title, dropping a 3-2 decision to Blair-Taylor s...
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MADISON - Bad knee and all, Jack Duerst is a state champ.
The Boyceville senior held strong in the biggest match of career, winning a 2-0 decision over New Lisbon junior Anthony Edgren in the Divis...
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MADISON - It might not be in the Chippewa Valley, but it's worth a mention: Tomahawk senior Nick Hagar became just the 10th wrestler in WIAA history to win four state championships Saturday night at t...
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MADISON - After coming so close a year ago, Bubba Gudis got his state championship this time.
The Bruce/Weyerhaeuser junior pounded Mineral Point junior Dylan Schroeder in a 12-2 major decision in ...
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MADISON - There are great stories, and there there's what Jordan Poirier did Saturday night.
Ten months after a car accident left both his legs broken and one ankle shattered, the Bloomer senior ca...
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MADISON - There were a couple of surprises near the end of the consolation wrestlebacks at the WIAA individual state tournament. For the Chippewa Valley wrestlers, these weren't the good kind of surpr...
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MADISON - Chippewa Falls freshman Izzy Balsiger capped a dominant run through the consolation bracket in Division 1 at 112 pounds, beating Hartford Union freshman Nick Becker, 7-2, in the third-place ...
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MADISON - Bloomer junior Zach Borofka finished his state tournament with a victory, winning a 5-1 decision over Kewaskum sophomore Bo Seibel in the Division 2 140-pound fifth-place match at the Kohl C...
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MADISON - Cadott junior Josiah Yeager never got in a rhythm in his fifth-place match Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center, dropping a 10-2 major decision to Shiocton sophomore Thomas Dahlke.
Yeage...
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MADISON - Saturday started very well for seniors Dustin Wozniak and Zach Anderson.
Both wrestlers won their consolation wrestlebacks this afternoon and advanced to third-place matches in their resp...
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MADISON - Mondovi senior Dillon Marten and Bloomer junior Zach Borofka are among the Chippewa Valley wrestlers shooting for fifth place at the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament at the Kohl Ce...
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MADISON - Despite giving up his lead late, Cadott senior Dakota Hladilek rebounded to get a near fall in overtime and beat New Lisbon junior Cobretti Forsythe, 8-6, in the Division 3 152-pound consola...
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Updated:
2/28/2009 11:42:18 AM
Categories:
Cadott,
Prep wrestling,
Yeager going for fifth again
MADISON - Josiah Yeager was determined to better his fifth-place finish at last year's WIAA wrestling individual state tournament.
Turns out the Cadott junior won't be able to do that this season, ...
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Updated:
2/28/2009 11:34:20 AM
Categories:
Prep wrestling,
Balsiger to wrestle for third
MADISON - Chippewa Falls freshman Izzy Balsiger just won his third consecutive match at the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament and qualified for the Division 1 112-pound third-place match this...
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Updated:
2/28/2009 11:23:19 AM
Categories:
Prep wrestling,
Live from Madison: Day 3 preview
MADISON - After a much-needed eight hours of sleep, we're back underneath the Kohl Center for what might be my favorite day of the year as an L-T sports reporter: The final day of the WIAA wrestling i...
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MADISON - Six Chippewa Valley wrestlers secured spots in Saturday's state championship matches with semifinals victories Friday night at the Kohl Center. The finals are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Sa...
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MADISON - Bloomer senior Jordan Poirier just won the most thrilling wrestling match I've seen in two years at the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament.
Trailing nearly the entire match, Poiri...
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MADISON - The semifinals of the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament start in about an hour, and a number of Chippewa Valley wrestlers remain in the hunt for a state title. Here's who's wrestlin...
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MADISON - The Divisions 2 and 3 consolation semifinals -- the final round of Friday's early session -- just wrapped up at the Kohl Center. Winners of these matches are guaranteed to place Saturday. He...
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Updated:
2/27/2009 2:43:00 PM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls,
Prep wrestling,
Balsiger wins, sure to place
MADISON - Chippewa Falls freshman Izzy Balsiger is bound to be a state placewinner.
Keeping cool under the pressure of overtime, Balsiger made a move in the early seconds of the extra period to bea...
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MADISON - As tends to happen at the state tournament, the matches are running a bit behind schedule as Friday morning turns into Friday afternoon. The 189-pounders are just starting their Divisions 2 ...
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MADISON - After a 5-minute break, the Divisions 2 and 3 quarterfinals have started Friday morning at the Kohl Center. Winners of these matches wrestle in the semifinals at 7 p.m. today, and losers wre...
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Updated:
2/27/2009 11:23:29 AM
Categories:
Eau Claire Memorial,
Prep wrestling,
Memorial's Antonson eliminated
MADISON - Eau Claire Memorial senior Greg Antonson was eliminated from the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament after being pinned by Racine Horlick senior Jeff Bias in the first consolation rou...
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Updated:
2/27/2009 10:40:22 AM
Categories:
Prep wrestling,
Balsiger into consolation semis
MADISON - Chippewa Falls freshman Izzy Balsiger just secured his first prep victory at the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament, winning a 5-0 decision against Kaukuana junior Josiah Bobier in a...
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Updated:
2/27/2009 9:56:29 AM
Categories:
Prep wrestling,
Greetings from the Kohl Center
MADISON - Hello from the underbelly of the Kohl Center, where the second day of the WIAA wrestling individual state tournament is scheduled to begin in less than 10 minutes.
The first round on toda...
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Updated:
2/23/2009 5:33:53 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Playoff bracket thoughts
A few initial thoughts on the WIAA boys basketball playoff brackets:
- The area’s Division 1 sectional is going to be entertaining to watch. I could make a case for six different teams to emerge fr...
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Updated:
2/23/2009 3:23:07 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
WIAC basketball,
Corry picks Yellowjackets
UW-Superior coach Dave Buchanan has received his first commitment of the 2009 recruiting class by landing Northwestern's Aaron Corry.
Corry is a 6-foot-6 wing player with a great deal of upside. He...
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Updated:
2/23/2009 3:11:02 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Girls prep basketball,
AP polls,
This week's AP ballot
BOYS
Division 1
1. Milwaukee Washington
2. Madison Memorial
3. Racine Horlick
4. Bay Port
5. Milwaukee Marquette
6. Madison East
7. Milwaukee Hamilton
8. Germanton
9. Oshkosh North
10. Waus...
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Updated:
2/23/2009 3:48:21 AM
Categories:
WIAC basketball,
UW-Eau Claire,
UW-Stout,
Five things to watch in the WIAC playoffs
As promised in today's Leader-Telegram, here's five things to watch for the upcoming WIAC basketball playoffs.
1. How will the new rules affect the tournament outcome?
The league coaches decided...
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Updated:
2/18/2009 1:43:28 PM
Categories:
Jason Rabedeaux,
Update from Jason Rabedeaux
I keep forgetting to update you guys on the progress of former Eau Claire Memorial graduate Jason Rabedeaux, who is now coaching in China.
Just got an e-mail from Rab, who was pumped after his team...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team's fourth Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss this season ended its hopes for a regular-season championship and put a dent in its chances of an ...
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Updated:
2/16/2009 1:31:02 AM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Girls prep basketball,
AP polls,
This week's ballot
BOYS
Division 1
1. Milwaukee Washington
2. Racine Horlick
3. Madison Memorial
4. Bay Port
5. Milwaukee Marquette
6. Madison East
7. Elkhorn
8. Milwaukee Hamilton
9. Germantown
10. Oshkosh N...
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Updated:
2/15/2009 9:42:06 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
Looks like Spooner is quickly becoming a haven for former Eau Claire Memorial athletes, as it appears the Wisconsin Mustangs have added former Eau Claire Memorial athlete Cody Bollinger to the roster....
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Updated:
2/15/2009 8:33:30 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Eau Claire North,
LaPoint undergoes surgery, out for year
In a stroke of bad luck, North Dakota defenseman Derrick LaPoint, an Eau Claire North graduate, is out for the rest of the season after undergoing successful surgery for an injury he suffered Saturday...
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It came out later than expected, but the USHL released its draft list of players born in 1992 and Eau Claire Memorial's Shayne McLaughlin and Hayward's Nolan Kirley are both on the list.
McLaughli...
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Updated:
2/11/2009 2:20:59 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Rice Lake's Engel called up
Former Rice Lake and University of Wisconsin defenseman Josh Engel was called up to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on Monday.
In his first game Wednesday, Engel recorded no point...
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Updated:
2/9/2009 9:42:58 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Girls prep basketball,
AP polls,
This week's AP ballot
BOYS
Division 1
1. Milwaukee Washington
2. Racine Horlick
3. Madison Memorial
4. Bay Port
5. Baraboo
6. Germantown
7. Milwaukee Marquette
8. Madison East
9. Elkhorn
10. Milwaukee Hamilton
...
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Updated:
2/9/2009 8:34:53 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
Updates are in, with the exception of players from the Minnesota Junior Hockey League, since the league hasn't updated its stats site since Feb. 2.
As usual, here's a few players highlights:
Ja...
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I've been waiting for the WIAA to post these all day and they're finally up.
Biggest surprise has got to be River Falls getting the No. 3 seed in Sectional 1, behind Superior and Hudson even after...
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The USHL released its list of the nation's top players born in 1993 earlier this week, and in what should be a surprise to no one, Eau Claire Memorial defenseman Jacob McCabe was on the list.
Acco...
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Here’s a few notes from Thursday’s North-Memorial boys hockey game that didn’t make the paper.
Memorial
- Memorial was the playing the game without top scorer Hunter Scott, who missed the game ...
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Eau Claire Regis senior outside hitter Breanna Farley will play collegiate volleyball at UW-Stout beginning this fall.
Farley, a Leader-Telegram All-Area and first-team all-Western Cloverbelt Confe...
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Updated:
2/3/2009 7:53:27 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
It's a day late, but I've updated all the stats for local players on the spreadsheet linked at right.
Here's an update on a few players who've been doing well lately:
Isaiah Bennis, Bismarck B...
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Updated:
1/30/2009 11:46:32 PM
Categories:
College Hockey,
UW-Eau Claire,
UW-Stout,
UW-Stout/UW-Eau Claire men's hockey extras
Judging by the turnout at Thursday’s UW-Stout vs. UW-Eau Claire men’s hockey game at Hobbs Ice Arena, word seems to have gotten out about the talent level in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association...
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A couple of days after releasing its first team rankings of the prep wrestling season, The Crossface magazine released its first individual rankings Thursday.
As expected, a number of wrestlers wer...
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Former major league umpire Bruce Froemming was an umpire for five World Series, but he said nothing compares to the atmosphere of a playoff series.
Froemming, who was the guest speaker at the first...
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Updated:
1/27/2009 11:47:42 PM
Categories:
River Falls,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Memorial-River Falls hockey observations
I've got to say, I've been waiting to see River Falls all season and in my first experience watching them I have to say it didn't disappoint.
From the drop of the puck, the Wildcats showed the pri...
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Evan Anderson made his long-awaited return to the Eau Claire North lineup tonight, scoring 14 points as the Huskies beat Rice Lake, 55-48, on Tuesday at the Doghouse.
Anderson, a 6-foot-11 junior w...
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A number of area prep wrestling teams were recognized when the Crossface released its first team rankings of the 2008-'09 season Tuesday afternoon.
Northwest Wisconsin was especially prominent in D...
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Another loss a fellow Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference front-runner reflected poorly on the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team's standing in the most recent d3hoops.com top 25 poll.
...
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Updated:
1/26/2009 4:01:27 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Girls prep basketball,
AP polls,
This week's ballot
Here's my ballot for this week's AP poll. I voted last week, but our blog was down for a few days, so I couldn't post my ballot.
BOYS
Division 1
1. Milwaukee Washington
2. Racine Horlick
3. Mad...
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Everyone knows about North's Evan Anderson on the basketball court but the 6-foot-11 junior has got a little game off it too. Check out the link to the right for a video of Evan and friends performing...
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Updated:
1/16/2009 2:39:56 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Chippewa Falls,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Eau Claire North,
Menomonie,
City games canceled
No big surprise here but there will be no city boys basketball games tonight. The game between Eau Claire North and Menomonie has been rescheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Menomonie.
No make-up date ...
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A few observations from the Eau Claire Regis-Altoona girls basketball game Tuesday night:
*Altoona became a more balanced team as last season progressed, and it is doing it again this year. No long...
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Updated:
1/14/2009 12:04:28 AM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
UW-Stout,
Local Hockey Update
For those of you that are a fan of the updates -- sorry for the long wait. The holidays put me in a funk that I've struggled to get out of, though if you were visiting the spreadsheet you'd have notic...
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As expected, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team's first loss of the season cost it position in the national rankings.
Two days after suffering their first loss of the season to UW-Whitewater...
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Updated:
1/12/2009 3:13:57 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Girls prep basketball,
AP polls,
My ballot for the AP poll
Here's how I voted this week:
BOYS
Division 1
1. Madison Memorial
2. Milwaukee Washington
3. Racine Horlick
4. Germantown
5. Wauwatosa East
6. Milwaukee King
7. Racine Park
8. Baraboo
9. ...
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It never fails that when I’m make my way out of Hobbs Ice Center following an Eau Claire Memorial/Eau Claire North boys hockey rivalry game that I always walk away with way more information than I cou...
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The defending WIAA Division 4 softball state champion has a new coach.
Dale Yindra has been named the coach at Chippewa Falls McDonell, athletic director Jerry Van Dyke announced Tuesday.
This w...
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Updated:
1/5/2009 11:17:18 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Eau Claire Regis,
Hudson,
AP polls,
Fall Creek,
Colby,
Northwestern ranked third
The first AP state boys basketball poll was released Monday. A handful of area teams earned recognition, with unbeaten Northwestern topping the list. The 6-0 Tigers tied for third in the Division 2 po...
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As the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team keeps winning, it keeps getting rewarded.
The still-undefeated Blugolds (11-0, 3-0) moved up three spots to No. 3 in the fifth d3hoops.com top 25 poll, ...
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Updated:
1/2/2009 6:54:39 PM
Categories:
Jim Leonhard,
National Football League,
Leonhard: Veterans set tone
Flambeau grad Jim Leonhard's never been one to go half speed but playing on the Baltimore Ravens defense leaves him little choice. With guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed around, no one's going to be Cad...
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Updated:
12/30/2008 8:41:44 PM
Categories:
Blue Devils, Pioneers have connection
There's quite a feel-good storyline underlying this weekend's game between the UW-Stout and UW-Platteville women's basketball teams.
The Pioneers and sophomore guard Brianna Klaas, who missed all o...
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Updated:
12/23/2008 11:50:39 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Eau Claire Regis,
A thriller in Fall Creek
I had a feeling there was going to be a big crowd at Tuesday’s Western Cloverbelt game between Fall Creek and Regis. But when I got to Fall Creek and nearly had to park in Augusta, I knew there was go...
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Updated:
12/21/2008 6:02:47 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
Things slowed down a little bit this week as almost all of the college action is on hiatus for winter break. The same thing will probably be true next week with most of the junior leagues taking a sho...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team has a lot to do between now and its game against South Dakota on Saturday afternoon.
It's final exams week at UW-Eau Claire, and large group of Blugolds pl...
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Updated:
12/18/2008 11:40:55 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Steinke injures knee
Add another one to the list of injured basketball standouts in the area. Fall Creek senior forward Matt Steinke suffered a knee injury early in the second quarter of Tuesday's win over Gilman.
The ...
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Here's a bit more from Osseo-Fairchild's 54-47 victory over Eau Claire Regis on Thursday night:
*Osseo-Fairchild coach Matt Korger couldn't say enough good things about Laura Petersen, who's been o...
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The Osseo-Fairchild girls basketball team no longer has to worry about when junior Letaya Mulhern will return from a back injury.
Chieftains coach Matt Korger told me late Wednesday night that Mulh...
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Updated:
12/17/2008 11:14:46 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Chippewa Falls,
Hudson,
Cards, Raiders worth watching in BRC
* There’s only one game this season that Chippewa Falls boys basketball coach Luke Madsen can point to as one in which his team wasn’t ready to play. Not surprisingly, that happens to be the Cardinals...
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Updated:
12/17/2008 10:25:06 PM
Categories:
Blue Devils to face pair of local products
When the UW-Stout women's basketball team hosts Minnesota State on Thursday night, it will be facing one of Division II's top teams. But the game also will mark the return of two local graduates.
M...
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Updated:
12/14/2008 11:52:57 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
Alright folks, I've got the stats updated after this weekend's action and here's a few notes on how a few of those players did this week.
Derrick LaPoint, North Dakota (WCHA)
LaPoint picked up h...
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Updated:
12/11/2008 11:50:47 PM
Categories:
Adult amateur football,
Chippewa Valley Predators,
Eau Claire Crush,
Northern Elite Football League,
New-look NEFL schedule released
It hasn't been long since the Northern Elite Football League finished its inaugural season in early August. But the NEFL sure looks a lot different now than it did then.
Since Superior beat Eau Cla...
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Updated:
12/11/2008 11:37:42 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Fall Creek,
Chippewa Falls McDonell,
More info on the Crickets
A couple facts and figures I forgot to squeeze into my article from Thursday's Fall Creek-McDonell boys basketball game:
* Fall Creek now is 14-8 against McDonell all-time.
* Crickets coach Rick...
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Todd Trapp has become the second head coach in the history of the Eau Claire Crush adult amateur football team.
Reached on Thursday, former coach Dan Brown confirmed his resignation after two seaso...
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This year’s Eleva-Strum boys basketball team has a pretty tough act to follow. Because face it, no group would be able to duplicate what last season’s senior class accomplished.
This is a differen...
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Updated:
12/10/2008 11:33:16 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
It looks like Eau Claire Memorial graduate David Donnellan will be fine-tuning his game in Nebraska for the rest of the season.
The former first-team all-state defenseman was traded, along with te...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team, now on a seven-game winning streak to open the season, moved up seven spots to No. 8 in the latest d3hoops.com top 25 poll, released Tuesday.
The Blugolds...
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Updated:
12/5/2008 5:29:26 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Local hockey updates,
Local Hockey Update
I've been meaning to do this for awhile now, but below you'll find a link to a spreadsheet I've put together with stats of various area hockey players that are playing at the professional, collegiate ...
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The No. 15 UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team overcame its fair share of challenges to win its first five games this season. The Blugolds (5-0) get yet another stiff test when they travel to play M...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team jumped up 10 spots to No. 15 in the latest d3hoops.com top 25 poll, which was released earlier this week.
After opening the season at No. 25 in the preseas...
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To my knowledge, this year marks the first time the Leader-Telegram has selected an All-Area volleyball team. And, for purposes of full disclosure, this was my first go-round picking a team like this....
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Updated:
11/28/2008 9:08:01 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Picking the All-Area boys soccer team
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. As promised, here's a few thoughts on the Leader-Telegram All-Area boys soccer team.
This is the first year the L-T's picked All-Area teams for boys soccer and volleyb...
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Updated:
11/27/2008 10:08:12 PM
Categories:
Boys prep basketball,
Eau Claire North,
University of Wisconsin,
Anderson grabbing headlines
Eau Claire North junior center Evan Anderson is featured in Thursday's Wisconsin State Journal. See the link on the right for details.
If I had to guess, I'd say the author of the article consiste...
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Remember Mark Hallberg, the former Barron standout who was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks last year?
Well, he's still in the Diamondbacks' system. And he just keeps rising and rising.
Hallb...
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There was a lot of good stuff I couldn't fit into the game story from Thursday's thrilling Western Cloverbelt game between Regis and Altoona.
The Ramblers won, 62-60, in a game that looked like it ...
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Eau Claire Memorial's Jacob Tio and McDonell/Regis' Cory Arneson were named honorable mention all-state by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association.
Tio racked up 21 goals and 10 assists for WIAA D...
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We just got our copy of the Wisconsin Women's Basketball Yearbook in the office today. I haven't had much of a chance to digest it, but here's a few things that stood out at first glance:
*The area...
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Here's how our panel of online voters picked this weekend's games:
Dale Hendricks
Hartland Arrowhead over Stevens Point
Mequon Homestead over Middleton
Kimberly over Marshfield
Verona over Suss...
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Updated:
11/12/2008 7:47:37 PM
Categories:
Kooistra is WIAC player of the year
UW-Eau Claire senior midfielder Liz Kooistra was named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year Wednesday.
It's the third consecutive season a Blugolds player has taken play...
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Updated:
11/12/2008 4:58:28 AM
Categories:
Prep football,
How they picked 'em
As promised over the past few weeks, here are our our panel of voters picked the state quarterfinal games.
Brad Marek
Menomonie over Marshfield
Bloomer over Baldwin-Woodville
Colby over Stanley-...
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The McDonell/Regis boys soccer team couldn't muster a rally this time. The comeback ReMacks fell to Columbus, 3-2, in the WIAA Division 3 state championship game Saturday at Uihlein Soccer Park in Mil...
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The McDonell/Regis boys soccer team clinched a spot in Saturday's WIAA Division 3 state title game by edging University School of Milwaukee in a penalty shootout Friday.
The game remained deadlocke...
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Here's a closer look at University School of Milwaukee, McDonell/Regis' opponent in today's WIAA boys soccer Division 3 state semifinal.
The Wildcats, who are making their first state tournament ap...
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A good second-half showing wasn't quite enough for the Eau Claire Memorial boys soccer team. The Old Abes gave up two first-half goals and fell to Mequon Homestead, 2-1, in the WIAA Division 1 state q...
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Updated:
11/5/2008 11:08:10 PM
Categories:
Blugolds ranked in another poll
The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team was ranked No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN top 25 coaches preseason poll, which was released Wednesday.
The Blugolds were ranked No. 25 in the D3Hoops.com top...
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After Saturday’s 4-0 sectional final victory over Rhinelander, Eau Claire Memorial coach David Kite was quick to credit the rest of the Big Rivers Conference for getting the Old Abes to the state tour...
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Eau Claire Memorial volleyball player Gennie Galfano will sign a letter of intent Nov. 7 to attend Northern Kentucky University on a volleyball scholarship, Old Abes athletic director Michael Blair ...
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There's an interesting subplot to Thursday's WIAA boys soccer sectional semifinal between Eau Claire Memorial and Hudson. The Old Abes' Jacob Tio and the Raiders' Nick Lund were named Big Rivers Confe...
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Talk about peaking at the right time. As far as the seeding goes, the second-seeded Eau Claire North volleyball team will go into the WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinals Thursday night against top-se...
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Updated:
10/26/2008 7:44:11 PM
Categories:
Auto racing,
Paul Menard,
Menard enjoys racing in Atlanta
The NASCAR Sprint Cup rolls into Atlanta this weekend. The sight of Atlanta Motor Speedway should bring back some good memories for Eau Claire native Paul Menard. The 1.5-mile track is where Menard pi...
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What happened Friday night is only going to benefit the Eau Claire Regis volleyball team. The top-seeded Ramblers were pushed hard by fourth-seeded Mondovi, and it took quite a bit of work for the fav...
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Updated:
10/21/2008 10:53:01 PM
Categories:
Northern Elite Football League,
Adult amateur football,
Chippewa Valley Predators,
Eau Claire Crush,
NEFL adds two new teams
There's been a bit of a shakeup in the Northern Elite Football League.
The NEFL, which will enter its second season this summer, recently announced the addition of two new teams, leading the league...
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Updated:
10/20/2008 10:17:50 PM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls McDonell,
Prep volleyball,
Altoona,
Eau Claire Regis,
Thorp,
Osseo-Fairchild,
Augusta,
Fall Creek,
Stanley-Boyd,
Two Ramblers, two Rails make all-WCC first team
The Eau Claire Regis and Altoona volleyball teams each landed two players on the 2008 all-Western Cloverbelt Conference first team Monday.
For the Ramblers, seniors Breanna Farley and Brianna Plank...
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Monday was a milestone day for the McDonell/Regis boys soccer program. McDonell/Regis garned a No. 5 ranking in the final Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 3 poll of the season, marking th...
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Not surprisingly, Big Rivers Conference champ Hudson had the regional's top seed when the WIAA boys soccer playoffs brackets were released Sunday.
The Raiders, who narrowly edged Eau Claire Memoria...
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The WIAA released its volleyball postseason pairings Thursday, revealing some intriguing potential matchups on the road the state tournament, which begins Nov. 6 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
I...
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Updated:
10/15/2008 1:34:00 AM
Categories:
Prep football,
Breaking down the football conference races
I've been dragging on my promise to break down the area football conference races for you all. Rather than spread them out over a few days (and probably forget about doing it), I'll get the others (th...
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Updated:
10/14/2008 11:29:05 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Chippewa Falls,
Cards are improving
The Chippewa Falls boys soccer team may have been on the wrong side of a 6-0 loss to Eau Claire Memorial on Tuesday, but the Cardinals are in decent shape heading into the WIAA Division 1 playoffs.
...
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The Eau Claire Regis volleyball team, which finished off an unbeaten conference season and clinched the Western Cloverbelt Conference championship last week, remained at No. 3 the latest Wisconsin Vol...
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As competitive as the Big Rivers Conference boys soccer race has been, it's fitting that it comes down to the final week of play.
With two days of play left, here's how the teams stack up (teams ge...
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McDonell/Regis is the only area boys soccer team to receive mention in the latest Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Assocation state poll, which was released Monday.
McDonell/Regis (17-1-2) earned honorable...
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The UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team is putting together another strong season. But so is the Blugolds men's club team. The UW-Eau Claire club team is 6-1-0 and is aiming for a first-place league fin...
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Updated:
10/9/2008 2:41:54 PM
Categories:
WIAA,
Doug Chickering's legacy
Casual high school sports fans may not realize the impact WIAA exectuive director Doug Chickering has had on high school sports in Wisconsin.
Rob Hernandez of the Wisconsin State Journal compiled a...
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Updated:
10/9/2008 4:09:59 AM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
How I voted in this week's AP poll
Here was my ballot for the AP football poll. Even though I haven't posted these the past few weeks, I've still been voting. Trust me.
LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Hartland Arrowhead
2. Mequon Homestead
3. K...
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Updated:
10/9/2008 4:00:47 AM
Categories:
Chippewa Falls,
Prep football,
Breaking down the Big Rivers
As promised in today's Leader-Telegram, we'll be breaking down the area conference title races over the next few days.
We'll start with the Big Rivers, which was under Menomonie's control for a dec...
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Updated:
10/7/2008 11:14:57 PM
Categories:
Green Bay Packers,
National Football League,
Frost's punting struggles continue
GREEN BAY -- Derrick Frost’s recent punting struggles didn’t exactly go away in the Green Bay Packers' 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Frost hit punts of 37 and 44 ya...
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Updated:
10/7/2008 11:14:39 PM
Categories:
Green Bay Packers,
National Football League,
Packers' running game improves
GREEN BAY -- After Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers found some consolation in the fact that their running game began to improve in the secon...
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Updated:
10/7/2008 11:14:10 PM
Categories:
Green Bay Packers,
National Football League,
Rodgers' gritty play earns praise
GREEN BAY – Aaron Rodgers oversaw his third consecutive loss as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, but his gritty performance with an injured throwing shoulder earned him consid...
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Updated:
9/23/2008 10:47:22 PM
Categories:
Boys prep soccer,
Hudson,
Hudson in contention
The Big Rivers Conference boys soccer race looks every bit like a three-team showdown between Eau Claire North, Eau Claire Memorial and Hudson.
And while the Raiders currently are third in the standi...
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Updated:
9/19/2008 1:18:43 AM
Categories:
College basketball,
Bo Ryan,
University of Wisconsin,
More from Bo Ryan part II
More from Bo...
On his favorite Zorn Arena memory:
I do remember one game. Our managers work extremely hard. They are the most underappreciated people in athletics. We had a manager ... it was a p...
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Updated:
9/19/2008 1:17:12 AM
Categories:
University of Wisconsin,
University of Wisconsin,
University of Wisconsin,
College basketball,
Bo Ryan,
More from Bo Ryan part I
As promised in today's Leader-Telegram, here's a bit more from my interview with Wisconsin men's basketball coach Bo Ryan:
On the process of writing the book:
Mike (Lucas) had the ideas. He steere...
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Here's a few notes that didn't make it into Sunday's story about the Blue Devils 37-13 win over Jamestown College (N.D.)
-- Injury report: Starting running back Craig Warminski, a Stanley native, h...
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Updated:
9/10/2008 11:39:12 PM
Categories:
Mondovi,
Fall Creek,
Gilman,
Prep football,
Owen-Withee,
Colby,
Cochrane-Fountain City,
Eleva-Strum,
Spring Valley,
The best games outside of Eau Claire this weekend
Every week longtime Leader-Telegram reporter Ron Buckli takes you inside matchups for North, Memorial, Regis, Altoona, Chippewa Falls and Menomonie.
But we all know there's more to prep football in...
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Updated:
9/10/2008 11:09:45 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
Here's how I voted in this week's AP football poll
Forgive the interruption to your updates from Lambeau Field, but I wanted to check in and let you know how I voted in this week's AP prep football poll.
Here's my ballot:
LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Hart...
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Updated:
9/8/2008 6:46:40 PM
Categories:
Green Bay Packers,
National Football League,
Packers 0, Vikings 0, end Q1
GREEN BAY -- A scoreless tie it may be, but it wasn't exactly an encouraging quarter from the Green Bay Packers' point of view.
It didn't seem to matter what quarterback Aaron Rodgers did, consider...
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Updated:
9/8/2008 5:27:34 PM
Categories:
Green Bay Packers,
National Football League,
Inactives and pregame notes
GREEN BAY -- It's not a huge shock, but Green Bay Packers starting center Scott Wells (back) is inactive for tonight's season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.
Right guard Jaso...
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Updated:
9/8/2008 5:00:01 PM
Categories:
National Football League,
Green Bay Packers,
We're back at Lambeau
GREEN BAY -- Greetings once again from Lambeau Field, where the sky is overcast, the temperature is dropping and the Green Bay Packers are about to open their 2008 regular season against the Minnesota...
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As promised in Tuesday's Leader-Telegram, here are the explanations for my WIAC predictions:
1. UW-Eau Claire: Step aside UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater, there's a new sheriff in town. Several inju...
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Updated:
9/1/2008 10:40:07 PM
Categories:
AP polls,
Prep football,
My ballot for the AP prep football poll
The first Associated Press prep football poll came out tonight, and like the first poll of every season, it will look drastically different in a few weeks once everyone gets a better read on the teams...
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Three city players received recognition when the Northern Elite Football League recently announced its end-of-season award winners.
In the Eastern Conference, Eau Claire Crush DL Jason Lyons was na...
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Expectations are high for the UW-Eau Claire football team.
Already ranked in the top 25 in several national polls, the Blugolds were picked to finish second in the WIAC in a preseason poll of the l...
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Updated:
8/12/2008 3:32:39 AM
Categories:
Packers,
NFL,
Closing out the Packers' preseason opener
I wanted to have a few more posts on my observations not only from the game, but in the locker room afterward. However, I had a bit of a hotel mishap. Being the man that I am, I didn't really check th...
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Updated:
8/12/2008 3:20:09 AM
Categories:
Packers,
NFL,
Jackson impresses with opportunity
I touched upon it a bit in the notes in Tuesday's paper, but Packers running back Brandon Jackson had a rather impressive outing in Monday's preseason game against the Bengals.
He had runs of 16 an...
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Updated:
8/12/2008 3:11:29 AM
Categories:
Packers,
NFL,
More on Rodgers
Rodgers pleased with performance
All eyes were on Aaron Rodgers as he made his debut as QB1 for the Packers on Monday night.
Granted, it was a preseason game but it was still on ESPN and the mes...
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Postgame reaction from Monday’s preseason game
Some initial thoughts following the Packers’ 20-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Monday’s preseason opener at Lambeau Field:
*Not a bad debut f...
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LA CROSSE -- The top-ranked Eau Claire American Legion team entered with two shots at one victory against No. 2 De Pere to secure its first Class AAA state tournament championship since 1986.
It mi...
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LA CROSSE -- Playing through on-and-off rain showers in its first chance to win a Class AAA state championship Wednesday afternoon, the top-ranked Eau Claire American Legion baseball team took control...
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There's not much new to report, either from last night's postgame or what I saw from my couch for today's game. It's just an incredibly disappointing series from the Brewers standpoint. When they move...
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I'm not going to have much postgame reaction on the blog tonight because I'm driving back to Eau Claire, but check back tomorrow and throughout the weekend for more from what is turning out to be a di...
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Hours before Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park, newly-acquired CC Sabathia talked about his counterparts in the starting rotation.
The first one he mentioned was Manny Parra....
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Ray Durham appears to be OK a day after fouling a ball off his shin.
The switch-hitting second baseman is back in the starting lineup for tonight's third game of a crucial four-game series between ...
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The WIAA has released its composite schedule for the 2008-09 prep football season.
The schedule is organized by week and then conference, and it's subject to change.
Follow the link at the right...
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The Milwaukee Brewers aren’t panicking yet.
Although it was surely disappointing to drop the first two games to the Chicago Cubs — with their top two pitchers on the mound — the Brewers were quick ...
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Usually when a pitcher ends July with a 10-4 record and a 3.14 ERA, it’s a good thing.
However, Brewers fans can’t help but wonder what has gone on with Ben Sheets as of late.
The Brewers’ All-S...
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It may not have been the turning point of the Brewers’ 7-1 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday night, but it was pretty close.
With nobody Cubs runners on second and third in the sixth inning, Brewers lef...
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Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost wasn’t quite ready to call it a platoon.
But it’s beginning to look that way.
Ray Durham, acquired in a trade with the San Francisco Giants on July 20, made hi...
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Updated:
7/29/2008 12:06:05 AM
Categories:
Brewers,
Other tidbits from Monday's game
Two close plays at third both went against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night at Miller Park, and both helped the Chicago Cubs to a 6-4 victory.
The first game in the sixth inning. Corey Hart wa...
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Who knows what would have happened Monday night had Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks made a clean throw to first on what would have been an inning-ending double play late in Milwaukee’s 6-4 loss to...
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Even though his team lost, Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost couldn’t get over how thrilling Monday night’s game with the Chicago Cubs was.
“My only instinct after the game was ‘Wow,’” Yost said. ...
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As it turns out, CC Sabathia is human.
After a string of lights-out starts for the Milwaukee Brewers — including a three-hit shutout of the Cardinals in his previous outing — Sabathia came back to ...
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Greetings from Miller Park.
Check back here over the next three days as I'll provide periodic reports from the biggest series in Milwaukee Brewers history in at least the past 16 years.
As one w...
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A coin flip Sunday morning to determine home-field advantage in the Northern Elite Football League championship game decided that the league title game would be played in Superior, Eau Claire Crush co...
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Updated:
7/27/2008 4:10:36 PM
Categories:
American Legion,
Amateur baseball,
Sebesta, Darley tabbed for all-star game
Eau Claire Memorial's Ben Sebesta and Chippewa Falls' Mike Darley recently were selected to play for the North team in the Wisconsin American Legion Baseball Association All-Star Game, which is schedu...
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Updated:
7/27/2008 4:45:43 AM
Categories:
Recruiting updates,
Boys prep basketball,
Eau Claire North,
Report: UWGB offers Brown a scholarship
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has offered Eau Claire North senior-to-be Tyler Brown a scholarship, according to Mark Miller, editor of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook and WisHoops.net contri...
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The Northern Elite Football League Western Conference championship game between the Chippewa Valley Predators and Superior Stampede will be broadcast on www.ifan.tv.
The game is scheduled for 4 p.m...
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Eau Claire Crush quarterback Ben Luehrs, who was a backup at UW-Eau Claire last year, confirmed Thursday night that he will not be returning to the university in the fall.
Luehrs, 19, has been susp...
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The Eau Claire Crush had a league-high 18 players named to the Northern Elite Football League All-Star Game on Thursday.
The undefeated Crush, who will help represent the Eastern Conference in the ...
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Ben Luehrs, who was a backup quarterback on the UW-Eau Claire football team last fall before being suspended indefinitely from the team in January, will be not be returning to the university this fall...
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Updated:
7/11/2008 3:02:49 PM
Categories:
Sprint Cup,
Paul Menard,
Menard on DEI
For whatever the reason, Dale Earnhardt Inc. always seems to end up in the news. The regular barrage of rumors doesn't seem to bother team member and Eau Claire native Paul Menard, though. Here's what...
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If Saturday’s game between the Chippewa Valley Predators and Eau Claire Crush is anything like either of the teams’ meetings last season, this one will be one of the most hotly contested and entertain...
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Updated:
7/9/2008 5:25:53 PM
Categories:
Augusta,
Prep football,
Chippewa Falls,
Bestul steps down
The Augusta football team is looking for a new head coach.
Mike Bestul, who went 2-7 in each of his two years at Augusta, resigned recently. He will become an assistant coach at Chippewa Falls for ...
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There are two weeks remaining in the Northern Elite Football League regular season, and the conference championship games are set. After getting some clarification on league bylaws and tiebreaking pro...
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Chippewa Valley Predators kicker Brandon Raciborski, who injured his right knee in Friday's victory, will not play in this weekend's game against the Eau Claire Crush, Predators coach Martin Adams sai...
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Here's a quick update on former Eau Claire Memorial soccer standout Katie Bethke, who's playing for the Boston Renegades of the USL's W-League this summer.
Bethke has played in nine games and has o...
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The Eau Claire Cavaliers have added a game to their schedule and will play the East Side (Minn.) Merchants in a non-league game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Carson Park, manager Mark McHorney said Wednesd...
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The Eau Claire Cavaliers non-league doubleheaders scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday against the Westmont (Ill.) Red Sox were canceled because the Red Sox couldn't find enough players to make the tr...
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Updated:
7/1/2008 4:00:28 PM
Categories:
Cross Country,
Boys prep golf,
Boys prep hockey,
Track and Field,
Eau Claire North,
Boys prep hockey,
Three coaches resign at North
Eau Claire North athletic director Dave Turner announced the resignation of boys hockey coach Tom Bernhardt, cross country/track coach Matt Lahn and boys golf coach Dave Simpson on Tuesday.
Bernhar...
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Updated:
6/28/2008 11:23:52 PM
Categories:
Eau Claire American Legion,
Chippewa River Baseball League,
Amateur baseball,
More amateur baseball
I had a chance to catch up with Eau Claire American Legion manager Dave Johnson last week. This conversation intially was to appear in Sunday's Leader-Telegram, but if you happen to see the size of th...
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Eau Claire Memorial’s Brady Keegan was named the boys golf co-player of the year by the Wisconsin High School Golf Coaches Association, which released its all-state teams Friday.
Keegan, who will g...
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Chippewa Falls graduate Martino Balsiger, a state champion at the most recent WIAA Division 1 wrestling individual state tournament, was one of nine athletes included in the 2008-09 recruiting class f...
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After talking with Eau Claire Cavaliers manager Mark McHorney on Tuesday afternoon, it's starting to look more and more like pitcher Garrett Nix won't be rejoining the team this season.
Nix, who wa...
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Northwest Wisconsin was well-represented at this weekend's WBCA all-star games, held Saturday at the UW Fieldhouse and Madison Area Technical College.
On the girls side, Eau Claire North's Hannah Q...
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Flambeau senior Beth Alberson signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Centenary College, a Division I school located in Sherevport, La. Alberson was being courted by several WIAC scho...
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Updated:
6/17/2008 11:18:40 PM
Categories:
Local hockey updates,
Boys prep hockey,
Eau Claire Memorial,
Sand signs with Thunder
I just got off the phone with Eau Claire Memorial goaltender Brady Sand, and he confirmed that he'll be joining the Albert Lea Thunder of the North American Hockey League this season.
After a conve...
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Updated:
6/17/2008 11:17:46 PM
Categories:
Eleva-Strum,
Boys prep basketball,
End of an era
Eleva-Strum boys basketball coach Rich Roginski’s retirement is a bittersweet thing for me and everyone else in the local media.
On one hand, it’s great that a coach of his quality is able to go ou...
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Eau Claire Memorial standout Jefferson Dahl has verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team following an official visit over Tuesday.
Dahl, who earlier this month was trade...
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