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Coach Hernandez of Tomahawk Named Packer Coach of the Week Published on 11/06/2020 under Sports

The Packers have announced that Sam Hernandez of Tomahawk High School in Tomahawk, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.

Hernandez, in his second year as head coach of the Hatchets, has his team at 2-4 overall this season and 2-3 in Northwoods Conference play. The Hatchets look to even their conference record Friday, Nov. 6, as they close out their regular season against Coleman High School.

Since taking over the team this past year, Hernandez's impact has been felt not only on the football field, but on the whole community. From helping elderly people move to new homes, assisting community members who need help with their yard work, and volunteering at the local Kinship of Tomahawk, the team continues to pursue a variety of ways to help others in need. Not only has giving back been beneficial to the community, but it has also been uplifting for the players.

"I think for a lot of them, it gives them a sense of pride and a sense of doing something for others," said Hernandez. "And as a football program, we want people to come sit in the stands and watch us play, and we feed off of that. So this is an opportunity for us to provide a platform for these kids to do good things for others without anything in return. If we can send the players out into life after high school with that skillset of doing good things to be good people, then that is a great lesson for them to take."

Hernandez graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Wis., in 2004. Throughout high school, he participated in football, basketball and baseball. He played nose tackle, running back and kicker under head coach Mike Zimmerman. Following high school, he went on to graduate from UW-Whitewater in 2009. In addition to coaching other high school sports, Hernandez's football coaching career began as an assistant coach for Lake Mills High School in 2008. He went on to coach at Johnson Creek High School in 2013, before being named the head coach of the Hatchets in 2019.

To Hernandez, the Coach of the Week Award speaks to the work being done by the program on and off the field.

"This award is really an award for the kids, the program and my coaching staff. I'm just one person as part of a bigger group. I'm so honored to have our program and have our kids be recognized for this because they do work hard. We've struggled in terms of wins over the last couple of years, but the kids work hard, the coaching staff works hard every week, and we do work in the community and outside of the football field. To see those kids get recognized with other programs around the state, is a really cool opportunity for this program and highlights the really good things that we are doing."

Hernandez and his staff oversee a program of 43 players with 33 suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Andy Peissig, Jeremy Zimmerman, Aaron Evans, Dave Long, Jon Long, Nick Schertz and Steven Shrigley. In addition to being the head coach, Hernandez is also an English teacher at the high school. Hernandez and his wife, Ashley, have three sons, Derek, Brett and Vaughn.

About the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week Program:

The Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week program supports football outreach efforts by giving high school coaches the recognition they deserve. Nominations can be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Ryan Fencl, Packers football outreach specialist, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. All nominations should include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award. This year, because some schools have postponed their football seasons to the spring due to COVID-19, the Packers are seeking coaches to be nominated regardless of their teams' on-field performance or whether they are playing in the fall or spring. Rather, the nominee could be honored for how they have turned programs around, how the team has impacted the community, or how the coach impacts the players and their families.

In Other News

Hatchet Hockey Team Defeats St. Mary's Springs, 5-2

Published on 02/02/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's hockey squad won their eighth straight game Saturday, defeating St. Mary Springs in Fond du Lac, 5-2. Tomahawk got on the board first, as Jonah Dickens lit the lamp with an assist from Jett Reilly and Tomahawk led with 9:27 left in the first. Five minutes later, that duo would team up again for the second Hatchet goal, as Dickens scored from Reilly and Tomahawk led 2-0 after the first. Tomahawk would build their lead to 3-0 with 12:38 remaining in the second; Brayden Lamer scores on the power play, with assists to Dickens and Reilly. Dickens would score his 40th goal of the year on a shorty with 11:23 left in the second. Landyn Seymour and Reilly assisted. Seymour would cap off the Hatchet second period scoring, with an even strength goal with 1:28 left in the second. Dickens and Reilly get the assists. Tomahawk led 5-0 after two periods of play. St. Mary's Spring would score their two goals late in the third period, both on power plays from Teigue Wagner. Hudson Seymour had 22 saves for the Hatchets. The Hatchets improve to 18-3 on the season. Tomahawk looks to finish the Great Northern Conference season undefeated Tuesday up in Eagle River against Northland Pines. Puck drop is at 7:00.

Published on 02/02/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' wrestlers would finish second in the Elcho Scramble Saturday. Tomahawk finished with 237.5 points, finished behind only Manitowoc Lincoln. The Hatchets would have three first place finishers in the meet. Wally Horabik would win the 144-pound bracket. Also placing first were Kaiden Kapellusch at 175 pounds and Nathan Norman at 215 pounds. Tomahawk is back in action Monday for a Great Northern Conference dual match with Antigo at the Hatchet House. Events begin at 6:30.

Published on 02/02/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's female wrestler would place sixth at the Husky Challenge in Eau Claire North Saturday morning. The Hatchets finished with 107 team points, five behind Eau Claire North and St. Croix Falls. Fellow Lincoln County School Merrill would win the challenge Saturday. Three Hatchets would finish fourth place in the invite. Kylie Peissig, Kaylee Roberts, Kami Gabrich, and Lillian Taves all placed in the top four. The Hatchets hit the mats for the Great Northern Conference Meet in Medford Friday night. Alex Koch and Tony Derleth will have the broadcast on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pre-meet Show at 4:40 and opening events beginning at 5:00.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News At their annual awards celebration this weekend, the Tomahawk Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized another group of individuals that have contributed their time and talents to the community. The Chamber honors those who have made the Tomahawk area a better place to live, work, and play. And in this community, there is never a shortage of candidates. The Ambassador Award is presented to an individual, organization or business who presents the community in a positive light. It was awarded to Tomahawk Music on the River. They're the group behind the free, weekly concert series in Memorial Park during the summer. Next, the Spirit Award, was presented to Chris Bembinster, a long-term volunteer with WaWui and SARA Park. A new award this year, Small Business of the Year, was voted on by the community. We, at WJJQ Radio, were grateful to accept this award. The final award of the evening was for Lifetime Achievement. It was presented to Patti Hilgendorf. Hilgendorf is the long-time director of the youth mentor program known as Tomahawk Kinship. A congratulations go out to all of this year's recipients.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News A family was displaced following a fire in Vilas County over the weekend. Responders were called to a house fire on Trails End Road in Land O'Lakes at shortly before 1am Sunday morning. The initial report indicated a fire originating in the chimney that was spreading to the roof. Firefighters were unable to save the home, it was considered a total loss. The occupants were able to safely evacuate and no injuries were reported. The fire remains under investigation.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Those visiting the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest this spring or summer may be asked to complete a short survey and/or interview. The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is conducted every five years, and this year the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is on the schedule. According to the announcement, the surveys will be conducted at recreation sites and along forest service roads in the forest. Contract employees will wear bright orange vests and there will be signs saying "Traffic Survey Ahead." Questions may include where in the CNNF you visited and how long, along with satisfaction of the visit. Some participants may also be asked to complete a supplemental survey on recreation spending to measure the economic impact on local communities. Surveys are voluntary and all responses are confidential; and last about ten minutes. Surveys will be conducted through Sept. 30, 2026.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Bob Ross became a household name by painting happy little trees. Now a virtual race in his honor will be returning to Wisconsin to benefit trees in state parks and other properties. The DNR recently announced that the 'Happy Little 5k' will be offered in Wisconsin once again the spring. It's part of a larger event that began in Michigan in 2019 in partnership with Bob Ross, Inc. The program continues to expand each year, with more than 10,000 participants joining the 2025 event. Participants can now choose from 17 states to represent, including Wisconsin. Ross was known for his calming voice and passion for creating scenic landscape paintings on his instructional show on PBS, the Joy of Painting. Ross often referred to 'happy little trees' in his paintings inspiring the name of the race. It is a virtual 5k, so participants can pick their own routes. The race period falls in April, around the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day. By selecting to represent Wisconsin in the race, a portion of the registration fee will go towards tree planting and forest health efforts in Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas. Participants will also receive a shirt, virtual bib number and medal. Registration is now open, we'll include a link.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Campers in Vilas County will have a new way to book their sites. The County Forestry, Recreation, and Land Department has launched a new campground website and reservation system. The website has been available for a few days now, and as of Monday morning, the campsite reservation system is active as well. According to Vilas County Parks and Recreation Supervisor Todd Bierman, This site will be the gateway for camping information on the Vilas County Forest and will be the connecting piece for making reservations..." In addition to the reservation system, Each campground has a page with information, photos, and reviews. People can visit the website at vilascountyrec.com.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News The Lincoln 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, along with the Clerk of Courts Office, have received reports or questions from residents who have been contacted by these scammers. The caller states that an individual missed grand jury duty on January 12. Investigators believe they are using a specific date to make the call appear more realistic and urgent. The scammers are masking the number to appear local with a 715 area code (715-814-3041 specifically). When calling that number back, even the voicemail message claims to be the Sheriff's Office even though the number is not affiliated. In the warning, the Sheriff's Office reminds residents to be vigilant, never share personal or financial information. They note that most of their official business is conducted in-person, they may occasionally attempt contact by phone. If you are suspicious of an unsolicited phone call, hang up and call back using a known number. The Sheriff's Office says they will understand the situation.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News It's shaping up to be a great snowmobiling weekend here in the Northwoods. Riders will be sharing the trails with law enforcement for a safety campaign. The DNR and their partners will be bringing back a Sled Safe education and enforcement. Wardens will be sharing snowmobile safety tips with riders, while also keeping an eye out for operators who may be impaired or causing safety problems for themselves and others. There have been six fatal snowmobile crashes in Wisconsin this year. DNR off-highway vehicle administrator Lt. Jacob Holsclaw says, "I can't stress enough how important it is for snowmobile operators to be safe, responsible and sober." A few other safety tips riders may receive: Always operate within the limits of your skills, visibility and snowmobile. Be mindful at road crossings. Stay on marked trails. The Sled Safe outreach is scheduled each of the next two weekends (Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and again on Feb. 6-8) They hope the safety message stays with snowmobilers throughout the riding season.

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