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WIAA Board Approves Basketball Shot Clock, Two Divisions in Boys Hockey Published on 06/23/2017 under Sports

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control reviewed and approved a number of committee recommendations impacting winter sports, gave initial review and consideration of a newly conceived divisional placement plan for basketball, and engaged in robust membership-related discussions at its June meeting today.

Following a lengthy discussion, the Board voted to implement the use of a 35-second shot clock in basketball for varsity games only to begin with the 2019-20 season.

In other basketball-related action, coaches qualifying for the Sate Tournament will determine the seeds for the four qualifying teams in each of the five divisions with a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association representative breaking any ties that may occur beginning in 2017-18.

Three other basketball recommendations received approval from the Board. If schools choose to play only one half of a junior varsity game and a full varsity game, players will be allowed to play in only two halves. Also approved was extending the coaching box to 28 feet from 14 feet for all levels. In addition, the number of players per team allowed to dress during the Tournament Series will increase to 18 while maintaining the maximum party limit of 22.

The Board also voted to convene the basketball coaches advisory committee following the 2017 Area Meetings to discuss the merits of a newly created basketball tournament placement model. Details of the plan will be shared and discussed at the Area Meetings and at each level of the committee process to be presented to the Board at its Jan. 31, 2018 meeting. General details of the plan is provided below.

The Board supported an amended recommendation for a two-year experiment on sponsoring two divisions in boys hockey beginning with the 2020 State Tournament. The tournament format will feature four teams in Division 1 and four in Division 2 with the smallest 32 programs by enrollment assigned to Division 2.

Another action item in hockey was the approval of the procedure for seeding the State Tournament. The WIAA will conduct a conference call with coaches of qualifying teams to determine the top four seeds, and the remaining four teams will be randomly drawn as opponents of the seeded teams in the brackets. The guidelines for seeding will replicate those for the regional and sectional levels.

Beginning next season, the State Tournament in team wrestling will also be seeded by coaches of qualifying teams. The process will replicate the procedure approved in boys hockey. Another wrestling recommendation approved for 2017-18 increases the total number of medals awarded to 28 at the State Team Tournament, which equals the number of eligible athletes. In other wrestling-related discussions, the Board was informed of a change in the Feb. 1, one-pound growth allowance to take effect on the date of the first regional competition.

The lone gymnastics coaches' recommendation received approval. It requires the final average score of a routine to be posted during meets throughout the season.

The Board also ratified spring cooperative programs for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, general fund financial statements and payments and a spending resolution during development of the 2017-18 operational budget.

Among the additional discussions were a review of the 2017 spring State Tournaments, updates on Assembly Bill 260/Senate Bill 232, the 2017 New Athletic Director Workshop, possible 2017 Area Meeting topics, and potential Constitution items for the 2018 Annual Meeting.

The Board also received liaison reports from John Ashley of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Peggy Seegers-Braun of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association.

The WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 511 senior high schools and 41 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. It sponsors 27 championship tournament series. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580.

In Other News

DoT Announces Highway 51 Project North of Tomahawk

Published on 02/17/2026 under News It won't be long before road construction season returns to the Northwoods. A Highway 51 project near Tomahawk this spring will require a temporary detour. The WisDoT announced that US 51 between US Highway 8 and Oneida County L will be closed and detoured this spring. The official detour route will use US 8 and WIS 47. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, and they plan to re-open this segment prior to Memorial Day weekend. The work will continue after that date, but Highway 51 will be open with some lane closures. All lanes will be open for weekend traffic during this second phase. This project involves repairing concrete pavement, resurfacing the asphalt and bridge repairs. More information will be available closer to the start of construction in April. Project information website. They note this project is not associated with the proposed roundabout at US 51 and County K/Swamp Lake Road in Oneida County planned in 2027.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News Those heading out onto the ice at this time of year should use caution. A rescue was performed in Lincoln County. According to the Merrill Fire Department, responders were paged to Council Grounds on the Wisconsin River just below the Alexander Hydro Dam. The call came in at shortly before 11am Monday morning. The caller indicated a man had fallen through the ice, he was able to get out but was stranded on a nearby island. Firefighters used a Rapid Deployment Craft (RDC) to reach the man and bring him back to shore safely. His sled & ice shanty were also recovered. Members of the Merrill PD & Lincoln County Sheriff also assisted on scene. With above average temperatures over the past week, ice conditions on many Northwoods waterways have been changing. Caution is advised, and remember that no ice is 100% safe.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News With a stretch of mild weather, snowmobile trail closures are expanding. Here in Lincoln County, the Forestry, Land and Parks Department announced that trails in zones 2, 3, and 4 are closed as of yesterday. At this time, the trails in zone 1 and the Hiawatha will remain open. For those trails, they warned that riders can expect rough segments, icy stretches, and potential bare spots due to the warm weather and sun. In the announcement, Recreation Forester Nick Behrens says, "We kindly ask riders to follow all "TRAIL CLOSED" signs, stay on marked routes, and respect private property. He added, "Our trail system exists thanks to the generosity of local landowners, and your cooperation helps keep these trails open for everyone to enjoy."

Published on 02/17/2026 under News It's Fat Tuesday, and while some communities are celebrating Mardi Gras festivities, others here in the Northwoods are enjoying a Polish-style pastry also popular at this time of year. Today is celebrated as Paczki Day. The name of these doughnut-style desserts may confuse some. It's spelled p-a-c-z-k-i, but it's pronounced POONCH-kee. And that's plural...if you can limit yourself to just one, you've got a paczek or POON-check. Pazcki were brought to the United States by Polish immigrants. With large populations in the Midwest, the treats are quite popular in Wisconsin, including here in the Northwoods where they are found at many bakeries and grocery stores at this time of year. The Fat Tuesday connection is because Pazcki were a popular way to use up ingredients like milk, eggs, sugar and fruits ahead of Lent. And while the traditional filling is a prune jam, more modern takes include apricot, lemon, blueberry, cherry and chocolate.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News The Oneida County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about the reappearance of a 'missed jury duty' scam. Over the past few days, the Sheriff's Office has received multiple reports from residents who have been contacted by these scammers. The caller identifies as Deputy Campbell, and claims the person missed jury duty. The Sheriff's Office says they do not have a Deputy Campbell in their employment. They said they would not call a resident about to missing jury duty, nor would they request payment or gift cards in exchange for missing jury duty. In the warning, the Sheriff's Office reminds residents to be vigilant, never share personal or financial information. If you are suspicious of an unsolicited phone call, hang up and call back using a known number. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office issued a similar jury duty scam warning earlier this year.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News Aspirus Wausau Hospital has been recognized on the Forbes Top Hospitals 2026 list, earning national distinction for performance across quality, safety, and patient care measures. More than 2,600 hospitals around the country were assessed across multiple performance domains, including mortality, complications, re-admissions, patient experience, and value of care. Hospitals included on the list demonstrated strong overall performance across these measures. Jeff Wicklander, Aspirus SVP says, "This recognition reflects the daily work of our caregivers and care teams who are focused on delivering safe, high-quality care to our patients and our community." He added, "Our priority is always to improve outcomes, support families, and make sure patients can trust the care they receive close to home."

Published on 02/16/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' swimmers will be sending multiple athletes to the WIAA Division 2 State Meet in Waukesha for the second consecutive season. At the Sectional Meet in Rice Lake, Junior Dane Dekiep qualified for the state meet in the 100 yard backstroke. Dekiep would finish fourth in the event with a time 56.41 seconds. Senior Bruce Peetz would break the school record and qualify for the state meet in the 500 yard freestyle. Peetz's time was 5:07.13, good for third overall and was the top GNC finisher. Dekiep and Peetz will be competing in the WIAA Division 2 State Boys Swim Meet. Events will be at the Waukesha South Natatorium Friday at 5:30.

Published on 02/16/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's male wrestlers would finish ninth as a team in the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Meet in Antigo Saturday. The Hatchets finished with 98.5 points, four behind Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol. Tomahawk had two wrestlers finish third in their weight classes. Zander Zehner would fail to qualify for state at 157 pounds after losing to Murphy Beyer of Freedom in the championship match and Joseph Stimac of Antigo in the second-place match. At 215 pounds, Nathan Norman would win his third-place match over Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol's Anthony Estevez. This concludes the Hatchet male wrestling season.

Published on 02/16/2026 under News From fire trucks and hoses to ladders and turnout gear, firefighters use all sorts of equipment. One often overlooked tool...their ropes. One local department is raising funds to replace theirs. The Tomahawk Fire Department is sell tickets for their St. Patrick's themed Pot O' Gold fundraising raffle. Funds will be going towards their ropes, harnesses, and webbing. To promote the fundraiser, the Department recently highlighted how this seemingly simply gear is essential for rescue operations, fire fighter safety, and equipment management.Ropes (Life Safety & Utility): Life safety ropes are used for hoisting, lowering, and rappelling, while utility ropes are for securing objects and training.Harnesses (Class II & III): Essential for personal escape systems (PES), allowing firefighters to safely escape through windows during a "mayday" situation. They are also used for working at height and rescuing victims.Webbing (Versatility): Used to create improvised harnesses, carry SCBA bottles, drag victims or incapacitated firefighters and secure equipment.The Fire Department notes these aren't standard ropes you can purchase at the hardware store; they must adhere to standards set by the National Fire Protection Agency. Even a relatively small department like Tomahawk, replacement runs approximately $10,000. And while they are not used in every call, the department notes they are crucial for saving lives whether an aerial response, confined space, or ice water rescue. The raffle provides an opportunity to support the department with a chance to win some cash. Members of the Tomahawk Fire Department have tickets for sale, we also have a limited number here at WJJQ during business hours.

Published on 02/16/2026 under News The Lincoln County Health Department is reminding community members about the risk of blastomycosis. While being exposed to the spores that cause blasto may be unusual at this time of year, symptoms can be delayed by several months. That means an exposure during fall activities could still be developing during the winter months. Some symptoms of blasto are similar to those of other respiratory illnesses common for this time of year. Given that overlap... it is important for patients to follow-up with their provider if respiratory symptoms are not improving or worsening, especially for activities that are associated with blasto. Exposure comes from common and popular outdoor activities, especially those that disturb the soil. Just a few examples include hunting, hiking, camping, gardening, off-roading, construction and yard work. While rare overall, Lincoln County has among the highest incidence rates of blasto in Wisconsin. That's still just a handful of cases each year. Many infected show no signs or symptoms though serious cases can lead to hospitalization or long-term impacts. The Lincoln County Health Department has a webpage dedicated to blasto.

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