Lady T-Bird girls’ swim stays undefeated by slimmest of margins
Sometimes, a swimmer can win an event by just out-touching their opponent. For the Lakeland girls’ swim team, they needed the final event to stay undefeated in conference play. The Thunderbirds traveled to Medford for a Great Northern Conference double dual on Thursday. Lakeland beat Merrill 103-64 and Medford 86-84. It was Lakeland’s first conference win over the Raiders since Oct. 15, 2020.
Home spectacle
Lakeland boys’ cross country team, Emerson Rubo win Ted Voigt Invite
Many Thunderbirds saw positive results when the Lakeland cross country team hosted its annual home invite. The Lakeland boys finished first out of three qualified teams with 17 points at the Ted Voigt Invite at Minocqua Winter Park on Thursday. The Lakeland girls didn’t qualify for a team score but had the top two individuals.
Road warriors
Lakeland boys’ soccer wins fourth straight road game to open season
In a matchup of undefeated Great Northern Conference teams, the Thunderbirds set the tone early on to get another road win. The Lakeland boys’ soccer team beat Mosinee 4-1 on Thursday in Mosinee. The first four T-Bird games had all been on the road with Lakeland winning all four.
Moment to shine
Joey Jurries brings home four medals, one gold, following world championships
Joey Jurries set out to an international swimming meet to represent the United States of America, the Northwoods and so much more. He brought back more than just medals.
Wergin race team wins BMX state championships
BMX means a lot to JJ Wergin and his family. When the BMX state championships came to Rhinelander, they were very excited and brought home several state titles. The Wergin race team of Hazelhurst includes manager JJ and his kids James, Jayce and Jackson Wergin. In addition, two other members of the Wergin race team had some top results.
LUHS volleyball wins two in Prentice
The Lakeland volleyball team showed no signs of slowing down with two wins on Thursday. The Thunderbirds beat Prentice 2-0 (25-17, 25-17) and Rhinelander 2-0 (25-14, 25-9) in a non-conference triangular in Prentice.
Lakeland football wins wild one over rivals
Thunderbirds take on Mosinee tonight in Minocqua, 7 p.m.
Turnovers, defensive touchdowns, controversial calls — the 2025 Axe Game had it all as Lakeland improved its record to 3-0. The Thunderbirds beat the Hodags 43-32 on Friday, Sept. 5 at Mike Webster Stadium in Rhinelander.
Sweet sweep
Lady T-Birds move to 2-0 in conference play following sweep of Medford
Momentum can be a powerful ally in sports. The Lakeland volleyball team won three out of four matches at a Saturday invite before stunning Medford with a sweep.
Twice the fun
LUHS girls’ tennis wins back-to-back conference duals
Two wins in two days gave the Lakeland girls’ tennis team momentum heading into the weekend. First, the Thunderbirds finished their match against Merrill on Monday, winning 5-2. Then, Lakeland beat Marshfield Columbus 7-0 in a road match on Tuesday.
Lakeland girls’ swim finishes runner-up in Wisconsin Rapids
The Lakeland Union High School girls’ swim team got to test its speed against new faces in an invite last weekend. “We had a tough week,” coach Tierney Edwards said. “It was the first week back to school, and we had a meet on Thursday. The girls were tired and sore, but they didn’t let that stop them from showing up and racing. I think some of them were pleasantly surprised with some of their times.”
A dominant showing
Lakeland girls’ swim wins every event of conference double dual
A dominating performance by the Thunderbirds saw them win every single event in the pool in the Great Northern Conference opener. The Lakeland Union High School girls’ swim team hosted a double dual on Thursday. They beat Tomahawk 122-41 and Mosinee 132-32.
Thunderbirds shut out rivals on the road
The rain and cold didn’t prevent the Lakeland boys’ soccer team from a convincing win over their rivals on Thursday night. The Thunderbirds hit the road and beat Rhinelander 7-0 for their second Great Northern Conference victory this season.
Strong finish
Lakeland volleyball outlasts Northland Pines in home, conference opener
The Lakeland volleyball team started slow but finished strong in its home and Great Northern Conference opener on Thursday. The Thunderbirds beat Northland Pines 3-1 (20-25, 25-15, 25-21, 29-27) at the Lakeland Union High School fieldhouse in Minocqua.
Ashland docked
Lakeland football shuts out Oredockers in home opener
A week after a high-scoring game, Lakeland football let its defense do the talking in a shutout victory over Ashland. The Thunderbirds beat the Oredockers 14-0 on Friday, Aug. 29 in Minocqua. It was Lakeland’s first shutout win since Sept. 15, 2023 against Merrill (35-0).
T-Bird boys’ cross country team finds its first victory
Emerson Rubo, Addison Eggen place in top three in girls’ race
The Lakeland cross country teams continued to gain early-season momentum with another strong showing in their latest meet. The Lakeland boys won the Mosinee Invite with 55 points on Tuesday at Nine Mile Forest in Wausau. A total of 12 schools competed in the invite. Lakeland’s Emerson Rubo and Addison Eggen both finished top three individually in the girls’ race.
T-Bird boys’ soccer routs Antigo
Playing a second straight road game to open the season didn’t phase the Thunderbird boys’ soccer team. Lakeland beat Antigo 8-1 on Tuesday in Antigo.
LUHS volleyball gains big-match experience
Lakeland volleyball gained valuable experience and won a few games to open its season. The Thunderbirds went 3-4 and finished 28th out of 40 teams at the non-conference Menomonie Sprawl Invite Friday, Aug. 29 through Saturday, Aug. 30 at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
LUHS girls’ tennis picks up first win
Medford makes a statement with sweep over T-Birds
Lakeland girls’ tennis saw the ups and the downs that come with a young team following two different sweeps last week. First, the Thunderbirds beat Phillips 7-0 for their first overall and Great Northern Conference win on Tuesday, Aug. 26 in Phillips. Then, Medford defeated Lakeland 7-0 on Thursday in Minocqua.
T-Bird boys’ soccer catches a break in opening win
The Lakeland boys’ soccer team found their footing in the second half for a comeback win in the season’s opening game. The Thunderbirds beat non-conference Wausau East 2-1 on the road on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Lady Thunderbirds find their speed in the pool
Olivia Mickle ends up in fourth place overall in pentathlon
Swimmers from the Lakeland Union High School girls’ swim team got a chance to go up against competitors of their own age group in a rare pentathlon. The Thunderbirds swam in the D.C. Everest Pentathlon on Tuesday, Aug. 26. No team scores were kept in this individual-based event.
Off to a good start
Lakeland cross country sees positive results to begin season
Lakeland’s cross country team got its season off to a good start with a strong team score and fast individuals on Thursday. The Lakeland boys finished second out of 12 teams with 61 points at the Hodag Invite in Rhinelander. D.C. Everest won with 28 points. The Lakeland girls didn’t accumulate a team score but had two individuals in the top six.
Season preview: Lady T-Bird volleyball relying on its depth
Led by second-year head coach Taylor Bruhl, the Lakeland Union High School volleyball team is as deep as it’s been in a long time.
Season preview: New Mercer volleyball team looking to create own legacy
The fresh season brings new changes for the Mercer volleyball team. They’re entering 2025 with new leadership on and off the court. The Tigers had no problems winning the conference championship for a sixth straight year and a regional championship for a ninth consecutive season in 2024.
Snowhawks sneak in one more win before summer’s end
The Lakeland Tomahawk Snowhawks needed every run they could get to end the season with a win on Monday night. The Snowhawks hung on and defeated WPS Local 420 15-14 in the regular-season finale.
Home opener
Lakeland football welcomes Ashland tonight, 7 p.m.
After an exciting win at Hayward last week, the Lakeland football team plays in its home opener today.
T-Birds fly past Hayward in second half
Lakeland football scores most points in a game since 2021
Three touchdowns by all three football phases were just the start of Lakeland’s explosive season-opening win over Hayward/Lac Courte Oreilles on Friday. The Thunderbirds defeated the Hurricanes 50-23 in Hayward. Lakeland’s 50 points scored were the most in a game since Oct. 8, 2021 when they scored 60 against Ashland.
First taste of competition
LUHS girls’ swim finishes fifth at Fun in the Sun Relays
Warm temperatures and sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for the Lakeland girls’ swim team’s season debut on Thursday. “This is a great meet to get our feet wet and back into the swing of things,” coach Tierney Edwards said. “We get to see a lot of teams and get back to racing, but it’s very low stakes. I tell the girls to just go out there and see what they can do.”
Wausau Newman tops young Lady T-Bird tennis team in season opener
The Lakeland girls’ tennis team opened its season with a tough draw against defending sectional champion Wausau Newman. Wausau Newman defeated Lakeland 5-2 in both teams’ Great Northern Conference opener on Thursday in Minocqua.
Season preview: Lakeland boys’ soccer loaded again
The Lakeland boys’ soccer team believes it has the depth to compete in the Great Northern Conference and beyond. Last year, the Thunderbirds won the conference title with an 8-0-1-1 record and 27 points. They went on to win a WIAA Division 2 regional championship as well.
Season preview: Freshman class bolstering LUHS cross country teams
The Lakeland cross country teams have individuals, freshmen included, that can make some noise in the state. It’s a tale of two teams. While the Lakeland boys have plenty of options this year, the Lakeland girls might not be able to field a team this year. However, the talent is high for both teams as they enter the new season.
The best in the world
Kade Meyer, Team USA win gold medal at Hlinka Gretzky Cup
It’s one thing to represent the United States of America. It’s another to win a gold medal at a big hockey tournament. That’s exactly what one Minocqua native did. Kade Meyer donned the red, white and blue as part of USA’s U18 hockey team during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Aug. 11-16 in Trenčín, Slovakia and Brno, Czechia.
Dazzle’s Demons get early lead, hang on to snap Snowhawks’ win streak
In one of the biggest rivalries on the schedule, one Snowhawk switched sides and put together a team good enough to beat the locals. Bucketheads/Dazzle’s Demons beat the Snowhawks 20-16 on rainy and misty Monday night in Lake Tomahawk.
Season preview: Lakeland football maximizing their talent
Season kicks off at Hayward tonight, 7 p.m.
With talent across the field, the Lakeland football team is ready to roll for another season that kicks off today. The Thunderbirds have made the playoffs five out of the last six years. However, they haven’t been able to find that elusive postseason victory. Lakeland is hoping this is the year to finally break through.
Competitive tryouts get new LUHS volleyball season underway
Two days of tryouts highlighted the first two days of the Lakeland Union High School volleyball season. It’s the second season for Taylor Bruhl as coach of the Thunderbirds. She’s ready to make this season more effective and efficient.
Lakeland boys’ soccer coming together quickly
The Lakeland boys’ soccer team has finished in the top three of the Great Northern Conference every year since 2021. Strong numbers on the first day suggests that streak could extend.
LUHS cross country shows speed on day one
A new cross county season is underway and even though some of the numbers might be down, the quality is up. The cross country team met up for a short practice on Monday. The boys’ team had plenty of familiar and new faces, including Barrett Eggen, Charlie Ernst and Parker McKinney.
The summer softball finale
Lakeland 14U goes 2-1 in final tournament
One last tournament concluded the summer for the Lakeland 14U softball team last weekend in Rhinelander. Lakeland beat Northland Pines 15-2 in its first game of the Hodag Heist, a round-robin tournament on Saturday. Then, Wittenberg beat the Thunderbirds 10-1. Lakeland finished with a 12-4 win over Northwoods.
Season preview: Young LUHS girls’ tennis team ready to make its mark
It’s a new Lakeland girls’ tennis team. After graduating nearly its entire varsity lineup, they’re coming into 2025 in rebuilding mode. The Thunderbirds were senior heavy last year on the way to a second straight Great Northern Conference championship. In addition, they sent graduated seniors Sarah Barton, Lila Biller and Alyssa Erickson to the state meet.
Season preview: Lakeland girls’ swim aiming to be more competitive
With a bigger squad in 2025, the Lakeland girls’ swim team has its sights set on getting back to the upper half of the conference. The Thunderbirds went 3-4 in the Great Northern Conference a year ago. Coach Tierney Edwards cited low numbers as to why Lakeland couldn’t compete in a couple of meets. That might not be the case anymore.
Season review: Lakeland sprinters, throwers, jumpers excelled
From the start to the end of the season, Lakeland Union High School track and field athletes stepped up with big performances, culminating with another trip to La Crosse. The Lakeland girls finished second out of seven teams in the Great Northern Conference with 143 points at the GNC Meet on May 22 in Mosinee. The Lakeland boys tied for fourth with 91 points.
Joey Jurries prepping for World Swim Championships
Joey Jurries has been all around the world for swim. His latest trip takes him to Asia for a big meet. “You can’t imagine how excited we are to see him swim,” coach Robert Garcia said. “That’s really gonna be cool.”
Putting together a team
Lakeland girls’ swim team continues to increase in number
Three years ago, Lakeland Union High School’s Olivia Mickle was one of just two swimmers on the high school’s girls’ swim team. She’s got plenty of teammates for her senior season.
Four in a row
Snowhawks win inaugural matchup with Fricken Restaurants
The Lake Tomahawk snowshoe baseball team stayed in a rhythm with another wire-to-wire win on Monday. The Snowhawks defeated Fricken Restaurants 18-6 in the inaugural matchup between the teams.
The history of pelicans in Wisconsin
Pelicans might not be the first birds that come to mind in Wisconsin, but they’re here — and can be spotted across the state. The American White Pelican is a water bird. It has a giant wingspan (nine feet) and makes it habitat in coasts, shorelines, freshwater and saltwater wetlands, lakes, ponds and rivers.
Starting a new era
LUHS girls’ tennis rebuilding their way back to the top
It’s a new era for Lakeland girls’ tennis. Graduating their entire varsity lineup except for one, a younger team got together on the first day of practice on Tuesday.
Raising the bar
Olivia Wingo’s track and field journey continuing on at Northern Kentucky University
A few Lakeland Union High School student-athletes have gone on to play Division 1 athletics in college. Olivia Wingo is the latest to join.
Season review: T-Bird distance crew excelled
There were plenty of highlights from Lakeland’s track and field teams in 2025. For the distance squad, they had all-conference and state-caliber athletes.
Packer preview: Green Bay due for a deep playoff run
As soon as the calendar turns to August, I always get fired up for football. It won’t be easy, but the Green Bay Packers have the roster to win a playoff game or two.
Jumping into the action
LUHS football hits the ground running on the first day
The first day of football practice brought with it new opportunities, a milestone and a Lakeland team that is ready to roll. The Thunderbirds started their season with practice at IncredibleBank Field in Minocqua. For Dan Barutha, he’s now been the head coach of Lakeland football for a decade.
Running away with it
Snowhawks score season-high 34 runs in rout
Things got out of hand early when the Snowhawks piled on runs in their latest snowshoe baseball victory.
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