The Green Bay Gamblers got a taste of their own medicine from the night before on Saturday night, losing to the Chicago Steel 5-4 in overtime.

The Steel scored the first two goals of the game, but then Ryan Humphrey, Chris Romaine, and Ben Poitras rattled off consecutive tallies to end the second period for the Gamblers with a 3-2 lead. After the Steel tied the game seven minutes into the third period, Mykhailo Danylov gave the Gamblers the slim advantage back. The Steel would later tie the game to force overtime before Michael Hagens delivered the game-winner seconds into the extra period. 

The game was marred with infractions, with 16 total penalties called between the two teams, the majority coming from a fight in the second period.

Gavin Moffatt took the loss as he made 22 saves on 27 shots. 

The Green Bay Rockers added more new faces to their roster in the past two weeks ahead of their 2024 opener in May.

The team has signed infielder Sam Miller (Columbia), catcher Logan Gregorio (Benedictine), and right-handed pitchers Kyle Dobyns and Charlie Adamson (Hawaii). You can read more about the players from GreenBayRockers.com below.

The Rockers start their title defense on Memorial Day in Wausau to face the Woodchucks before beginning a three-game homestand against the Woodchucks and the Madison Mallards on May 28th. 

FROM THE ROCKERS

Sam Miller – IF – Columbia – 6’0”/195 – SO

Miller is in his second season with the Lions and is the latest Ivy League player to play for the Rockers. As a true freshman he appeared in 23 games and posted a .314 batting average. Last summer, he played in the Perfect Game Collegiate League, making 42 appearances and stealing 12 bases while driving in 30 runs. So far this spring, Miller has appeared in 14 games and ranks second on the team with a .348 batting average to go along with four home runs, 10 RBIs and a .380 on-base percentage. He has experience playing third base, shortstop, and second base.

Logan Gregorio – C – Benedictine – 6’1”/200 – SO

Gregorio is in the middle of his sophomore campaign in Lisle, Illinois this spring after a banner true freshman season. Appearing in 42 games, Gregorio recorded 67 hits, 18 doubles, eight home runs, while posting a batting average of .390 with a .462 on-base percentage. Through his first 12 games this spring, Gregorio has again been blistering the ball to the tune of a .370 average with a .525 on-base percentage. Benedictine’s man behind the dish is no stranger to the Northwoods League, spending a short stint with the Lakeshore Chinooks. Appearing in eight games, he managed to record a .360 average with a .452 on-base percentage.

Kyle Dobyns – RHP – Hawaii – 6’6”/220- JR

The first half of Green Bay’s incoming pitching duo from Hawaii, Dobyns is in his first season with the Rainbow Warriors following two years at Grossmont College. The San Diego native stayed close to home at Grossmont and compiled impressive numbers in 27 starts with the Griffins. As a sophomore, Dobyns struck out 78 batters over 79 innings with a 3.62 ERA, in route to being named to the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference first team.

Charlie Adamson – RHP – Hawaii – 6’4”/185 – JR

Continuing the Hawaii-to-Rockers pipeline is Charlie Adamson, who started his collegiate career at UC Santa Barbara. After his time at UCSB, the righty spent two seasons at Santa Barbara City College, where he appeared in 35 games with 10 starts during that time. Adamson picked up 51 punch outs in 52.2 innings of work and posting a 3.76 ERA and seven saves, earning him the attention of the Hawaii coaching staff.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association has identified 23 individuals to serve on the ad hoc committee to study season length, game maximums, and coaching contact.

Following the December 2023 meeting when the initiative was approved by the Board of Control, the executive office received 189 letters from school and athletic administrators who expressed interest in serving on the committee.

Below are the names, school affiliation and position of the ad hoc committee members, which were selected by the Board of Control.

Janel Batten – Pulaski Athletic Director
Jake Beschta – Denmark Principal
Rachel Biertzer – Port Washington Principal
Andrew Caudill – Prescott Activities Director
Willy Chambers – Black Hawk District Administrator &?WIAA?Board of Control
Mark Denniston – Pittsville Athletic Director
Todd Felhofer – Shell Lake Superintendent
Patrick Galligan – Colby Superintendent
Matt Goodwin – Milwaukee Public Schools Manager of Interscholastic Athletics  
Joel Heesch – Mauston Superintendent
Todd Irvine – Muskego Principal
Mike Kaczmarek – Gillett Athletic Director
Taz Landry – Shorewood Athletic Director
Demond Means – Wauwatosa School District Superintendent
Kolleen Nesheim – Mount Horeb Athletic Director
Ryan Olson – West Salem Athletic Directo
Chad Steinmetz – Bloomer Principal
Jill Stobber – Waterford Athletics/Activities Director &?WIAA?Board of Control
Brian Trettin – Ashland Principal
Andy Trudell – Mukwonago Athletic Director
Kevin Wopat ­– Lourdes Academy Activities Director
Joel Zimba – Verona Athletic Director
Gregg Zonnefeld ­– Central Wisconsin Christian Athletic Director

Emphasis for inclusion on the committee was given to having representation that reflects the composition of the membership, including members from each Board of Control district; small, medium and large schools; levels of school leadership comprised of athletic directors, principals and superintendents. In addition, gender and ethnicity representation is also included on the committee.

The first meeting of the ad hoc committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 18 at 9 a.m. at the WIAA executive office in Stevens Point. The objectives of the first meeting includes reviewing the directive of the Board of Control; orienting and aligning committee members to the purpose of the group; establishing familiarity with committee members; learning how others identify and perceive the issues pertaining to season length, coaching contact, and game maximums; identifying additional information and resources required to fully understand and address the issues; reviewing Area Meeting feedback; and agreeing on a timeline for the committee work.

One of Green Bay men's basketball coach Sundance Wicks' prized recruits is up for national honors.

Guard David Douglas Jr. was named a finalist for the 2023-24 Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year award, given annually to the best freshman player at the Division 1 level. The Horizon League Freshman of the Year ended his first season second on the Phoenix at 8.5 points per game. Douglas scored in double figures in 11 of his 27 games, crossing the 20-point barrier three times.

The award will be announced next month as a part of the Final Four festivities.

The Green Bay Packers will give its second-year kicker Anders Carlson competition in camp this summer.

General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced on Thursday that they had signed former Minnesota Vikings K Greg Joseph. According to Packers.com, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 out of Florida Atlantic University. He was released after training camp and went on to spend time with the Cleveland Browns (2018), Carolina Panthers (2018), Tennessee Titans (2019-20) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-21) before spending the past three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2021-23). He has connected on over 82 percent of his field goal attempts and 90 percent of his field goal attempts. 

The Packers currently have three kickers on their roster. 

The Green Bay Gamblers snapped a two-game in-month losing streak to the Chicago Steel on Friday night, winning the contest 5-4.

The Steel answered a Ryan Humphrey goal with two of their own to end the first period up 2-1 on the host Gamblers. That lead would not last long as Humphrey scored his second goal and Blake Bechen added another in the first four minutes of the second period to give the Gamblers a short-lived 3-2 lead. The Steel would score on either side of the second intermission to give them a 4-3 lead. After Geno Carcone tied the game up halfway through the final frame, Michael DeAngelo sent the home crowd happy with the game-winning tally with nine seconds remaining in the game. 

Goaltender Adam Gajan stopped 23 of the 27 shots he faced.

The two teams meet again Saturday at 6:05 p.m.

The Green Bay Gamblers will spend the holiday weekend at home when the Chicago Steel come to the Resch Center beginning on Friday.

The Gamblers have won four of their six matchups at the Resch Center, and those two losses came against the Steel. They lost 5-4 in overtime to the Steel on March 1st before losing a 4-2 midweek matchup on March 13th. The Steel are looking up at the playoff-bound Gamblers in the standings, with the Gamblers boasting 71 points in second place while they are in sixth place with 57 points and seven points behind fourth-place Youngstown.

Friday's game starts at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday's starts at 6:05 p.m.

The Green Bay Packers are not going anywhere, but the marriage between the city and the organization is straining after the two stopped lease extension talks this week.

According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Richard Ryman, the Packers' proposal would give the city $45 million through 2062, compared with $81.3 million under terms of the existing lease. The Packers would receive $36 million in total from the annual escalation, or an average of $1.2 million per year, compared with more than $5 million annually now. The organization says they would invest another $1.5 billion into Lambeau Field over the coming two decades and would also like some flexibility heading into the upcoming collective bargaining agreement with the players' union in 2030.

The city wants to keep getting the money they are getting under the current lease agreement, if not more. They would also like to see the Packers invest in community development in the City of Green Bay in addition to the team's current efforts in neighboring Ashwaubenon as well as try to host larger events such as concerts, soccer matches, and non-Packers football games.

Both sides are confident that something will be worked out before the end of the current lease, but one side effect of the impasse is the Packers holding off on approximately $80 million in renovations for Lambeau Field in addition to scaling back its charitable efforts.

You can find statements from the Packers and Green Bay City Mayor Eric Genrich by clicking the links.

The reality of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, and the transfer portal are rearing its head again as Green Bay and Wisconsin are seeing players depart looking for green pastures.

The biggest blow so far came on Monday when the Phoenix's Noah Reynolds officially put his name into the transfer portal. Reynolds was named to the Horizon League's All-Conference First Team and recognized as its newcomer of the league. Reynolds said in his statement that the door to return to Green Bay is still open but that he would explore all options, including the NBA. He joins former teammates Elijah Jones, Clarence Cummings, and Rich Bhyre in the portal.

For the Badgers, Luke Haertle, Ross Candelino, and Connor Essegian entered the portal after a disappointing exit from the NCAA Tournament. When asked by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, star guard AJ Storr said he was still focused on the loss rather than deciding if he was coming back for a second season or between the portal and the NBA Draft.

UW-Milwaukee had traffic going both ways over the weekend as they signed former Queens University guard AJ McKee while Zach Howell entered the transfer portal after an injury-riddled year.

Marquette is still involved in the NCAA Tournament, and no one has entered the transfer portal yet.

Sturgeon Bay’s Adam Rasmussen placed second in the National 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Oklahoma this past weekend.  Finishing with a total of 55 pounds-four ounces, Rasmussen finished behind Justin Hamner who had 58 pounds-four ounces.  A Door County fishing charter captain, Rasmussen claimed a $50,000 cash winnings for his second-place finish.  The Bassmaster tourney was held on Grand Lake O the Cherokees in Tulsa and had 56 competitors fishing for smallmouth bass. 

(photo courtesy of Bassmaster) 

The Green Bay Packers added to their linebacker depth over the week by resigning Eric Wilson.

According to the Packers, Wilson originally joined the team after being signed off the New Orleans Saints' practice squad on Oct. 4, 2022. Over the last two years, he has played in 30 regular season games for Green Bay and has led the Packers in special teams tackles each of the last two seasons (11 in 2023 and 13 in 2022). Wilson has also played on the defense, recording 24 tackles (11 solo), a sack and a tackle for a loss.

Less than 24 hours after a 6-2 loss to the Dubuque Fighting Saints, the Green Bay Gamblers held on to beat the Cedar Rapids Roughriders 3-2. 

The Gamblers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two periods thanks to an opening frame goal by Michael DeAngelo and two more tallies in the second by Julian Lutz. The Roughriders challenged Gavin Moffatt in the third period with 11 shots, two of which were able to find the back of the net. Moffatt was able to stand tall in the final minutes to finish the game with 32 saves.

The night before, the Fighting Saints outshot the Gamblers 40-20 as they peppered the Gamblers' Adam Gajan all night long, forcing him to make 34 saves on 40 shots. Libor Nemec's second-period goal and Blake Bechen's tally in the third period were the lone bright spots for the Gamblers in the contest.

The Gamblers will spend the Easter weekend with games against the Chicago Steel on Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday at 6:05 p.m.

A fourth-quarter shutout of the Iowa Barnstormers helped the Green Bay Blizzard earn a 35-24 win on Saturday at the Resch Center.

The two teams went back and forth all game before the final stanza, with a second-quarter field goal by the Barnstormers the difference. The Blizzard scored the game's final three touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown pass from Max Meylor to Harry Ballard and a rushing score by Jalyn Cagle in the fourth quarter.

Meylor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as he accumulated 135 yards of total offense. Darius Peterson led the Barnstormers with 73 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

The Blizzard will have their first road game of the season on April 6th when they play at the Quad City Steamwheelers in Moline, Ill.

The Tennessee Volunteers were just too big, fast, and strong for the Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team on Saturday as they cruised to a 92-63 victory.

The Phoenix kept pace with the legacy program early on as they forced several turnovers and were able to hit shots over the taller Lady Vols. They were down 28-26 when the flood gates opened for the Lady Vols as they shot nearly 70 percent from the field in the second quarter and took a 16 point lead into the break. The Phoenix women were able to snap an over six minute drought early in the third quarter, but never could slow down the Lady Vols until the benches cleared late in the fourth quarter with the 30-plus point gap between the two teams. 

Maddy Schreiber led the Phoenix with 13 points on six-of-eight shooting and was the player on the team that cracked double figures. Jasmine Kondrakiewicz had nine points and Natalie Andersen and Jenna Guyer each chipped in seven in the loss. The Volunteers had four players in double figures, led by Rickea Jackson, who scored 26 points.

The Phoenix will have to wait until next year to crack their over dozen-year drought without a win in the NCAA Tournament. They finished the year 27-7 overall.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team will start their road toward Cleveland in Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday morning when they face perennial power Tennessee.

The Phoenix are making their first appearance in six years after a twenty-plus-year run before that. Like most mid-majors, the Phoenix earned their spot with a tournament championship in the Horizon League, finally getting over the three-year hump of Cleveland State. 

The Lady Vols went 19-12 overall and 10-6 in a stacked SEC that boasts title-contending South Carolina and LSU among its members.

Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.

The Green Bay Blizzard will try again for their first win of the season on Saturday when they host the Iowa Barnstormers.

Last week, the Blizzard led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but saw that advantage evaporate in a 44-40 loss to the Massachusetts Pirates in the team's season opener. Quarterback Max Meylor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another three while racking up 185 total yards in the loss for the Blizzard.

Saturday's contest will be the Barnstormers' first of the season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

The Green Bay Gamblers scored at least two goals in all three periods of its 7-2 win over Team USA Friday night at the Resch Center.

Charlie Russell and Julian Lutz scored the first two goals of the game for the Gamblers before the team would score five of the next six goals. Blake Bechen, Libor Nemec, Ben Poitras, Lutz, and Russell all had multi-point games, with Russell leading the team with two goals and one assist. Adam Gajan had a nice bounce back performance after a couple of rough outings as he made 32 saves on 34 shots.

The Gamblers play in Dubuque on Saturday night night at 7:05 p.m. before returning home for a 3:05 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

The Green Bay Gamblers will play three games in three days in two cities this coming weekend, beginning Friday night at the Resch Center.

The Gamblers have won three of their last five games, including two wins in three tries at the Resch Center last week.  They open up their stretch against Team USA, which is hitting their stride as they prepare for international competition. They took a weekend split with Cedar Rapids last weekend, but Team USA has won four of their last five games. Friday's game begins at 7:05 p.m.

The Gamblers will also head to Dubuque on Saturday to face the Fighting Saints at 7:05 p.m. before hosting Cedar Rapids home on Sunday at 3:05 p.m.

The Door County YMCA Swim Team displayed outstanding performances at the YMCA State Swimming Championships held at the Walter Schroeder Aquatics Center in Brown Deer, WI this past weekend. With 58 swimmers qualifying for the event, comprising half of the team, the athletes showcased their dedication, skill, and resilience throughout the competition.

The meet commenced on Friday night with a remarkable display of prowess, as every event witnessed swimmers achieving personal best times. This momentum carried forward throughout the weekend, culminating in the team clinching an impressive total of 10 State Championships. Among the standout performers were Max Aleksandrowicz, who secured four titles in the 7-under category 25,50 fly,100 Free, 100 IM, and Nadia Kurek, who claimed two titles in the 9-year-old category 25 fly, 100 IM. Daylia Sund, 100 Breaststroke, Cassie Rankin, 15-Open, 1650 free, Harper Jennerjohn 8 yr, 25 fly, and Alex Sperber 9, 100 back also emerged victorious in their respective events, contributing to the team's stellar performance.

In addition to the State Championships, the team earned numerous podium finishes, with 10 second-place, 16 third-place, and 20 fourth-place achievements. The dedication of the swimmers was evident in the approximately 90 best individual times posted over the weekend, reflecting an outstanding 87% improvement rate.

The team's collective efforts resulted in remarkable overall standings, with the Boys' team securing 3rd place and the Girls' team claiming 6th place out of 20 participating teams. Impressively, the team clinched 5th place overall, underscoring their depth and talent across all categories. The 8-under Boys' team also shone brightly, clinching victory in their age group.

Furthermore, three swimmers from the team have earned prestigious National Qualifications. Jack Monfils, Daylia Sund, and Sue Mann exhibited exceptional skills, earning their spots in the upcoming national competition in Greensboro, NC in April. Noteworthy performances include Sue Mann's remarkable time-trial of the 50 free, achieving a time of :24.53 without breathing, and Cassie Rankin's record-breaking performance in the 1000 free.

Reflecting on the achievements, Coach Mike expressed pride in the team's accomplishments and emphasized the dedication and hard work displayed by each swimmer. Looking ahead, the team is poised to continue their success, with aspirations of further achievements on the national stage.

For more information on the Door County YMCA Swim Team and upcoming events, visit www.DoorCountyYMCA.org or contact Mike McHugh.

The area's baseball and girls' soccer teams headed to their respective practice fields for the first time on Monday.

They will use this week as a tune-up before they can start having games next Tuesday. Boys' tennis and golf are the last teams to begin their seasons, and their first day of practice will not take place until next Monday. They will start competing right away, however as their first competitions can take place soon as Thursday for golf and Friday for tennis.

You can find a schedule for the first games for each of the area's baseball and girls' soccer teams below:

BASEBALL

Algoma: At Brillion 3/26 4:30 p.m.

Kewaunee: At Oconto 4/1 at 10 a.m. (DH)

Sturgeon Bay: At Green Bay Preble (Joannes Park) 4/2 at 4:30 p.m.

Southern Door: At Pacelli (Bukolt Park) 4/2 at 4:30 p.m.

Luxemburg-Casco: At Oconto Falls 4/2 at 4:30 p.m.

Sevastopol: Vs. Manitowoc Lutheran at 5 p.m.

Gibraltar: At Adams-Friendship Tournament 4/5-6

GIRLS SOCCER

Luxemburg-Casco: At Seymour at 6:30 p.m.

Sevastopol/Gibraltar: Vs. Marinette at 5 p.m.

Sturgeon Bay: At Sheboygan South (Horace Mann Field) at 6 p.m.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team will play the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2018.

A couple hundred fans filled an auxiliary room at a Green Bay restaurant to celebrate the achievement. The Phoenix women punched their ticket with a Horizon League Tournament win over Cleveland State last Tuesday. The Lady Vols had their hearts broken in the SEC Tournament when undefeated South Carolina hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to eliminate them.

The Phoenix have tournament history against the Lady Vols, losing to them in 2016 59-53. A win would be the first for the Phoenix since they beat Iowa State in 2012. 

The game is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The Green Bay Blizzard led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but saw that advantage evaporate in a 44-40 loss to the Massachusetts Pirates in the team's season opener on Sunday.

The Blizzard jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead thanks to two rushing touchdowns and took a 27-16 advantage into halftime. They had their biggest lead of the game in the opening minutes of the third quarter and reclaimed that 18-point advantage midway through the frame, but the Pirates would score the game's next 22 points to steal the win from the host Blizzard.

Quarterback Max Meylor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another three while racking up 185 total yards in the loss for the Blizzard. They are back in action on March 23rd when they host the Iowa Barnstormers.

The Green Bay Gamblers converted both of their power play attempts on Saturday to beat the Waterloo Black Hawks 4-1 in front of over 5,600 fans.

The game was tied at one after the first period after the Black Hawks answered a Charlie Russell tally late in the frame. Jason Gallucci scored the lone goal in the second period and Julian Lutz tallied a goal and an assist in the third period to lead the Gamblers to the weekend sweep. Gavin Moffatt was peppered but stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced.

On Sunday night, the Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team will learn where they are heading for the NCAA Tournament.

Natalie McNeil scored a career-high 32 points to lead Green Bay to its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018 with a 64-40 over Cleveland State on Tuesday. The NCAA Selection Sunday Show begins at 7 p.m., with the program hosting a viewing party at the Green Bay Distillery from 6-8 p.m. According to ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme on Thursday, the Phoenix are likely an 11-seed play against West Virginia in Raleigh, North Carolina. That would set up a likely virtual road game against North Carolina State if the Phoenix are able to advance. 

Four answered goals in the second period turned a 1-0 deficit into an eventual 5-1 win for the Green Bay Gamblers over the Des Moines Buccanneers.

Mykhailo Danylov scored twice and Libor Nemec and Charlie Russell registered goals as well in a 14 minute span to chase goaltender Ethan Dahlmeir after just 33 minutes of play. Michael DeAngelo benefited from an empty net to score the final goal. Gavin Moffatt stopped 27 of 28 shots to earn the win.

The Gamblers are back in action on Saturday night when they host the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Fans of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers will get their first official look at the 2024 team during Fan Fest at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Wednesday, April 3.  The event is scheduled for noon to 4:00pm.  Admission and parking are free for Fan Fest presented by Neuroscience Group!

Players are scheduled to take the field at 12:30pm to practice for an hour.  An intrasquad scrimmage is set to begin at 2:00pm.  The scrimmage will be approximately five innings.  On field activities are dependent on the cooperation of the weather.

In conjunction with Fan Fest, a rummage sale will be held in the Fox Communities Credit Union Fox Club from noon until 5:00pm.  A variety of game-worn, clearance, and one-of-a-kind items from the Snake Pit Team Store will be featured at 50% off the listed price.

The Snake Pit Team Store and ticket office will be open during Fan Fest, too.  Tickets and ticket packages for the 2024 season will be available from the ticket office.  The Team store will be loaded with new gear featuring Timber Rattlers, Shantymen, Udder Tuggers, Brats, and Cascabeles merchandise.

Additional features for Fan Fest include free rides on the Capital Credit Union Slide throughout the afternoon, the first base concession stand with a limited menu of items available for purchase will be open, and the Leinie Lodge on the first base concourse will be showing the Milwaukee Brewers game on television.

The 2024 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers season begins with a game against the Peoria Chiefs at Neuroscience Group Field on Friday, April 5.  Game time is 6:40pm.

One of Door County's favorite players is reportedly sticking around with the Green Bay Packers.

Multiple sources reported Thursday night RB AJ Dillon signed what is being called a "prove it deal" where the team is protected if he does not make the 53-man roster before the start of the season. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Packers would only suffer a $167,000 cap hit if that does happen. The deal is worth up to $1.45 million more than the minimum, which is just over $1.1 million in Dillon's case.

The Green Bay Gamblers are back in action this weekend when they host Des Moines on Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Waterloo at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Gamblers were doubled up by the Chicago Steel 4-2, with William Hughes scoring both goals. The Buccanneers and the Black Hawks are on opposite sides of the USHL Western Conference, with Des Moines sitting in 7th place with 48 points and Waterloo holding onto the third spot with 61 points. At 63 points, the Gamblers are in third place in the USHL Eastern Conference.

The Kohl Center will be rocking on Friday for a full day of WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament action. 

This year's tournament lacks teams from the immediate area, with Kiel and Neenah the closest teams to Door and Kewaunee counties participating. Division 3 and Division 4 opened the tournament on Thursday before Divisions 1, 2, and 5 play all day on Friday. On Saturday, the three-point contest kicks off the day at 9:30 a.m., followed by the championship games beginning at 11:30 a.m. with Division

Thursday, March 14

DIVISION 3
Semifinals - Thursday, March 14
Game-1:  #1 St. Thomas More (28-1) 68 vs. #4 Prescott (21-7) 45 
Game-2:  #2 Lakeside Lutheran (27-2) 57 vs. #3 Kiel (28-1) 55 

Championship Final - Saturday, March 16
Game-3:  St. Thomas More (28-1) vs. Lakeside Lutheran (27-2) - Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 4 championship game

DIVISION 4
Semifinals - Thursday, March 14
Game-1:   #4 Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic (20-9) 46, #1 Marathon (27-2) 37 - 
Game-2:   #2 Mineral Point (26-2) 62, #3 Aquinas (23-5) 61

Championship Final - Saturday, March 16
Game-3:  Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 5 championship game

Friday, March 15
Division 5
#1 Columbus Catholic (27-2) vs. #4 Solon Springs (27-2) - 9:05 a.m.
#2 Almond-Bancroft (27-1) vs. #3 Abundant Life Christian (27-2)*

Division 2
#1 Wisconsin Lutheran (28-0) vs. #4 Nicolet (24-4) - 1:35 p.m.
#2 Pewaukee (24-4) vs. #3 West Salem (25-3)*

Division 1
#1 Arrowhead (26-2) vs. #4 Neenah (21-7)  - 6:35 p.m.
#2 Kettle Moraine (25-3) vs. #3 Marquette (24-4)*

Saturday, March 16
3-Point Challenge - 9:30 a.m.
Division 5 Championship Game - 11:05 a.m.
Division 4 Championship Game*
Division 3 Championship Game*
Division 2 Championship Game - 6:35 p.m.
Division 1 Championship Game*

The Green Bay Blizzard will open their 2024 season at home on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. as they host the Massachusetts Pirates.

The Blizzard missed the playoffs last season, going 7-8 and closing out the season with a 48-39 loss to the Tucson Sugar Skulls. They welcome back six players from last year's squad, including UW-Whitewater product Max Meylor. The Pirates weren't even sure where they would play in 2024 after leaving the City of Worcester. They lost their lone playoff game last season to Sioux Falls.

The Green Bay Packers continued to clean house on the heels of its big free agency signings earlier this week, officially releasing LB De'Vondre Campbell on Wednesday.

According to the Packers, Campbell started all 30 regular-season games and two of three postseason contests he played in for Green Bay since signing with the Packers in 2021. He was named first-team All-Pro by The Associated Press in 2021, becoming the first Green Bay inside linebacker to earn first-team AP All-Pro honors since Ray Nitschke in 1966. In addition to his play on the field, he was honored for his activities off of it when he was the Packers' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The Green Bay Gamblers lost a rare weeknight home game on Wednesday, losing to the Chicago Steel 4-2.

A make-up contest from earlier in the season, the Steel took a 3-0 lead into the third period before William Hughes scored his first of two goals in the opening minutes of the third period. Down 4-1, Hughes registered his second goal of the game and 12th of the season in the final minute. Michael Hage had a three-point game (2G, 1A) in the win for the Steel, who only had 13 shots on goal against Adam Gajan.

The Gamblers are back in action this weekend when they host Des Moines on Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Waterloo at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday. 

The #2 Green Bay Lady Phoenix outscored the #1 Cleveland State Vikings in every quarter Tuesday to claim the Horizon League Tournament Championship 64-40 in Indianapolis.

Natalie McNeil scored a career-high 32 points to lead Green Bay to its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018.    She topped the 30-point performance she had against Cleveland State on February 3rd in a road loss to the Vikings.  The win snapped the conference champion Vikings’ 11-game winning streak.

The Lady Phoenix took a 32-19 lead into halftime and never let Cleveland State back into the game.

Dominating the boards, Green Bay only allowed the Vikings (29-5) one offensive rebound in the first three quarters. 

Green Bay (27-6) will now wait to see who and where they will play next week in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday at 7 p.m.

Sister Bay's route to repeat as Door County League champions has been set after the league released the schedule this week.

The season will return on Mother's Day with a full slate of four games on May 12th. The first of eight night games will take place on May 25th when Baileys Harbor hosts Sister Bay. On May 31st, both Institute and Baileys Harbor will host night games. Rare Saturday games will occur on June 22nd when an Old Timer's Game will occur at 11 a.m. before Kolberg hosts Maplewood. The DCL All-Stars will play at Joannes Park on July 11th. The regular season will end on August 11th with three games (Baileys Harbor will host the final night game on August 9th) before the two weeks of playoffs begin the following week. You can find the full schedule below:

You could see even more changes to the Green Bay Packers as the legal tampering period ahead of free agency continues on Tuesday in the NFL. 

The Packers have confirmed that they are indeed saying goodbye to longtime players Aaron Jones and David Bakhtiari. Both players got send-offs from General Manager Brian Gutekunst and Head Coach Matt LaFleur, who recognized their impact on the team and the community. 

The Packers' decision on Jones was likely sparked by the team's biggest splash on Monday when they reportedly agreed to a four-year, 48 million deal with former Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. The Packers also addressed their defensive backs room with the reported signing of safety Xavier McKinney to a four year, $68 million contract. The Packers also resigned tight end Tyler Davis, though he has been with the Packers primarily as a special teamer on Monday as well. Free agent deals reported on Monday and Tuesday cannot become official until Wednesday.

The Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team is one win away from the NCAA Tournament after beating Purdue Fort Wayne 64-55 in Monday's Horizon League semifinals.

The Indiana Farmers Coliseum continues to be a tough place for the Phoenix as they found themselves down by two points at the end of the first quarter. In the second and fourth quarters, they would outscore the Mastodons to earn the rematch against Cleveland State in the title game. Calle Genke led all scorers with 16 points, Maddy Schreiber added 13 points, and Bailey Butler contributed eight. Luxemburg-Casco product Cassie Schiltz scored five points, pushing her above 1,000 in her Phoenix career.

The Vikings blew Wright State to earn their spot in the title game. Green Bay and Cleveland State split their matchups for the year, with each winning their home contest. The rubber match will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Sevastopol and Luxemburg-Casco led the way among local teams in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association's announcement of the Academic All-State teams on Monday.

According to WisSports.net, this requires that nominated athletes be varsity players from any grade level and hold a GPA of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale). These players will receive a WBCA certificate from their school. Over 1800 girls' basketball players have met the minimum requirement to be recognized as WBCA All-State.

Kewaunee
Rylee Dax - Senior

Luxemburg-Casco

Sienna Blohowiak - Freshman

Brianna Bray - Sophomore

Erin Cherovsky - Junior

Alayna Deprez - Sophomore

Chloe Host - Sophomore

Taylor Jandrin - Senior

Alana Mrotek - Sophomore

Hannah Schley - Junior

Gabrielle Wech - Senior

Riley Westlund - Sophomore

Sevastopol

Izzy Andreae - Freshman

Libby Ash - Senior

Kylee Duessler - Senior

Lyvia Duessler - Freshman

Kayla Ranly - Junior

Naomi Rikkola - Junior

Katie Spude - Senior

Ella Volkmann - Junior

Sturgeon Bay

Tori Alger - Senior

The Packerland Conference took time over the weekend to name their All-Conference performers for the winter season.

In boys' basketball, Southern Door's Drew Daoust, Algoma's Parker Lischka, and Kewaunee's Thomas Stangel were unanimous selections for the All-Packerland Conference teams. Daoust was named player of the year, while three teammates were named to All-Packerland teams. 

For girls' basketball, Kewaunee's Jade Kroll and Oconto's Addisyn Viestenz were unanimous selections to the All-Packerland team. Conference champion Sevastopol had four selections for the team, including Kayla Ranly and Naomi Rikkola to the first team as juniors.

In wrestling, Tiani Lemieux was named wrestler of the year after she finished as a runner-up in this year's WIAA Girls' State Wrestling Tournament. After pinning her way to the finals, she found herself on the other side of the equation as she was pinned in the opening minute by Carley Ceshker (Badger Girls). Lemieux finishes her season 36-6 with her coaches excited for what is to come in the next two years. All conference selections are otherwise chosen based on their intraconference records. 

The full teams are listed below:

2023-24 BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

1ST TEAM

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR

Dominik Baxter                         Peshtigo                                   Sophomore

Drew Daoust                             Southern Door                          Junior               Unanimous

Carter Koch                               Oconto                                     Junior               Unanimous

Parker Lischka                          Algoma                                     Sophomore       Unanimous

Braden Sitte                              Gibraltar                                    Senior

Thomas Stangel                        Kewaunee                                 Senior               Unanimous

2ND TEAM

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR             

Sam Hillmann                            NEW Lutheran-Providence         Senior

Matthew Malvitz                         Southern Door                          Senior

William McMahon                      Peshtigo                                   Senior

Calvin Richard                           Sturgeon Bay                            Senior

Braxton Riha                             Kewaunee                                 Senior

Jackson Starr                            Sturgeon Bay                            Junior

HONORABLE MENTION

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR 

Cooper Campshure                   Oconto                                     Junior

Franklin de Young                     Sevastopol                               Senior

Trenton Hartman                        Oconto                                     Junior

Connor Kilgore                          Kewaunee                                 Sophomore

Tyler Neinas                              Southern Door                          Junior

Caden Pierre                             Southern Door                          Junior

Griffin Steffel                            NEW Lutheran-Providence         Senior

Garrett Ulberg                           Sturgeon Bay                            Senior

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

NAME                                     SCHOOL                                YEAR

Drew Daoust                             Southern Door                          Junior

2023-24 GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

1ST TEAM

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR

Payton Gilbertson                     Southern Door                          Senior

Jade Kroll                                 Kewaunee                                 Sophomore       Unanimous

Kayla Ranly                               Sevastopol                               Junior

Naomi Rikkola                           Sevastopol                               Junior

Addisyn Viestenz                      Oconto                                     Junior               Unanimous

Ryley Zimmerman                      Algoma                                     Senior

2ND TEAM

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR 

Ingrid Beaumont                        NEW Lutheran-Providence         Junior

Brianna Demmin                        Kewaunee                                 Junior

Mikala Gorham                          Gibraltar                                    Junior

Alexandria Meerstein                 NEW Lutheran-Providence         Junior

Andie Schar                              Gibraltar                                    Junior

Dasha Yeltysheva                     Sturgeon Bay                            Junior

HONORABLE MENTION

NAME                                    SCHOOL                                YEAR 

Libby Ash                                 Sevastopol                               Senior

Emilee Banker                           Oconto                                     Senior

Lexi Hanrahan                           Kewaunee                                 Junior

Jadyn Nellis                              Algoma                                     Sophomore

Holly Pesch                              Peshtigo                                   Junior

Bella Price                                Southern Door                          Senior

Natalie Schlueter                       Oconto                                     Sophomore

Sierra Slaby                              Algoma                                     Junior

Katie Spude                              Sevastopol                               Senior

Gabby Stangel                          Kewaunee                                 Sophomore

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

NAME                                     SCHOOL                                YEAR

Jade Kroll                                 Kewaunee                                 Sophomore

2023-24 WRESTLING ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

1ST TEAM

WEIGHT

CLASS           NAME                         SCHOOL                                YEAR

106                   Evelyn Hurley                Peshtigo                                   Junior

113                   Eli Camps                     Peshtigo                                   Freshman         

120                   Aiden Ducat                  Kewaunee                                 Freshman

126                   Ethan Alexander            Southern Door                          Junior

132                   Mason Motquin             Southern Door                          Senior

138                   Spencer Slezewski        Southern Door                          Senior

144                   Spencer Madsen           Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol          Sophomore

150                   Reese Yunke                 Peshtigo                                   Senior

                        Tiani LeMieux                Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol          Sophomore

157                   Ethan Brissette              Peshtigo                                   Senior

165                   Lincoln Nemec              Peshtigo                                   Sophomore

175                   Zach Sherman               Peshtigo                                   Sophomore

190                   Zak Wrobel                   Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol          Junior

215                   Connor Thomas             Peshtigo                                   Senior

285                   Mitchell Boeder             Kewaunee                                 Sophomore

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

WEIGHT

CLASS           NAME                         SCHOOL                                YEAR 

150                   Tiani LeMieux                Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol          Sophomore

The road to the NCAA Tournament for the Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball team goes through Indianapolis on Monday and potentially Tuesday when they play Purdue Fort Wayne.

The Phoenix women scored at least 20 points in all four quarters of its 94-57 win over Youngstown State. That includes outscoring the Penguins 27-6 in the opening frame to put the Phoenix ahead for good. Five Phoenix players registered double figures in the win, led by 16 points from Luxemburg-Casco alum Cassie Schiltz. The Phoenix women will take on No. 3-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne in Indianapolis on Monday. Tip-off is slated for 1:30 p.m.

It's the opening day of practice for the area's softball teams.

Unlike past years, it appears the season may get underway on time thanks to field conditions, even though the first games don't start until March 26th according to the WIAA. Some teams are starting even earlier than that. Here is when those games are scheduled to begin for each team:

Algoma: vs. Reedsville 3/19

Kewaunee: @ Chilton 3/21

Luxemburg-Casco: vs. Fox Valley Lutheran 3/26

Southern Door: @ Chilton 4/2

Sturgeon Bay: vs. Oconto 4/6 (DH)

Sevastopol: @Coleman 4/5

Gibraltar: vs. Roncalli 4/8

The Green Bay Gamblers gave up two goals in the final six minutes to kick off a long road trip back home with a 3-1 loss to the Omaha Lancers on Saturday.

Josh Player gave the Gamblers an equalizer with three minutes left in the second period, but Sam Scheetz and Nick Pierre scored the last two goals to make the tally moot. Adam Gajan stopped 20 of the 22 shots he faced with Pierre's goal coming against an empty net.

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers will be well-represented in next Friday's MLB Breakout Game.

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals will go head-to-head in a battle for both organizations' top prospects. Other matchups across MLB are against a team's chief or local rival, but the Brewers and the Royals' rivals (Twins and Cardinals, respectively) reside in the Grapefruit League in Florida. Outfielder Jackson Chourio leads the list of former Timber Rattlers named to the roster as the organization's top prospect. You can read the full list below:

Five goal outburst in the second period buoyed the Green Bay Gamblers in an 8-2 victory Friday night.

It was 4-0 before the Lancers could get on the board in front of its home fans with the Gamblers putting the game away with three more goals after the tally, chasing the team's goalie in the process.

Ben Poitras and Charlie Russell each scored two goals in the win while Blake Bechen (0G, 2A), Jayson Shaugabay (0G, 2A), Michael DeAngelo (0G, 2A), Lev Katzin (1G, 1A), and Ryan Humphrey (1G, 2A) posted multi-point games for the Gamblers. Adam Gajan stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced on the night, giving up single goals in the second and third period. 

The field is set for Saturday's championship games of the WIAA Girls' State Basketball Tournament.

Of local importance, a fourth straight title is still possible for Green Bay Notre Dame, a feat that is unmatched in the state's history. Lena is still alive for its own dreams of a state championship.

FRIDAY'S RESULTS

DIVISION 1
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #1 Arrowhead (26-3) 82, #4 Franklin (20-9) 55
Game-2:  #3 Neenah (24-5) 77, #2 Hartford (26-3) 70

DIVISION 2
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #1 Pewaukee (28-1) 79, #4 West Salem (24-5) 41
Game-2:  #2 Notre Dame (28-1) 82, #3 Wauwatosa East (23-6) 44

DIVISION 5
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #4 Albany/Monticello (25-3) 37, #1 Argyle/Pecatonica (26-3) 31
Game-2:  #2 Lena (28-2) 53, #3 Clear Lake (26-4) 48 

SATURDAY'S MATCHUPS

Albany/Monticello (25-3) vs. Lena (28-2) - 11:05 a.m.

Laconia (27-2) vs. Cuba City (25-4) - Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 5 championship game

Edgewood (26-3) vs. Xavier (22-7) - Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 4 championship game

Pewaukee (28-1) vs. Notre Dame (28-1) - 6:35 p.m.

Arrowhead (26-3) vs. Neenah ( - Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 2 championship game

With winter sports out of the way, baseball season will be here before you know it.

The 2024 Door County League schedule has not been finalized yet, but the board and the teams' managers are meeting on March 10th to sort out some of the outstanding details. The hope is to release the approved schedule shortly after that. What is known is Sister Bay will begin its title defense on May 12th.

The Resch Center will be the place to be for the second day in a row as the WIAA Girls' State Basketball Tournament continues.

Of local note, Xavier came back to stun Kettle Moraine Lutheran 56-52 in one of the day's two upsets. Day 2 begins with Division 5 action at 9:05 a.m.

DAY 1 ACTION

DIVISION 3
Semifinals - Thursday, March 7
Game-1:  #1 Edgewood (26-3) 62, #4 Baldwin-Woodville (22-7) 29

Game-2:  #3 Xavier (22-7) 56, #2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (24-5) 52

DIVISION 4
Semifinals - Thursday, March 7
Game-1:   #1 Laconia (27-2) 67, #4 The Prairie School (25-4) 49 
Game-2:   #3 Cuba City (25-4) 48, #2 McDonell Catholic (25-3) 45 

DAY 2 ACTION

DIVISION 5
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #1 Argyle/Pecatonica (26-1) vs. #4 Albany/Monticello (25-3) - 9:05 a.m.
Game-2:  #3 Clear Lake (26-3) vs. #2 Lena (27-2) - Approx. 15 minutes following Game-1

DIVISION 2
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #1 Pewaukee (27-1) vs. #4 West Salem (24-4) - 1:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #3 Wauwatosa East (23-5) vs. #2 Notre Dame (27-1) - Approx. 15 minutes following Game-1

DIVISION 1
Semifinals - Friday, March 8
Game-1:  #1 Arrowhead (25-3) vs. #4 Franklin (20-8) - 6:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #3 Neenah (23-5) vs. #2 Hartford (26-2) - Approx. 15 minutes following Game-1

The Green Bay Gamblers will spend another two nights on the road this weekend, visiting Omaha to face the Lancers.

The Gamblers lost their make-up game to the Madison Capitols 10-3 on Wednesday, giving up nine unanswered goals. Gavin Moffatt was chased from the game after two periods after giving up five goals in the second period, following Ben Poitras and Tanner Bruender staking the Gamblers to a 2-1 advantage after the opening frame. Geno Carcone scored the Gamblers' third goal with just under two minutes left in the contest.

The Lancers split their two games last weekend with the Chicago Steel, winning their first game 6-2 before losing on getaway day 6-1.

Friday's game is set for 7:05 p.m., while Saturday's game is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

It was a mixed bag of emotions for Green Bay Phoenix basketball fans Thursday night as they saw the women advance to Indianapolis while the men were sent packing against their bitter in-state rivals.

The Phoenix women scored at least 20 points in all four quarters of its 94-57 win over Youngstown State. That includes outscoring the Penguins 27-6 in the opening frame to put the Phoenix ahead for good. Five Phoenix players registered double figures in the win, led by 16 points from Luxemburg-Casco alum Cassie Schiltz. The Phoenix women will take on No. 3-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne in Indianapolis on Monday. Tip-off is slated for 1:30 p.m.

The Phoenix men could not bottle up that momentum in its 95-84 loss to Milwaukee. The team's defense had no answer for BJ Freeman, who scored 32 points for the Panthers while leading an offense that outscored the Phoenix in the paint 54-32. Noah Reynolds tried his hardest to will the Phoenix to victory as he scored 27 points in over 30 minutes of action two weeks removed from a high-ankle sprain. Two other Phoenix players reached double figures on the night.

The eyes of the state will be on the Resch Center this weekend as the WIAA hosts the state girls' basketball championships.

The WIAA has spent the last decade in Green Bay with its state girls' basketball tournament, which includes games featuring all five divisions and a Saturday morning three-point contest (pictured). You will find previews from the WIAA about the five divisions below: 

Thursday, March 7
Division 3
#1 Edgewood (25-3) vs. #4 Baldwin-Woodville (22-6) - 1:35 p.m.
#2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (24-4) vs. #3 Xavier  (21-7)*

Division 4
#1 Laconia (26-2) vs. #4 The Prairie School (25-3) - 6:35 p.m.
#2 McDonell Catholic (25-2) vs. #3 Cuba City (24-4)*

Friday, March 8
Division 5
#1 Argyle/Pecatonica (26-1) vs. #4 Albany/Monticello (25-3) - 9:05 a.m.
#2 Lena (27-2) vs. #3 Clear Lake (26-3)*

Division 2
#1 Pewaukee (27-1) vs. #4 West Salem (24-4) - 1:35 p.m.
#2 Notre Dame (27-1)  vs. #3 Wauwatosa East (23-5)*

Division 1
#1 Arrowhead (25-3) vs. #4 Franklin (20-8) - 6:35 p.m.
#2 Hartford (26-2) vs. #3 Neenah (23-5)*

Saturday, March 9
3-Point Challenge - 9:30 a.m.
Division 5 Championship Game - 11:05 a.m.
Division 4 Championship Game*
Division 3 Championship Game*
Division 2 Championship Game - 6:35 p.m.
Division 1 Championship Game*

ABOUT THE DIVISION 1 FIELD:  Top-seeded Arrowhead is making its 11th appearance at State and its first since 2018. The Warhawks have claimed a pair of titles in their 10 previous appearances, one in 1988 and the other in 1991. They finished first in the Classic 8 Conference standings this season. The Warhawks are the representatives out of the DeForest Sectional following their 65-54 win over Oregon in the final. Second-seeded Hartford returns to the State Tournament field for the first time since 2000 and for the seventh time overall. The Orioles have advanced to the State title game once, which resulted in a championship in 1992. They are the co-champions with Homestead in the North Shore Conference this season.  They navigated through the Manitowoc Lincoln sectional bracket to advance to the State semifinals following a 70-55 win over Brookfield East in the final. Neenah, the #3 seed, will be making its eighth appearance in the tournament and its first since 2009. The Rockets compiled a streak of six straight experiences from 1976-81. That string of appearances produced a championship in 1978 and runner-up finishes in 1976 and 1980. They placed third in the Fox Valley Association this season, and they won the Appleton East Sectional by virtue of an 82-72 win over Hortonville in the sectional final. It will be the fifth overall appearance at State for fourth-seeded Franklin and the first since 2021. The Sabers’ most notable result in their previous four experiences was a runner-up finish in 1999. They are the champions of the Southeast Conference in 2023-24. The Sabers defeated Muskego 54-50 in the sectional final hosted at Kenosha Bradford to advance to State.

ABOUT THE DIVISION 2 FIELD:  Pewaukee, the State runner-up the past two seasons, is the top seed in the bracket. The Pirates are State bound for the fourth time overall and for the fourth straight season, but it will be the third time the Pirates will actually experience the tournament after qualifying in 2020 prior to the cancellation of games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They defeated Beaver Dam 77-61 in the Watertown Sectional final to earn another attempt at the title. The Pirates were the champions in the West Division of the Woodland Conference this season. Three-time defending champion Notre Dame returns to the tournament as the #2 seed. The Tritons are making their fourth consecutive appearance and their 11th overall. They are on the brink of history, attempting to become the only program in State Tournament history to win four consecutive championships. The Tritons have six State titles overall. In addition to the past three seasons, the Tritons won the gold trophy in the program’s first-ever appearance at State in 2001 and then earned back-to-back titles in 2013-14. They also added a runner-up finish in 2005. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Tritons were the Division 1 runners-up in 1994 as a former member of WISAA. This season, they are the champions of the Fox River Classic Conference and return to the State semifinals following a convincing 82-37 win over Menomonie in the Wausau East Sectional final. Third-seeded Wauwatosa East will be experiencing State for the third time and for the first time in 43 years. The Red Raiders won the Class A championship the last time they qualified for the tournament in 1981. This season, they placed third in the Greater Metro Conference. They paved their way to the Resch Center through the Whitefish Bay sectional, which culminated with a 59-44 win over Union Grove in the final. Fourth-seeded West Salem returns to State for the second year in a row after qualifying in Division 3 in 2023, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Panthers are making their fifth appearance in the history of the program. Each of the previous four experiences have resulted in a loss in semifinals. They are the champions of the Coulee Conference this season, and they are the representatives advancing out of the Baraboo Sectional following a 65-61 win over McFarland in the final.

ABOUT THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Top-seeded Edgewood is making its third appearance in the State Tournament after back-to-back experiences in 2016-17. The Crusaders won the championship in 2017 after they were eliminated from title contention in the semifinals in 2016.  Their return to the State semifinals comes following a convincing 57-42 victory over Waupun in the Evansville Sectional final. They were runners-up in the Small Division of the Badger Conference this year. Prior to joining the WIAA in the fall of 2000-21, The Crusaders won a Class A title in 1979 as a former member of WISAA. Second-seeded Kettle Moraine Lutheran returns to the field for the third time. The first two appearances came back-to-back in 2014-15. The first of those experiences resulted in a championship, and the second ended in a loss in the semifinals. The Chargers beat Catholic Memorial 47-34 in the Brown Deer Sectional final to earn their return to the tournament field. They are the co-champions of the East Central Conference with Waupun this season. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Chargers won a WISAA Class B championship in 1990 and finished runner-up on four other occasions. Xavier is the third seed in the bracket. The Hawks are appearing in their third State Tournament. The first two experiences came in succession in 2015 and 2016. Their most notable of the two appearances was the runner-up finish in 2015.  The Hawks’ return to the final four this year is result of a 55-39 win over Wittenberg-Birnamwood in the Brillion Sectional final. They are the champions in the Bay Conference during the regular season this year. As a former member of WISAA, the Hawks won the title in 1978 when there was only one division of the tournament and were runners-up an additional nine times. Fourth-seeded Baldwin-Woodville will be making its first appearance in the program’s history following its 60-43 victory over Elk Mound in the Amery Sectional final. The Blackhawks are the champions of the Middle Border Conference this season.

ABOUT THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Defending champion Laconia is the top seed in the bracket. The Spartans are making their fourth appearance at State overall, all coming in the last six seasons. In each of the three previous trips to the tourney, they have advanced to the championship game. They finished runner-up in 2019 and in 2022. The Spartans return to the semifinals this season by defeating Sheboygan Lutheran 69-58 in the Oshkosh West Sectional final. They are the champions of the Flyway Conference this season. McDonell Catholic, last year’s Division 5 champion, moves up a division in pursuit of a second straight championship. The Macks are seeded second in the bracket. They make their fourth consecutive State Tournament appearance, which accounts for their overall number of appearances as well. Their first two experiences resulted in losses in the Division 5 semifinals. The Macks qualify this season with a 58-38 victory over Fall Creek in the sectional final held at Eau Claire North. They finished the regular season this year as champions in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference. Prior to joining the fall of WIAA 2000-2001, the Macks most notable finish as a member of WISAA was a runner-up finish in Division 2 in 2000. Third-seeded Cuba City makes its membership-leading 17th appearance at State and its first since 2015. The Cubans have also won more State titles than any other program with 11, winning championships in 1977, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2015. They also have a runner-up finish in 2009. The Cubans won the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League title this season and advanced to State through the Wisconsin Dells Sectional with a 67-52 win over Neillsville in the final. The Prairie School, the #4 seed, will be making its third State Tournament appearance. The first time they qualified was in 2004, which resulted in a championship. They lost in the semifinals in their only other experience in 2013. The Hawks are back in the semifinals after trouncing Winnebago Lutheran 71-21 in the Oconomowoc Sectional final. They are the champions of the Metro Classic Conference this season.

ABOUT THE DIVISION 5 FIELD:  The Argyle/Pecatonica co-op is the bracket’s #1 seed. The program qualifies for the State Tournament for the first time. Pecatonica, as a stand-alone program, had five trips to State and advanced to the championship game in each of those experiences, including back-to-back championships in 1993 and 1994, and  runner-up finishes in 1992, 2001 and 2002. The Orioles are the champions of the East Division of the Six Rivers Conference this season. They navigated through the Portage Sectional, capped by a 59-46 win over Cochrane-Fountain City in the final to advance to State. Lena, seeded second, will make its fourth appearance at State and the first since 1991 when the Wildcats finished runner-up in Division 4. Their most notable result at State was being crowned the Class C champion in 1980. The Wildcats are the champions of the Marinette &?Oconto Conference this season. They downed Pittsville 66-57 in the Antigo Sectional final to return to State for the first time in 33 seasons. Third-seeded Clear Lake qualifies for State for the third time. The Warriors fell in the Division 4 semifinals in 1997, and they qualified again in 2020, but didn’t participate  because the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, the Warriors are the champions of the West Division of the Lakeland Conference. They earned a berth in the State semifinals with a 60-38 win over Owen-Withee in the Hudson Sectional final. Fourth-seeded Albany/Monticello makes the co-op’s first appearance in the State Tournament this year after Albany had its  first experience as a stand-alone program at State last season, which resulted with a loss in the semifinals. Monticello also has a history in the State Tournament as a stand-alone program, winning the Division 4 championship in their only appearance in 1991. The Comets advance to the State semifinals this season with a 47-45 triumph over Assumption in the Hartford Sectional final. Albany/Monticello was the runner-up in the East Division of the Six Rivers Conference this season behind top-seeded Argyle/Pecatonica.

THREE-POINT CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:? The 3-Point Challenge will be held prior to Saturday’s championship games beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Resch Center. A ticket for the Division 3, 4 and 5 championship games session is required for admittance into the event. The top two players per division were selected for the contest based on the best 3-point field goal percentage with a minimum of 75 attempts during the regular season. The contestants representing Division 1 are Rainey Welson of Hortonville and Natalie Mueller of Homestead. Representing Division 2 are Addison Pytleski of Green Bay Southwest and Sarah Aleknavicius of Grafton. The Division 3 participants are Lucia Jensen of Brookfield Academy and Tannah Radloff of Prairie du Chien. Division 4 will be represented by Lindsey Schadewalt of New Glarus and Kacy Eggebrecht of Phillips, and the Division 5 contestants are Madolyn Haffner of Gresham and Reese Grimm of Pittsville. Visit the information on the WIAA?website for more details about the 3-Point Challenge.

Trips to Indianapolis are on the line Thursday night when they Green Bay Phoenix women host Youngstown State and the men battle UW-Milwaukee.

The Phoenix women were a perfect 13-0 at home before falling late to UW-Milwaukee on Saturday behind four All-Conference selections. The Penguins earned their spot in the quarterfinals after throttling IUPUI 73-50 on Tuesday. The two sides will play their third game against each other at 5:30 p.m.

The Phoenix men will get a third crack against Milwaukee when the two teams play at 8 p.m. The Panthers got the last laugh on Saturday when they blew past the Phoenix late in the second half for a 90-69 victory. They survived their game against Detroit on Tuesday to earn the trip to Green Bay. The Phoenix will get a boost when Noah Reynolds returns to the lineup after nursing a sprained ankle.

The UW-Green Bay Phoenix hope to have their leading scorer, Noah Reynolds, back for the Horizon League Championship on Thursday.

Reynolds led the Phoenix in scoring and was fourth in the league with 19.7 points a game while dishing out 4.4 assists.  He missed the last four games due to an ankle injury. 

Sundance Wicks was named Coach of the Year in the Horizon League on Monday.  He turned around the program from a 3-29 record last year in his first season as the head coach of Green Bay. 

Green Bay (18-13) will face UW-Milwaukee (18-14) in the quarterfinals at 8:00 p.m. Thursday at the Kress Center.  The Phoenix lost the regular season finale against the Panthers 90-69, playing without Reynolds.   Dropping four of their last five games in the Horizon League, the Phoenix look to bounce back with a strong showing in the post-season tournament.

Three of the top awards for the Horizon League when to individuals with Green Bay Basketball ties.

Head men's basketball coach Sundance Wicks was named the conference's coach of the year, while Noah Reynolds was named the newcomer of the year. David Douglas, Jr. was also named the Freshman of the Year. You can see the other awards below:

2023-24 #HLMBB All-League Awards

Player of the Year: Trey Townsend, Oakland

Coach of the Year: Sundance Wicks, Green Bay

Newcomer of the Year: Noah Reynolds, Green Bay

Freshman of the Year: David Douglas Jr., Green Bay

Defensive Player of the Year: Trey Robinson, Northern Kentucky

Sixth Man of the Year: Jack Gohlke, Oakland

Sportsmanship Award: Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky


All-League First Team

Tristan Enaruna, Cleveland State

Noah Reynolds, Green Bay

Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky

Trey Townsend, Oakland

Trey Calvin, Wright State


All-League Second Team

BJ Freeman, Milwaukee

Blake Lampman, Oakland

Brandon Noel, Wright State

DJ Burns, Youngstown State

Ziggy Reid, Youngstown State


All-League Third Team

Rasheed Bello, Purdue Fort Wayne

Jalen Jackson, Purdue Fort Wayne

Markeese Hastings, RMU

Tanner Holden, Wright State

Brett Thompson, Youngstown State


All-Freshman Team

David Douglas Jr., Green Bay

Marcus Hall, Green Bay

Randall Pettus II, Northern Kentucky

Corey Hadnot II, Purdue Fort Wayne

Gabe Dynes, Youngstown State


All-Defensive Team

Trey Robinson, Northern Kentucky

Rasheed Bello, Purdue Fort Wayne

Anthony Roberts, Purdue Fort Wayne

DJ Burns, Youngstown State

Gabe Dynes, Youngstown State

2023-24 #HLWBB All-League Awards
Player of the Year: Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Coach of the Year: Chris Kielsmeier, Cleveland State
Newcomer of the Year: Mickayla Perdue, Cleveland State
Freshman of the Year: Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Carmen Villalobos, Cleveland State
Sixth Players of the Year: Callie Genke, Green Bay & Grace Crowley, Milwaukee
Sportsmanship Awards: Kendall Nead, Milwaukee & Mady Aulbach, Youngstown State

All-League First Team
Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Mickayla Perdue, Cleveland State
Natalie McNeal, Green Bay
Amellia Bromenschenkel, Purdue Fort Wayne
Alexis Hutchison, Wright State

All-League Second Team
Maddy Schreiber, Green Bay
Katie Davidson, IUPUI
Kendall Nead, Milwaukee
Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Brooke Quarles-Daniels, Oakland

All-League Third Team
Irene Murua, Detroit Mercy
Bailey Butler, Green Bay
Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Northern Kentucky
Shayla Sellers, Purdue Fort Wayne
Emily Saunders, Youngstown State

All-Freshman Team
Paris Gilmore, Detroit Mercy
Jorey Buwalda, Milwaukee
Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Renna Schwieterman, Purdue Fort Wayne
Erin Woodson, Purdue Fort Wayne

All-Defensive Team
Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Carmen Villalobos, Cleveland State
Bailey Butler, Green Bay
Brooke Quarles-Daniels, Oakland
Emily Saunders, Youngstown State

Two more opportunities exist to join the Green Bay Glory's inaugural season on the men's team.

The tryouts will occur on March 15th from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. or on March 17th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Player's Choice in Appleton. You can find more information below:

The Green Bay Rockers continue to build their roster ahead of the 2024 season.

The organization recently announced the addition of Mulivai Levu (UCLA), Mason Eckelman (Ohio State), and Jackson Kline (Kansas). All three will make their Rockers debut when the season starts in May, but their head coach Chris Krepline said in the team's release that he is excited to see the players mesh with some of the returning players.

“Levu is hitting in the middle of the UCLA order as a true freshman and is an impact bat," Krepline said. "Mason Eckelman was the top catching recruit in the state of Ohio coming out of high school. And Kline is a former teammate of Cooper Kelly both at Kansas and in summer ball, where they won a league title, so that familiarity should help him assimilate quickly.”

You can read more about the players by clicking this link.

A day-night sweep at the hands of their in-state rival was not what the Green Bay basketball programs had in mind ahead of co-hosting the Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.

The Phoenix women were outscored 16-9 in the third quarter and could not recover in a 65-61 loss to Milwaukee Saturday afternoon. Three Phoenix players finished in double figures, led by Jenna Guyer's 14 points. The loss sent them to the number two seed in the Horizon League.

The Phoenix men suffered a nearly five-minute scoring drought late in the second half that saw a two-point halftime lead turn into a 90-69 drubbing at the hands of Milwaukee.  David Douglas Jr. and Preston Ruedinger each finished with 15 points in the loss that sank the Phoenix to the third seed in the tournament.

The opponents still need to be determined, but the Phoenix women will open Thursday's doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 8 p.m.

The Green Bay Gamblers lost their second game in three days on Sunday, losing 8-4 to Team USA in Michigan.

It was already 6-0 Team USA, and Adam Gajan's day was over when Rasmus Larsson scored the Gamblers' first goal in the contest. Jayson Shaugabay had a four-point day as he scored a goal and an assist in the second and third periods. Cole Eiserman and a hat trick and an assist for Team USA as five players registered multi-point games. 

The Gamblers began the month with a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Steel on Friday at the Resch Center. Mick Thompson scored the overtime winner for the Steel to take the extra point. Libor Nemec had two assists in the loss for the Gamblers.

The Green Bay Phoenix basketball teams will end their season with a fitting opponent ahead of the Horizon League Tournament.

Both teams will play against the UW-Milwaukee Panthers, with the men playing at 5 p.m. nationally televised game in Milwaukee while the women will host their rivals in a matinee at 2 p.m.

Both teams will co-host a quarterfinal matchup at the Resch Center on March 7th, with opponents still to be determined. The women will play at 5:30 p.m. while the men will play at 8 p.m.

The players confirmed what fans already knew: the Green Bay Packers are a pretty great organization.

In a recent NFLPA poll, the Packers were rated the third highest in the entire league, trailing only the Dolphins and the Vikings. The rankings in several different categories is as follows:

Treatment of families, C+, 10th

Food/cafeteria, B+, 6th

Nutritionist/dietician, B+, 14th

Locker room, B-, 15th

Training room, B, 11th

Training staff, B, 16th

Weight room, A, 7th

Strength coaches, A-, eighth

Team travel, B+, fourth

Head coach, B+, 21st

Team ownership, A, sixth

"It is a credit to Green Bay’s management team that, according to the players’ responses, the belief is that the club invests in making their workplace better year-over-year," NFLPA wrote in its overview of the Packers' ranking, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

The Green Bay Rockers will welcome back some familiar faces to its coaching staff for the 2024 season.

The organization welcomes Chris Krepline, Cody Hartman, and Nathan Bonter back to Green Bay after they helped lead the Rockers to their first-ever Northwoods Championship. They also hired a new pitching coach, Josh Teichroew, whose coaching resume includes two stints in the Northwoods League in 2021 and 2023, when he served as pitching coach for the Willmar Stingers. 

A Green Bay-area cross country team took its grievances right to legislators this week as they continue to rail against the WIAA Performance Factor criteria.

Led by their coach and former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker John Gard, members of the Green Bay Notre Dame cross country team testified in front of the in front of the Assembly Education committee at the State Capitol in Madison about Assembly Bill 1034, which relates to participation in interscholastic athletics and application of the public records and open meeting laws to interscholastic athletic associations. According to Scott Venci of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, three coaches from different parts of the state also participated in the hearing. The goal is to eliminate the performance factor criteria from cross country, which uses past success to elevate teams from lower divisions to higher ones. As a result, Notre Dame saw its cross-country teams get elevated to Division 1. 

No teams from Door or Kewaunee counties were switched to different divisions after the fall season, but that streak will likely end there. The Luxemburg-Casco wrestling team will likely be moved to Division 1 next season regardless of how Saturday's Team State Wrestling Tournament goes.