Sports - Pierce County Journal

The Spring Valley Hawks picked up a crucial league win over Prescott as they near the mid-point of the regular season.

Veteran leadership and youth energy proving to be perfect formula for Hawks

SPRING VALLEY — As the early August postseason draws nearer by the day, each St. Croix Valley Baseball League team is looking to find something they can rely on to get wins. For some it is a deep … more

By Andrew Harrington | 7/1/26

Shots from the Hip: MBC has high football expectations

Preseason football expectations are already high for the Middle Border Conference. While the official Wisconsin high school football rankings won't be released until August, Travis Wilson of Bound … more

By Cripe Olson | 7/1/26

Anthony Madsen (left) and Chase Snyder (right) each hit home runs in an 8-0 win over the Hubbers on Saturday night.

Bay City plays spoiler to Hubbers’ Curd Fest Classic

ELLSWORTH — The crowd was packed at Bob Young Field, with both the Ellsworth Hubbers and Bay City Bombers faithful filling up the hill side on Cheese Curd Fest Saturday for some league play action. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 7/1/26

Shots from the Hip: Reading a good head coach

Congratulations to Talli Roth and Cadyn Hillebrand on being selected to play in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Coaches Association All Star Game in Wisconsin Dells earlier this month. The games provided a … more

By Cripe Olson | 6/23/26

Continuing the tradition from the 2015 State team, River Falls baseball played a game of grain mill rag ball on the road to the tournament.

Grain mill rag ball game encapsulates Wildcat baseball’s team culture

River Falls baseball's first trip to State since 2015 capped off an incredible season full of memorable moments. They loaded up the bus to make the trek to Appleton, but they had one stop to make … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/23/26

The 1976 Elmwood softball team was honored at State for the 50th anniversary of their runner-up finish.

Before the days of divisions and team uniforms, Elmwood made the inaugural WIAA softball State title game

Back in 1976, Elmwood started a softball team. It was before the days of Divisions and was the first year of the WIAA holding a State Tournament. Despite their size, Elmwood went toe-to-toe with the … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/23/26

Shots from the Hip: All-Conference selections

Senior infielder/pitcher Jackson Matzek was named 1st Team All Conference by head coaches of the Middle Border Conference. Matzek finished with a .316 batting average coupled with a 2-1 record … more

By Cripe Olson | 6/17/26

The River Falls boys golf team after qualifying for State.

RF golf peaks at the right time, finishes in top half at State

MADISON — Coming into State ranked 14th of 16, River Falls boys golf put on a show against a great cast of Division 1 opponents, posting the team’s two best rounds of the year to tie for seventh. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/17/26

Senior Addison Lemke scores a late goal in the Regional Final for the Wildcats.

Overtime does not break Wildcats’ way in Sectional classic

River Falls’ co-Big Rivers Champion and Regional Champion season came to an end at the hands of Holmen on Thursday, losing 3-1 in the Sectional Semi-final in an overtime thriller. The Wildcats … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/17/26

Two one-hit pitching performances got River Falls baseball back to State for the first time since 2015.

RF baseball’s State run comes to an end in quarterfinals

River Falls baseball took the field Monday in Appleton three wins from a State Championship with senior Ethan Jeffers taking the mound after allowing just one hit at Sectionals against a Hudson team … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/17/26

Landon McQuade celebrates after allowing just one hit to send River Falls back to State for the first time since 2015.

Fourteen innings, two hits, one trip to State

Taking the field for the Sectional Semi-final on June 9 in Chippewa Falls, the No. 4 River Falls Wildcats had high expectations for themselves. That said, a matchup against a No. 1 Hudson team that … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/15/26

Paul and Karen Dykstra pose for a photo in the UW-River Falls Falcon Center. Paul Dykstra, a 1983 graduate, two-sport athlete and longtime supporter of UWRF, will donate $1 million to establish the Falcon Athletics Endowment for Excellence focused on enhancing student-athletes’ intercollegiate athletics experience.

Falcon alum establishes $1 million endowment for UW-River Falls Athletics

RIVER FALLS — A former University of Wisconsin-River Falls two-sport athlete who has been an engaged and generous supporter of the university for more than four decades has established the largest … more

6/10/26

Shots from the Hip: Spring teams make Prescott proud

Congratulations to the Prescott High School track and field athletes for an impressive showing at last week’s WIAA State Track Meet at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. The 4x100 relay team … more

By Cripe Olson | 6/9/26

River Falls senior Blake Schneider’s pole vault title made him the Wildcats’ first track and field State champion since 2001.

Schneider becomes first RF T&F State Champ since 2001

River Falls senior Blake Schneider stole the show at the State Track and Field meet over the weekend, posting a 15-foot-6 pole vault to become the school’s first State champion since 2001. A year … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/9/26

Senior catcher Talli Roth lets the throw fly to second during a 10-0 Regional Final win over Fall Creek.

Two gripping playoff runs come to an end at Sectionals

Prescott softball’s Regional championship hit the road to Stanley-Boyd for the Sectional Semi-final. The Cardinals fell behind 3-0 after three, a scoreline that held all the way until the sixth … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/9/26

The Wildcats celebrate after taking down Onalaska on Saturday to win the Regional title.

Three hat-tricks send Wildcat soccer back to Sectionals

RIVER FALLS — With temperatures around 90 degrees for a Saturday afternoon Regional Final, senior Nathalie Rotsaert found the back of the net three times to lead the way as River Falls became … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/8/26

Senior Cal DuMond celebrates with his teammates after crushing a home run to help River Falls advance to Sectionals.

RF holds out for a breakthrough, gets it with seventh-inning rally, walk-off win

RIVER FALLS — Riding the wave of a 9-4 win over Wausau West to open the postseason that featured home runs from Chase Rudolph and Landon McQuade, with McQuade also going the distance on the mound, … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/8/26

River Falls senior Ryan Swanson taking swings at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson days before the Wildcats went off to State.

Wildcat golf’s togetherness leads team all the way to State

River Falls kept a great golf season alive June 2, finishing second at the Marshfield Sectional with a 318 to advance to the State stage. Senior Ryan Swanson won another meet, which has become a … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/8/26

Prescott celebrates after a run-rule walk-off to get redemption against Fall Creek and become Regional champions.

Prescott, River Falls rejoice after Regional championships

Prescott and River Falls are headed to Sectionals in significantly different fashion. The Cardinals got revenge with a blowout win on a Fall Creek team that eliminated them last year and the Wildcats … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/4/26

Shots from the Hip: Eight head to State Track & Field

Eight Prescott Cardinals earned the opportunity to compete at the WIAA State Track and Field Championships at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse this week. Bravo and brava to these athletes for … more

By Cripe Olson | 6/3/26