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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

Lincoln County Board Approves 2027 Budget; Levy Up, Mill Rate Down

Published on 11/11/2026 under News As expected, the Lincoln County Board unanimously approved its 2027 budget during Tuesday's monthly meeting. Supervisors received the balanced proposal last month, giving them several weeks to review the spending plan prior to the final vote. The approved property tax levy comes in at 13.6 million dollars, up approximately 300,000 dollars from last year. However, driven by a nearly seven-percent increase in equalized property values and a 1.3-percent boost in net new construction, the average mill rate is projected to drop by 2.6 percent for townships and just over two percent for cities. Notable spending updates include increased funding for emergency medical services following a new joint E-M-S agreement with the City of Merrill. Overall budget numbers were bolstered by steady growth in county sales tax revenue, continuing a multi-year upward trend attributed in part to local investments in recreation and tourism promotion. Board Chair Don Friske praised the Finance Committee for the time and effort spent crafting this year's budget, noting the process was completed during a leadership transition as Korey Bloch stepped into the Finance Director role. With the final spending plan largely unchanged from the October draft, supervisors passed the budget with minimal discussion.

Published on 11/11/2026 under News Following strong local reviews at its September premiere, area residents will have another chance to see Tomahawk: City in the Pines on the big screen. A second free screening of the 90-minute historical documentary is scheduled for this coming Monday, November 16th. Co-created by Tomahawk native Clay Schmit and Oscar-winning director John Newcombe, the film captures over 140 years of local history—from early Indigenous lands and the timber era to present day. The two friends spent nearly two years on the project connecting with community members, local organizations, and historians. Schmit says they will be partnering with the Northwoods Vineyard Church to air a second screening coming up on Monday at 7pm.For those unable to attend in person, the documentary is also available to stream online through Kinema for four dollars and ninety-nine cents.

Published on 11/11/2026 under News A popular outdoor recreation destination in the Northwoods is getting a major financial boost for facility upgrades. The Minocqua Area Visitors Bureau has announced a 33,000-dollar Community Investment Fund grant to Minocqua Winter Park to support improvements at its chalet. The project focuses on five key areas: upgrading the kitchen, modernizing restrooms and changing areas, adding electrical outlets, installing a facility-wide sound system, and expanding Wi-Fi coverage across the grounds. The award is part of the Bureau's 50,000-dollar program designed to strengthen local tourism infrastructure. Bureau President and CEO Krystal Westfahl highlighted that reinvesting room tax dollars into local facilities helps keep the region competitive while enhancing amenities for both visitors and residents. Westfahl noted, "Minocqua Winter Park is an incredible asset to our destination, and these improvements will help ensure that it continues to meet the expectations of today's travelers." In addition to the financial grant, the Bureau will provide ongoing promotional support for the park.

Published on 11/11/2026 under News Health officials are urging local residents to stay alert after the Taylor County Health Department confirmed the county's first case of mumps this season. Department staff are working directly with the patient and medical providers to ensure proper treatment and isolation. Mumps is a contagious viral infection spread through direct contact or airborne droplets when an infected person talks, coughs, sneezes, or shares cups and utensils. Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite, followed by painful swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw and ears. Officials note that infected individuals can spread the virus up to five days after symptoms begin, and some people may spread it without showing symptoms at all. This case comes as state health officials report a sharp rise in measles cases across Wisconsin. Health officials emphasize that while both viral infections are highly contagious, the MMR vaccine offers strong protection against both mumps and measles. However, the vaccine cannot be used as a post-exposure treatment.

Published on 11/11/2026 under News As hunters gear up for the start of the gun deer season next week, the Wisconsin D-N-R is looking for community members to help shape future deer management decisions. Applications are now open for all Citizen Deer Advisory Council seats across the state. These local councils meet annually to review harvest data, gather community feedback, and recommend management strategies for their specific deer management units. D-N-R Deer and Elk Specialist Steve Burns calls public involvement through these councils the "backbone" of managing local deer populations, noting that the councils bring forward a variety of community perspectives on how white-tailed deer should be managed. Selected members will serve a three-year term representing one of seven stakeholder categories, including hunting, agriculture, forestry, tourism, and local government. The application deadline is November 30th. To apply or learn more, search "C-D-A-C" on the Wisconsin D-N-R website.

Published on 11/10/2026 under News It's been one week since voters headed to the polls, and looking back at local numbers, participation in Lincoln County was steady with turnout down slightly compared to recent years. Based on preliminary results from Tuesday, there were 13,154 votes cast in Lincoln County, down about 500 votes from each of the last two comparable elections in 2018 and 2022. These are non-presidential years, which typically drive voter turnout. Local voter participation is typically higher than both state and national averages. Despite the slight drop, voter turnout remained approximately 74% of eligible voters. Even the partisan breakdown was similar as Lincoln County has turned reliably red in recent years. Despite his home territory, Republican Gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany didn't receive much of a bump. He received approximately 60% of the voter share, nearly identical to 2022 GOP candidate Tim Michels. Meanwhile looking at the 2024 presidential election, more than 17,300 ballots were cast which is around 31%.

Published on 11/10/2026 under News One person is dead following a single vehicle crash in Oneida County Monday evening. According to the Sheriff's Office, that crash happened at shortly before 10pm on South River Road in the Town of Crescent. Based on the preliminary investigation, a northbound truck lost control while navigating a sharp corner, left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver, an 18 year old male was ejected from the vehicle. Life saving efforts were unsuccessful and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The operator was the lone occupant of the vehicle. Their name was not immediately released. According to the Sheriff's Report, speed is believed to be a factor. The crash remains under investigation.

Published on 11/10/2026 under News A man charged in connection with a fatal rollover crash last fall has been sentenced following a plea agreement in Taylor County court. During a hearing this past week, 50-year-old Stephen Kaplon pleaded guilty to a felony count of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle. A second felony charge, homicide by vehicle through the use of a controlled substance, was dismissed. The court ordered a withheld sentence, placing Kaplon on five years of probation with nine months in county jail. In addition, Kaplon's driver's license was revoked for one year, and he is required to maintain absolute sobriety as a condition of his probation. The charges stemmed from a single-vehicle crash in October of last year. According to investigators, Kaplon was traveling on County C in the Town of Rib Lake at a high rate of speed when he left the roadway and struck several trees. His passenger, 49-year-old Sharon Kaplon of Ogema, sustained fatal injuries in the crash.

Published on 11/10/2026 under News Fall and winter mark respiratory illness season across the Northwoods, but the Oneida County Health Department is hoping to make it easier to identify common bugs with a quick symptom guide. As cold weather drives more people indoors and holiday gatherings bring people closer together, exposure to viruses like the common cold, flu, RSV, and COVID-19 naturally increases. While many of these illnesses share overlapping symptoms, others are more distinct. For example, a cold typically brings a runny nose and sore throat, while body aches, fatigue, and fever point more toward the flu. Wheezing, meanwhile, is most commonly associated with RSV. Health officials note that while individual symptoms can vary, the department's visual checklist can help residents determine if a doctor's visit is needed. Officials also emphasize preventive steps like staying up to date on immunizations, washing hands frequently, covering coughs, and staying home when feeling sick to prevent spreading bugs to others.

Published on 11/10/2026 under News Local public lands are getting a boost thanks to sports enthusiasts across the state, as the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund awards more than $129,000 to five conservation projects. That includes a nearly $20,000 grant focused directly on a multi-county effort here in Northwoods. In Oneida and Vilas counties, the funds will create vital open wildlife habitat within our heavily forested region. Work teams will remove woody vegetation to build wildlife openings and plant them with diverse pollinator seed mixes. The restoration efforts are slated for the Woodboro Lakes Wildlife Area, Stag and Roe State Wildlife Habitat Area, and the Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area in Oneida County... along with the Northern Highlands-Legion State Forest in Vilas County. Other grant dollars will fund prairie, stream, and oak savanna work across Southern and Eastern Wisconsin. The public-private partnership between the DNR and the Natural Resources Foundation relies on voluntary contributions made when outdoorsmen buy licenses through the state's "Go Wild" system. The Cherish Fund is a partnership between the DNR and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, built largely through voluntary donations added when outdoorsmen purchase hunting and fishing licenses on the state's "Go Wild" portal.

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