2016 FORD ESCAPE SE 4WD
BLUETOOTH, POWER SEAT, REVERSE SENSING, REAR CAMERA 8408P
$17,400 CPO SALE PRICE OR $264/MONTH* 2014 FORD ESCAPE
2015 FORD F-150
LOCAL TRADE, PANORAMIC MOONROOF, BLUETOOTH
CHROME PACKAGE, TRAILER TOW, TAILGATE STEP, REMOTE START
8098B
8261A
SE
S/C 4X4 XLT
$14,900 CPO SALE PRICE OR $227/MONTH*
$25,900 CPO SALE PRICE OR $392/MONTH*
2016 FORD EXPLORER
2016 FORD F-150 CREW
LEATHER HTD SEATS, POWER MOONROOF, 20’PREMIUM RIMS
SPORT PACKAGE, MOONROOF, FX4 PACKAGE, REMOTE START
8392A
8327A
XLT 4WD
4X4 XLT SPORT
$26,400 CPO SALE PRICE OR $399/MONTH*
$31,900 CPO SALE PRICE OR $483/MONTH* 10% CASH DOWN, 72 MONTH FINANCING, INCLUDES CPO CERTIFICATION, ON APPROVED CREDIT, OFFER GOOD THROUGH 12-31-2018
Hwy 10 & I-94 | 888.875.7618 osseoauto.com
Spec Pederson owner
Shawn Pederson
SaleS Manager
Shannon Giacomino SaleS
Les Vold SaleS
Greg Pettis SaleS
Presley Giese SaleS
Nathan Marsden SaleS
David Anderson
finance Manager
3
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
Table of Contents
4: On the Cover In era full of motion and outside shooting, Chi’Hi big man Tyler Robarge has a back-tothe-basket kind of game that would remind old-school hoop fans of the good times.
5: Flashback Photo Take a trip down memory lane as two former Division I basketball players squared off against one another in high school.
6: He’s ready
Cade Osborn and Regis were well represented on the All-City football team.
Boyceville boys basketball coach Austin Donahue, at 24 years of age, is one of the youngest coaches in Wisconsin. But basketball is in his blood, and he’s more than ready to accept the challenge of leading his own program.
7: All-City Football Regis had 11 of the city’s 14 wins this fall in prep football action and was well represented.
8: Posterized Altoona girl’s basketball player Averie Varsho
10: Two of a kind Twin sisters Lauren and Cameron Carmody channel their competitiveness with themselves and opponents in a more-than-effective way for the defending state champion ECA Stars.
13: Top Ten Departing sports reporter Nick Erickson relives his 10 most memorable events in his time at the Leader-Telegram.
Memorial winning state cross country in 2015 was one of Nick Erickson’s most memorable moments he covered.
Got Stinky Gear? WE CAN HELP!! We Sanitize With Ozone
Tony Pilgrim 715-559-8744 pildent@sbcglobal.net pi lde • sanisportssolutions.com
182904_854699_06-27-18
4
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
It’s a big man’s game
In an era of sharpshooters and analytics, Chippewa Falls’ Tyler Robarge has mastered an old-school post style
C STOP IN AFTER THE GAME!
Tuesday is P-Nut-Day !
OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY - CLOSED MONDAYS
715.877.9911 FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY Best Burgers Around! Hand-Battered or Baked Cod and Choice of 2 Sides 5 pm to 10 pm
$8.75
Join us for
WEEKDAYY LUNCH WEEKDA & DINNER SPECIALS Tuesday
Chicken & Gravy over biscuits Wednesday Pork on Potatoes atoes with gravy veget vy & vegetable Thursday Beef Tips & gravy over potatoes, atoes, corn & bread Friday Prime Rib sandwich with two sides
CALL FOR TTAKE OUT ORDERS
VISA & MASTERCARD ACCEPTED
LET US HELP WITH YOUR CATERING NEEDS! Ribs • Chicken • Pulled Pork Potato Salad • Coleslaw • And More! Graduation Parties - Team Parties Class Reunions - Birthdays Anniversaries - Weddings
FOR ALL OCCASION
S!
Story By Spencer Flaten/Photos by Dan Reiland
HIPPEWA FALLS — With less than 20 seconds left on the clock, Tyler Robarge was all alone. Breaking down the left wing during the second overtime of a tightly-contested matchup with D.C. Everest, Robarge had a free path to the basket. It didn’t take long for crafty Chippewa Falls guard Bryce Daniels to find Robarge. At 6-foot-8, the big man’s not exactly tough to spot. From halfcourt, Daniels flipped Robarge a pass on the run, giving the lanky junior a clear look at the rim. One quick dribble later, Robarge was on the rise. Flying across the lane, he slammed the ball through the hoop to put his Cardinals ahead by four with 14 seconds left, the icing on a thrilling victory. Not a bad place for your first varsity dunk. “I wasn’t really expecting it,” Robarge said. “After the game I was like ‘What did I just do?’ I wasn’t really much of a dunker then.” He may not have been throwing down dunks every night, but that slam against the Evergreens last December got him on the path. Now a senior, Robarge is the prototypical old-school big man: a nose-tothe-grindstone worker in the post who does almost all of his damage from close range. In an era where shooters are becoming more comfortable shooting from distances to the hoop that would have been deemed ludicrous in decades past, Robarge is just fine hanging out down low. It’s what he’s always done. “I’ve always been tall for my grade. The atmosphere I grew up in was always about utilizing your size, and for me that meant going and battling in the paint, being that inside presence,” Robarge said. If the formula works, why stray from it? Robarge was the Cardinals’ leading scorer last season with an average of 14.9 points
per night, and secured nearly five rebounds per game. With most of his attempts coming from close range, he shot at a 71 percent clip. Not much has changed this winter, with the Michigan Tech recruit topping Chippewa Falls’ scoring charts with 14.6 points per game while grabbing 7.6 rebounds on average through the team’s first five games. “Having a kid who knows what his strength is and how it helps the team is huge,” Chippewa Falls coach Jason Proue said. “He looks to the post first. If he has an open jumper, he knows that if he passes it off and dives down to the post, he’ll be able to finish down low.” That game plan has led to plenty of success. He was named second team All-Big Rivers Conference last season, and should see more accolades this season if he keeps up the pace. He scored in double figures in four of the Cardinals’ first five games this season, including a 29-point, 12-rebound showing against D.C. Everest in a rematch of last season’s thriller. “My game works best when, if I’m doubled, I kick it out to our shooters, or if I have a one-on-one I look to take them,” Robarge said. The dunks have kept on coming too — including two on back-to-back days. He stepped through two defenders in the lane to hammer one down against Menomonie on December 7, and threw one down late in a win over Stevens Point the next day. “I’ve gotten more physical, more explosive,” Robarge said. And the ability to knock down shots from outside the paint isn’t nonexistent either. It’s not his go-to skill set, but he can get the job done when needed. See ROBARGE PAGE 5
5
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
Flashback Photo
» ROBARGE FROM PAGE 4
With an inside game like his, stepping out to shoot isn’t usually necessary. If anything, it’s about creating more chances for teammates. “He knows that he can knock down those 15-footers at a high percentage, but he knows that if he gets to the block he can draw more attention to give other guys some space,” Proue said. The senior committed to play college basketball at Division II Michigan Tech in October, picking the Huskies over Southwest Minnesota State and a handful of WIAC schools. Robarge first heard from the Michigan Tech coaching staff early last season, and the relationship only grew from there. With a large frame and a skill set that’s getting plenty of polish at the high school level, Proue foresees a bright future for the Cards’ rim-rattling big man. “I think he’s going to keep developing his game even more,” Proue said. “He’s gotten better every single year, he’s added two or three things he’s gotten better at. If he keeps doing that, he can go into college and be that true post presence for a good program in Michigan Tech.”
Be Wise, See Keyes for the Best Buys!
Menomonie • 715.235.2601
Staff file photo
Rice Lake’s Wally Ellenson knocks the ball away from Onalaska’s Matt Thomas in a WIAA Divsion 2 sectional semifinal on March 8, 2012, at Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie. Ellenson went on to play collegiately at Minnesota and Marquette, while Thomas had a standout career at Iowa State.
3rd Generation Family Owned Dealership Since 1946! Over 300 New & Pre-Owned Specials Full Service Dealership – Carwash, Tires, Brakes, Maintenance, Loaner Vehicles, & More.
6
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
Born for this
Donahue, one of the youngest coaches in Wisconsin, feels at home on a basketball court and is ready to lead the Boyceville boys Story and Photo By Nick Erickson
B *
No minimum balance. No monthly service charge.
Get Started Today!
Apply online at www.charterbank.bank, call 1.800.471.4510 or stop into our office. Locally Connected, Personally Invested
1010 W. Clairemont Ave. Eau Claire, WI 54701 715.832.4254 • charterbank.bank
*Minimum opening deposit $50.00.
OYCEVILLE — Austin Donahue never required much when he needed an escape from reality or just a place to unwind. Just a pair of sneakers, a ball that had enough air to bounce and a hoop that was somewhere close to 10 feet. There he’d go for the night. Jumper after jumper. That was home away from home. “I used basketball and other sports to get away from everything. As an escape,” Donahue said. “I’d go down and just shoot outside, go to the park or whatever. I’d be there forever every night. It was just relaxing to me.” Basketball is his passion. It may be his escape. But it’s never escaped him. Donahue envisioned having a lengthy playing career after high school. An ankle injury spelled the eventual end to that. Still, the game ran deep inside him. He was looking for ways to channel that love into something concrete. That’s when he discovered another passion of his. Teaching. Combine the two and what do you get? Coaching. At 24 years of age, Donahue is doing just that. In fact, he became one of the youngest head coaches in the state of Wisconsin
when Boyceville hired him last spring to lead its boys varsity program. Donahue, who played three years of high school ball at Clear Lake before competing for sectional finalist Clayton his senior year in 2012, found his second passion shortly after opting against surgery to fix his injuries after playing a year at St. Scholastica. He came to the area and began volunteering at camps. Just something to keep him involved in the game. Little did he know the door it would open for him. “I loved working with the kids,” Donahue said. “It brought back a lot of memories of why I initially started playing the game. I remember all the coaches I ever had, and I feel like most kids are like that. They remember their coaches forever.” Already at his young age, he feels comfortable being in a leadership position and taking control of a basketball team. He began coaching at the middle school level in Menomonie as early as 2014 and experienced success there. He also gave private lessons and was a personal trainer. Donahue enjoyed doing it, but he realized he was having success improving the skillsets of young players. See DONAHUE PAGE 7
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018 » DONAHUE FROM PAGE 6
“I had a parent come up to me and said they had seen tremendous improvement in their son and that I should do this on a bigger level,” Donahue said. Never being one to back down from a challenge or shy away from reaching potential, Donahue began running Apex Basketball Academy and had kids from all over the area coming to train. Donahue escaped to the parks and driveways when he was a youngster. Now, he was providing another outlet for likeminded hoopers just establishing their passions. “Growing up, I never had that opportunity,” Donahue said. “Small towns, it’s tough and you have your seasons. You’d have open gym opportunities in the summer, but a lot of basketball success individually is getting in the gym and actually working on skills beyond the fundamentals.” He was hooked with coaching, traveling the country with his AAU team he led while coming back and working sessions with Apex. There was more he wanted. As a senior, Donahue and Clayton lost in the sectional final to Drummond. The Bears were just four points away from playing on the Kohl Center floor, and a dream was crushed. Donahue has found another outlet to fulfill that dream. When he learned of the opening at Boyceville, he decided to go for it. It didn’t matter that he’d be coaching against people twice his age on most nights. It didn’t matter he had no previous varsity coaching experience, even as an assistant. Donahue felt ready for this. He rips through coaching books and spends his time away from the gym watching tutorials online. He keeps his mentors close to him and asks for guidance. He understands the game is changing, and he’s willing to adapt to what is given to him. He was born ready, and he’s set to take on any outside noise that might come with it. “My ability to learn, my willingness to learn really made me comfortable with taking the position,” Donahue said. “Am I nervous? Yeah, I am. I feel like there’s going to be a lot of pressure on me. A lot of people are going to question if I’m ready. I know I’m ready, and I think we are going to surprise some people.” At Boyceville this winter, the Bulldogs are small in terms of height. After his hire, Donahue spent time watching film and assessing what the team’s strengths were and how it could overcome the lack of a post presence.
“A lot of people are going to question if I’m ready. I know I’m ready, and I think we are going to surprise some people.”
— Boyceville coach Austin Donahue
And the formula looks pretty similar to how he played the game and how he coaches. Donahue said he rarely sits down on the bench and brings energy. So the style will take on the personality of its coach. “If I were to summarize and say which way we are going to be playing most of the time, it’s probably going to up-tempo,” Donahue said. “We’re going to moving the ball quick and taking shots, and probably at a high volume.” He aspires to be more of a Pat Summit-type teacher. While he’s going to expect a lot out of his guys, he also isn’t going to scream at them and put them at the end of the bench. He understands that mistakes are going to happen throughout the course of the basketball game, and it’s more about how one bounces back. That same kid who spent hours upon hours on the pavement putting up jumper after jumper his path set out in front of him. The game gave him so much. Now, it’s his turn to give back. He has an opportunity to do it at quite the stage — head of a varsity program at the spry age of 24. Donahue couldn’t be more excited. “I don’t regret anything or wouldn’t change anything,” he said. “To be honest, I think coaching has been the most successful thing I’ve been a part of in terms of basketball. It’s so much more gratifying to help numerous people than just myself or playing for a team. “It’s just way more satisfying being able to help numerous people on the court and off the court. I’m here now, and I’m very optimistic and excited.”
2018 All-City Football Team By Leader-Telegram staff Regis got 11 of the city’s 14 wins and it gained the Ramblers 13 spots on the Leader-Telegram All-City football team. Regis opened with 11 straight wins before losing in the Division 6 quarterfinals to Grantsburg. Memorial had a record-setting offense but finished 3-6 while North was winless. Leading the selections for Regis were two-way players Cade Osborn, Andrew Ernstmeyer and Nathan Gorzek. Osborn did it all on both sides of the ball, rushing for 648 yards and 10 touchdowns at an 8.4 clip and catching nine passes for 236 yards and five more touchdowns on offense and leading the defense with 109 tackles. Ernstmeyer, who was selected as a linebacker, was the Ramblers’ leading rusher with 746 yards at nine touchdowns at a 9.2 average and had 44 tackles and five sacks on defense. “He is real strong,” Brenner said. “He has balance and speed and would have been a 1,000-yard rusher for most teams.” Gorzek was the anchor of the offensive line that did the blocking for an attack that averaged of 291 yards rushing towards 370 total yards. Osborn and Ernstmeyer are repeaters from last year’s team along with teammates Henry Theisen, Kadin Peterson, Will Jordahl and Tristan Root. Theisen, who had 52 tackles and five sacks, and Peterson, who led the Ramblers with eight sacks among 63 tackles, were named to the defensive line along with teammate Tommy Schmidt, who had 58 tackles. Jordahl joins Ernstmeyer at linebacker and registered 40 tackles while Jack Nicolai was chosen at defensive back where he had 39 tackles and three interceptions. He also
7
scored eight touchdowns this fall. Isaac Michels, who guided the Ramblers to 21 wins in his two years at quarterback, was also honored. Nick Maenner was credited with a strong blocking job in the offensive line. Besides playing a key role on both sides of the ball, Root was selected as both placekicker and punter. He averaged 50 yards on 75 kickoffs and kicked 39 extra points and a field goal. On 20 punts, he averaged 36.8 yards. Memorial put Bryson Johnson at quarterback, Loyal Crawford at running back, Calvin Tanner and Nathan Hau at receiver and Nick Oberding in the line in an attack that put up 245 points and averaged 362 yards. The major reason was the passing of Johnson, who threw for 2,043 yards and 25 touchdowns, including a state-record tying eight in a 67-65 loss to Chippewa Falls. He had a glue-fingered group of receivers headed by Tanner, who caught 41 balls for 620 yards and nine touchdowns. Tight end Hau took 39 for 522 and four scores. Crawford, a workhorse and breakaway threat who was headed for a big season, suffered a broken collarbone early in the fifth game but still piled up 689 yards and scored eight touchdowns. Abes named defensively were linemen Levi Smith, who led the team with 42 tackles, and sophomore Grant Gerber, who followed with 41 tackles. Austin Jarvis, who had 37 tackles, was named at linebacker and repeater Andrew Roberts, who had 27 tackles and three interceptions, at defensive back. Three leaders for North were honored. They are defensive back Carter Duerkop, who led the Huskies in tackles with 100, and hard-charging offensive linemen Anthony Pogodzinski and Sam Haslow, a strong team leader.
1/2 PRICE APPETIZER WITH THIS COUPON Expires 1/31/19 Limit one coupon per person per visit. Must present coupon when ordering.
Open 4:00 p.m. tO ClOse seven Days a Week
Take the stress out of the smile game with braces or Invisalign®
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
1.800.924.4606 | 715.835.5182 Eau Claire, WI KristoOrthodontics.com
#TEAMKRISTO
10
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
Twin jump ovry they mooChance
Ultra competitors Lauren and Cameron Carmody have a sister connection on the ice
Telepathy
Story by Jack Goods/ Photo by Dan Reiland
Ice Dam Removal Experience the SparkleWash® Difference InSured • On TIme • On BudgeT • PrOfeSSIOnally TraIned
SIDING • ROOF • PATIO • FENCE • DRIVEWAY • POOL • DECK • GUTTERS
11
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
E
veryone struggles to tell Lauren and Cameron Carmody apart. Teachers have said hello in the hallway to the wrong twin. They’ve swapped classes before on April Fools to see if anyone would notice, and one time, while playing tennis, swapped spots midway through a match. You can include their hockey coach for the Eau Claire Area Stars, Tom Bernhardt, among those tripped up by the pair, born one minute apart. “We’ll get onto the bench, like, ‘Which one are you?’” Cameron said. “’I’m Cameron.’ ‘Ok, center, go.’” “We get the number on the front of the helmet early in the year,” Bernhardt said with a laugh. With how tight the sisters are, this isn’t a new problem for their coaches. Lauren and Cameron, in their junior year, have always been on the same team since they started playing hockey at around six years old. With the Stars, they’re even on the same line. “You look at a practice and they go together at drills,” Bernhardt said. “Puck protection drills, they’re going against each other, pushing each other. … Their dynamic is unique in that they do play well together, they do push each other, they do get on each other a bit when needed.” The Carmodys both said there is a definite rivalry as they duke it out to see who is the better twin, but there’s also a comfort in always knowing you have a partner on the ice. Whenever they joined a new team, they always knew they at least could rely on each other. “If I have the puck, she’ll always be there supporting me and vice versa,” Cameron said. “It’s kind of like we have twin telepathy. I know you’re going here, so I’m going to go here. It just works.” Lauren said it’s like the two have a built in GPS connecting each other.
206145 9-12-18
See CARMODY/ PAGE 12
Staff file photo
ECA Stars’ Lauren Carmody skates with the puck during a girls hockey game on Feb. 16 at Hobbs Ice Center
12
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
“Those two are players that, you talk about workers, they are workers.”
— ECA Stars coach Tom Bernhardt on Cameron and Lauren Carmody
Staff file photo
PUB
2812 London Rd 715.831.1300
Join us before and after the game • Drink Specials • Large Screen TVs • Great Food • FUN!
$1
PUB
OFF APPETIZER *Not valid with any other promos. Exp. 12/31/18 3-31-19
$2 OFF ANY 16” PIZZA PUB
*Not valid with any other promos. Exp. 12/31/18 3-31-19
Cameron Carmody fights for the puck on the boards against Chippewa Falls/Menomonie on Feb. 16. » CARMODY FROM PAGE 11
“Without even looking I’ll know Cameron’s already there,” Lauren said. “I’ll drop the puck back without even looking. We just know how we play.” Lauren and Cameron grew up playing against boys, having been originally inspired to start playing hockey after watching their brother. With that comes a bit of a mean streak to their game. “The boys were always bigger than us,” Lauren said. “Going up against them we had to be a little more aggressive. That kind of comes back into our game when we’re playing against the girls sometimes. We get penalties for it. … The boys don’t show any girls mercy, because they don’t want to get shown up by a girl. We had to kind of adapt.” But even with that adjustment, the Carmodys are known as some of the toughest players to play against on the team. “They’re just gritty players,” defenseman
Charlotte Akervik said. “They go all-out, 24/7. You need those kind of players on your team. I’d rather be playing with them than against them, I’ll tell you that.” “They’re super aggressive,” said forward Ava Kison, the team’s top point producer. “Even in practice, you know they’re always going to be coming for you no matter what. It reminds you to keep your head up.” Differentiating between the two on the ice is made even more difficult with both donning the alternate captain’s “A” on the front of their jersey. They’re a part of a new leadership group, which includes Akervik and Kison, that are attempting to lead the defending state champion Stars to another state tournament berth. “Those two are players that, you talk about workers, they’re workers,” Bernhardt said. “They’re killing penalties, they’re on the powerplay, 5-on-5, they’re the first two on pucks on a forecheck. They’ve brought a lot of that energy to our team.” So far this season, that work ethic has translated into success. They’ve both scored three goals in their first three games of 2018-19, with Cameron notching a hat trick on Nov. 29 against Onalaska. The Carmodys have been a driving force for Eau Claire Area’s second line, giving the Stars a level of depth that makes them tough to match up against. “That’s something that we’ve been very pleased with,” Bernhardt said. “They’ve created opportunities the last two years. This year, early in the year, a month into our season, they’ve finished those opportunities when they’ve had them. That’s going to be a big key for us this year.” Lauren and Cameron, like nearly all their teammates, have their eyes on a second straight state title. As they know, things are often better in pairs. “Once you get there and experience it, you want to experience it again,” Lauren said.
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018
Nick Erickson’s Top 10
13
Departing writer reflects on 10 most memorable events and moments he covered — and there were a lot to choose from By Nick Erickson It is with bittersweetness I compile this list. As fun as it is to go back through memory lane, it is also sad knowing my time to cover these great Chippewa Valley prep sports moments is coming to an end. For those who are unaware, I am moving to Madison at the end of the month with my fiancee as we start a life closer to family and with hours that allow us to spend more time with one another. My five-and-a-half years at the Leader-Telegram, two of them part-time while finishing up my degree at UW-Eau Claire and then three-and-a-half full-time, have been wonderful. I’ve gotten to see so many great stories come to life, and I’ve been lucky enough to have the trust to tell them in written form. I’ll write a column in an upcoming paper that will probably be covered in tears as I let the area know how welcomed I felt since coming in as a college freshman in 2011. But for now, let’s have some fun. I compiled a list of the 10 most memorable things I covered in my time as a sports reporter, beginning with the fall of 2015. 10) Aaron Knez’s buzzer beater to beat Memorial, February 2016: There are two types of athletes out there. Those who shy away from being in the spotlight during pressure moments and those who crave it. Chippewa Falls’ Aaron Knez is one of the first names I think of in the latter category. It was late in the season with the Big Rivers title still up for grabs when two front-runners, Memorial and Chi-Hi, squared off in Chippewa Falls. Back and forth the two teams went all game. You could tell early it was one of those that would be decided by a possession or two. And with under 10 seconds to play, the Old Abes’ Isaac Appleby — who now plays for Michigan Tech — hit a pullup jumper to give Memorial a one-point cushion. Chippewa Falls called timeout. I’m pretty sure I could hear Knez say “I want the ball.’” The play wasn’t going anywhere else. This was a young man who wanted the game decided on his shoulders. What’s not to love about that? On the ensuing inbounds play, Knez got the basketball and went coast-to-coast. He
leaned in and endured some contact but toughed it up to the hoop, where it banked in at the buzzer. A playmaker making plays in the game’s most crucial moments. Just awesome. 9) Rice Lake softball state semifinal win, June 2017: I’ve never seen a game where a team that looked so dead-in-thewater for 90 percent of the contest come back to win it. Until this particular afternoon at Goodman Diamond in Madison. The Warriors trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth and couldn’t get anything going against all-state pitcher Kennedy Lehn. While they got a run back in the fifth, they entered the seventh down three runs with three outs to go. And then, out of nowhere, they started whacking the ball all over the field. Rice Lake scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. There, it coughed up the tie right back, only to turn around and continue whacking the ball in the bottom half of the ining. Emily Fell launched a two-RBI single into the gap to win it. I couldn’t believe the Warriors had pulled it off, but it let me stay another day in Madison and away from the office. So a long overdue thanks to the Warriors, who won the state title the next day. 8) UW-Eau Claire beating St. Norbert in football, September 2018: Maybe this is because I have covered the team since my days as a student reporter at The Spectator. I’ve seen virtually every home game since 2011. And not many wins. I covered two one-win seasons and a nowin season. I covered a coaching change and a program that had to hit refresh in a very unforgiving conference filled with national talent. This past offseason, though, UW-Eau Claire began to switch its verbage when I went to talk to them for stories. They began talking about winning. But of course, it’s one thing to talk about winning and another to do so. Well, here on their home opener a week after going on the road and winning at Loras, the Blugolds had their chance to prove it. They had a 16-6 lead against St. Norbert with just over two minutes to play. And then disaster struck as the Green Knights intercepted
a pass, scored a touchdown, recovered an onside kick and tied the game with a field goal. They then scored right away in overtime. It looked like the corner that was so close to being turned was going to be detoured. But then, late-game playmaking Carson Park hadn’t seen in years came through. The Blugolds completed a big fourth-down pass in the first overtime and converted it into a touchdown. They scored on the drive and then did so again in the second overtime. And finally, a fourth-down pass from St. Norbert fell short. There was jubilee, and also the first 2-0 start in seven years. It was really nice to see the program get a much needed moment in the spotlight. 7) Waterloo topping Regis in five sets of state volleyball semis, November 2015: Even though the local team didn’t win, this match had all the drama worthy of a state game. First off, there was star power in this match. Waterloo boasted Marquette recruits Madelyn and Claire Mosher, who were just as good as advertised. Madelyn especially stood out, pounding down 44 kills in the contest. Regis had Shae Brey, a Butler basketball recruit, and future Division II Sioux Falls recruit Grace Gilles setting it to her. Waterloo raced out to a 25-13 first-set win, and I was already beginning to pen my “Mosher sisters just too much for Ramblers” story. But Regis reversed course and won the second and third sets. Suddenly, it was a 2-1 affair. Waterloo won a close fourth set before finally pulling it out 15-13 in set five.
COUPON CODE
79690
Buy One Taco Get One FREE Purchase any taco at regular price and get one of equal or lesser value FREE.
Expires 3/31/19. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Not valid with any other coupon or offer. Valid at Eau Claire & Chippewa Falls Taco Johns.
Staff photo by Dan Reiland
Regis’ Shae Brey spikes over Waterloo’s Claire Mosher during girls state volleyball at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon on November 6, 2015.
It’s what the state tournament should be all about. Really good players making plays for their really good teams, and a contest that came right down to the wire.
COUPON CODE
73680
Buy One Meat and Potato Buritto Get One FREE
Purchase any Meat and Potato burrito at regular price and get one of equal or lesser value FREE.
Expires 3/31/19. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Not valid with any other coupon or offer. Valid at Eau Claire & Chippewa Falls Taco Johns.
14
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018 » TOP 10 FROM PAGE 13
6) Memorial beating Waukesha in double overtime of state semis, March 2018: Ironically, this one was the same day as the Stow show. I made two previous trips to Madison to watch the Old Abes boys in the state hockey tournament, only to see them ousted by a hot goaltender. My first year in 2016, it was Appleton’s Dylan Phinney. In 2017, it was Hudson’s Anthony Howard. And on this particular night, it looked as though Garrett Larsen would join that list. The Waukesha goaltender stood on his head and brought a game that Memorial dominated to overtime. Double overtime, in fact. A 1-all score. The Wings were starting to get some shots on net by the second overtime, and I thought perhaps Memorial was running out of gas and would give up the game-winner. Then the third line delivered. With less than five minutes to go in double overtime, and my deadline rapidly approaching, Josh Berg kept the puck in the offensive zone and poked it to Andrew Roberts, who fired it on net. He didn’t beat Larsen with the first shot, but a great screen from Grant Thielbar made the vision difficult, and the puck trickled out to Thielbar’s
stick. He put it away past a lunging Larsen. Memorial had gotten back to the state title game, and it showed its perseverance in outlasting a goaltender playing out of its mind. And the Coliseum really got into the late stages of the game, which is a feat in itself in that venue. P.S. Move state hockey to Eau Claire if the arena gets built. 5) Abigail Stow’s four-goal outburst against Central Wisconsin, March 2018: Even before I started as a full-timer at the L-T, I had heard about Abigail Stow, this goal-scoring freak of nature for the Eau Claire Area Stars. Then I covered her for her last three high school seasons, and any time she was on the ice, I felt like there was a good chance I’d see a goal. She skates so fluently and fast and has an insane amount of skill. But she never played at a state tournament until her senior year. Finally, she was on the stage where the rest of the state could see the same things we all saw for four years. And who better to go up against than the defending state champions from the Wausau-area co-op? Stow didn’t disappoint. She sliced the Central Wisconsin Storm for four goals in an emphatic 5-2 semifinal victory. And she did it every way possible at the Alliant Energy Center. She went the full length of the ice and
locker room. But Rohrscheib and Regis responded as the senior guard poured in 22 second-half points to get the Ramblers within striking distance. Just when it looked like Regis was about to get over the hurdle, though, Peyton Dibble took over. At that point, he was the first Comet to ever sign on to play college ball anywhere higher than Division II. And he took over down the stretch. The coolest moment is when he punctuated the ending with an exclamation point as he dunked it at the buzzer to solidify the win. The place erupted, and Cameronites honked their horns all the way back home. It felt like a scene straight out of Hoosiers. Small-town high school hoops at its best. 3) Memorial girls cross country winning the state title, October 2015: Talk about pure emotion. That’s what this one was. The Memorial girls team had a target on its back all season. After all, the Old Abes won state the season before. And here they were all set to defend their crown on a cold, rainy Halloween in Wisconsin Rapids. First off, Aubrey Roberts, who had finished second twice and sixth in her pervious individual trips to state, got the monkey off her back and rolled to a state championship. She won by more than 30 seconds and
fired a wrist shot from the circle to score her first goal. She redirected a slap shot for her second. She found an opening and went from center-ice to goal line to tuck it between the goalie’s pad for her third. And for her fourth and final, she toe-dragged at the top of the circle and fired on net. Every person, even supporters of Central Wisconsin, gave her a nice hand after her fourth goal. The rest of the Wisconsin hockey community agreed with the conclusions we came up with four years ago up here. She is special. 4) Cameron boys basketball tops Regis in D4 sectional final, March 2016: Few things are more exciting in our line of work than a sectional final basketball game. There’s not an empty seat in the house. There are chant battles. There are marching bands. And there is usually some really good basketball that’s coupled with emotion. On this night, the small town of Cameron came to Menomonie in droves to watch its boys take on mighty Eau Claire Regis. With a win, the Comets would punch their first-ever ticket to the state tournament. And boy was it exciting. The Comets long arms in the 1-3-1 zone made life difficult for the Ramblers and mega scoring machine Logan Rohrscheib. Cameron took a nice lead into the halftime
See TOP 10/ PAGE 15
LARGE UP TO 2-TOPPING $ PIZZA + SINGLE ORIGINAL TOPPERSTIX
14
.99
LIMITED TIME OFFER. TAX AND DELIVERY CHARGES APPLY.
ORDER ONLINE
TOPPERS.COM EAU CLAIRE - WEST SIDE 1616 N. CLAIREMONT 715-552-1111
EAU CLAIRE - EAST SIDE/ALTOONA 2159 EASTRIDGE CTR. 715-833-1111
MENOMONIE 715-309-2800
CHIPPEWA FALLS 715-720-2800
DELIVERY & CARRYOUT OPEN DAILY AT 11 AM
SINGLE ORDER OF ORIGINAL TOPPERSTIX™
P EP
PER ONI &
S A U SA GE
204450_09-12-18 2 04450 09 12 18
15
Buckshot the Magazine/December 2018 » TOP 10
The crowd cheered as the PA announced Bednarek’s name in lane 4, his usual spot. The gun went off. And so did Kenny. Bednarek made up the stagger in the first 50 meters. He flew down the home stretch and into history. A 20.43-second race. Not only did he beat Bennett’s once untouchable record. He obliterated it. It was also as excited as I had ever seen Kenny after a race, and it’s always more fun to capture the pure emotion of someone. On that day, I — a lifelong track and field fan — witnessed something superhuman. And I got to write about it. Unreal cool.
FROM PAGE 14
was the only runner to break 18 minutes on the day. On top of that, Hannah Roeske, who sat out the week before at sectionals due to a nagging injury, ran an inspired race to place seventh. She gave so much effort that she needed medical attention after the race. How the WIAA announces the team placements at the state cross country meet is quite nerve-wracking. The scoreboard counts down from 20th-place team to first about 10 minutes after the race. Teams gather by the scoreboard to see their fate. The Old Abes were huddled around coach Mark Johnson. Down the teams went. Divine Savior Holy Angels fifth. Sun Prairie fourth. Appleton North third. And then the magic. Arrowhead second. Memorial began screaming before its team name popped up on the big board to signify back-to-back state champs. Tears were streaming. Everybody wearing purple was a family, and that was a moment none of them, nor I, will ever forget. 2) Zac Stange’s overtime goal to beat Memorial, February 2017: You could put music to this ending and play it out in movie form. It was that kind of an emotional ending. For context, North hadn’t beaten Memorial in boys hockey since 2006. And for many years, including Zac Stange’s early days as a Husky, North was at the bottom of the conference. City games were often blowouts for a decade because the Old Abes, who have now been to ninestraight state tourneys, were that much better. When Ryan Parker took over the team in the 2014-15 season, the Huskies showed signs of improvement but still fell short against the Old Abes. In 2017, North fielded a very strong and comparable team to the mighty Abes. It looked as though the streak may end a month earlier, but Memorial scored a short-handed goal in overtime to win. Stange and his senior classmates had one last chance to beat the purple and white. And once again, on this freezing cold February night, the game went into overtime. It looked as though it would be headed for a tie as 20 and then 15 seconds of the overtime clocked went by. Suddenly, North had the puck in its offensive zone, and the Huskies put a tough-angled shot on net. It ricocheted off stellar goaltender Trevor Hudecek and to Stange at the blue line. With just under 10 seconds to play, Stange rifled a wrister to the lower left-hand corner
Staff file photo
Kenny Bednarek’s 20.43 second 200-meter dash at state track last year ranks as Nick Erickson’s No. 1 moment he covered in his time at the L-T. of the net. It took a brief second for folks in Hobbs Ice Center to react. Did it really go in? It did, and it set up a party 11 years in the making. And it was one cool moment for a senior who more than deserved it. 1) Kenny Bednarek smashes Michael Bennett’s state 200-meter record, June 2018: Maybe this is because I am a track junkie (Without Limits is one of my all-time favorite movies while Running With the Buffaloes is one of my all-time favorite books). But you didn’t need to have any clue about the sport to appreciate what Rice Lake’s Kenny Bednarek, who in my opinion cemented himself as one of the best prep athletes of all-time in Wisconsin, did on preliminary Friday of the state track meet during his senior year. Bednarek was the star of the show before the weekend even started. It was the coronation of one of the best to ever do it as he entered the state meet a four-time individual champion and the all-time record holder in the 400. He had a new goal to conquer. Chasing the 200-meter record of 20.68, set by former Badger running back and NFL player Michael Bennett in 1998. For many years, that was thought to be untouchable. That’s until Bednarek stepped foot on center stage. The spectators at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse made sure to find their seats when Bednarek was running. Espe-
cially his final two years, when something special — like flirting with sub-46 in the 400 — could happen. This 200-meter prelim was no different.
*** I know fellow Leader-Telegram sports guys Jack Goods and Spencer Flaten have the same passion for sports as I do. Like me, neither of them are from the area. Jack comes to us all the way from Buffalo, N.Y., while Spencer hails from Titletown — Green Bay. Continue producing the awesome moments for these guys to capture. And make them feel as welcome and at home to the Valley as I have felt over these last seven years. I promise the section is in great hands with Jack and Spencer, and I look forward to seeing them create their own memories. Thanks for everything, Chippewa Valley.
Federally insured by NCUA
HELPING STUDENTS GET ON TRACK TO A
$MARTFUTURE
Visit westconsincu.org for scholarship information,
student loans and free educational resources for all ages.
15 Convenient Locations | (800) 924-0022 | westconsincu.org
Score big SAViNgS At guNderSoN cheVrolet! OUR GIF
2019 Chevrolet Equinox AWD LT
2019 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT
73268 • 39 Months 39,000 Miles Sign and Drive Lease O.A.C
73286 • 39 Months 39,000 Miles Sign and Drive Lease O.A.C
$359 per mo. Buy IT NoW $479
T TO YO
U:
$499 per mo. Buy IT NoW $659
with nothing down, 72 months o.A.C
with nothing down, 72 months o.A.C
2018 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab LT Z71
2018 Chevrolet Silverado Double Cab LT Z71
$599 per mo. Buy IT NoW $679
$499 per mo. Buy IT NoW $659
73081 • 39 Months 39,000 Miles Sign and Drive Lease O.A.C
73133 • 39 Months 39,000 Miles Sign and Drive Lease O.A.C
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY.
with nothing down, 72 months o.A.C
with nothing down, 72 months o.A.C
*Well Qualified credit must finance via GM Finance • offer expire 12-31-18 while supplies last
Available on 2018 models and 2019 Equinox, Traverse, Colorado and Silverado 1500 LD, excluding select base trims. Not available with fleet sales and some other offers. At participating dealers. Take new retail delivery by 1/2/19.
Buckshot uckshot Price is after Dealer Discount anD manufacturer manufacturer’ss reBates BaseD on Dma resiDency resiDency.
hwy 10 & i-94
nels gunderson owner
Bernt gunderson operations mgr.
gary settersten sales mgr.
shaun everson sales mgr.
anson mccune finance mgr.
Find us online or call For more inFo: 7 15 . 5 9 7.19 2 5 | n e l s g u n d e r s o n c h e v r o l e t . c o m os s eoau to co m m e rc i a l .co m | os s eoau to.co m
trystan gunderson sales
dan olstad sales
Jim Jessie sales
dan olstad sales
Jon solie sales
steve schacht sales