Sports - Pierce County Journal

EPC senior Hudson Hewitt had a strong season a year ago, earning honorable mention All-Dunn-St. Croix Conference honors for his work on the mound.

The snow is melting, which means baseball is back

Returning Starters/Contributors Spring Valley Coach Brandon Walczak : Returning starters will be Will Biggs, Braden Gregg, Wyatt Smith and Jake Hannack. EPC Coach Cory Brathall : Seniors: … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/25/26

From left, Treasure Island Resort & Casino team members Christy Burleson and Michelle Wiering, both Ellsworth residents, and Ellsworth High School athletics director Kevin Haglund pose for a photo. Island Impact, the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino’s joint charitable arm, made a $2,500 donation to the school on Monday, March 9, 2026, to provide new boys tennis uniforms as Ellsworth’s program numbers have surged in recent years.

Treasure Island donates to EHS tennis program

ELLSWORTH – Island Impact, the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino’s joint charitable arm, wanted to make sure Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth could keep up … more

3/18/26

Shots from the Hip: Track teams compete this Friday

Head Boys and Girls Track Coach Emily Calabrese and her thinclads will open the season this Friday at the Knowles Center on the University of Wisconsin-River Falls campus. Prescott will compete … more

By Cripe Olson | 3/18/26

Our picks for Pierce County Journal All-County Teams winter edition

3/18/26

In about a decade’s time, the Merri-Heirs 4-H softball went from a team struggling to win a single game to the county champions.

The Merri-Heirs Bears: From bad news to county champions

In 1980, Paul Shingledecker had little softball experience. He did not grow up playing and was certainly caught off guard when he was asked to be the coach of the Merri-Heirs (Plum City area) 4-H … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/18/26

Senior Kobe Russell had a lot of great basketball moments over the course of four years, one of which was a buzzer-beater to beat Ellsworth on the road in January.

Years of dedication to multiple sports leads Russell to 1K points

Prescott senior Kobe Russell may be headed to North Dakota State for football next year, but that has not stopped him from getting to the top in other sports, placing in the State track 4x400 relay … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/18/26

Elmwood/Plum City’s next softball coach will be Liz Hauser, a high school math teacher in the Plum City School District.

Hauser plans to focus on preparation, youth engagement as EPC softball coach

Plum City High School math teacher Liz Hauser was named the next head coach of EPC softball. Hauser plans to focus on student-athlete confidence and an increase in youth participation for the Wolves. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/18/26

Local attorney and mother of 10 Melissa Petersen is a quarterfinalist in the national 2026 Ms. Health & Fitness Competition.

Ellsworth single mom of 10 advancing in National Ms. Health & Fitness Competition

ELLSWORTH - Melissa Petersen, an attorney, health coach, fitness instructor, and single mother of 10 from Ellsworth, is advancing as a quarterfinalist in the national 2026 Ms. Health & Fitness … more

3/11/26

Shots from the Hip: Magic of high school sports

It makes no difference what sport you are talking about. All high school athletes can tell you about the last game they played. Whether it be the last basket, the last at bat, or the last touchdown, … more

By Cripe Olson | 3/11/26

Wisconsin Rep. Shannon Zimmerman presented Sheri Zimmermann with a state award after becoming the first female to win the World Strongman Games 73kg World Championship from Wisconsin or Minnesota.

Zimmermann of Ironworx Gym honored for World Strongman Championship won despite torn bicep

Sheri Zimmermann of Coon Rapids, Minn., who trains at River City Ironworx Gym in River Falls, became the women’s lightweight Official Strongman Masters champion of the world back in late 2025, but … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/11/26

River Falls' "Perfect 10" gymnasts took fourth place at State as a team along with some memorable individual performances.

Vault and floor scores lift Wildcats to fourth place State finish

River Falls was impressive and then some over the weekend, scoring 136.8498 to finish fourth place out of 10 teams at State. Additionally, the “Perfect 10” gymnasts had three individual … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/11/26

River Falls senior Brody Graetz shoots a three over a pair of New Richmond defenders in an 83-79 Regional Final loss Saturday night.

RF’s BRC Championship season comes to an end in Regional Final overtime classic

RIVER FALLS — As co-Big Rivers Conference Champions with Hudson and the No. 1 seed in its Division 2 Sectional with 19-7 overall and 12-2 conference records, River Falls had a target on their backs … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 3/11/26

The St. Croix Valley Fusion rallied from down big to advance in the State Semi-finals and nearly made another wild comeback in the Finals to finish as the State runners-up.

A comeback for the ages and a second one nearly pulled off secures Fusion State Runner-up spot

MIDDLETON — The State Tournament was a magical one for the St. Croix Valley Fusion. Trailing by three goals in the Semi-final and four in the Final, the Fusion came up just one goal short of making … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/11/26

Prescott senior Max Monteith scored 8 and 11 points in the Cardinals’ two playoff games.

Prescott bested in Regional Final, schools say goodbye to massive senior classes

Prescott ended the season on a wild stretch, capping the regular season on a six-game winning streak to come out of nowhere to share the Middle Border Conference title in a three-way tie, seeing … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/11/26

Prescott senior Emelia Berg showed up big in the Wisconsin High School State Ski & Snowboard Championships back in February, taking fifth in the slalom race and 20th in the giant slalom race.

The need for speed takes Berg to National skiing competition

Prescott senior Emelia Berg has become one of the area’s best skiers, placing top five of over 100 competitors in the slalom race and 20th out of over 120 in the giant slalom race at the Wisconsin … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/10/26

Shots from the Hip: Congrats to Prescott BBB co-conference champs!

Congratulations to the Prescott boys basketball team and Head Coach Nick Johnson on winning a share of the Middle Border Conference championship after their 61-46 victory over Baldwin-Woodville last … more

By Cripe Olson | 3/3/26

Prescott senior Nora Boles puts up a floater in a playoff 66-49 loss to Baldwin-Woodville.

GBB season comes to an end at Regionals

Girls basketball season has come to a close, with county squads going 1-5 during Regionals to each be eliminated. Prescott secured the lone win, falling in the Regional Final a day later. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/3/26

Junior defender Sydney Kivel lunges for a poke check in a 4-2 win over Western Wisconsin to book a trip to State.

Fusion bounce back after surrendering early goal to secure spot in State bracket

The St. Croix Valley Fusion kept the good times rolling Friday night, riding a 13-game winning streak into a Sectional Final win over Western Wisconsin that earned the Fusion a trip to the State … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/3/26

River Falls gymnastics is back at State, with the team securing an appearance through an impressive 138.725 second place score at the Marshfield Sectional on March 1.

Perfect 10: RF gymnastics headed to State again

MARSHFIELD — A year ago, a River Falls gymnastics squad called themselves “The Lucky Seven” for the seven gymnasts on the team. They scored a 136.300 at Sectionals to secure a State bid. This … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/3/26

River Falls junior 190-pounder Jacob Hutchins tore through the Division 1 bracket all the way until the finals, finishing second place and breaking the Wildcat record with a 50-win season.

Four place in action-packed wrestling State Tournament

MADISON — There was no shortage of fireworks at the Kohl Center over the weekend, with eight county wrestlers competing, four placing, three making the semifinals and one finalist. River … more

By Andrew Harrington | 3/3/26