WJJQ Radio

Story Details

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

Hatchet Golf Team Wins Marathon Invite

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's Golf squad took a meet championship for the first time this season, placing first in the Marathon Invite Monday. The Hatchets as a team finished with a 340, five strokes ahead of the host. Oliver Childers took the individual meet title, finishing with a 78. Rounding out the top five overall were Jaxon Kaiser and Jake Albert, each with an 83. The Hatchets hit the course again Tuesday for a Great Northern Conference Meet at Bass Lake Country Club in Antigo. Tee-off is at 3:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports Tomahawk Baseball broke their three-game losing streak with a dominating non-conference victory at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field Monday, defeating Prentice, 12-6. The Hatchets scored in every inning and took advantage of eight Buccaneer errors to claim the victory. Despite not registering any hits, Wally Horabik and Cash Olsen combined for five RBIs. Jonah Dickens picked up the win on the mound, allowing just three runs on three hits while striking out eight in six innings of work. The win puts Tomahawk at 5-7 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back at TK Field Tuesday for a GNC showdown with Mosinee. Tune in for the broadcast on Sports Talk 810 AM/97.7 FM WJJQ. Alex Koch and Keith Hanse will be in the broadcast booth with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show at 4:35 and first pitch at 5:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports The Hatchet softball squad held on for a non-conference victory down in Wausau Monday evening, defeat Wausau East, 6-5, in eight innings. Despite committing four errors, the Hatchets were able to come up with key hits in the eighth inning to pull out their seventh victory of the season. Anita Ziert went two for four with two runs scored. The winning run was a sacrifice fly from Averi Petta, scoring Anita Ziert. The win puts Tomahawk at 7-7 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back on the diamond Tuesday afternoon at Mosinee. First pitch is at 5:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News One person is dead following a UTV crash in Oneida County over the weekend. According to the Sheriff's Office, that crash happened Saturday at around 5:30 on a trail in the Town of Enterprise. Responders were pages to a segment near Bowman Road. The preliminary investigation showed the UTV left the trail and struck a tree while negotiating a turn. The operator sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as 70 year old David R. McMillen of Salem, Wis. A passenger was treated for minor injuries on the scene. The DNR is completing the accident report. This is the 13th fatal ATV/UTV crash in Wisconsin this year, the second in Oneida County.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News Trout fishing on the Prairie River in Lincoln County may fly under the radar, but a new video short highlights the premier trout stream and a local fly fisherman. As part of Lincoln County's ongoing partnership with Discover Wisconsin, they have released a series of videos highlighting the people, places and events that make Lincoln County special. The latest episode, a 4.5 minute mini, focuses on local trout fishing along the scenic blue ribbon waters on the Prairie River. Like many of these videos, it showcases a place through the story of the people. This video is narrated by Joe Krznarich, a Merrill flyfisherman. The second part of the video even enters his home workshop where he ties his own flies by hand, proving it's as much art as it is sport. Over the years, video segments featuring Lincoln County have been produced on a number of topics including local trails, unique events, and even dog-sledding, the latter of which earned a regional Emmy Award last fall. The video is available on the Discover Wisconsin YouTube Channel. We'll include a link in the online version of the story.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News If you're a frequent flyer, you're bound to run into a travel delay at some point. Unfortunately for the 55th edition of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, the veterans had to wait an extra day to visit Washington, DC. The local chapter of the Honor Flight network was set to make their first mission of the new year on Monday. But after a lengthy delay, the yesterday's flight was eventually postponed. According to the announcement, they were worked to reschedule the flight for Tuesday with local accommodations for the veterans and guardians. The mission featured an expected 91 veterans including 86 Vietnam era veterans and 4 vets from Korea and a 100 year old WWII vet. The local chapter was founded back in 2010. Following today's flight, the 55th overall, the Northern Wisconsin Chapter of the Honor Flight will have transported more than 5,300 veterans to the Nation's capital.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin has launched a new webpage to support tornado recovery efforts, while also announcing an impressive milestone in fundraising for the cause. The Tornado Relief webpage provides a central place for impacted residents to apply for emergency assistance, access resources, and track updates as recovery continues. Foundation President Tim Parker says the site is designed to make help more accessible while keeping the community informed during the transition from immediate response to long-term recovery. It's been a little more than two weeks since the EF3 tornado touched down in Ringle. The Community Foundation has served as a central hub for people looking for ways to support those impacted by the storms. According to yesterday's update, more than 700 donors have now contributed over $250,000. The Emergency Relief Fund aims to assist individuals and families facing urgent needs like housing instability and basic living expenses. A five-member review committee will meet weekly to evaluate applications and distribute funding as quickly and fairly as possible. Residents can apply online or by submitting a paper application, with funds often paid directly to vendors when possible.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News A child is recovering after being struck by a Wausau city bus Monday morning. According to the Wausau Police Department, responders were called to a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash involving a Metro Ride bus at the intersection of South 12th Avenue and Callon Street. Based on their preliminary investigation, during school drop-off, a child ran into the roadway after exiting a vehicle. The child was struck by an oncoming Metro Ride bus. EMTs provided immediate care on the scene, and the child was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. According to the news release, the Wausau School district is actively providing services to students. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office is conducting the investigation because a city agency, Metro Ride, was involved. Both parties are cooperating with the investigation.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News While Wisconsin has started to green up, fire danger remains elevated across much of the state. On Monday, the DNR suspended burning permits for 43 counties, while most of the state was listed in either high or very high fire danger. There were 20 wildfires reported around the state Monday including one in Lincoln County, two in Oneida County, and three in Price County. According to the DNR, spring is the most critical fire season in Wisconsin. The DNR is at full staffing and preparedness across the state to respond to any incidents. Fire risk is increased by ongoing dry vegetation, low humidity, warmer temperatures and breezy conditions. They note even a few days between precipitation can dry out grasses, pine needles and leaf litter, creating hazardous conditions. They note that people can help by using caution and avoiding activities that may cause a spark.

Published on 05/04/2026 under News Several partners in Lincoln County are looking to improve mental health by encouraging interactions in the community. The Social Connection Challenge is a joint effort of Healthy Minds for Lincoln County Coalition, Lincoln County Health Dept, and Aspirus. During the month of May, they're encouraging community members to prioritize social connection by limiting screen time; reaching out to friends, family and neighbors; seeking opportunities to help others; and finding ways to get involved in the community. Kristin Bath with the Health Department says they're excited to bring back the Social Connection Challenge for a second year. She added, "We hope this challenge provides a fun way for families, friends and our community to take part in activities that bring us together and are good for our mental health." The Challenge includes 50 suggested activities, and participants are asked to complete 15 to be entered into a prize drawing. Just a few examples include: completing a random act of kindness; attend a summer concert; join a community education class; or volunteer in your community. Online forms can be completed on the Health Department website or picked up in their office in Merrill. They will also be available in Merrill and Tomahawk at the local Libraries and Chambers. The deadline is June 5.

+ Read More