Amery shuts out LUHS boys’ hockey team
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team lost its first non-conference game of the season, falling 4-0 to Amery on Friday in Minocqua.
Denson dagger
Wisconsin Rapids survives Lady T-Bird hoops’ upset bid
A clutch shot by one of the top teams in the Wisconsin Valley Conference dashed any hopes of a Lakeland girls’ basketball upset last week. The Thunderbirds fell 46-42 to non-conference Wisconsin Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 30 in Wisconsin Rapids. Leondra Denson (13 points) hit the go-ahead and game-winning 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
Lakeland skaters shine on home ice
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op falls to Badger Lightning, beats Viroqua in Minocqua
The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op split a pair of games over the weekend, the second of which took place in Minocqua. First, the Eagles fell 3-1 to Badger Lightning on Friday in Eagle River. Then, Northland Pines defeated Viroqua 4-1 on Saturday at the Lakeland Hawks Ice Arena.
Trees stand tall
D.C. Everest downs Lakeland boys’ basketball team
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team concluded its 2025 slate of games with a 91-60 non-conference loss at D.C. Everest on Monday.
Enjoying winter activities
Christmas Day may be in the past, but the fun doesn’t have to stop. There is plenty of fun winter activities to take in over the holiday break. It’s still Christmas break for kids in school and I know a lot of parents like to take time off work during this time. We recently got blasted with a winter storm, providing fresh snow on the ground.
My love for sports and music
The 20th anniversary of the Disney Channel Original Movie “High School Musical” is coming up in a couple of weeks. It’s a movie that I grew up with, and one that I can relate to. People might disagree with me, but I consider the original “High School Musical” from 2006 a sports movie. It’s a musical, but a lot of the movie surrounds around the game of basketball. One of the main plot points involves the East High Wildcats playing in a championship-level basketball game.
Warriors flex muscles in big win over Lady T-Bird basketball
One of the top prep girls’ basketball players in the state of Wisconsin almost single-handedly outscored the Lakeland girls’ basketball team by herself on Monday, Dec. 22. Rice Lake, ranked No. 3 in Division 2 in the latest Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports girls’ basketball media poll, defeated the Thunderbirds 82-40 in a non-conference game in Rice Lake.
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op falls 3-1
The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op were unable to make it two straight wins with a 3-1 loss to Wisconsin Valley Union on Monday, Dec. 22.
From teacher to coach to Hall of Famer
Brian Maki inducted into Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as assistant coach
One might have seen Brian Maki walking around the court, field or hallways of Lakeland Union High School as a teacher and/or coach. He’s now a Hall of Famer. Maki was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as an assistant coach in September. He was one of 30 inductees in the 2025 class.
Lakeland boys’ basketball takes care of business
After losing by over 30 points earlier in the week, the Lakeland boys’ basketball team won by over 30 points to achieve its first Great Northern Conference win of the season. The Thunderbirds (2-3, 1-2 GNC) beat Antigo 76-36 on Friday, Dec. 19 in Minocqua.
Lady T-Birds rout Antigo for first GNC win
The Lakeland girls’ basketball team got out to a big lead and never looked back on Friday, Dec. 19. The Thunderbirds beat Antigo 62-28 for their first Great Northern Conference win of the season at Ted Voigt Court in Minocqua.
Brayden Kelly sweeps Junior National races in Duluth, Cable
Barrett Eggen, Addison Eggen take first at WinMan Early Bird
The Lakeland Nordic ski season has had a flurry of activity lately with competitions in Duluth, Minn., Cable and Winchester over the last few weeks.
Lady T-Bird wrestling takes sixth in Shawano
Micah Wright places second in her weight class
The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team displayed its talent with a top-10 finish in Shawano over the weekend. The Thunderbirds finished sixth out of 25 teams with 73 points at the Shawano High School Holiday Classic on Saturday.
Mercer boys’ basketball falls to Hurley
Taking on one of the top teams in the Northern Lights Conference, the Mercer boys’ basketball team fell 69-18 to Hurley on Friday, Dec. 19 in Mercer. “I thought we played decent,” coach Anthony Pemble said. “Still have some things to clean up. Hurley is probably the best team in the conference so it will always be tough going against them.”
Thunderbirds go into holiday break with momentum
Lakeland defeats West Bend 3-1
It’s been a strong start to the non-conference season for the Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team. That continued on Friday night. The Thunderbirds (3-2, 0-2 GNC) beat non-conference West Bend 3-1 in Minocqua to close out their 2025 slate of games.
Emma Brooks, Jazmine Chapman, Kady Lohoff take first for LUHS girls’ wrestling
Looking to get time on the mat, the Lakeland girls’ wrestling team took part in the first Wisconsin Valley Conference/Great Northern Conference Challenge meet on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Washburn defeats Tiger boys’ basketball team
The Mercer boys’ basketball team remained winless on the season following an 85-32 loss to conference foe Washburn on Wednesday. “Turnovers and not getting enough second chances has been hurting us this season,” coach Anthony Pemble said. “And that continued in this game.”
Eagle comeback nets first win of the season
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op 1-3-1
A comeback effort provided the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op its first win of the season on Tuesday. Before their win, the Eagles fell 6-0 to Beaver Dam on Friday, Dec. 12. The following day, the Northland Pines co-op tied the Icebergs 1-1 in double overtime in Stoughton. The Eagles won 5-3 over Medford in Eagle River.
T-Bird boys’ wrestling shows ‘growth’ in Barron
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ wrestling team had a few top finishes when they went to Barron last weekend. The Thunderbirds placed 10th out of 17 teams with 52.5 points at the Barron Invite on Saturday.
Fast start sends Hayward past Lakeland boys’ hoops
A bad start put the Lakeland Union High School boys’ basketball team in a deficit they couldn’t overcome. Hayward beat the Thunderbirds 77-46 in a non-conference game in Minocqua on Tuesday.
LUHS girls’ basketball drops road contest to Wausau West
The Lakeland girls’ basketball team gave themselves a chance to win a second straight non-conference road game. Wausau West (3-7, 0-2 Wisconsin Valley Conference) hung on for a 53-49 win over the Thunderbirds on Tuesday.
Lady T-Bird gymnastics opens season with score of 108.9
Malin Awker makes the podium on vault
The Lakeland gymnastics team made its season debut Saturday in Rhinelander, placing sixth out of seven teams. Lakeland, down a few gymnasts, totaled 108.9 points in the Snowflake Invite at YMCA of the Northwoods. In regards to Great Northern Conference Small division teams, Lakeland finished fourth out of five teams. Many Thunderbirds made their high school gymnastics debut with one making the podium.
Season preview: Lakeland Nordic ski teams feature speed
With plenty of snow on the ground, a change from previous years, the Lakeland Nordic ski team is ready to get its schedule of meets going. The first meet for the entire Lakeland Nordic ski team takes place this weekend. The last few weeks have given Lakeland a chance to ski on snow.
T-Bird boys’ swim finishes fifth at Hodag Relays, falls to Rhinelander in dual meet
The Lakeland boys’ swim team got more reps in the pool with a couple of different competitions. First, the Thunderbirds finished fifth out of six teams with 16 points at the Hodag Relays Saturday in Rhinelander. Then, Lakeland saw the Hodags again in a Great Northern Conference dual meet, losing 136-16 in Minocqua on Tuesday.
Lady Thunderbird wrestling gaining more experience
The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team got healthier and saw success on the mat in two different competitions. The Thunderbirds placed eighth out of 14 teams with 41 points at the Barron Invite on Saturday. Lakeland also took part in the Wisconsin Valley Conference/Great Northern Conference Challenge meet on Tuesday at Wausau East.
Mercer boys’ basketball falls to Drummond
The Mercer High School boys’ basketball team dropped its third straight game to open the season with a 67-21 road loss to Drummond on Tuesday.
Adversity strikes LUHS boys’ hoops team in loss to Medford
Foul trouble and injuries were too much to overcome for the Lakeland Union High School boys’ basketball team in its road opener on Friday. Medford (1-2, 1-1 GNC) defeated the Thunderbirds 66-52 in a Great Northern Conference contest at Raider Hall.
LUHS boys’ hockey wins wire-to-wire over Pacelli
The Lakeland boys’ hockey team got back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over non-conference Pacelli on Thursday in Stevens Point.
Raiders race by Lady T-Birds
Medford girls’ basketball picks up first win over Lakeland in almost five years
Down one of its starters, the Lakeland girls’ basketball team dropped its third straight Great Northern Conference game to open the season. The Thunderbirds fell 79-50 to Medford on Friday in Minocqua.
Mercer High School varsity girls’ basketball season in limbo
The Mercer High School varsity girls’ basketball season may be coming to an end for 2025-26. Coming into the season with only six girls out for the team, the Tigers’ roster trimmed down to four as of last week.
Mercer boys’ basketball team falls to South Shore, Butternut
The Mercer boys’ basketball team started strong but couldn’t finish in its first two games of the season. The Tigers fell 65-46 in their season, home and Northern Lights Conference opener against South Shore on Friday, Dec. 5. Then, Butternut defeated Mercer 55-48 in another conference game on Friday in Mercer.
Season review: Lady T-Bird swim rose up state ranks
Three years ago, the Lakeland Union High School girls’ swim program didn’t have much of a team. The Thunderbirds increased their numbers this year and had one of their best seasons of the decade.
Taming the Tigers
Thunderbirds rebound for win over Stratford after season-opening loss to Mosinee
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team split a pair of games with two Thunderbirds setting a new career high in points. The Thunderbirds fell 72-58 to Mosinee in the season, home and Great Northern Conference opener on Friday, Dec. 5. Then, Lakeland beat non-conference Stratford 49-47 on Monday. Both games took place in Minocqua.
Crandon comeback
A 21-5 end-of-first-half run helps Lady T-Bird hoops to first win of the season
Things haven’t been easy for the Lakeland girls’ basketball team to start the year. They finally picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday. Lakeland beat Crandon 55-43 in Crandon. On Friday, Dec. 5, Mosinee beat Lakeland 55-22 in a Great Northern Conference game in Mosinee.
Top-five finish
Lakeland girls’ wrestling places in upper half of invite in Antigo
The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team got its season off to a positive start with the fourth-most points at an invite last weekend. The Thunderbirds finished fourth out of 30 teams with 98 points at the Red Robin Girls Invite Friday, Dec. 5 in Antigo.
T-Bird boys’ wrestling finishes in 12th place
The Lakeland boys’ wrestling team got more mat experience with an invite in Antigo last weekend. The Thunderbirds finished 12th out of 18 teams with 57.5 points at the John Roberts Invite in Antigo on Saturday.
Third-period woes
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op drops second game of the season
One period made all the difference in the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op’s 5-1 loss to the Cap City Cougars on Friday, Dec. 5 in Rhinelander. The Cougars scored four times in the third period to outlast the co-op that includes Northland Pines, Lakeland Union, Rhinelander, Three Lakes, Antigo, Hurley and Norway (Mich.) high schools.
Thunderbirds drop first two matches of the season
A shorthanded Lakeland boys’ wrestling team dropped two matches during a season-opening double dual in Tomahawk. The Hatchets defeated Lakeland 59-21 in a Great Northern Conference dual on Thursday. Then, non-conference Athens beat the Thunderbirds 47-30.
Season review: T-Bird boys’ soccer dominated
A historic Lakeland boys’ soccer season came up one game short of state. On the way, the Thunderbirds found many successes. The Thunderbirds went 17-1-1 overall, their best winning percentage as a team since at least 2008. They averaged 4.3 goals per game and gave up 0.4 goals per game.
LUHS boys’ hockey team falls to Waupaca
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team dropped its second straight Great Northern Conference game when they traveled to Waupaca on Thursday. The Comets beat the Thunderbirds 4-1. Thursday marked Waupaca’s first win over Lakeland since Dec. 22, 2018.
Season preview: Lady T-Bird gymnastics young and on the rise
The Lakeland Union High School gymnastics team is returning this season after a canceled 2024-25 campaign. The future looks bright moving forward. Numbers are way up this season as Lakeland builds the program back up.
Win streak comes to an end
Merrill stuns Lady T-Birds, snaps Lakeland’s 41-game conference winning streak
The Lakeland girls’ basketball team seemed destined to pick up its first win of the season on Tuesday. Merrill finished on a high note and, in turn, ended the Thunderbirds’ Great Northern Conference win streak.
T-Bird boys’ hockey team drops home, conference opener to reigning state champs
Hosting the reigning WIAA Division 2 state champions, the Thunderbird boys’ hockey team didn’t have the firepower to keep up with Tomahawk. The Hatchets defeated the Thunderbirds 8-1 in the Great Northern Conference opener at the Lakeland Hawks Ice Arena on Tuesday.
Down to the wire
Lakeland boys’ swim comes up a few points short in season opener against Medford
The Lakeland boys’ swim team came up a couple points short of upsetting Medford in the season opener on Tuesday in Minocqua. The Raiders beat the Thunderbirds 65-57. Lakeland won seven of the 11 events, but the Raiders used their depth to overtake the home team.
Season preview: Lakeland girls’ wrestling ready to soar
It’s a new era for the Lakeland girls’ wrestling team. They have their own coach as they look to continue to build the program. Jacob Merrill is the new head coach of the Thunderbirds. He’s taking over for Adam Bremer who had been coaching both the boys’ and girls’ teams the past few seasons.
Season preview: Lakeland boys’ hoops staying positive
There’s optimism inside the Lakeland boys’ basketball program, even with a couple of injuries hindering the team. The Thunderbirds are hoping this is the year to be in the top half of the Great Northern Conference and to snap their winless postseason streak dating back to 2019.
Mustang momentum
Menomonie hands Lady T-Bird basketball its third straight loss to begin season
It was much of the same for the Lakeland girls’ basketball team in a 58-35 road loss to non-conference Menomonie on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Thunderbirds committed 30-plus turnovers for the third consecutive game to open the year. It’s Lakeland’s first 0-3 start to a season since the 2022-23 campaign, the same season they made it to the state tournament.
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op drops opener to Chippewa Falls/Menomonie
The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op dropped its first game of the season 5-2 to Chippewa Falls/Menomonie on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Season preview: Lakeland boys’ wrestling team building for the postseason
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ wrestling team is focused on putting wrestlers in the best position to succeed when the postseason comes around.
Season preview: Mercer Tiger boys’ basketball striving to be more competitive
The Mercer boys’ basketball team is looking to be more competitive this year. In order to do that, they need to come together as a team. It’s year No. 2 for coach Anthony Pemble. The Tigers won two games last year, both against Butternut, in his first season.
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