The Green Bay Phoenix men earned a first-round bye for the upcoming Horizon League Tournament with a 69-61 win over Cleveland State Tuesday. The women took care of business downing the Fort Wayne Mastodons 70-61.

Leading by more than 20 points in the game, the Lady Phoenix took a 37 to 19 lead into halftime, only to see Fort Wayne rally to cut the lead to four points in the second half. 

The Lady Phoenix hung on thanks to four players scoring in double figures.  Jasmine Kondrakiewicz, Natalie McNeal, and Callie Genke all scored 14 points, while Luxemburg-Casco alumnus Cassie Schiltz added 10 more, including two key three-pointers.

The Phoenix used a balanced attack to down the Vikings in the men's game.  Marcus Hall led Green Bay with 12 points, while Foster Wonders and Will Eames knocked down 11.  Elijah Jones added ten points and 15 rebounds for the Phoenix. 

Taking a 33-26 lead into halftime, the Phoenix men withstood a second-half comeback by Cleveland State to improve their record to 18-12 overall and clinch a fourth-seed in the Horizon League Conference Tournament starting on March 7th.  

Eight local players will get to put on their high school football helmets one more time.

The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association announced their rosters for their annual All-Star Games this week. The games are scheduled for Friday, July 19th (6 p.m., 8-Player) and Saturday, July 20th, 2024 (12 p.m. Small School, 4 p.m. Large School) at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh. The All-Star Games serve as a fundraiser for a charitable cause, such as the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, with players raising the funds in exchange for a spot on the team. 

NORTH LARGE SCHOOL

Trace Schoenebeck Luxemburg-Casco OLB
Ezra Waege Luxemburg-Casco DL

NORTH SMALL SCHOOL

Will Jandrin Southern Door OLB

Braxton Riha Kewaunee T

Demardo Echols Kewaunee DE

Owen Carlson KewauneeRB

SOUTH 8-PLAYER

Marshall Maltby Gibraltar OL

Braden Sitte Gibraltar WR

The Green Bay Packers are among the 32 teams in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Combine as the league's front-office personnel check out the next crop of talent.

GMs and scouts are expected to speak with some of the 300-plus prospects in town before the start of workouts on Thursday. Brian Gutekunst is expected to speak on Tuesday as he tries to formulate plans for April's draft. The Packers have five of the first 91 picks in this year's draft. 

The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and the Green Bay Rockers will play the third annual I-41 Showdown at Neuroscience Group Field, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, on Tuesday, June 18. The game is presented by Holiday Automotive with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.  

“The overwhelming success of the I-41 Showdown has been a highlight of the past two seasons,” said Dock Spiders General Manager Jim Misudek. “This unique and special experience has been a wonderful way for fans from Fond du Lac, Green Bay, and the Fox Cities to enjoy our game in a first-class facility. Our players and fans are incredibly fortunate to benefit from the magnificent amenities in Ballpark Digest's 2023 Ballpark of the Year!”

“The I-41 Showdown always provides a unique opportunity for our players to experience the behind-the-scenes aspects of minor league baseball, which is the very next step on their journey," said Rockers Vice President and General Manager John Fanta. "It also presents our fans an opportunity to follow the Rockers on the road as we match up against one of our biggest rivals.”
 

"The Northwoods League is excited to see the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders continue their partnership with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for the third game to be played in Appleton,” said Northwoods League President/Commissioner Ryan Voz. “This is a great opportunity for these collegiate players on both the Dock Spiders and the Green Bay Rockers to play in the top minor league ballpark in the country. The Northwoods League strives to provide the best possible experience to its players, and this one is sure to be memorable.”
 

The Dock Spiders defeated the Rockers 5-4 in the 2023 I-41 Showdown as they rallied from a late 4-2 deficit with two runs in the bottom of the eighth and a run in the bottom of the ninth.  Advance tickets for the 2024 Showdown are available from the Dock Spiders Ticket Office by calling (920) 907-9833 as well as from this link.
 

“We’re excited to support the I-41 Showdown, which brings together fans from all over the area for an affordable night of family fun,” added Holiday Automotive President Michael Shannon, Jr. “This sponsorship helps us to connect with more fans and remind them that, no matter where they’re coming from, a visit to Holiday is always ‘Worth the Trip!’”

On the night of the Showdown, the parking lot will open at 4:00 pm, with the gates to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium set to open at 5:00 pm. 

“We’re very excited to host this event again in 2024 at Neuroscience Group Field,” said Timber Rattlers Vice President of Business Operations Ryan Moede, Fond du Lac’s first General Manager.  “Dock Spiders players and other players in the Northwoods League have raved about the opportunity to play at our award-winning ballpark, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them again this summer.”

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, and Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium are owned by Third Base Ventures, LLC.

After a five-year hiatus, the next generation of folks with an extensive background in county baseball history are on board to revitalize the Door County Baseball Hall of Fame.  With the loss of Jocko Rader in 2019, the pandemic in 2020, and the health issues of some other committee members, the DCBHOF sat on the back burner for a long time.  But now, the wheels are in motion and the committee looks to accept the first round of nominations this year.  

One of the first goals of the committee is for the baseball community to understand that this is a Door County Baseball Hall of Fame that includes High School, Legion, and Door County League participants. It is not just Door County League baseball players.  It also includes individuals with a strong history with baseball in Door County, such as coaches, umpires, and others, not just players. 

Nominations will be accepted through July of 2024 for this round of inductees.  Nomination guidelines include individuals with a minimum of ten years of baseball involvement in Door County, which can be a combination of Door County League, High School, and Legion baseball.  Nominees can include longtime players, coaches, umpires and community individuals with a long history of baseball involvement.  Nominees must be retired from playing full-time baseball for at least 5 years.  Include statistics and other facts available on nominees to ensure Hall of Fame integrity.  Provide as much information as possible in your nomination narrative.

Email nomination narratives to the Door County Hall of Fame Committee at dcbhof@yahoo.com. The deadline for 2024 nominations is Wednesday, July 31, 2024.  Questions regarding the DCBHOF can be directed to Jason Annis-Wild.  Follow Door County League Baseball on Facebook for HOF History, updates and reminders.

The return of Noah Reynolds will not come soon enough for the Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team after they dropped their second straight game on Sunday, this time to the Youngstown State Penguins 71-59.

The two teams played tight early on, with the Phoenix even taking a small lead, but a 16-5 run by the Penguins put the Phoenix in chase mode the rest of the game. The Penguins had nine more rebounds and six more steals than the Phoenix to give them the upper hand.  Elijah Jones and Marcus Hall each had 12 points on the day for the Phoenix, while the Penguins had five players in double figures, led by Ziggy Reid and Brett Thompson with 16 points apiece.

The Green Bay Gamblers scored at least four goals over the weekend in all four of their games to take two of three from the visiting Muskegon Lumberjacks.

In Friday's 5-1 win, the Gamblers scored four unanswered goals, including two from Rryan Humphrey. Michael D'Angelo also tallied two goals, while Ben Poitras had a multi-point game with two assists. Eight others also collected at least one assist.

Saturday's 7-4 loss was done in front of a full house as the Lumberjacks tallied three goals in the second and third periods to send the home fans home saddened. Sacha Boisvert registered a hat trick for the Lumberjacks thanks to an empty netter at the end of regulation. Julian Lutz had a three-point game (1G, 2A) to lead the Gamblers.

Sunday's win was done by a 5-4 score, with the Gamblers having to hold off the Lumberjacks when they scored two goals in the final four-plus minutes. Lutz posted his second straight three-point game (1G, 2A) while Libor Nemec tallied two goals and an assist.

The title defense for the Green Bay Rockers begins in the offseason, with the organization announcing its first six players added to the roster.

The Rockers announced that Kameron Douglas, Tysen Benford and Taylor Shultz from Georgia State University, Jake Bold from Princeton, Nick Harms from Case Western Reserve, and Carson Estridge from West Virginia have signed on to play for the team during the 2024 season.

Memorial Day is opening day for the Rockers as they begin their season on the road before playing their first home contest of the season on May 28th.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team kept pace in the Horizon League Saturday afternoon with an 87-44 victory over Detroit Mercy.

The rout was on when the Phoenix outscored the Titans 41-18 in the middle stanzas. Natalie Andersen led all scorers with a career-high 18 points for the Phoenix, while Maddy Schreiber contributed 11 points, and Natalie McNeal added 10 points. Ten Phoenix players scored at least five points in the win.

The men finish the Krash the Kress weekend with a matinee against the Youngstown State Penguins at 2 p.m.

One of the top-scoring teams in the conference did just that against the Green Bay Phoenix men Friday night as Purdue Fort Wayne won the game 85-59.

The Mastodons finished the game shooting 50.8 percent from the field thanks in part to outscoring the Phoenix 40-28 in the paint. Will Eames led the Phoenix with 19 points while Clarence Cummings III added 13 points, and Elijah Jones contributed 12 points.

The Phoenix men are back in the action, but the women will have their chance to right the ship again at the Kress Center on Saturday with a 1 p.m. matinee against Detroit Mercy.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team made sure there was no repeat of their performance in Oakland, Mich. on Thursday night, trouncing the Golden Grizzlies 74-45.

After losing their previous matchup on a last-second layup, the Phoenix outscored the Golden Grizzlies 18-5 in the first quarter and 15-9 in the second quarter to build up a big advantage at the break.  Maddy Schreiber and Bailey Butler both recorded double-doubles, with Schreiber scoring 15 points and ten rebounds, while Butler had a more unconventional ten rebound/ten assist game. Luxemburg-Casco product Cassie Schiltz chipped in nine points in the win, which was the Phoenix's fifth straight. They return to action Saturday afternoon to face Detroit-Mercy. 

The Phoenix men kick off their weekend at the Kress Center at 6 p.m. Friday against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons. Northern Kentucky defeated the Phoenix 58-57 last Wednesday at the Resch Center in their last action on the court. Two losses to the Norse bookend a five-game winning streak that has put the Phoenix a half-game behind Oakland for the conference lead.

Fans of Green Bay basketball are being tasked with making the Kress Events Center a hostile environment this weekend as it hosts four days of Phoenix hoops.

The two teams will play on alternating days, with the women hosting the Horizon League's Detroit metro teams on Thursday (Oakland) and Saturday (Detroit-Mercy) and the men facing Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday and Youngstown State on Sunday. The Phoenix men and women are both in first place in the Horizon League by the slimmest of margins and cannot afford to lose games and risk losing rank in the tournament seeds. 

The Phoenix women open the weekend of games at the Kress Center on Thursday against Oakland at 7 p.m.

You could be a member of the area's newest team as they host open tryouts next week.

The Green Bay Glory will host an open tryout for their men’s team. Registration is now open for the opportunity scheduled for February 28th from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at Capital Credit Union Park in Ashwaubenon. Players that can't make the tryouts in person can submit a video for virtual consideration. You can sign up for the tryouts here.

The Glory has already announced Tommy Geocaris, Timmy Geocaris, Cooper Re, Cam Jochimsen, Will Smestad, Ethan Dietrich, Ben Omernik, Edgar Heredia-Victoria, and Osvaldo Ramirez will join the squad when they begin their season in the late spring and early summer.

A college football game may take place at Lambeau Field before Wisconsin's highly-anticipated matchup against Notre Dame in 2026, featuring an improbable team as the host.

Louie Vaccher from WildcatReport.com reports that Northwestern Athletic Director Derrick Gragg told alumni in New York City last week that the football team will play a home game at Lambeau Field during the 2025 season. Northwestern began demolishing Ryan Field earlier this month to pave the way for a new stadium to open in 2026. No team was announced as the "visiting team," but Vaccher suggests that it could be against Wisconsin, which Northwestern is scheduled to be the "home team" against in 2024.

There has been no formal announcement from Northwestern, Wisconsin, or the Green Bay Packers on the potential matchup in Green Bay. Mark Murphy left his role as the athletic director at Northwestern to become the Packers' president and CEO in 2007.

Purple-clad fans were split on the announcement since the athletic department is being viewed as giving away a home game in the name of the money. The announcement also came before the department said where they would play home games while waiting for the new Ryan Field to be built. 

Lambeau Field hosted Wisconsin/LSU on September 3rd, 2016, and is scheduled to host Wisconsin/Notre Dame on September 5th, 2026. Despite the later date, it should be noted that the original date for the Wisconsin/Notre Dame game in 2020 was October 3rd, but it was canceled due to the pandemic.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team will enter its final homestand of the season on a happy note after beating Youngstown State on the road 71-59.

It was a game of runs early on as the Phoenix had an 8-1 run answered by a 7-0 run by the Penguins. The Phoenix would stretch the lead out in the second quarter as they outscored the Penguins 16-9 in the frame. A 12-0 run by the Penguins brought the game to within one before the Phoenix answered with a stretch of their own that put the game out of reach. 

Four Phoenix players reached double figures led by Maddy Schreiber and Natalie McNeal scoring 18 points apiece. 

The Phoenix remains tied with Cleveland State for first place in the Horizon League ahead of visits from Oakland and Detroit Mercy over the next seven days. 

The Green Bay Gamblers made the most of their trip to Sioux Falls by winning both of their games against the Stampede.

In Friday's 5-4 win, the Gamblers scored two goals in the final 10 minutes to steal one from the home team. Jayson Shaugabay and Ryan Humphrey each registered multi-point games while Adam Gajan stopped 30 out of 34 shots in the win.

Saturday's matchup was much more comfortable as the Gamblers answered an early Stampede goal with six of their own in a 6-1 victory. Twelve players registered at least point in the contest as Gavin Moffatt stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced.

The Green Bay Phoenix will try to hold onto to its place in the Horizon League standings when it plays Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon.

The Green Bay Phoenix won their third straight game on Thursday, beating Robert Morris 60-50 on the road. Luxemburg-Casco product Cassie Schiltz led the way with 14 points, while Jenna Guyer tallied 13 off the bench. Bailey Butler and Natalie McNeal also cracked double figures in the win for the Phoenix.

The Penguins carry their four-game winning streak into the game, last beating Wright State 72-52 on Valentine's Day.

The two teams will duke it out on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

The Green Bay Phoenix won their third straight game on Thursday as they beat Robert Morris 60-50 on the road.

The game was tight for three quarters as the Colonials drew to within one point entering the fourth. That stretch include an offensive struggle in the second quarter when just 14 points were scored. The Phoenix took control in the final period, outscoring the Colonials 22-13, including 12 made free throws.

Luxemburg-Casco product Cassie Schiltz led the way with 14 points, while Jenna Guyer tallied 13 points off the bench. Bailey Butler and Natalie McNeal also cracked double figures in the win for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix wrap up their swing out east on Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. tip against Youngstown State.

It came down to the final seconds to decide the Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team's fate as they lost to Northern Kentucky 58-57 at the Resch Center on Wednesday night.

The two teams went toe-to-toe all night long as the score was tied seven times to go along with 12 lead changes as they both shot under 40 percent from the field. The Phoenix were able to take a bite out of their three-point halftime deficit, but the Norse's Marques Warrick spoiled a 7-0 run by the Phoenix with a lay-up off the glass to give his team the one-point advantage with five seconds left. The Phoenix would run two more plays, ending with Noah Reynolds' last-second shot going off the front of the rim. 

Reynolds finished with 18 points to lead the Phoenix as Preston Ruedinger added 10 points in the loss. The Norse had three players finish double figures.

With the men idle, the Phoenix women will have the focus with games at Robert Morris on Thursday (6 p.m.) and at Youngstown State on Saturday (12:30 p.m.). The Phoenix have won three of their last five games as they try to retake sole possession of first place in the Horizon League from Cleveland State. 

The Green Bay Blizzard are just over a month away from the start of the season, and they are continuing to add pieces to their roster.

Within the last week, the Blizzard signed WR Daniel Hoffman, OL Elias Marte, and WR Harry Ballard III. You can click the links below to learn more about each player.

The Blizzard will open their 2024 campaign at home against the Massachusetts Pirates at 3:05 p.m.

The Green Bay Glory will be making history with every announcement made in the coming weeks as they organization prepares for its 2024 campaign.

Last week, the Green Bay Glory announced they would field a men's and women's teams in 2024. It marks the first time a semi-professional men's team will play in the 920 in the Green Bay Voyageurs ceased operations after the 2021 season.

You can read more about the first players named to squad below:

One game had a lot more drama than the other, but both Green Bay Phoenix basketball teams picked up big wins on Saturday afternoon.

In Youngstown, Ohio, the Phoenix men came back to stun the Youngstown State Penguins 84-83 thanks to a long three by Foster Wonders with just two seconds remaining. The odds were against the Phoenix as 11.5-point underdogs and playing without their best player Noah Reynolds. Preston Ruedinger filled the void admirably with 26 points. David Douglas Jr. scored 16 points and Marcus Hall added 13 points in the win that had them down by four points at the break.

At home, the Phoenix women outscored IUPUI by 10 in the first quarter and never wavered in a 71-52 win. Natalie McNeal scored 26 points to lead all scorers while grabbing 15 rebounds while Cassie Schiltz added 11 points. The Phoenix never trailed in the game and stayed undefeated with a perfect 11-0 mark.

A three-goal second period kept the Green Bay Gamblers from re-entering the win column as they lost to the Waterloo Black Hawks 5-4 at Young Arena.

The Gamblers entered the fatal period with a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from William Hughes and Julian Lutz, but the Black Hawks would go on to score four of the next five goals over the following 26 minutes on the game clock. Jayson Shaugabay provided a reprieve from the onslaught, while Charlie Russell added one more goal late in the third period. Adam Gajan stopped 36 of the 41 shots he faced in the game. The Gamblers are back at it Saturday when they travel to Madison for a 7:05 p.m. tilt against the Capitols.

The area's wrestling teams will try to keep their seasons alive on Saturday when they travel to their respective WIAA Regional sites.

Luxemburg-Casco and Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol will head to Two Rivers for their regional, which will feature Brillion, Chilton, Denmark, Fox Valley Lutheran, Howards Grove, Kiel, Little Chute, Two Rivers, Winneconne, Wrightstown, and Xavier. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m.

Kewaunee and Southern Door will travel to Cedar Grove-Belgium for their regional where they will face Lourdes Academy, Manitowoc Lutheran, Mishicot, New Holstein, Oostburg, Ozaukee, Random Lake, Reedsville, St. Lawrence Seminary, Valders, and Winnebago Lutheran Academy. Wrestling also begins at 10 a.m.

The top two scoring teams at each regional will head to the team sectional on February 13th. 

Both Green Bay Phoenix basketball teams won on Thursday, but the women's victory carried the most weight.

The Phoenix women's 67-51 win over Northern Kentucky not only got them back into the win column for the first time since their humbling defeat to Cleveland State last weekend but also marked the 500th in the Green Bay coaching career of Kevin Borseth. He could reach 800 total wins sometime next year at his current pace. It looked bad early as the Norse jumped out to a 15-4 lead in front of the Green Bay fans, but the Phoenix closed the quarter on a 10-0 run to close the gap and closed the door in the third quarter when they outscored their opponent 24-8. Natalie McNeal celebrated her 100th game with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, while  Maddy Schreiber led all scorers with 16 points.

The Phoenix men had more drama in their contest but prevailed against Robert Morris in overtime 81-76. The Phoenix could not hold onto their halftime lead, but outscored the Colonials 16-11 in the extra period to reclaim sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. Player of the Year candidate Noah Reynolds registered his sixth 30-point performance of the season, notching 32 points in the win. 

Both teams play matinees on Saturday, with the men playing at Youngstown State at 12:30 p.m. and the women hosting IUPUI at 1 p.m.

They played a combined 64 games in the green and gold, but the Green Bay Packers can still lay claim to two of the seven newest inductees of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Packers defensive linemen Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers will be enshrined in Canton later this year as a part of the seven-member class that also includes Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar, and Patrick Willis. Both players are also much more associated with other teams, with McMichael, one of the menaces on the heralded 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl team, and Peppers, a member of the Carolina Panthers. 

In the twilight of their careers, Peppers registered more than 100 tackles in three seasons in Green Bay, collecting two interceptions and 25 sacks, while McMichael had 2,5 sacks among his 28 tackles. 

The pair will be inducted in Canton in August.

The drive for the regular-season Horizon League crown continues on Thursday for the Green Bay basketball teams, with the women sticking around town while the men travel outside of it.

At the Kress Events Center in Green Bay, the Phoenix women will try to rebound from a humbling loss to Cleveland State last weekend when they host Northern Kentucky for a 7 p.m. tip.  The Vikings shot 65 percent from three-point land, including 6-6 in the first quarter and 4-5 in the fourth quarter, which saw them outscore the Phoenix 28-12. The loss spoiled a career day for Natalie McNeal, who dropped 30 points to lead the Phoenix, while Maddy Schreiber added 14 points. A win on Thursday would be #500 for Kevin Borseth as the head coach of Green Bay. The Norse are 4-8 in the Horizon League and 6-15 overall. The Phoenix are two games in the win column behind Cleveland State for the conference lead.

On Thursday, the Phoenix men are in the Pittsburgh area for a 6 p.m. contest against Robert Morris. After splitting their two games during their last road trip, the Phoenix won all three during their homestand, including a 79-56 win over IUPUI last Thursday. The Colonials have won four of their last six Horizon League games but still find themselves near the bottom of the conference in ninth place.

The Green Bay Packers have laid out the plans to replace current team president and CEO Mark Murphy.

Murphy will turn 70 next summer, which is the mandatory threshold for retirement in the role as written in the organization's by-laws. According to the Packers, Susan Finco, executive committee vice president, and lead director, is the chairperson for the Packers Board of Directors search committee. Dan Ariens, executive committee secretary and chair of the personnel and compensation committee, is vice chair for the search committee. "Mark's contributions to the organization have been tremendous," Finco said. "From updating the corporate leadership structure to growing and diversifying revenue to increasing the meaningful impact of the Packers in the community, Mark continues to position the Packers for success. We look forward to his insightful leadership in the next year and a half."

Murphy has been with the Packers since 2007, and he has overseen the team's continued success on the field, the development of Titletown across the street, and the current preparations for the 2025 NFL Draft. The goal is to have a new president and CEO in place by July 2025.

After a two-year hiatus, semi-pro men's soccer is returning to the Green Bay area under a familiar banner.

The Green Bay Glory, which has operated a women's side since 2019, announced on Wednesday that it will field a men's team in 2024. Both teams will play in the Midwest Premier League, which features teams from Milwaukee, Chicago, Dekalb, Ill., Joliet, Ill., and Indianapolis. 

In a statement from the team, the program will be spearheaded by Elliot Bordini, Glory women's team owner Kerry Geocaris’ son. Bordini, a collegiate soccer player, will look to help replicate what the Women’s program, going into its 2nd season in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), has done both on and off the field. “I’ve admired what Glory has accomplished and what they are doing for the female athletes and community is incredible. I want to be a part of providing opportunities for players like myself who want to stay in love with the game and aspire to make something of themselves on and off the field,” says Bordini.

The team will play at the Banta Bowl on Lawrence University's campus in Appleton for their inaugural season. This will fill a void left by the Green Bay Voyageurs, which disappeared in the haze of the pandemic in 2022.

The Door County YMCA Striver Gymnastic Team tumbled to victory over the past two weekends. The girls hosted their first home meet in four seasons on January 27. The COVID pandemic and the beautiful expansion of the Door County YMCA led to the hiatus for the Striver Team.

Kicking off the six-team “Flipping in Door County” home meet were the Excel Silver Gymnasts. The Door County Silver Gymnasts tumbled to victory capturing a first-place Team title scoring 112. 30. Medaling for the Silver group were:  Evelynn Kelsey (12 & up) who won gold in the All Around (37.20), floor, beam, and bars. Evelynn captured silver on the vault. Lauren Gaida (12 & up) won the vault and grabbed silver on the floor, beam, and the All Around (37.15). Medaling in the 11 and under age group were: Ellie Kelsey tumbled to gold in the All Around (37.15), floor, vault, beam, and bars. Sawyer Soukup won silver in the All Around (36.70), bars and vault. Teammate Brinley Newton grabbed gold on the bars, and Delaney Allen earned silver on the bars.

Tumbling after the Silvers were the Excel Platinum and Level 7 gymnasts. Shaylyn Asher, Platinum competitor won the All Around (35.70), vault and bars. Level 7 gymnast Amira Anschutz (14 & under) earned gold on bars, silver on vault and bronze in the All Around (35.85). Estelle Duerst won bronze on the vault, beam, and bars. In the 15 and older age group, Portia Hah won gold on bars.

The Striver group competed this past weekend at the 35th Annual Sheboygan Snowflake Seven Team Invitational Meet. Winning Gold in the Team competition was the Excel Silver Team of Door County scoring 111.20.  Leading the team were Lauren Gaida (12 & up) and Ellie Kelsey (nine & under). Lauren Gaida won gold in the All Around (36.95), floor, vault, and bars. Ellie Kelsey won silver in the All Around (36.45) and gold on beam and floor. Ellie won bronze on bars and fourth on beam.  Sawyer Soukup won gold on the vault, silver on the floor, and fourth in the All Around (36.05) Additional medalists in the top five for the Silver Team were: Evelyn Kelsey,  Brinley Newton, Keira Clark and Greta Virgin.

Level Seven gymnast Estelle Duerst earned gold on bars, silver on vault and All Around (35.80), and bronze on beam.

The Striver Team will compete at the Kettle Moraine YMCA in early March. The Team will compete the weekend of March 16, 2024 at the YMCA State Gymnastic Tournament hosted by the Fond Du Lac YMCA.

Photo: Excel Silver Team – First Place at Sheboygan Meet – Left to right – Sawyer Soukup, Evelyn Kelsey, Greta Virgin, Ellie Kelsey, Destiny Romero, Keira Clark, Lauren Gaida, Brinley Newton.

Runners, mark your calendars as the Run the Door Series has set its schedule for the 2024 season.

Over a dozen runners scored at least 100 points last year in the annual series, which awards points for participation and placing at events across Door County and into Algoma. 

You can find the partial schedule below with the organization waiting for dates for some of the events:

RACE/EVENT SCHEDULE

APRIL 20 -- Southern Door Trail Trot Run/Walk, 2 Mile, Brussels. POINTS EVENT!

MAY 4-- Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K, Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, Ephraim. POINTS EVENT!

MAY 11- YMCA Blossom Run 5 Mile, 2 Mile, Kids Run, Egg Harbor. POINTS EVENT!

MAY xx-- Jacksonport Lake to Lake 10K, 2 Mile, Jacksonport. POINTS EVENT!

JUNE xx - Crossroads Trail Run 10K, 5K and 2K Fun Run,  Sturgeon Bay. POINTS EVENT!

JULY 4-- Hairpin Run 5K , Fish Creek. POINTS EVENT!

JULY x-- Belgian Days, 4 Mile,  2 Mile Run/Walk, Brussels. POINTS EVENT!

JULY 20-- Washington Island Rec. Run 10K, 5K, 2K. POINTS EVENT!

AUG. 10 -- Shanty Days 5K, Kids Run, Algoma. POINTS EVENT!

SEPT. Xx -- Hey, Hey 5K, Baileys Harbor. POINTS EVENT!

OCT. X -- Run Wild Quarter Marathon, 5K, Kids Run , Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay. Virtual option available. POINTS EVENT!

OCT. Xx—Fall 50 Relay and Individual 50-Mile, Gills Rock to Sturgeon Bay. POINTS EVENT

NOV. 23—One Barrel 2.62 (Miles) Run, Egg Harbor. POINTS EVENT!

DEC. Xx —Northern Door YMCA Ugly Sweater 5K Fun Run/Walk, Fish Creek. POINTS EVENT.

Picture courtesy of Run the Door

The Green Bay Blizzard continues to put the pieces together ahead of their season debut next month.

The organization welcomes back Head Coach Corey Roberson and assistant coaches Dean Picotte and Matt Behrendt into the fold again after the team narrowly missed the playoffs last year. The Blizzard is also adding Jon Tate to the staff as an assistant.

The Blizzard open their season on March 17th with a home game.

Ballpark Digest has named Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium as their Ballpark of the Year for 2023.  The announcement was made by Rob Zerjav, the President, CEO, and Managing Partner of Third Base Ventures, at the team’s 2024 Hot Stove Banquet last week.

“We are deeply honored to be named Ballpark Digest’s Ballpark of the Year and we thank Kevin and his team for this tremendous recognition”, said Timber Rattlers CEO and Managing Partner, Rob Zerjav. “We take a lot of pride in our almost 30-year-old stadium and have been very strategic with our renovation plans over the years to ensure we are providing the newest amenities while keeping some of our old-school charm.  Our recent renovation couldn’t have been received any better by our players and our fans.  To have that hard work noticed by Ballpark Digest is the cherry on top.”

Ballpark Digest is part of August Publications, a Minneapolis-based publisher of websites and books.  The Ballpark Digest website has been a leader in news about baseball stadiums and people of baseball since it first went live in 2002.

“It’s been a delight watching the Timber Rattlers and Rob Zerjav’s ownership group go the extra mile in creating a great ballpark experience both for fans and players,” said Ballpark Digest publisher Kevin Reichard. “It’s no secret the last four years have been a challenging environment for MiLB teams, both because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing expectations from MiLB on the ballpark front. The renovations to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium excel on both levels.”

The home of the Timber Rattlers underwent a major renovation at the end of the 2022 season, the latest in a series of renovations that have taken place since Zerjav took over as the General Manager of the club after the 2002 season.  Zerjav’s vision of a 360-degree concourse was finally realized with new seating atop the left field wall and a slide to honor the Milwaukee Brewers slide at American Family Field.  Additional renovations for fans included:  a premium group seating area behind home plate, wider concourses, and improved handicapped seating.

Additionally, a new home clubhouse of over 22,000 square feet for the home team was built from scratch with the intention of being one of the best in Minor League Baseball with batting cages, a workout facility, agility field, commissary, meeting rooms, video rooms, offices, and a spacious locker room.

“We couldn’t have done any of this without the help of our construction partners,” said Zerjav. “The project was completed in record time, starting at season’s end in mid-September and finishing as the team arrived on April 1. Pendulum Studio’s Jonathan Cole provided an incredible design and Boldt Construction’s project management and sense of community pride to get this project done on time will never be forgotten. There were numerous additional partners on the construction side and to name a few that played key roles include Northland Electric, Tweet/Garot, Calnin & Goss, IEI Construction, Macco’s, Tri-City Glass & Door, Commercial Interiors, Cardinal Construction, Verhalen, and Sportsfield Specialties.  Thank you to everyone involved in this project and I hope you take as much pride in your work as we do.”      

Timber Rattlers fans flocked to the stadium to see the renovations and the latest Milwaukee Brewers prospects.  Attendance soared to over 227,000, which was up 10% from the 2022 season.

Past winners of the award have included Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins; Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves; Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies; and Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators.  Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is the first Midwest League stadium to win Ballpark of the Year from Ballpark Digest.

Wisconsin’s 2024 season opener is at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium against the Peoria Chiefs on Friday, April 5. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm CDT.

A report from the Green Bay Press-Gazette suggests you may want to keep your passport next to your cheesehead for the foreseeable future.

According to the Press-Gazette's Richard Ryman, NFL owners approved an expanded schedule of international games last season that ultimately have teams hosting a game overseas at least every four years. In addition to previous international hosts in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Mexico, Brazil has been added as a host country. There is even a chance that the Packers could head out of the country this year as a visiting team after the Minnesota Vikings, the Chicago Bears, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Carolina Panthers were selected as international home teams.

The Packers had skirted international games in the past because of the impact home games have on the local economy and other teams' reluctance to give up a home date to play them. That changed in 2022 when the Packers were named the home team in a game against the New York Giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. 

The Green Bay Gamblers very nearly lost in regulation before the Chicago Steel eventually won the game 2-1 in overtime.

It appeared a William Hughes tally in the first period was going to be the only goal the Gamblers would score before Jayson Shaugabay lit the lamp with 20 seconds left. The joy would be short-lived as the Steel's Michael Hage scored two minutes into the period to snatch the game back from the Gamblers. Adam Gajan stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced in the game.

After their first goal caused 6,276 teddy bears to be tossed onto the ice, another four goals gave the Green Bay Gamblers a 5-2 victory Saturday night.

William Hughes delivered the goal that sent the fur flying onto the ice and tied the game up at 1-1. Libor Nemec scored two goals in the second period to give the Gamblers a stranglehold on the game. Hughes would add a second goal along with Blake Bechen to give the Gamblers the victory. Adam Gajan stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced on the night.

The Cleveland State Vikings outscored the visiting Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team 45-6 from behind the arc in an 86-63 rout Saturday afternoon.

The Vikings shot 65 percent from three-point land, including going 6-6 in the first quarter and 4-5 in the fourth quarter that saw them outscore the Phoenix 28-12.

The loss spoiled a career day for Natalie McNeal, who dropped 30 points to lead the Phoenix while Maddy Schreiber added 14 points in the loss.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control authorized the Tournament Series format to accommodate a fifth division of girls volleyball in 2024 and approved plans for a student leadership program at its January meeting on Wednesday.

The Board approved four recommendations originated and advanced by the Volleyball Coaches Advisory Committees, including two that revamps the Tournament Series that expands to five girls’ divisions next fall. Following a review by the executive staff, Sports Advisory Committee and the Advisory Council, the Board supported a plan that places the largest 116 enrollments of schools sponsoring girls volleyball in Division 1, and Divisions 2, 3, 4 and 5 will consist of the remaining schools divided equally.

To accommodate the addition of four teams and three games, the State Tournament will expand to Wednesday afternoon and evening with the boys volleyball quarterfinals. The boys’ semifinals games will be played Thursday afternoon with the championship game scheduled for Friday evening. The girls’ Division 5 and the Division 4 semifinals are scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively, with the girls’ Division 1 quarterfinals to be played Thursday at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The girls’ Division 1 semifinals are slated for Friday at 1 p.m. The girls’ Division 3 and Division 2 semifinals will be played Friday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively. The girls’ championships Saturday will begin with Division 5 at 9 a.m. followed by Division 4 at 11:30 a.m., Division 3 at 2 p.m., Division 2 at 5 p.m. and Division 1 at 7:30 p.m.

One of the other two volleyball changes approved adds a fifth day (Sunday-Thursday) to the window that seed meetings may be scheduled, and the other requires teams to wear contrasting colors at the State Tournament for the ease of identifying teams unless the schools do not have uniforms of contrasting colors.

The lone rule change in boys soccer permits Tournament Series games on a shared football and soccer natural-turf field if agreed upon by participating schools prior to the day of the game.

One football recommendation approved by the Board changes the verbiage for the football playoff awards. The round formerly identified on the  Level 3 plaques will be changed to “Sectional Champions,” which will be presented to the winner of the third-round game. The former Level 4 game will now be identified as the “State Semifinals” with only medals still being presented following the semifinal games.

Plans for a WIAA Student Leadership Group were approved. The group, comprises a diverse group of student-athletes statewide, will serve as ambassadors for their peers and the WIAA while learning more about athletic leadership and the sports industry, as well as providing the membership with a student-athlete voice for advancing the purpose of education-based athletics. The launch of the initiative will begin with nominations of student-athletes to serve on the leadership team beginning in March with the first meeting of the group in May.

The leadership committee will consist of 27 members with representation from each of the seven Board of Control districts based on a percentage of member schools within each district. School principals or athletic directors may nominate one current sophomore and/or junior to be a prospective member of the committee next year. After the first year of the initiative, all student-athletes will serve two-year terms.

Officers of the group will consist of a president; vice president; a representative from each of the seven districts; two State Tournament managers; and three positions responsible for technology, history and social media. Schools will receive additional information about the WIAA Leadership Group with details on how to access, complete and submit the nomination form.

Other action by the Board included approvals of the fall sports coaches advisory committee meeting minutes and the procedural monthly general fund financial statements, fall sports financial statements, the deferred liability fund statement and general fund payments.

Additional topics of discussion included staff reports on prospective Constitutional amendments, the status of the 2023-24 conference realignment process, upcoming Advisory Council and Board of Control elections, continued efforts to recruit and retain licensed officials, inquiries on competitive balance performance factor classification, plans for the 2024 Annual Meeting in April as well as the status of the 2024 Scholar Athlete program in May.

The Board received liaison reports from Dan Rossmiller of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Paul Manriquez of the Department of Public Instruction, and Eric Plitzuweit of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association.

The WIAA, as defined by its Constitution, is a voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 515 senior high schools and 43 junior high/middle level schools in its membership.

The Green Bay Phoenix overcame a slow start to win their 15th game of the season, beating IUPUI 79-56.

The Phoenix defense couldn't solve the Jaguars offense early on, letting the visitors jump to a 34-30 advantage. The Phoenix ended the half on a 6-0 run and started the second frame on a 17-6 to begin the eventual rout. Reigning Freshman of the Week David Douglas Jr. led the Phoenix with 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half. Noah Reynolds scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half, while Rich Bhyre poured in 13 points, and Clarence Cummings III added 10 points in the win. 

Thursday's win marked the first time the Phoenix hit double-digit victories for the first time since before the pandemic and the crowd nearly hit 5,500, making it the biggest crowd in almost 10 years. A big reason why was the 3,500 students that came for Education Day. Some of those students came from Algoma, which had themselves a memorable day ahead of a needed break for the Phoenix.

The Green Bay Packers dipped into the college ranks to fill its open defensive coordinator position, hiring Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley.

According to Packers.com, Hafley led the Eagles to bowl eligibility in three of his four years. In 2021, the defense ranked No. 3 nationally in passing yards allowed (173.5 per game) and also were top-30 nationally in total defense, red-zone defense, first downs allowed, third-down percentage, team passing efficiency and defensive touchdowns. The Eagles also led the ACC in fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards.

Hafley also has previous coaching experience in the NFL, serving as a defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers (2016-18) and Cleveland Browns (2014-15).