Movie Review: Building a box office hit
‘A Minecraft Movie’ good for the industry, even if it wasn’t for me
“A Minecraft Movie” has turned into the biggest box office hit of 2025 thus far. This is great news for movie theaters, even if I wasn’t wowed by the product. “A Minecraft Movie” came out April 4 and features Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen and Jennifer Coolidge.
Thunderbirds survive sloppy game
Lakeland tops Medford for first time in seven years
In a game that featured a combined 10 errors, the Lakeland baseball team prevailed for their first win over Medford since 2018. The Thunderbirds edged the Raiders 9-8 during Lakeland’s Great Northern Conference (GNC) opener on Friday in Medford.
Conference-opening statement
Lady T-Birds beat Medford in conference play for first time since 2019
There were a number of firsts for the Lakeland softball team on Thursday. It was their first home, conference and outdoors game of the season. They also beat Medford in a Great Northern Conference (GNC) game for the first time in six years.
Bobbi Lee’s two-goal night buries Barron
Lady Thunderbirds earn their first win of the season
The Lakeland girls’ soccer team battled adversity on the way to their first victory of the season on Friday.
Season preview: Lakeland golf entering new era
A state championship capped off a sensational 2024 campaign for Lakeland’s golf team. They’re gearing up for another conference and playoff run. The Thunderbirds are the reigning WIAA Division 2 state champions. After years of qualifying for the state tournament, they finally lifted up the first-place trophy last year at Blackwolf Run — Meadows Course in Kohler.
LUHS track and field gains experience
The Thunderbirds gained more experience when they competed in Wausau over the course of two different days. Lakeland sent some of their JV athletes to get established marks and times.
Shorthanded T-Birds drop match to Wausau East
Lakeland goes 3-1 at singles flights
Lakeland boys’ tennis added a doubles team to their lineup in a non-conference loss on Tuesday. Wausau East defeated Lakeland 4-3. The Thunderbirds were still short one doubles team in the loss.
Indoor championship meets test T-Bird track teams
A number of Lakeland track and field athletes were featured in two of the top indoor meets in the state last weekend. Seven Thunderbirds competed in the Midwest Indoor Championships at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and five in the Wisconsin State Indoor Championships at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Both meets took place on Saturday. Qualifying marks were required to compete.
Eiley Schoeneman wins indoor conference shot put
Mercer boys and girls both take fifth
The Mercer track and field teams picked up new personal records (PRs) with a conference champion on Tuesday night.
Season review: Lady Tiger basketball finished strong
Eiley Schoeneman named honorable mention all-conference
The Mercer girls’ basketball team didn’t have a lot to show for in the win column, but they ended the season with some of their best basketball under the direction of strong senior leaders. The Tigers finished 5-19 in 24 games played. They ended up eighth out of 10 teams in the Northern Lights Conference with a 5-13 record.
LUHS baseball loses three games to open season
The Lakeland baseball team got their first real action outside in a season-opening, non-conference tournament in Mauston last weekend. The Thunderbirds went 0-3 in three games played. They fell 14-5 to Hayward on Friday and 17-5 to Spooner and 10-9 to Barron on Saturday.
Saylor saves the day
Lady Thunderbirds sweep two games in Weston
An exciting day of Lakeland softball was capped off with a walk-off hit in Weston on Friday night. The Thunderbirds beat Wausau West 3-0 and Marshfield 3-2 in eight innings during a non-conference invite at Greenheck Turner Community Center in Weston.
Defense highlights Lakeland’s opening games
Rosa Hornig scores Lakeland’s first goal of the season
A stout defense kept the Lakeland girls’ soccer team competitive in two season-opening games over the weekend. Notre Dame Academy defeated the Thunderbirds 2-0 in Green Bay on Friday night. Lakeland then tied Kingsford, Mich. 1-1 on Saturday.
T-Bird track and field teams test themselves against high-level competition
Stella Meza makes her indoor season debut
The Lakeland track and field teams split up and traveled to meets in Menomonie and Stevens Point. The Thunderbirds didn’t score a lot of team points but did get some more personal records (PRs).
Season preview: Seniors lead Lakeland boys’ tennis team
Thunderbirds go 1-2 in first matches of the season
The Lakeland boys’ tennis team is loaded with seniors and all-conference players. They’ve got the potential to become the first Great Northern Conference (GNC) team to win the conference other than Rhinelander since 2013.
Owen Sauer wins second youth wrestling state title in three years
Kennedy Howard, Rilen Sauer finish runner-up
Lakeland took a program-best 15 youth wrestlers to the state tournament last weekend. They walked away with a champion and two runner-ups.
Season preview: LUHS girls’ soccer reloading for another championship run
The Lakeland girls’ soccer team has put together back-to-back-to-back conference championships. They’re relying on a mix of returning veterans, newcomers and depth to return to the top once again.
Season preview: T-Bird baseball looking to make routine plays
Under the direction of new leadership, the Lakeland Union High School baseball team is looking to be more consistent at the plate, on the mound and in the field. Adam Bremer, also the Lakeland boys’ and girls’ wrestling coach, is taking over the high school baseball program.
Lakeland boys’ tennis ramping up quickly
First matches scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Recent snowy and icy weather has forced the Lakeland boys’ tennis team inside. They’re trying to maximize their space with their first matches of the season approaching. The first official day of boys’ tennis was on Monday. However, school and all activities were canceled.
Eiley Schoeneman wins shot put at T-Bird Invite
Mercer added to their track team with several Tigers making their season debut at a meet in Minocqua. They also came away with a champion in the shot put. The Mercer girls placed fifth out of six teams with 41 points at the T-Bird Invite on Saturday. The Mercer boys also finished fifth out of six teams, scoring 22 points.
Lakeland bats go quiet in season-opening tournament
Lady T-Birds go 1-2, score three total runs
The Lakeland softball team had a tough time producing offense and putting a complete game together in a non-conference tournament last week.
Taking on the mountains
Miranda Schneider, Jennings Kern compete at Canadian Nationals
The 97th edition of the Nordic Canada Ski Nationals took place last week. Two Lakeland Nordic skiers got the opportunity to compete against other top athletes. Lakeland’s Miranda Schneider and Jennings Kern took part in the Canadian Nationals March 17-23 at Canmore Nordic Centre in Alberta. Schneider competed in the U16 girls category and Jennings Kern in the U16 boys.
Lakeland track and field teams win T-Bird Invite
Kieran Petrie sets two new meet records in 55 and 200-meter dashes
Two team wins and a couple of meet records highlighted the 25th annual T-Bird Invite inside the Lakeland Union High School fieldhouse.
Record-setting 15 Lakeland youth wrestlers qualify for state
State meet starts today in Madison
The Lakeland Wrestling Club saw a program-best 15 youth wrestlers qualify for state following a regional tournament in Merrill last weekend.
T-Bird track and field teams establish new times, marks in Ashland
Kieran Petrie wins 60- and 200-meter dashes, second in 400
The Lakeland Union High School track and field teams put together some highlight performances with meets in Stevens Point and Ashland.
Lakeland baseball stressing fundamentals
There is new leadership for the Lakeland baseball team. New head coach Adam Bremer stressed fundamentals for the first day of practice on Monday. A fresh blanket of snow greeted players on Monday. Instead of being outside, they were inside the Lakeland Union High School fieldhouse.
Ball control basics
Lakeland girls’ soccer back in action
On the first day of the season, the Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) girls’ soccer team met up inside the LUHS fieldhouse for tryouts. Coaches were looking for all aspects of a player’s game during tryouts, including their mental traits.
Former Green Bay Packer Bob Long passes away at age 83
Two-time Super Bowl champion and former Green Bay Packer Bob Long recently passed away at the age of 83. Long was born on June 16, 1941 in McKeesport, Pa. He died on March 16 in Brookfield. In his seven-year professional football career, Long caught 98 passes for 1,539 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He played four seasons with Green Bay, one with Atlanta, one with Washington and one with Los Angeles.
Season preview: Pieces of the puzzle coming together for LUHS softball
Featuring a top-ranked pitcher in the nation, expectations are high for the Lakeland softball team in 2025. Senior Saylor Timmerman headlines a team that returns essentially all of their players from last year’s varsity team, including seven all-Great Northern Conference (GNC) selections. In addition, the Thunderbirds are adding to their roster.
Season preview: Lakeland track and field teams have high expectations
There are plenty of athletes to keep an eye on as the Lakeland track and field teams get ready to make their season debuts. The Lakeland boys have won or shared back-to-back Great Northern Conference (GNC) titles. For the Lakeland girls, they’re a team on the rise.
Tiger track and field season underway
Eiley Schoeneman places second in the shot put
Mercer’s track and field teams opened their seasons with a trip to Ashland on Thursday. The Mercer girls placed 10th out of 12 teams with 24 points at the Oredocker Small School Indoor Invite. The Mercer boys ended up 10th out of 13 teams with 11 points.
Adam Hammes triumphant again on Disc Golf Pro Tour
Shoots 30-under, wins Waco Annual Charity Open
Adam Hammes is making a name for himself on the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT). He took home the trophy last weekend in Texas. Hammes, a Lakeland Union High School Class of 2017 graduate, won the Waco Annual Charity Open. The Pro Tour event took place Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16 in Waco, Texas.
Junior Nationals experience
Stella Meza, Brayden Kelly take part in Cross Country Junior National Championships
Junior Nationals brings together some of the top junior-level skiers in the United States. Lakeland Union High School senior Stella Meza and eighth-grader Brayden Kelly got a chance to put their skills to the test against the best.
Trio leads first softball practice
Full roster expected soon
With Spring Break in full swing, the Lakeland softball team only drew a couple of student-athletes to the first day of practice. Three student-athletes attended the first practice of the season on Monday. Those three got plenty of reps whether it was fielding grounders or hitting in the cage.
A bowling building year
Inexperienced LUHS bowling team ‘did the best we could’
The Lakeland Union High School bowling team didn’t experience a lot of team success in a rebuilding year. The 2024-25 season featured an inexperienced lineup with a new varsity coach. They returned only one bowler from last year’s varsity team.
Season review: LUHS girls’ wrestling team experienced success
The sport of girls’ wrestling continues to grow larger and larger. For Lakeland, they saw their biggest numbers yet in a season filled with success.
Season review: Lakeland boys’ wrestling finished strong
A young and inexperienced Lakeland boys’ wrestling team grew all season and gained a lot of exposure to high school wrestling.
The magic behind March Madness
Every year when the calendar turns to March, a notification pops up on my phone. It lets me know it’s time for March Madness. This week, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments begin. Selection Sunday took place two days ago as teams learned their fate.
Braxton Teichmiller attacking the slopes
Teichmiller lone Lakeland alpine skier
Popular prep sports in the winter include basketball, hockey and wrestling. Lakeland Union High School had one student-athlete represent them in the sport of alpine skiing. Alpine skiing is a sport that students can participate in at Lakeland. Sophomore Braxton Teichmiller took on the hills and mountains of Wisconsin/Michigan for a second straight season.
Putting their skills to the test
Lakeland track and field tests athletes on day one
The Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) track and field teams put together their own little combine inside the LUHS fieldhouse to open up the first practice on Monday. A group of 70-plus student-athletes came together to open the spring sports season. However, numbers can change between now and the first meet of the season.
Season review: Lakeland boys’ swim team back in action
The Lakeland boys’ swim team made their return to the pool after taking a year off. They got better as the season went along. The Thunderbirds placed sixth out of six teams in the Great Northern Conference (GNC) with a record of 0-5. They scored two total conference points, also sixth in the conference.
The agony of defeat
LUHS girls’ basketball falls to Rice Lake in sectional playoffs
Some things in life are not meant to be. The Lakeland girls’ basketball team’s season came to a sudden and halting end on Thursday. The Thunderbirds fell 59-47 to Rice Lake in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal game in Ashland.
Tiger boys’ basketball drops playoff game to Owen-Withee
The Mercer boys’ basketball team saw their season come to an end following a playoff loss on Thursday. Owen-Withee, the No. 3 seed, beat 14th-seeded Mercer 96-33 in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal game in Owen.
16 Thunderbirds make winter all-conference teams
Kristina Ouimette named Player of the Year for girls’ basketball
The Great Northern Conference (GNC) recognized 16 Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) winter athletes with all-conference recognition.
Rice Lake’s 3-point shooting ousts T-Birds
Zach Orr makes 10 3s, scores 30 points to eliminate Lakeland
A hot shooting night by one of Rice Lake’s seniors sent the Lakeland boys’ basketball team packing for the 2024-25 season. The seventh-seeded Rice Lake Warriors beat Lakeland, the No. 10 seed, 78-56 in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game in Rice Lake on Tuesday.
Lakeland Hawks Squirts place sixth at state
The Lakeland Hawks Squirts concluded their season at the state tournament last weekend, winning one game. Lakeland finished in sixth place out of eight teams at the Squirt 10U 3A Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) State Hockey Championships on Saturday and Sunday in Marshfield.
Four times as sweet
Lakeland girls’ basketball wins fourth straight regional championship
Two wins over two different opponents gave the Lakeland girls’ basketball team their fourth straight regional championship over the weekend.
Mosinee wins wire-to-wire over Lakeland
Shots didn’t fall for the Lakeland boys’ basketball team in their final game of the regular season in Mosinee. The Thunderbirds fell 69-51 to Mosinee on Thursday night.
Mercer boys’ basketball team falls to Bayfield in regular-season finale
The Mercer boys’ basketball team suffered their largest loss of the year in their final game of the regular season on Thursday. Bayfield beat the Tigers 130-35 in Bayfield.
Missed opportunities cost Thunderbirds
Lakeland boys’ hockey falls to Mosinee for third time this season
The Lakeland boys’ hockey team couldn’t recover after a slow start to a playoff game in Mosinee. Second-seeded Mosinee beat Lakeland, the No. 3 seed, 4-1 in a WIAA Division 2, Section 2 semifinal game on Tuesday night.