Given the fact that this is my last week at the Pierce County Journal, as I’ve accepted a job offer at the Duluth News Tribune in Duluth, Minn., I figured it would be fitting to recap my favorite memories in my two years covering sports in Pierce County.

This list is not in any specific order and I’m almost positive that once I’m done putting this list together, I’m going to remember one that I forgot. With that being said, here are some of my favorite memories covering sports in the area.

The 2021 Ellsworth Panthers football team: When I started at the Pierce County Journal in September 2021, all I heard about was the dominant Ellsworth Panthers football team, and boy did they live up to the hype.

The 2021 Ellsworth Panthers had it all. They had dominant offensive and defensive lines, they had playmakers at every position imaginable and were one of the fastest, most explosive teams in the state.

Whether it was Jack Janke at quarterback, Max Grand in the backfield or Ashten Quade hauling in passes on the outside, there wasn’t a team in the state that could slow down Ellsworth’s offense.

No memory of that Panthers team stands out more to me than the playoff game on the road against the Northwestern Tigers. The Panthers, who should have been given the top seed in their playoff bracket, instead received the No. 2 seed, which meant that they had to go on the road for the WIAA Level 3 game against Northwestern.

Ellsworth went to Northwestern and gave the Tigers the business, as the Panthers jumped out to a 30-7 halftime lead. During the intermission, I was on the sideline with Northwestern’s hometown chain gang. They spent the whole break talking about how they’d never seen speed at the high school level like Ellsworth had.

While I still get a good laugh thinking about that chain gang being in awe of Ellsworth’s high-powered offense, it’s a reminder of just how special that football team was. I’ll never forget the 2021 Ellsworth Panthers and their dominance, even though they eventually lost to Catholic Memorial in the state championship game.

Spring Valley boys’ basketball vs. Durand: During my time with the Pierce County Journal, I’ve covered probably 70 or more high school basketball games, but none of them have lived up to the stakes and crowd environment of one playoff game.

During the 2021-22 boys’ basketball season, Spring Valley and Durand were on a collision course to meet in the Division 4 postseason bracket. The two Dunn-St. Croix Conference rivals had split the regular season series and were slated for a rubber match in the playoffs.

The neutral-site section game was played at Menomonie High School, which seats nearly 2,000 fans comfortably. I arrived more than 40 minutes early to cover the game and was greeted by a ticket line that stretched from the gym to the parking lot. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Both Durand and Spring Valley fans packed the house for that game. Although Spring Valley ultimately lost, it was still the best crowd I’ve ever seen in person at a high school basketball game. When I think about the sport at this level, that’s immediately the environment that comes to my mind. It was an absolute privilege to be at that game.

Prescott girls’ golf three-peats: There is almost certainly not a more impressive accomplishment on this list than the Prescott girls’ golf team winning three consecutive WIAA Division 2 state championships.

Although I may have missed the first championship in 2020 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, I got to see the second and third consecutive titles in person at University Ridge in Madison. The depth and talent on those rosters were second to none.

Whether it was Ava Salay burying birdie after birdie or Rhi Stutz and Liz Rohl putting together solid rounds in the 70s, the Prescott girls’ golf teams throughout the last three years have had it all.

The run will eventually come to an end, but right now, the Prescott girls’ golf team feels like the 2014-2018 Golden State Warriors – an unstoppable offensive force that is loaded with superstar talent that is going to find a way to win titles. I loved covering Prescott girls’ golf.

Trevor Asher wins Division 3 state championship: Speaking of state championships, Elmwood/Plum City senior Trevor Asher is the only individual champion on my list. After making competitive jumps at state in his sophomore and junior years, Asher shined as a senior.

Asher traveled to La Crosse for the state championships as a senior and put on a show for the thousands of fans in attendance. With just one jump left in the championships, Asher trailed by more than six inches.

Asher put everything he had into his last jump and leaped 45 feet, 3.25 inches, which won him the state title and was a new Elmwood/Plum City school record. Asher had one chance to do something he’d never done before, and he did it. I’m happy I was there to see it in person.

Elmwood/Plum City wins volleyball regional title: While some local schools are accustomed to winning regional championships, the Elmwood/Plum City volleyball team isn’t one of them. Before 2022-23, EPC had never won a regional title and before the co-op, Elmwood and Plum City had won a combined two regional championships in the previous four decades.

That made the 2022-23 Division 5 regional championship game at home against Alma Center Lincoln one of the most important matches in program history. Elmwood/Plum City and Alma Center Lincoln battled to a 2-2 draw through the first four sets.

That forced a deciding fifth set, which Elmwood/Plum City won 15-11 to claim the first regional championship in program history. Seeing the fans erupt in celebration while the players and coaches shed tears of joy was an unforgettable experience. I’ll never forget that match.

River Falls volleyball’s historic run: One of the first state tournaments I ever covered for the Pierce County Journal was River Falls volleyball in Green Bay in 2021. The Wildcats, led by head coach Sara Kealy, had won half a dozen consecutive sectional titles and were poised for more.

River Falls cruised through the regular season and regionals before facing a scrappy Chippewa Falls squad on the road in the sectional title game. The Wildcats won a five-set thriller and advanced to the state tournament where they eventually lost to Brookfield Central in five.

Although River Falls didn’t win a state title, they made winning Division 1 sectional championships an annual tradition. Most teams would be lucky to ever win one sectional tournament. I’m still in awe thinking about River Falls’ success in volleyball.

Jordan Malmlov’s 55 points vs. River Falls: Prescott senior Jordan Malmlov’s 55-point performance at home against River Falls this winter is the greatest single-game effort I’ve seen from an athlete in my two years of covering high school sports in Pierce County.

Malmlov got hot early with a couple of routine three-pointers and mid-range jumpers. As soon as he felt warm, the senior sniper appeared to be in range as soon as he crossed halfcourt. Malmlov pulled up from NBA three-point range regularly and gave River Falls more than it could handle.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Malmlov had led Prescott to an 86-67 win against River Falls and scored a school-record 55 points in the process. That was a special night, even by Malmlov standards. It’s still the greatest scoring performance I’ve ever seen by a high school athlete. It’s no surprise that he’s going to be a Division 1 college basketball player.

UWRF Football on the rise: I went to college at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls from 2016 to 2020. In that time, River Falls struggled to put together winning football seasons and often occupied the cellar of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

However, after I started at the Pierce County Journal in 2021, River Falls strung together a couple of promising years and even spent several weeks ranked within the weekly D3Football.com top-25 national rankings.

For the first time since I came to UWRF, there was a legitimately dominant football team to cheer for. The Falcons amassed a 9-2 overall record in 2021 before going 7-4 last fall. I’m certainly a UWRF football homer, so I’m happy to see the program on the rise. I think it’s reasonable to expect that they make the national playoffs this season, as long as the team stays healthy.

River Falls Fighting Fish win a state title: When I started at the Pierce County Journal, I quickly learned that River Falls is one of the most dominant teams in the county.

The Fighting Fish’s roster is chock-full of current and former collegiate players, which has helped River Falls win two Wisconsin Baseball Association state championships in the last two years.

It’s been fun watching River Falls be such a dominant baseball town. Given the Fighting Fish’s 20-1 overall record to start the 2023 campaign, I think it’s safe to say that they will be playing for another state championship later this summer. They’ve been a pleasure to watch the last two years.

While there are many more teams I’d love to mention, those are the ones that stood out the most to me. It has been my absolute honor and privilege to watch the sports teams in Pierce County compete throughout the last two years.

Duluth is going to be my new home, but I’ll never stop loving the teams and people in Pierce County. I can’t begin to explain how much I’ve loved and appreciated my time here. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride just as much as I have.