Sports

Jared Rickert (left), who began his varsity coaching career as a co-head coach with Mike Roddick (right) in 2015, announced last week he is stepping down from the post he held for the past four seasons. Herald photo by Derek Montgomery.

Rickert steps down as Spartan wrestling coach

Thursday, March 21, 2019 - 10:29am

For as long as he can remember, Jared Rickert has been a part of wrestling in Sparta. The 2007 Spartan graduate first took to the mat in the first grade, and what followed was one of the most prolific wrestling careers in Sparta history. Rickert was a three-time state qualifier for Sparta,...

From left – Cardinal cagers Michael Reed, Sam Wittmershaus and Will Reader look on late in the second half of Friday’s Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 boys basketball semifinal at the Kohl Center in Madison. Herald photo by J.P Schaller.

HEARTBREAKER

Monday, March 18, 2019 - 9:54am

All the Cardinal cagers could do was watch. Tom Nystrom’s buzzer-beater flew through the air and settled in the bottom of the net as time ran out Friday, propelling Marshfield Columbus Catholic to a thrilling 69-66 victory over Bangor in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5...

Bangor first-year head coach Jacob Pederson (left) and his Cardinal cagers celebrate the WIAA Division 5 sectional championship Saturday after defeating Southwestern 70-60 to capture their second straight trip to state. Herald photo by J.P. Schaller.

Bangor opens state tourney run against Columbus Catholic

Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 10:36am

When Bangor hits the hardwood for its Friday-morning state semifinal with Marshfield Columbus Catholic at the Kohl Center in Madison, it will be like looking in a mirror. Like the defending Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 state champion Cardinals, Columbus likes to push...

Bangor sophomore Zane Langrehr (right) drives past Southwestern’s Breckin Schneider (1) in the first half of Saturday’s 70-60 victory over the Wildcats in a WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal at La Crosse Logan High School. Bangor opens its 2019 state tournament run with a semifinal match-up against Marshfield Columbus Catholic at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the Kohl Center in Madison. Herald photo by J.P. Schaller.

Cardinals could face familiar foe in Division 5 final

Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 9:57am

If things fall right in Friday’s Division 5 state semifinal match-ups between Bangor and Marshfield Columbus Catholic and Chippewa Falls McDonell Catholic Central and Sheboygan Lutheran, the Cards could be looking at a familiar foe in Saturday’s championship game. Semifinal wins by Bangor and...

Bangor senior Trevor Jones (right) gets a big hug from sophomore teammate Hank Reader (left) after the Cardinals defeated Southwestern 70-60 in Saturday’s WIAA sectional final to advance to state for the second straight year. Herald photo by J.P. Schaller.

Bangor's back

Monday, March 11, 2019 - 11:07am

Opening the season with a team that lost 10 seniors – including three 1,000-point scorers – not to mention a new head coach, nobody expected defending Division 5 state champion Bangor to make a run similar to that of last season. The Cardinals would be a solid team for sure, but another state...

Bangor fans and players look on in anticipation, as Cardinal sophomore Zane Langrehr (12) launches a three-pointer in the closing seconds of Thursday’s Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 boys basketball semifinal against Blair-Taylor at Holmen High School. Langrehr’s buzzer-beater found the bottom of the net to break a 65-65 tie and lift Bangor to a 68-65 victory over the Wildcats. Herald photo by Delaney Schaller.

Langrehr's buzzer-beater keeps Cards alive

Monday, March 11, 2019 - 10:13am

Before Bangor was able to hold off a second-half charge and defeat Southwestern 70-60 in Saturday’s sectional final to earn its second straight state berth, the Cardiac Cards had to win a thriller over Blair-Taylor in Thursday’s semifinal at Holmen High School. Despite building a 32-27 halftime...

7 Rivers Figure Skating Club to present 'The Greatest Show on Ice'

Monday, March 11, 2019 - 10:01am

The 7 Rivers Figure Skating Club is bringing “The Greatest Show on Ice” to the Tomah Ice Center. The club’s annual March ice show is a circus-themed production this year, featuring several numbers to the music of “The Greatest Showman” soundtrack. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. on March 15...

Finding Grace on the ice

Monday, March 11, 2019 - 9:57am

Sparta sixth grader Grace Levere isn’t your average 11-year-old. Following her school day at St. Patrick’s Catholic School, there’s no time for video games. On a typical day, Grace is on the move to one of her different after-school interests. You’ll find her at piano or violin lesson; at dance...

A stellar late-season run by Garet Pfaff (right) earned the Sparta senior his first-ever berth in the state wrestling tournament. Herald photo by Shellie Von Ruden.

State bound

Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 8:51am

Four area grapplers will hit the mat this (Thursday) afternoon to kick-off their run in the 2019 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Individual State Wrestling Championships. Sparta seniors Jon Bailey and Garet Pfaff, Tomah junior Marques Fritsche and Brookwood senior James Gjefle are...

There will be colorful displays of ice fishing creativity on two area lakes over the next Saturdays. As of last weekend there was a modest number of ice shanties on Lake Tomah. That figure will likely spike this weekend with the Tomah-Warrens Sportsman's fisheree Saturday, Feb. 9. Herald photo by Bob Kliebenstein.

Area fisherees set for Feb. 9 and Feb. 16

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 - 9:19am

One of the silver linings about a polar vortex. Its conditions help make sure ice conditions are ideal for ice fishing. That's good news for organizers of the Tomah-Warrens Sportsman's Alliance Fisheree on Lake Tomah and the Eagles Nest Community Service Fisheree, hosted by Eagle's Nest Resort,...