The Lakeland Times

Tiger boys’ basketball team drops game to Solon Springs

Looking to break their losing streak, the Mercer boys’ basketball team traveled to Solon Springs. The Eagles beat the Tigers 72-36 on Friday night.

Select Lakeland Nordic skiers take part in second Junior National Qualifier

Stella Meza places second in classic and skate races

Several Lakeland Nordic skiers braved the cold to take part in a Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) last weekend. Lakeland traveled to Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion for the Ariens Nordic Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) Invite on Saturday and Sunday.

‘This one stings’

Mercer girls’ hoops upset by Bayfield

A missing starter hurt the Mercer girls’ basketball team in a home loss to a conference opponent last week. The Tigers fell 40-38 to Bayfield (2-11, 1-8 Northern Lights) on Friday, Jan. 17.

High-scoring Bayfield boys’ basketball team beats Mercer

The Bayfield boys’ basketball team showed off their scoring prowess with a big win over the Tigers in Mercer. The Trollers (9-4, 7-2 Northern Lights) beat Mercer 99-35 on Friday, Jan. 17. Two Trollers got Bayfield out to a big halftime lead.

Road test complete

LUHS girls’ basketball edges Mosinee, gains two-game lead in conference standings

Another conference test awaited the Lakeland girls’ basketball team on Friday. Once again, they came through in the clutch to take down Mosinee on the road. The Thunderbirds defeated Mosinee 49-46. Lakeland now holds a two-game lead in the Great Northern Conference (GNC) standings.

Shootout win snaps winless streak

Lakeland boys’ hockey team splits a pair of games in Hayward

The Lakeland boys’ hockey team looked to get back on track with a weekend non-conference tournament in Hayward. They finished on a positive not with a rare shootout win. The Thunderbirds fell 3-1 to Hayward on Friday. Then, Lakeland posted a 2-2 (1-0) win in a shootout against the Webster co-op on Saturday morning.

Short-handed T-Bird wrestling team falls to Medford in conference opener

The Lakeland boys’ wrestling team made their long-awaited Great Northern Conference (GNC) season debut with a dual meet in Medford. The Raiders beat the Thunderbirds 41-20 on Thursday.

Thunderbirds drop third straight game

Mosinee boys’ hoops pulls away in second half for 30-point victory

The Lakeland boys’ basketball team came out of the gates faster on Friday night, but a late first-half run propelled Mosinee to victory in a conference contest. Mosinee (10-4, 4-2 GNC) beat Lakeland 73-43 in Minocqua.

Thunderbirds swim in last home meet of the season

The final home meet for the Lakeland boys’ swim team saw them go up against Rhinelander and Antigo in a double dual in Minocqua. “More people’s more competition, which is always more fun,” Braelen Hesch said about the double dual.

Mercer basketball teams fall to Bayfield

The Mercer basketball teams took on Bayfield in two Northern Conference clashes in Mercer. The Trollers got the best of the Tigers in two different games on Friday night. The Bayfield girls beat the Mercer girls 40-38 for their first conference win. The Bayfield boys defeated the Mercer boys 99-35.

T-Bird boys’ hockey falls to GNC-leading Tomahawk

The Lakeland boys’ hockey team stayed close but couldn’t find a victory in a road loss to the conference’s top team. Tomahawk defeated the Thunderbirds 4-1 on Tuesday. The loss extended Lakeland’s winless streak to five games.

Lady Thunderbirds stave off Tiger rally

The Lakeland girls’ basketball team got off to a good start in Marshfield, but it was their finish that had the team fired up. The Thunderbirds beat Marshfield 60-49 on Monday night. Lakeland has three wins against Wisconsin Valley Conference schools this season.

Stella Meza wins two races at Seeley Hills Classic

Brayden Kelly tops middle school leaderboard

The Nordic ski schedule has been anything but normal for Lakeland. They traveled to where the snow was, going back to Cable. The Lakeland Nordic ski teams skied in the Seeley Hills Classic in Cable on Saturday and Sunday.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood races by LUHS boys’ basketball

The Lakeland boys’ basketball team’s offense picked up in a non-conference game on Monday. However, they couldn’t keep pace with a hot-shooting opponent on the road. Wittenberg-Birnamwood defeated Lakeland 96-63.

Thunderbird boys’ wrestling picks up two dual wins

Participating in their first dual meets in over a month, the Lakeland boys’ wrestling team picked up two wins. Lakeland wrestled in a non-conference quad at Wabeno High School on Tuesday. The Thunderbirds defeated Menominee Nation 30-23 and Gillett/Suring 36-30.

Ellie Peters scores 37 points to lead Mellen by Mercer girls’ hoops

Taking on one of the top teams in the conference, the Mercer girls’ basketball team came up a little short. Mellen beat the Tigers 56-44 in a Northern Lights Conference game in Mercer on Tuesday. It was Mercer’s third straight game scoring 40-plus points.

Tiger boys’ basketball team loses fourth straight game

The Mercer boys’ basketball team had one of their better nights offensively in a conference loss at home. Mellen defeated the Tigers 87-51 on Tuesday night. It was Mercer’s second-highest points scored in a game this season (60 vs. Butternut on Dec. 17, 2024).

LUHS boys’ swim team falls to Tomahawk

The Lakeland boys’ swim team returned to conference action with a meet against Tomahawk on Tuesday. The Hatchets defeated the Thunderbirds 97-45 in Minocqua.

Lady Thunderbirds take sole possession of first within GNC

Lakeland wins wire-to-wire over Rhinelander

In a battle of unbeaten teams in conference play, the Thunderbirds reigned supreme in a road contest at Rhinelander. The Lakeland girls’ basketball team beat Rhinelander (9-4, 4-1 GNC) 62-28 on Friday night.

Tumultuous tie

Antigo-Lakeland boys’ hockey game ends with abrupt tie

A high-scoring hockey game led to a rare tie between conference foes in Minocqua. The Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team tied Antigo 5-5 in overtime on Thursday.

Ice-cold shooting leads to blowout loss for LUHS boys’ hoops

The Lakeland boys’ basketball team didn’t have enough offense to keep pace with Rhinelander in a loss on Friday night. The Hodags defeated Lakeland 70-30 in Rhinelander. It was Lakeland’s lowest-scoring output of the season.

Malin Awker’s soccer skills ascended in 2024

Malin Awker is making a name for herself in the game of soccer. Playing for different teams in different positions around the state, she’s learning it all. Malin is an eighth grader at Arbor Vitae-Woodruff Elementary School. Similar to last year, she’s playing soccer 24/7, all 12 months of the year.

Lakeland wrestling teams return to the mat

Micah Wright wins weight class in Merrill

The Lakeland wrestling teams were back in action on Saturday as a busy January got underway. The Lakeland girls finished eighth out of 26 teams with 51 points at the Bluejay Challenge in Merrill. The Lakeland boys ended up 16th out of 23 teams with 127 points.

LUHS boys’ swim team gains more experience

The Lakeland boys’ swim team returned to the pool for the first time in the new calendar year. Competing with only two swimmers, they continued to gain valuable experience.

Mercer boys’ basketball falls to Lac Courte Oreilles by a point

The Mercer boys’ basketball team played in two different types of games. They nearly came out on the winning side on Friday. On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Hurley defeated the Tigers 82-27 in Hurley. Next, Lac Courte Oreilles won by a point, 46-45, on Friday in Mercer.

Mercer girls’ hoops wins their second game of the season

The Mercer girls’ basketball team picked up their second win of the season by a wide margin on Friday. First, Hurley took down the Tigers 60-42 in a Northern Lights Conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Then, the Tigers beat Lac Courte Oreilles 45-26 in Mercer on Friday.

Comeback effort comes up short

Mosinee boys’ hockey holds on for 4-3 win over Lakeland

The Mosinee-Lakeland rivalry has burned brightly over the past several years. It was no different on Tuesday night. Mosinee (3-0 Great Northern) beat the Thunderbirds (2-1) 4-3 in Mosinee.

Back to business

LUHS girls’ basketball team routes Tomahawk

Following a tough loss to West De Pere, the Lakeland Union High School girls’ basketball team had no problem getting by Tomahawk on Tuesday night. The Thunderbirds beat Tomahawk 69-16 in Lakeland’s first home game since Dec. 17, 2024.

Defense guides Lakeland boys’ basketball team to victory

Defense led the way as the Lakeland boys’ basketball team got back to .500 on Tuesday. The Thunderbirds defeated Tomahawk 55-34 on the road for their second straight win. It was coach Jacob Jarvensivu’s second time coming back to Tomahawk, a place he coached at for several years.

T-Birds, Hodags tussle tonight for GNC lead

The Lakeland Thunderbirds and the Rhinelander Hodags meet tonight at Rhinelander’s Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium with first place in the GNC on the line. Lakeland Times sports writer Brett LaBore and River News sports editor Jeremy Mayo break down the contest.

Rhinelander, Lakeland renew boys’ hardwood rivalry tonight

The second half of tonight’s doubleheader at Rhinelander’s Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium features the GNC-leading Hodag boys taking on Lakeland. Lakeland Times sports writer Brett LaBore and River News sports editor Jeremy Mayo break down the contest.

Thunderbirds come up clutch

LUHS boys’ basketball beats Edgar in final minute

Points haven’t come at a premium for the Lakeland boys’ basketball team. They made the plays they needed to down the stretch to beat a non-conference opponent. The Thunderbirds beat Edgar 52-47 on Friday in a game that came down to the wire in Minocqua.

Amery tops Lakeland boys’ hockey team

Playing in their first game of the new calendar year, the Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team was tested in a road contest on Friday. Amery (6-5) defeated the Thunderbirds 3-1 in a non-

A ghost story

Phantoms hold Lady Thunderbirds to season-low 30 points

A slow start doomed the Thunderbirds against a high-caliber, non-conference team on the road. West De Pere (10-3, 4-1 Bay Conference) beat the Lakeland girls’ basketball team 43-30 on Saturday morning. It was Lakeland’s first game since Dec. 27, 2024.

Mercer’s MECCA Trails to host Winterfest on Jan. 18

The MECCA Trails grooming team is preparing Mercer’s 21k trail system for its annual Winterfest. Live races are scheduled to be held on Saturday, Jan. 18, and virtual race events are available now through mid-February.

T-Birds tame Panthers

Lakeland girls’ hoops wins their final game of Sentry Classic

The Lakeland girls’ basketball team got off to a faster start in their win over Stevens Point last week. The Thunderbirds beat non-conference Stevens Point (7-3, 2-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference) 62-55 on Friday, Dec. 27 during the second day of the Sentry Classic at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Kady Lohoff, Micah Wright take first place at Northern Badger Wrestling Classic

The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team came away with two champions at the Northern Badger Wrestling Classic in River Falls last weekend. The Lakeland girls finished fourth out of 31 teams with 80 points in River Falls Friday, Dec. 27 through Saturday, Dec. 28. The Lakeland boys ended up 15th out of 15 Division 1 teams with 12.5 points.

Defensive slugfest

Lakeland, Merrill play each other one more time as non-conference opponents

The Merrill Bluejays and Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) Thunderbirds played each other one more time as non-conference opponents in a defensive slugfest on Monday. “I think that’s why it makes all the sense in the world that they’re joining the conference,” coach Jacob Jarvensivu said. “It feels (like a conference game).”

Stella Meza comes out on top in distance race at Cable

The Lakeland Nordic ski teams are finding themselves in a similar spot as last season. Warmer temperatures have caused snow to disappear throughout Wisconsin. Still, they got one race in at Cable on Sunday. Lakeland originally had scheduled to take part in a sprints meet at Birkie Trailhead. They ended up taking part in a distance meet. No team points were kept.

Holiday hoops classic

Laconia edges Lakeland in ranked contest at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Falling behind by double digits, the Lakeland girls’ basketball team nearly completed a second-half comeback against a top-ranked team in Stevens Point. Laconia, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 3 according to the Week 4 coaches poll on WisSports.net, beat Lakeland, ranked No. 10 in Division 2 in the same rankings, 62-58 on Thursday in the 53rd annual Sentry Classic at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

T-Bird boys’ basketball picks up first Great Northern Conference victory

A home victory before Christmas gave the Lakeland boys’ basketball team their first conference win. The Thunderbirds beat Northland Pines 51-46 on Friday, Dec. 20 in Minocqua.

History in Eagle River

Kristina Ouimette records 2,000th career point, tallies school-record 49 points, 10 3s

Kristina Ouimette made more history last Friday night with a 49-point showing in the same game she scored her 2,000th career point. The Thunderbirds defeated Northland Pines 83-33 on Friday, Dec. 20 in Eagle River. It was Lakeland’s third straight victory.

River Nicklaus bids farewell to football on winning note

St. Norbert College ended season on eight-game win streak

River Nicklaus made a name for himself this season, helping the St. Norbert College Green Knight football team to eight wins this season. Nicklaus, a Woodruff native and Lakeland Union High School Class of 2021 graduate, played his final season for the Green Knights. It turned into a positive one.

Lakeland boys win first Nordic ski meet of the season

Lakeland Nordic ski teams open season in Winchester, Stevens Point

For the first time in two years, the Lakeland Nordic ski teams had a meet in the month of December.

T-Bird boys’ hockey falls to West Bend

West Bend showed how tough they were when they came into Lakeland Hawks Ice Arena and beat the Thunderbirds. The Lakeland boys’ hockey team fell 4-1 to the West Bend Bears on Friday, Dec. 20.

Lakeland wrestling teams maximize mat time

The Lakeland wrestling teams gathered together for an invite in Shawano where they gained more mat experience. The Lakeland boys and girls took part in the Shawano High School Holiday Classic.

Lakeland boys’ hockey team gets by Eagles

The snow didn’t stave off the Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team from going on the road for a conference win. The Thunderbirds took down Northland Pines 3-1 in Eagle River on Thursday. It was Lakeland’s second Great Northern Conference (GNC) win of the season.