Sports

If you enjoy low-cost fun, the state is offering some old-fashioned outdoor fun this weekend for the low, low price of free.

I have a hard time getting too excited about a free fishing weekend because a fishing license is still dirt cheap anyway, and my “fishing privilege” comes with my patron license. For the once-a-summer angler who perhaps wants to take a grandchild fishing or a parent who wants to try something new with a child or neighbor kid who needs a friend, it’s a pretty good deal.

Both residents and non-residents can fish in Wisconsin waters without a license today and Sunday during Free Fishing Weekend. The Department of Natural Resources sweetens the pot by allowing you to fish for inland and Great Lakes trout and salmon without the usually required trout stamp.

The Bonduel baseball team entered the postseason with plenty of momentum, winning 10 of its final 11 games.

The Bears received a bye and a No. 2 seed in a Division 3 regional pod. Bonduel held off third-ranked Brillion in a game that featured 26 runs between the two schools, setting up a matchup against top-seeded St. Mary Catholic for the regional title.

Through the first five innings, stellar defense and timely hitting provided the Bears a 2-0 lead over the Zephyrs. St. Mary Catholic put together a rally in the bottom of the sixth, with Bryce Puls’ two-RBI single leading the hosts to a 3-2 win over Bonduel on Thursday evening in Neenah.

Bonduel did not go quietly in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Isaac Boldt struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Jordan Boldt then followed with a single to center before Zephyrs’ reliever Christian Jack struck out his third batter of the inning to seal the victory.

The Clintonville baseball team won just two games during the entire regular season, enduring several tight losses along the way.

The Truckers dropped their final eight regular season games, not exactly how any team hopes to head into the postseason.

Since earning a No. 5 seed out of a six-team Division 2 regional pod, all Clintonville has done is win. The Truckers opened postseason play by rallying to upset wins over fourth-seeded Oconto Falls and top-seeded Notre Dame.

Facing an early deficit on Wednesday night, the Truckers remained upbeat and used a pair of four-run innings to upset second-seeded Seymour 8-2 in a rain-shortened Division 2 regional title game in Seymour.

GIRLS SOCCER

Ashwaubenon 9

Shawano 0

The Shawano girls soccer team saw its season come to a close after dropping a Division 2 regional clash against Ashwaubenon on Thursday.

Hawks’ goalie Peyton Buerman made nine saves in the game.

Shawano finished the season with a 3-10 record overall after a 2-6 run through the Bay Conference.

Clintonville vs. New London

The Clintonville, New London Division 3 regional score was not available at press time.

If the Truckers picked up the upset victory, they would battle third-seeded Amherst/Iola-Scandinavia on Saturday.

The WIAA State Track and Field Championships offer athletes from across the state one final opportunity to showcase their talents in front of family, friends and plenty of other track enthusiasts.

Some athletes have their sights set on reaching the podium while others are just hoping to soak in the incredible experience that signals the end of the season.

A total of nine individuals and three relay teams from local high schools will be appearing at the 2018 championships on Friday and Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse.

Shawano

Shawano will send three athletes to the state meet. Payden Buck will compete in the pole vault, Parker Pues will take part in the long jump, and Atty Wagner will participate in the high jump.

Each of the three athletes will be making their state debuts and all three are determined to have strong finishes.

The National Football League offseason continues to be the season of putting a fine point on things.

The league, which has re-defined the legal body positions for players during a pass reception or a tackle, has also codified the legal position for players during the national anthem: upright.

In an effort to win back fans who tuned out in disgust last year over players’ sitting down during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the league has mandated that all players stand for the pre-game song, or stay in the locker room until the song is over.

Defense is a problem the Gresham baseball team has dealt with all season.

Defense proved to be the Wildcats’ downfall on Tuesday, when the team committed several errors during an 11-4 season-ending loss to Green Bay NEW Lutheran in a Division 4 regional matchup in Green Bay.

Third-seeded Gresham took an early lead by taking advantage of some poor defense by the hosts. The second-seeded Blazers responded by scoring the next eight runs to take control of the game. The Wildcats scored once in the sixth inning and two more times in the seventh but a three-run sixth helped Green Bay NEW Lutheran pull away for the victory.

“We had some mental mistakes,” Gresham coach Scott Cerveny said. “Sometimes we weren’t engaged in the game. We had a lot of young kids this year at a lot of new positions and it was hard to get everyone focused.”

BOYS GOLF

Keeney, Resch, Acker compete at sectional

Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Justin Keeney and Ian Resch and Bonduel’s Austin Acker all wrapped up their seasons competing in the Division 2 Ripon Sectional at Lawsonia Links in Green Lake on Tuesday.

Keeney led the trio with an 18-hole round of 87. The score helped the sophomore tie for 20th. Resch, a freshman, shot a 93, good enough to tie for 38th.

Acker turned in a round of 92, tying for 36th to wrap up his high school career.

Peshtigo and Winneconne earned trips to state by claiming the top two team scores of 339 and 347, respectively. Marinette’s Matt Wagner (79), Amherst’s Vince Omernik (79) and Waupaca’s Eli Bartel (82) earned individual spots at state after placing in the top-three golfers who were not a part of a state-qualifying team.

BASEBALL

Bonduel 14

Brillion 12

It was a day to remember for Jason Ebert. Saturday afternoon, Ebert walked across the stage as he graduated from Clintonville High School. At night, Ebert raced to victory lane in the IMCA Sport Mod feature, ending Lucas Lamberies’ three-race win streak.

Kevin Feck (IMCA Modified) and Jason Stueck (Mighty Four) each scored their first career Shawano Speedway feature wins, while Nick Anvelink (Late Model) and Travis VanStraten (IMCA Stock Car) returned to victory lane.

Fresh off a runner-up finish in last week’s Late Model feature, Anvelink was determined to return to victory lane. The Navarino veteran led every lap to obtain the win. Chris Engels finished second, while Derek Jahnke employed a late-race pass on Ron Berna to finish in third. Berna and Tom Naeyaert rounded out the top five.

For the third time this season, the Shawano softball team battled West De Pere, looking to avenge a pair of Bay Conference losses.

The third time did not prove to be the charm for Shawano, which suffered a season-ending 11-0 loss in five innings to West De Pere in a Division 2 regional title clash on Friday in De Pere.

Genesis Eggart pitched all five innings for the Phantoms, striking out seven batters along the way. The lefty worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning before facing just two batters over the minimum across the final four innings.

“Genesis is a great pitcher, and she shut us down,” Shawano coach Brian Johnson said. “I think she was in our head a little bit at the plate. It seemed like we were waiting for things to happen, and at this point of the season, you can’t do that.”