The Algoma girls cross country team cracked the top 10 in the Chief K Invitational Thursday afternoon in Fish Creek.

Colleen Dachelet finished just outside the top 20 individually to lead the Wolves with a 5K time of 23:02. The Algoma boys team did not have enough runners to register points but were paced by Austin Miller. In his first ever high school race, he ran a 20:27.

Algoma will return the favor next week when they host their own invitational on Tuesday.

Boys Results

Girls Results

The Wolves want two sets back from Thursday's action in Oconto. The Invitational was a grueling five-round affair seeing each team get a bye at some point in the evening. Coach Eric Dean says the bus trip over was a raucous and fun time. The players are friends off the court and Dean says the chemistry is palpable. That couldn't overcome moving players to different positions to fill vacancies from last year's graduating class, however. Those tweaks continued throughout the tournament stabilizing the group. They ended on a high note beating Peshtigo in three sets. Dean kept coming back to two sets he would like a do-over on.

Uneven play is to be expected early in the season and Algoma will pick up a lot of experience by the end of the week. They face off against West De Pere Thursday and another on Friday in Reedsville.

Oconto Invitational

Green Bay Southwest (L) - 22-25, 20-25

Valders (L) - 16-25, 24-26

Oconto (L) - 21-25, 8-25

Peshtigo (W) - 10-25, 25-19, 15-10

Algoma Head Coach Wade Vandervest is in good spirits as the Wolves prepare to travel to Sevastopol Thursday. It was a complete win for Algoma in Week One over NEW Oneida. The scoreboard read 32-0 and the stats reflect that. Algoma ran for over 300 yards on 38 attempts, averaging over eight yards a carry. NEW Oneida ran just 22 plays on offense for the entire game. Vandervest says that Algoma's run game is the key for the offense.

Sevastopol fell to open the season at Suring. The Pioneers gave up 40 points and the Eagles' workhorse back Logan Stuart racked up 345 yards on the ground with 5 touchdowns. If Algoma can duplicate those numbers they stand a good chance to be 2-0 after Thursday night.

First time was the charm for the Algoma Wolves as they shut out NEW Lutheran/Oneida 32-0 in its opening game in eight-man football history Friday.

Oliver Robertson and Brett Benesh combined to rush over 200 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Carter Zimmerman threw for 85 yards and ran for another 49 while contributing to two scores of his own. 

The Wolves defense held its own, limited the Blazers to just 137 yards and six first downs. They face the defending state champion Sevastopol Pioneers on Thursday in Institute. That game will be able to be heard on 104.1 WRLU.

Algoma Head Coach Wade Vandervest was mostly pleased with his team's scrimmage performance last week. There are still some kinks to work out but Algoma is taking to eight-man football like a wolf to the forest. Algoma held a distinct size advantage at the line of scrimmage against the other three teams present last week which was the program's expectation. That interior size will be tested in Week One against Oneida. The Thunderhawks pound away on the ground with double tight end sets according to Vandervest:

Algoma hopes for strong fan turnout as they begin the eight-man era Friday night. Oneida finished 1-7 last year in the MONLPC- 8 Conference. Their only win was a forfeit victory.

The Algoma Wolves are getting a trim on the gridiron. In 2019, they will be playing eight-man football for the first time in school history. Algoma Athletic Director Dave Robertson says he expects the team to be competitive physically and hopes that translates to the record book. Head Coach Wade Vandervest initially began thinking about the switch to eight-man five years ago. Robertson believes that will ease growing pains. From a logistical standpoint, Robertson says scheduling this year was the easiest it has ever been:

Algoma scrimmages Friday against Gibraltar, Sturgeon Bay, and Sevastopol before opening the year next weekend. The Wolves do not qualify for the WIAA postseason but may still do some extra hunting. There is the potential for a Jamboree tournament after regular season play.