The Sparta High School girls golf team posted its first team score of the season last week, finishing sixth in a Mississippi Valley Conference match at Coulee Golf Bowl in Onalaska.

The Lady Spartan linksters, back as a varsity golf team after a two-year hiatus, finished with 232 team tallies - just 11 strokes out of fifth.

Senior Taylor Ruchti and sophomore Mikala Sund both finished with a nine-hole total of 55 to lead the way for Sparta in the conference opener.

Freshman Sydney Weibel turned in a solid round as well, finishing one stroke behind her teammates with a nine-hole score of 56.

Sophomore Schannel Giraud rounded out Sparta's top four golfers, turning in a nine-hole score of 66.

Junior Katelyn Peterson finished with a 67 for the Lady Spartan linksters, while junior Christina Mulder posted a round of 82.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 2, 2010 issue

The Lady Spartan spikers opened their 2010 campaign just as planned Thursday, rolling past Holmen 3-1 in Mississippi Valley Conference volleyball action at Sparta High School.

The 2009 MVC champs jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-20 victory over the Vikings in the first game of the best-of-five match, and moved in front 2-0 with a hard-fought 25-21 win.

Holmen bounced back in the third game, edging the Lady Spartans 29-27 to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Sparta rebounded with a 25-20 win in the fourth game to capture the match.

Senior Jade Jandt led the Sparta spikers with 19 digs.

Lady Spartans Chelsey Arendt and Erin Murray combined for 44 assists, while teammate Haylee Kirking finished with 13 kills for Sparta.

The victory gives Sparta a 1-0 overall and MVC record, while Holmen starts the season at 0-1.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 30, 2010 issue

The Sparta High School boys soccer team opened its 2010 campaign with a pair of narrow defeats against formidable opponents at the Oshkosh West Invitational Saturday.

The Spartan strikers, just a year removed from their first-ever WIAA state berth, opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Waupaca, and followed with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Oshkosh North in the second round.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 23, 2010 issue

After enduring a long string of bad luck, Sparta's Tim Schendel finally found his way back to the winner's circle.

Schendel drove his way to victory in Saturday's ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour Wisconsin Dells 100.

Schendel took the checked flag after leading most of the Wisconsin Dells 100, the eighth race of the year on the ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and grandstay.net ASA schedule.

ìIt feels so good to get that monkey off my back," said an elated Schendel after the race.

ìThe crew works so hard every week and Iím glad it finally paid off," he added.

"It seemed like back luck was following us every race this year. We had gotten really close a couple of races," Schendel continued. "It just feels really good that we finally won one.î

Chris Weinkauf finished in second at Wisconsin Dells, while ASA rookie Griffin McGrath captured the third slot.

Schendel qualified the No. 21 TexPar Energy/Festival Foods of Mauston Chevrolet in eighth place, but started the race in third after the invert.

He took the lead prior to a mandatory pit stop on the 75th lap.

After leading the field back out onto the track, Schendel held onto the top spot, leading by as much as five car lengths for the remaining 25 laps of the race.

Schendel and the ASA Midwest Tour head to Marshfield on Saturday, August 21 for the Marshfield 100.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 16, 2010 issue

Hoping to build on a successful high school season that led to Sparta's first-ever state soccer tournament berth, a group of young Spartan strikers spent the summer traveling to several tournaments sanctioned by the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.

The Sparta Heat, which includes players from Sparta, Tomah and Mauston, competed in four large tourneys this summer, and earned a third-place finish at the Badger State Games in Appleton in late June.

In addition to the Badger State Games, the young strikers competed in sanctioned tournaments in Eau Claire, Oregon and Neenah.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 9, 2010 issue

Autumn is just around the corner, and with it comes the annual fall sports season at Sparta High School.

The season kicks-off next week in Sparta, with four of the school's seven varsity sports holding their opening practices.

Sparta High School offers its student athletes football, volleyball, girls golf, girls tennis, boys soccer and boys and girls cross country in the fall.

This season will mark the return of the varsity girls golf program in Sparta, which was canceled for a couple of years due to a lack of participants.

Sara Anderson has been hired as the new coach for the Lady Spartan linksters.

The Spartan boys soccer team will hold its first practice at 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 9, and kick-off its competitive season with a pre-season scrimmage in La Crosse on Tuesday, Aug. 17.

Football season gets underway Monday as well, with equipment pick-up at the high school at 8 a.m.

The first day of football practice will follow at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, and the gridders will gear up for their season opener with a scrimmage against Chippewa Falls on Friday, Aug. 20.

The first day of practice for the girls golf team and the girls tennis team is Tuesday, Aug. 10, as well.

Girls golf practice will get underway with a 9 a.m. practice session at River Run Golf Course in Sparta, while the tennis team kicks off its season with a 10 a.m. practice at the Meadowview Middle School courts.

The first girls golf meet will be in La Crosse on Thursday, Aug. 12, while the first girls tennis match is scheduled to take place in Reedsburg on Monday, Aug. 23.

Eyeing another championship run in Mississippi Valley Conference play, the Lady Spartan volleyball team will open its season with a 9 a.m. practice on Monday, Aug. 16.

Less than a week later, the Lady Spartan spikers will compete in a scrimmage at Marshfield scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 21.

The Sparta boys and girls cross country teams also open their season Monday, Aug. 16, with an 8 a.m. practice session.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 5, 2010 issue

Despite all of the recognition he's received for his contributions to athletics and education at Sparta High School over the years, Al Ask remains a very humble man.

Being humble, however, hasn't stopped the accolades from rolling in, and now Ask is set to receive perhaps the biggest honor of his career.

Ask, who has been compiling basketball and football stats at Sparta for better than a half century, will be inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame this fall.

Ask graduated from St. James High School in Minnesota in 1955, and earned his degree in education at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1959.

After teaching eighth grade math and science in Sparta for seven years, Ask became the district's middle school guidance counselor until his retirement in 1995.

While Ask retired as a guidance counselor, he has continued to keep football and basketball stats for all of Sparta's home and away games.

Ask began his tenure in athletics as the statistician and scorekeeper for the boys basketball team upon his arrival in Sparta in 1959.

One year later, he began compiling the stats for the Sparta football team, and has been a mainstay on the gridiron for the past 50 years.

In his 51 years with the basketball team, Ask has missed less than a dozen games.

In addition to compiling stats for more than 2,000 basketball games to date, Ask's duties include reporting scores to the local media.

He also has compiled a history of Sparta football dating back to 1894, and a history of Sparta basketball, including team and individual records, dating back to the 1952 season.

The Al Ask Student Athlete Award was created in 1984 by the basketball coaching staff in recognition and appreciation of his many years of interest in student-athletes, as well as his dedication, concern, service and high standards.

The award, to which Ask has added a scholarship in recent years, is given to a Spartan basketball player who demonstrates outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, scholarship and citizenship.

In 2000, Ask was inducted in the Spartan Athletic Wall of Fame.

Last year, the Sparta School Board and community again recognized Ask and his dedication to the athletic programs by naming the high school gymnasium in his honor.

In addition, Ask was the recipient of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association Distinguished Service Award.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 2, 2010 issue

Four Sparta High School soccer players earned team awards for their performance on the field this season.

Senior Jamie Kenyon, juniors Jenna Anderson and Brianna Brinckman and freshman Mikala Sund were recognized at the team banquet last month.

Kenyon, who earned Player of the Year honors in the Mississippi Valley Conference this season, was named Sparta's 2010 Most Valuable Player, while Sund received the team's Newcomer of the Year Award.

Anderson picked up Sparta's Offensive Most Valuable Offensive Player Award, while Brinckman was honored as the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player.

The Lady Spartan strikers finished their 2010 campaign with a 14-8 overall record, and landed in a tie for third place in the MVC standings with a 3-3 league mark.
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 29, 2010 issue

The Sparta American Legion baseball team dropped two of three games over the weekend, ending its 2010 campaign at the Legion AA Regional Tournament at Tomah.

After a rain-out Thursday afternoon, Sparta opened post-season play with a 4-0 loss at the hands of Reedsburg in the first game of the regional.

The Spartans bounced back a day later, blasting host Tomah 15-8, before ending its season with a 7-4 loss to Onalaska Sunday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 26, 2010 issue

Despite turning in a solid effort in the past week or so, the Sparta American Legion baseball team dropped three straight games.

The Spartans suffered a narrow 9-7 loss to Bi-State on July 1, before suffering a 6-5 extra-inning loss to Onalaska on July 6.

One day later, Sparta fell 8-3 at the hands of Holmen.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 12, 2010 issue

Three members of the Sparta High School boys tennis team earned spots on the 2010 all-Mississippi Valley Conference team this spring.

Seniors Mac Smith, Matt Tourdot and Kevin Rasmussen were named to the all-MVC squad for their performances this season.

Smith and Tourdot, who spent most of the season playing together on Sparta's No. 2 doubles team, both earned all-MVC honorable mention honors through a vote of conference coaches.

Rasmussen, Sparta's No. 1 singles player for a majority of the 2010 season, was named to the all-conference sportsmanship squad for his efforts on and off the court.

Sparta had no representatives on the all-MVC first or second teams this season.

All-Mississippi Valley Conference first team players this year included Tony Mirasola, Nick Garvin, Ryan Miles and Connor Benson of La Crosse Central; Will Reckase, Peter Coppola and Mike Hagan of La Crosse Aquinas; Jake Weiland of La Crosse Logan; David LaGrange of Onalaska; and Alex Sanjari of Tomah.

Members of the all-MVC second team are Alex Inman, Avery Waldera, Keaton Bronston and Bjorn Bloomquist of Onalaska; Matt Schlesinger, Eric Clements and Nick Mathy of Aquinas; Nick Ames and Andy Bonifas of Logan; and Tyler Welch of Tomah.

Players joining Smith and Tourdot on the all-MVC honorable mention squad were Colton Tydrich and Nick Kohlwey of Central, Sam Helming and Scott Sibik of Onalaska, Mike Guggenbuehl of Aquinas, Kyle Laylan of Tomah, Ka Chong of Holmen and Quintin Lamers of Logan.

In addition to Rasmussen, members of the all-conference sportsmanship squad included David LaGrange of Onalaska, Garrett Deick of Central, Dang Yang of Logan, Jake Schedler of Tomah, Chris Litwin of Holmen and Matt Schlesinger of Aquinas.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 8, 2010 issue

Senior Jamie Kenyon earned 2010 Player of the Year honors, leading a contingent of six Lady Spartan strikers who were named to this year's all-Mississippi Valley Conference soccer squad.

Kenyon, who has signed a National Letter of Intent to play hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, was the first Lady Spartan to earn the prestigious honor for soccer.

In addition, the midfielder landed a spot on the all-MVC first team, along with junior teammate Jenna Anderson, who also served as a midfielder for Sparta this season.

Junior Becca Von Ruden was Sparta's sole representative on the all-conference second team, while junior defender Brianna Brinckman and junior goalie Jade Jandt landed spots on the all-MVC honorable mention squad.

Freshman Mikala Sund rounded out Sparta's all-conference selections, earning a spot on the MVC's sportsmanship squad.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 28, 2010 issue

Five members of the Sparta girls softball team -three juniors and a pair of seniors - have earned post-season accolades in the Mississippi Valley Conference this year.

Seniors Aleatra Nading and Macey Waters and juniors Kala Lindley, Kelly Austin and Latesha Dishinger were selected as members of the 2010 all-MVC softball squad.

Lindley, who played second base for Sparta, was the only lady Spartan to earn a spot on the all-conference first team.

Nading, a pitcher and outfielder for the Lady Spartans, earned all-MVC second team honors.

Waters, Sparta's catcher, and Austin, an outfielder on the team, were named to the all-conference honorable mention team, while Dishinger earned a spot on the all-Mississippi Valley Conference sportsmanship squad.

Joining Lindley on the all-MVC first team were Allyson Hennessy, Emily Dwyer and Anna Munson of La Crosse Central; Taylor Boland, Jenny Gallagher and Janna Smith of La Crosse Aquinas; Kimmeata Davis of La Crosse Logan; Allie Dienger of Holmen and Ali Van Havermaet of Tomah.

In addition to Nading, members of the all-MVC second team include Taylor Topal and Makenzie Becker of Central, Steph Helmers and Katie Imgrund of Holmen, Brittni Swanson and Amber Schultz of Tomah, Hailee Schanke of Onalaska, Sam Stout of Aquinas and Stephanie Johnson of Logan.

Players joining Waters and Austin on the all-conference second team were Hannah Stigen and Amberly Roeck of Central, Ali Lyga and Alex Deshler of Aquinas, Casey Puent and Brianna Wesely of Holmen, Katie Ott and Cassie Cronk of Onalaska, Katie Van Havermaet and Maggie Ruedy of Tomah and Casey Elsen and Calea Baxter of Logan.

Mississippi Valley Conference Player of the Year honors were awarded to Jenna Smith of Aquinas, while Tomah's Ali Van Havermaet earned the MVC's Pitcher of the Year honor.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 24, 2010 issue

The Sparta Traveling Youth Soccer League teams wrapped up their 2010 campaign in style, capturing wins in 36 of 36 games recently.

The young Spartan strikers complied a 36-5-5 overall record over the past several weeks of play.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 21, 2010 issue

Six members of the Sparta High School baseball team have been honored by the Mississippi Valley Conference for their performance on the diamond this season.

Seniors Taylor Hedrick, Jon Fendt, Matt Boris, Jake Bisinger and Ben Sullivan and junior Alex Hemmersbach received post-season awards from the MVC.

Hedrick and Fendt led the way for the Spartans, earning all-conference second team honors.

Hedrick led the team this season with a .301 batting average, belting 18 singles and four doubles, while driving in 10 runs, while Fendt hit .298 with 20 singles, two doubles, one triple and 10 RBI.

Fendt also earned a spot on the all-conference sportsmanship squad.

All-MVC honorable mention honors went to Bisinger and Boris.

Bisinger had a solid offensive season as well, hitting .300 with 14 singles, four doubles and eight RBI, while Boris led Sparta with 18 RBI, hitting .265 with 18 singles and three doubles.

Sullivan and Hemmersbach were honored as well, as each earned a spot on the MVC's all-academic team.

Sullivan batted .244 this season, belting nine singles and two doubles, while driving in four runs for the Spartans.

Hemmersbach finished with a .200 batting average, belting six singles and a double in 36 trips to the plate.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 17, 2010 issue

The Cinderella story came to an end for the Sparta soccer team Saturday, as the Lady Spartans fell just one game short of a berth in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Championships.

The Lady Spartan strikers, who captured the program's first-ever WIAA Division 2 regional crown this season, advanced to the sectional final with a 1-0 victory over Platteville-Lancaster in Sparta Thursday.

Sparta's chance at a state berth came up shy two days later, however, when the Lady Spartans suffered a 5-1 loss to Madison Edgewood in Saturday's sectional final.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 14, 2010 issue

Already this season, the Sparta High School girls soccer team has made history.

Sparta's 2-0 victory over West Salem in last week's Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional final was not only the Lady Spartans' first post-season title - it was their first-ever post-season victory.

The Spartan strikers, however, are hoping their WIAA tournament run doesn't stop there.

The Lady Spartans have a chance to keep their Cinderella season alive this (Thursday) evening when it takes the field to host Platteville-Lancaster in a 5 p.m. WIAA sectional semifinal match-up at Sparta High School.

Sparta earned the home match by virtue of its No. 1 seed entering post-season play, and now the Lady Spartan strikers are poised to prove they were worthy of that distinction.

To do that, however, Sparta must slow down a very potent Platteville-Lancaster offense which led the opposing team to a Southwest Wisconsin Conference championship and an impressive 20-4-1 overall record this season.

"We did get a chance to see them play in their regional final game before our regional final at Sparta," said Spartan head coach Ed Hoskin.

"They are a team that likes to attack, and they scored a couple of nice goals (in the regional final victory over Lodi)," he continued. "But we have the home-field advantage, and the girls are really up for this game. It's an exciting prospect for us."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 10, 2010 issue

Senior Jamie Kenyon scored her 24th and 25th goals of the season, leading top-seeded Sparta to a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional soccer championship Saturday.

Kenyon's back-to-back goals in the second half broke a scoreless tie and lifted the Lady Spartan strikers to a 2-0 victory over West Salem at Sparta High School.

The regional championship was the first in the history of the Sparta girls soccer program.

Both teams battled to a scoreless tie over the opening 40 minutes of play, as the first half ended in a 0-0 deadlock.

Kenyon got Sparta going offensively just past the midway point in the second half, scoring the game's first goal at the 64-minute mark to give the Lady Spartans a 1-0 advantage.

Junior midfielder Jenni Ferries got credit for the assist on Kenyon's first goal.

The icing on the cake for the Lady Spartan strikers came less than two minutes later, when Kenyon struck again, this time with the help of an assist from junior midfielder Jenna Anderson.

Kenyon's second goal put Sparta in the driver's seat with a 2-0 advantage and just over 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Sparta was aided by a solid defensive effort as well, as the Lady Spartan strikers held the Panthers to just four shots on goal throughout the entire game.

Junior Jade Jandt stopped all four West Salem scoring attempts to record a shutout in the net for Sparta.

Sparta, which finished its regular season with a 12-7 overall record, entered the WIAA regional as the tourney's top-seeded team.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 7, 2010 issue

Because of a lack of depth, Sparta girls track coach Kevin Kravik chose to focus on individual goals during the Lady Spartans' 2010 campaign.

And that paid off in a big way at last week's sectionals, when six Lady Spartans earned berths in this weekend's Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Track and Field Championships.

Freshman Jaden Roddick qualified in two distance events - the 1,600 and 3,200 - while sophomore Chelsey Arendt earned a trip to state in the 300-meter hurdles.

In addition, Sparta's 400-meter relay team of juniors Kala Kelsey and Andrea Hedrick, and sophomores Meghan Wiedl and Shawna Fortuna earned a state berth as well.

Kravik was pleased with the sectional performance of his athletes, and is confident they have the potential to make some waves at state.

"With the exception of Jaden, who went to state in cross country, this is a brand new experience for everyone," Kravik offered.

"It's going to be a great experience, and I think they will really enjoy it," he continued. "The thing is, with these girls, they're pretty much time tested because they have been running varsity since they were freshman."

In Roddick's case, that's this year, but Kravik is confident that she will perform well at state.

"Right now, we're looking at times more than anything," he said.

"She knows her competition, and that's a real good advantage," Kravik continued. "She just has to hit her splits, and then we'll see where everything falls."

Arendt is making her first trip to state, after injuries forced her to pull out of the hurdles in the post-season last year despite putting up some of the best times in state.

"We had to shut her down last year the week before the conference meet," recalled Kravik.

"This year, we kind of babied her along, but she's been running well at the end of the year, and her confidence has just taken off," he continued. "Her legs feel good, and she's just getting into hurdle shape, but if she puts two good races together, she could surprise a lot of people."

Kravik also is confident Sparta's 400-meter relay team has the ability to perform well at state.

"We're not ranked real high, but again, we didn't run our best time at sectionals," he said.

"We had a real good week of practice," Kravik continued. "They are in shape, and they are ready and raring to go - excited about the opportunity."

All six Lady Spartans will compete at state Friday afternoon, with the hopes of advancing to Saturday's finals.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 3, 2010 issue

Six Lady Spartan thinclads extended their 2010 track campaign Thursday by earning berths in this weekend's Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships.

Freshman Jaden Roddick led the way for the Sparta girls, qualifying for the state meet in two events at the WIAA Division 2 sectional in Boscobel.

Roddick earned a regional championship when she finished first in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:28.27, and also qualified in the 1,600-meter run when she finished third in 5:13.24.

Sophomore Chelsey Arendt, whose post-season was cut short by injuries a year ago, rebounded this season when she earned a state berth by finishing third in the 300-meter hurdles in 48.04 seconds.

Arendt just missed qualifying for state in the 100-meter hurdles as well, when she finished fifth in 16.38 seconds.

Also on its way to state is the Lady Spartan relay team of juniors Kala Kelsey and Andrea Hedrick and sophomores Shawna Fortuna and Meghan Wiedl, which qualified by finishing the 400-meter relay in 51.78 seconds to capture third.

Sparta's 800-meter relay team of Kelsey, Wiedl, Fortuna and senior Amy Fritsch fell short of a state berth when it finished 13th at sectionals with a time of 1:56.64.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 1, 2010 issue

The solid play continued for the Sparta boys golf team Tuesday, as the Spartan linksters earned themselves a sectional berth with a top finish at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional in Mosinee.

Sophomore Mitchel Pauley fired a seven-over-par 79 on the par-72 layout at Indianhead Golf Course to lead the Spartans to an 11-stroke victory in the 11-team regional.

Pauley earned meet medalist honors for firing the top round of the day at the regional.

Sophomore Derek Von Ruden was stellar as well, firing a 10-over-par round of 82 for the Spartan linksters.

Senior Ben Lodahl carded an 18 hole round of 87 for Sparta, while sophomore Garrett Geier drained an 80-yard shot to eagle the 11th hole and fire an 88 for the Spartans.

Freshman Jake Hutchinson rounded out Sparta's top five golfers with an 18-hole total of 89.

"I am very proud of how the boys handled themselves on a difficult golf course, and stayed focused through all 18 holes," said Spartan head coach Ed Flasch. "They are hitting their stride at the right time, and we are excited to head to Somerset for our sectional on Tuesday."

Sparta finished with a solid round of 336 to capture the team title.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 27, 2010 issue

The Spartan baseball team earned a split in a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference contests late last week.

Sparta opened its two-game MVC road stand with a narrow 3-1 victory at Tomah Thursday, before falling 10-0 at the hands of La Crosse Aquinas a day later.

Sparta 3, Tomah 1
Sparta overcame Alex Egstad's 14-strikeout performance with some timely hitting Thursday to edge cross-county rival Tomah 3-1.

After a scoreless first frame, Tomah forged an early 1-0 lead with a solo run in the bottom of the second.

Sparta answered abruptly, however, pushing two runs across in the top of the third inning to build a 2-1 advantage over the Timberwolves.

Sparta starter Ben Sullivan held Tomah in check on offense over the next four innings, and the Spartans tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth to increase their lead to 3-1 with just one inning left to play.

The Timberwolves threatened on offense in the bottom of the seventh, putting runners on second and third with just one out.

Jon Fendt came on in relief for the Spartans in the final frame, however, to end the Tomah rally with a strikeout and a pop out that sealed the victory for the Spartans.
Sparta finished with seven hits in the game, while the Timberwolves managed just four hits offensively.

In addition to picking up a save on the mound, Fendt led the Spartans at the plate with a double and a single in three at-bats.

Sparta 0, Aquinas 10
One bad inning cost the Spartans dearly in a conference contest at Aquinas.

The Blugolds broke open a close game with a nine-run rally in the third inning.

Both teams went scoreless over the opening two frames, before Aquinas jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead in the bottom of the third.

A solo run by the Blugolds in the bottom of the fifth gave Aquinas a 10-0 advantage and the victory via the 10-run rule.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 24, 2010 issue

The Sparta softball team continued to struggle in Mississippi Valley Conference play, but the Lady Spartans managed to split a pair of games at the Mauston Tournament over the weekend.

Sparta opened Saturday's tourney with a 10-6 loss to Westby, before rebounding to hammer Necedah 17-1.

This week, Sparta suffered back-to-back MVC losses, falling 14-0 to La Crosse Aquinas on Monday and losing 4-3 to Onalaska Tuesday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 20, 2010 issue

The Lady Spartan strikers bounced back from a three-game losing skid with a nonconference victory last week, but also dropped into a third-place tie with a loss in its final regular-season game in Mississippi Valley Conference action.

Sparta rolled to a 3-0 nonconference victory over Portage-Poynette Thursday, before suffering a 3-1 loss to Onalaska in the completion of a suspended MVC contest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 17, 2010 issue

One poor hold apiece was enough to hold Sparta from a second consecutive second-place finish in Mississippi Valley Conference golf action at Hiawatha Golf Course in Tomah Monday.

The Spartans entered the match just two points behind Holmen, but lost ground in the conference race by finishing in third, three strokes back of the Vikings.

Sophomores Mitchel Pauley and Derek Von Ruden both fired 18-hole rounds of 82 to lead the way for the Spartan linksters.

Pauley recorded a pair of birdies en route to a 39 on the front nine and a 43 on the back, while Von Ruden finished with one birdie and identical nine-hole rounds on the par-72 layout.

Sophomore Garrett Geier was right behind his team leaders, recording an 11-over-par round of 83 with nine hole scored of 41 and 42, respectively.

Sophomore Levi Spaeth and freshman Jake Hutchinson both came in with an 18-hole score of 91 to round out Sparta's top five golfers.

With the exception of a couple of rough holes, Spartan head coach Ed Flasch was pleased with his team's performance.

"The team played some really good golf in windy and cold conditions, but each golfer had a blow-up hole the proved costly," offered Flasch.

"We had some penalty strokes and too many three putts that dropped us back to third place behind Holmen," he continued. "Hopefully, we can correct things for today's match at Onalaska."

Onalaska won the team title Monday with a 318, followed by Holmen in second at 335 and Sparta with 338 strokes in third.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 13, 2010 issue

The Sparta boys and girls track team got to compete at home for the first time this season Friday, battling the wind and rain at the annual Spartan Invitational.

No team scores were kept at the meet, but the Spartans were able to turn in some solid times and efforts at the five-team event.

Sparta Girls
Freshman Jaden Roddick tripled-up for the Lady Spartans, capturing the top spot in a trip of events.

Roddick won the 800-meter run in 2:28.46, took first in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:22.81 and captured the top spot in the 3,200-meter run in 11:43.84.

Junior Kala Kelsey added a first for Sparta as well, winning the 100-meter dash in 131.3 seconds, while sophomore Sarah Fanning cleared 4'-2" to capture the top spot in the high jump.

Kelsey also fueled a pair of relay victories for the Lady Spartan thinclads.

Kelsey teamed with Chelsey Arendt, Meghan Wiedl and Andrea Hedrick to win the 400-meter relay in 52.93 seconds, and ran with Arendt, Hedrick and Amy Fritsch to win the 800-meter relay in 1:53.24.

Hedrick, Fritsch, Arendt and Wiedl turned in a time of 4:35.19 to claim the runner-up spot in the 1,600-meter relay.

Wiedl added a second-place finish in the long jump with as leap of 14'-5 1/2", followed by Fanning in third at 14'-4 1/2" and Fritsch in eighth with a jump of 13'-5 1/2".

In the triple jump, Wiedl went 29'-1/2" to finish in third.

In the 200-meter dash for Sparta, Jackie Schroeder took third in 31.78 seconds, while Tara Woodman finished fourth in 32.5 seconds.

Woodman added a sixth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 15.09 seconds while Halla Ortery finished fourth in the 1,600-meter run in 6:20.69 and fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:57.71.
Angela Woodman was third in the 300-meter hurdles in 53.08 seconds and fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 17.69 seconds.

In the shot put, Jacinda Pfaff was seventh with a toss of 25'-4 1/4", while teammates Brittany Anderson and Sam Yahnke finished tied for eighth with tosses of 23'-5".

Katie Hedrick finished fourth in the discus with a toss of 73'-3:, followed by Pfaff with a throw of 66'-4" in eighth place.

Sparta Boys
Sophomores Jonah Delgado and Tye Smith each picked up a top finish at the invite to lead the Spartan boy thinclads.

Delgado finished first in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:57.69 seconds, while Smith tossed the shot put 41'-4" to capture the top spot.

The Spartans also landed in first in a pair of relays.

Cody White, Isaac Schauf, Mark Larson and Alex Engelson won the 800-meter relay in 1:39.24, while White, Schauf, Larson and Delgado turned in a time of 3:43.84 to win the 1,600-meter relay.

In the 100-meter dash, Jesse Amundson finished second with a time of 11.5 seconds, while White was third in 11.79 seconds.

Bob Ragen finished sixth in the 100 with a time of 12.34 seconds, while Ryan Kauffman and Ben Schaitel finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with times of 12.65 and 12.71 seconds.

Amundson added a second in the 400-meter dash in 55.11 seconds, while Zach Erickson was third in 56.49 seconds.

Also in the 400, Marty Williamson came in fifth in 57.71 seconds, while Brandon Mahlum was sixth in 1:02.86.

Third-place finishes for the Sparta boys went to Nate Pratt in the 800-meter run in 2:38.52 and Engelson in the triple jump with a leap of 36'-5".

The relay team of Erickson, Larson, Schauf and Amundson finished third in the 400-meter event in 50.12 seconds.

Avery Hanson added a fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 36'-4", while Williamson was fifth with a jump of 35'-8".

In the shot put, Cory Schaitel was fourth with a toss of 39;-7:, followed by Chris Beeler and James Larson in sixth and eighth place, respectively, with throws of 38'-3 1/2" and 36'-5 1/2".

Cory Schaitel and Williamson came in fourth and fifth, respectively, in the discus with tosses of 101'-7" and 100'-7", followed by Smith and Larson in seventh and eighth place, respectively, with throws of 90'-9" and 89'-9 1/2".

In the 200-meter dash, Jake Farrington and Brad Hansen finished fifth and sixth, respectively, with times of 26.96 seconds and 27.5 seconds, while Evan Weidman landed in eighth with a time of 29.37 seconds.

In the long jump, Rodney Tello flew 13'-1" to earn sixth for the Spartans.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 10, 2010 issue

The Sparta girls softball team bounced back a bit from a lopsided Mississippi Valley Conference loss last week to earn a split in two games at the Black River Falls Invitational over the weekend.

The Lady Spartans suffered a 12-0 defeat at the hands of La Crosse Central Thursday and fell 8-2 to the host Tigers in Black River Falls in Saturday's opener.

Sparta rebounded in the tourney's second game, however, scoring a 2-1 victory over Melrose-Mindoro.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 3, 2010 issue

Both the Sparta boys and girls track teams earned ninth-place finishes at the 10-team 29th Annual Earl Gatzke Invitational at Tomah High School last Friday.

Sparta Girls
 Freshman Jaden Roddick led the way for the girls, pulling out two third-place finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. In the 1,600 she recorded a time of 5:16.09, followed by an 11:46.32 in the 3,200.

 Junior Kayla Kelsey took fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.44 seconds, while junior Andrea Hedrick placed sixth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:03.74.

 In the 4x100 meter relay the team of Kelsey, senior Amy Fritsch, Hedrick and sophomore Meghan Wiedl took fourth with a time of 55.27 seconds.

 The team of Wiedl, Fritsch, and sophomores Jackie Schroeder and Sarah Fanning took sixth place in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:58.52.

 The 4x400-meter relay team of Kelsey, Wiedl, Hedrick and Fanning finished fifth with a time of 4:27.35.

 Fanning cleared the bar at 4'-8" in the high jump to place seventh and leaped 15'-7" in the long jump for a sixth-place finish. Wiedl bested her teammate in the long jump with a 15'-9.5" leap to place fifth.

 Fritsch earned a seventh in the pole vault, clearing 7'-6".

 The Sparta girls ended with 42 team points followed by 10th-place Mauston. Wausau West won the meet with 142 team points, followed by La Crosse Logan-104, Wisconsin Dells-89, Onalaska-88, Westby-66.49, Tomah-52.5, Nekoosa, 51 and Holmen- 46.

Sparta Boys
 Senior Jesse Amundson sprinted to a fifth place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.66 seconds, while senior Marty Williamson placed 12th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.54 seconds

 In the boys 800-meter run, sophomore Jonah Delgado finished 9th with a time of 2:09.62 and sophomore Ben Schaitel took 17th in the 200-meter run with a time of 27.17 seconds.

 The 4x100-meter relay team of Amundson, sophomore Isaac Schauf and seniors Zach  Erickson and Cody White finished sixth  with a time of 45 seconds flat.

 Erickson, Schauf, White and sophomore Alex Engelson took seventh in the 4x400-meter relay, finishing in 1:38.9.

 The team of Erickson, Williamson, White and Amundson took fifth in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:43.7.

 In the boys triple jump Engelson leaped 37'-1" to place seventh, while Williamson landed in eighth with a jump of 36'-5". Sophomore Cory Schaitel took 15th in the shot put with a distance of 36'-11".
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 26, 2010 issue

Big innings by opponents have been an early-season thorn in the side of the Spartan baseball team this spring.

Monday, those big innings were out there looming again, but this time Sparta managed to keep its cool and come back with a big inning of its own.

With the help of a huge double off the bat of Jon Fendt, the Spartans pushed two runs across in the bottom of the ninth to score a 6-5 Mississippi Valley Conference victory over La Crosse Aquinas.

The win, which allowed Sparta to take over second place in the MVC race, was the first over the Blugolds by the members of Sparta's senior class in four seasons.

Aquinas drew first blood on Sparta's home turf, scoring a solo run in the top of the first to forge a 1-0 lead.

Sparta answered in the bottom of the second, scoring a pair of runs to open up a 2-1 advantage over the Blugolds.

After a scoreless third frame, Aquinas mounted a rally in the top of the fourth when it put runners at the corners with no outs.

Sparta hurler Matt Boris managed to get out of the jam by allowing just one run, however, as Aquinas knotted the score at 2-2.

Sparta rallied again in its half of the fourth, scoring a solo run to regain the lead at 3-2.

Sparta found itself in what looked like big trouble in the top of the fifth, as the Blugolds loaded the bases with no outs, and looked to be on the verge of breaking the game wide open.

Boris stopped the bleeding in time, however, allowing only three Aquinas runners to score in what could have been one of those big innings that have haunted Sparta this season.

Sparta failed to score in its half of the fifth, allowing Aquinas to hold its 5-3 lead with just two innings left in the game

Boris held the Blugolds scoreless in the top of the sixth, and Sparta closed the gap to 5-4 with a solo run in the bottom of the frame.

Another scoreless inning by Boris in the top of the seventh set the stage for Fendt's heroics.

Sparta tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, before Fendt blasted the game-winning double to rocket Sparta to its second straight league win.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 22, 2010 issue

Sparta used the perfect one-two-punch of offense and defense Thursday, rolling to its sixth straight victory with a 4-0 defeat of Holmen in Mississippi Valley Conference girls soccer action at Sparta.

Senior Jamie Kenyon scored a hat trick to up her season goal total to 13 and Jade Jandt recorded her third shutout of the season, allowing the Lady Spartan strikers to remain perfect in MVC action.

Sparta opened up a 1-0 lead just past the midway point in the first half, when Becca Von Ruden scored off a Kenyon assist to give the Lady Spartans a 1-0 advantage at the 23-minute mark.

Less than a minute later, Kenyon used a Katie Hernandez assist to give Sparta a 2-0 advantage the Spartans were able to hold into intermission.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kenyon struck again, this time with the help of an assist by Mikala Sund to give Sparta a 3-0 cushion at the 50-minute mark.

Kenyon completed her hat trick 15 minutes later, scoring off an assist by Alayna Drake to put the Lady Spartan strikers on top 4-0 with 15 minutes remaining in the game.

Sparta's defense was solid all game, allowing just five shots on goal for the Vikings.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 19, 2010 issue

Sparta opened its 2010 boys golf season with a solid effort Monday, earning a third-place finish in its Mississippi Valley Conference and home opener at River Run Golf Course.

Sophomores Garrett Geier and Derek Von Ruden led the way for the Spartans during a cold and sometimes rainy day on the par 72 layout at Sparta.

Geier carded a 40 on the front nine and finish with a 41 on the back to shoot a nine-over-par round of 81.

Von Ruden finished with an 18-hole total of 81 as well, turning in a 41 on the front nine and a 40 on the back.

Mitchel Pauley, the third of four sophomores on Sparta's varsity roster Monday, fired back-to-back nine-hole scores of 42 to finish with an 18-hole total of 84.

Sophomore Levi Spaeth shot 84 as well, finishing with a 44 on the front before getting hot to come in with a round of 40 on the back nine.

Senior Ben Lodahl rounded out Sparta's top five golfers with an 18-hole score of 87, including nine-hole rounds of 39 on the front and 48 on the back.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 15, 2010 issue

The Sparta boys tennis team got its 20010 campaign off on the right foot Thursday, rolling to a 6-1 nonconference home victory over Black River Falls.

The Spartan netters swept the singles matches and won two of three doubles matches to easily outdistance their neighbors to the north.

In singles competition, Spartan senior Kevin Rasmussen rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the No. 1 slot, while Spartan senior Adam Frei scored at 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 2.

In the No. 3 singles match, Sparta senior Ben Kremer picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win, while Spartan junior Danny Huber scored a 6-0, 6-0 shutout win at No. 4.

Sparta's only loss in the match came at No. 1 doubles, when the Spartan tandem of seniors Matt Tourdot and Mac Smith suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat.

In other doubles action, the Spartan duo of juniors Tom Tourdot and Xavier Lopez earned a hard-fought 7-6, 6-1 win at No. 2, while the Spartan team of seniors Jesse Hedding and Cody Whitted scored a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 3.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 12, 2010 issue

Senior midfielder Jamie Kenyon scored all four of Sparta's goals Tuesday, leading the Lady Spartan soccer squad to a lopsided 4-1 nonconference victory over Lodi at Sparta High School.

The victory was the second straight for Sparta, which was able to get some revenge for a 3-1 road loss to the Blue Devils last season.

Kenyon put the Lady Spartans on top early, scoring on a breakaway with the help of an assist from Katie Hernandez to give Sparta a 1-0 advantage at the seven-minute mark.

Lodi answered just past the midway point, scoring its only goal of the game to force a 1-1 deadlock at the 25-minute mark.

Just over 12 minutes later, Sparta regained the lead for good, when Kenyon scored an unassisted goal to give the Lady Spartans a 2-1 advantage at the half.

It was all Sparta in the second half, as Kenyon dented the Lodi net with two more goals, and the Lady Spartan defense held the Blue Devils in check.

Five minutes into the frame, Kenyon scored an unassisted goal to complete a hat trick and help the Lady Spartan strikers forge a 3-1 advantage at the 45-minute mark.

Junior Jenna Anderson assisted Kenyon on her fourth score of the game, an insurance goal with six minutes remaining in the game that gave Sparta a 4-1 advantage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 8, 2010 issue

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Sparta nine Saturday - especially after the Spartans watched Antigo explode to score a dozen runs in the top of the first inning during the first game of their season-opening twinbill.

But the Spartans showed they had a little slugging power of their own, coming from behind to win the opener en route to a doubleheader sweep at Sparta High School.

Sparta used an eight-run third and a five-run seventh to score a 16-15 win in the opener, before scoring an easy 10-3 win in the nightcap.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 5, 2010 issue

Six members of the Sparta High School girls basketball team earned all-Mississippi Valley Conference honors for their performances on the hardwood this season.

Junior Jenna Anderson led the way for the Lady Spartan cagers by earning the team's only spot on the all-MVC first team.

Sophomores Megan Herrman and Erin Murray landed all-conference second team honors, while senior Shayla Ferris and junior Haylee Kirking were named to the all-MVC honorable mention team.

Rounding out the Lady Spartans receiving post-season honors was junior Kala Lindley, who earned a spot on the all-MVC sportsmanship squad.

Players joining Anderson on the all-MVC first team included Michelle Mueller and Taylor Johnson of La Crosse Logan, Alex Deshler of La Crosse Aquinas and Kerstin Gruntzel of La Crosse Central.

In addition to Herrman and Murray, members of the all-conference second team were Vanessa Blackwell of Central, Jenny Gallagher of Aquinas, Laura Krings of Holmen and Alex Klos of Central.

Players receiving honorable mention honors with Ferris and Kirking included Shelby Hoeft, Amber Patterman and Diamond Richardson of Tomah, Kristin Schill and Taylor Boland of Aquinas, Tabby Roh and Anna Boteva of Central, Carolyn Greene and Carmen Lezpona of Onalaska, Kylee Siolka and Allison Dienger of Holmen and Abby Wiedeman of Logan.

In addition to Lindley, members of the all-conference sportsmanship squad Taylor Roh of Central, Tori Wimer of Onalaska, Brittni Swanson of Tomah, Taylor Boland of Aquinas, Rylee Drugan of Holmen and Kylie Slaats-Reikowski of Logan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 1, 2010 issue

The Spartan boy cagers celebrated their best season in recent history this week at the team's annual banquet and awards dinner.

Five Spartans received individual honors for their performances on the hardwood this season, including four seniors and one sophomore.

Senior Jordan Laufenberg led the way for Sparta, earning all-Mississippi Valley Conference first team honors.

Laufenberg also was named Sparta's Most Valuable Player for a season that saw him set or come close to several school records.

Laufenberg set a school record for career three-point field goals with 95, and finished with 46 treys this season, tying him for the top spot in team history with Matt Boberg.

In addition, he finished with 881 career points to earn third on the all-time list of Spartan scorers.

Senior Kevin Rasmussen earned all-conference second team honors, and received the team's Tool Box Award for total rebounds, blocks and steals, as well as the Al Ask Award.

Rasmussen sank 97 free throws this season, tying him for fourth on Sparta's all-time list, and ended his career with 301 attempts from the charity stripe, which ties him for second.

His 184 career free throws puts him fourth on the all-time list as well.

Spartans earning a spot on the all-MVC honorable mention team include senior Mac Smith and sophomore Mitchel Pauley.

In addition, Pauley received the team's Diaper Dandy Award for the best newcomer on the squad.

Senior Casey Olson was Sparta's representative on the all-MVC sportsmanship team.

He also earned the team's Lee Wells Award as Sparta's best defensive player, and received an Al Ask Award as well.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 29, 2010 issue

While the Mississippi Valley Conference schools all made an early exit from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association boys basketball playoffs this season, a pair of area teams managed to advance to this year's state tournament.

Royall High School earned a berth in the Division 4 state tourney, while Blair-Taylor advanced to state in Division 3 action.

Royall, which competes in the Scenic Bluffs Conference, finished its season with a stellar 20-7 overall record.

The Panthers were slated to battle Randolph, which boasts a perfect 27-0 record, in WIAA Division 4 semifinal action this (Thursday) morning.

The winner of that game will face the winner of another Division 4 semifinal match-up between Clayton (25-1) and Green Bay Lutheran (17-10) in Saturday's championship game.

Blair-Taylor, a familiar face at state, currently sports a 24-3 record.

Blair-Taylor will battle Racine St. Catherine's (23-4) in a Division 3 semifinal battle, with the winner taking on the winner of another semifinal between Eau Claire Regis (22-5) and Brillion (23-4) in championship action Saturday.

The WIAA girls state tournament field has yet to be determined, but a pair of familiar foes for Sparta are still in the hunt.

Medford, which defeated the Lady Spartan cagers 51-49 in Saturday's regional final, will face undefeated Wittenberg-Birnamwood in a Division 2 sectional semifinal game tonight (Thursday).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 18, 2010 issue

The post-season run came to a heartbreaking end for the Lady Spartans over the weekend, as Sparta suffered a 53-49 loss to top-seeded Medford in Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 girls regional final action at Osseo-Fairchild.

Sparta advanced to the regional title match-up with a convincing 51-33 victory over Coulee Conference champion West Salem at Sparta High School Thursday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 15, 2010 issue

A stifling Lady Spartan defense held Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau in check Tuesday, as Sparta opened post-season play with a 63-23 victory over the visiting Redmen in Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional girls basketball action.

Sparta's defense kept Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau in check all night long, holding the Redmen to single digits in all four quarters.

The game remained close over the opening eight minutes of play, before the Lady Spartans managed to open up an 11-7 advantage entering the second quarter.

Sparta turned it up a notch in the second stanza, outscoring the Redmen 17-5 to take control of the game with a 28-12 lead at the half.

The Lady Spartans kept their momentum in the second half, putting the game out of reach with a 19-7 run that gave Sparta a commanding 47-19 lead with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Sparta closed out the game with a 16-4 fourth-quarter run to cruise to the victory down the stretch.

Junior Haylee Kirking and sophomore Erin Murray led the Lady Spartans on offense with 11 tallies apiece.

Murray scored all 11 of her points during Sparta's pivotal second-quarter run.

Junior Kala Lindley added an eight-point performance for Sparta, followed by sophomore Sydney Olson with seven, senior Shayla Ferris, junior Jenna Anderson and sophomore Megan Herrman with six each, senior Jenna Schroeder with four and junior Jade Jandt and sophomore Shelby Fredrickson with two apiece.

Sparta improved its overall record to 16-7 with the victory, while Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau wrapped up its 2009-10 season with a 6-17 mark.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 11, 2010 issue

Just a few games into its 2009-10 Mississippi Valley Conference campaign, it looked as if the Sparta girls basketball team was staring straight down the barrel of a long rebuilding season.

The Lady Spartan cagers opened their conference slate with back-to-back losses - a nearly 20-point defeat at the hands of eventual MVC champion La Crosse Logan and a 44-37 loss to La Crosse Aquinas.

At that point in the season, the young Spartan cagers were mediocre at best, struggling to remain near .500 with a 3-4 overall record.

Then, in mid-January, Sparta exploded for a 30-point victory over Onalaska for its first conference win - a victory that set the stage for the remainder of the season for the Lady Spartans.

Friday, Sparta closed out its regular season slate by holding off a second-half Holmen rally to defeat the Vikings 39-35 in the MVC and regular-season finale for both teams.

The win, which gave Sparta sole possession of second place in the MVC race, was the eighth in the past 10 league games for the Lady Spartans.

The game was close throughout, as the Lady Spartans and the Vikings battled to a 9-9 deadlock over the opening eight minutes of play.

The home-court advantage came into play for Sparta in the second quarter, as the Lady Spartans used a 13-4 run to open up a 22-13 lead at the half.

Holmen battled back in the third quarter, outscoring Sparta 13-6 to cut the deficit to just two points at 28-26 with eight minutes left in the game.

The score remained close down the stretch, but Sparta managed to hold on for the hard-fought win with an 11-9 run in the final frame.

Junior Jenna Anderson ignited the Lady Spartans down the stretch, knocking down five of six free throws over the final eight minutes of play.

Anderson finished with a dozen points to lead Sparta on offense, while sophomore Erin Murray added an 11-point effort, including nine tallies in the first half.

Junior Kala Lindley scored seven points for the Lady Spartans, followed by senior Shayla Ferris with six, senior Jenna Schroeder with two and junior Haylee Kirking with one.

The victory allowed Sparta to earn second in the MVC standings with an 8-4 league record, while the Vikings finished the league race in fifth place with a 5-7 mark.

Overall, Sparta improved to 15-7 on the year, while Holmen fell to 7-15.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 8, 2010 issue

Bill Ott has been looking for consistency from his Sparta boys basketball team all season long.

The Spartans have played very well in some games, but struggled in others when they were unable to put together four solid quarters of basketball.

Tuesday was a different story on both ends of the floor, however, as Sparta blasted Mosinee 63-44 in the opening round of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional at Sparta High School.

Defense was the name of the game for the Spartans in the first quarter, as Sparta held Mosinee without a basket for nearly six minutes while building a 16-0 lead with 2:01 left in the frame.

The Indians closed out the quarter with a 4-2 mini-run, but the Spartans held an 18-4 lead entering the second stanza.

Seniors Kevin Rasmussen and Mac Smith combined to score a dozen points to lead the first-quarter charge for Sparta.

Mosinee battled back a bit in the second stanza, outscoring Sparta 13-11 in the frame to cut the Spartan lead to 29-17.

The Indians hung in the game early in the second half as well, using a 15-13 run to pull within ten points at 42-32 with eight minutes left on the clock.

The Spartans ended the game much like they started it, however, rolling to a 21-12 run to pull away for the win.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 4, 2010 issue

This time last year, Matt Tourdot had only one thing on his mind after finishing third at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships.

Work harder.

Tourdot did just that, and it paid off big time on Saturday.

Tourdot, a senior, became Sparta's first state wrestling champion since 1996 after he blanked Lodi's Cody Endres 7-0 in the 215-pound title match.

The victory allowed Tourdot to end his high school career with a perfect 50-0 record - the most win's in school history.

Tourdot opened with a 5-0 victory over Pewaukee's Kent Grimscheid in the quarterfinals Friday, then moved into the title round with a hard-fought 7-3 victory over previously unbeaten Cody Wedde of Clintonville.

Endres is a familiar foe for Tourdot.

The two split matches over the summer, and met in the WIAA sectional Feb. 20 in Richland Center, where he scored a second-period pin over Endres.

"It feels great," said Tourdot of his state title. "Amazing, really."

Tourdot said the experience he gained at last year's state wrestling tournament was a big help this time around.

"It helped me to know to work harder and do more in the off season," said Tourdot. "It helped me mentally, too."

Sparta's last state champion was Troy Lietzau in 1996.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 1, 2010 issue

A stellar season ended with a whimper, not a bang, for the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team Tuesday.

The Vipers suffered only their second shutout of the season, falling 4-0 to Wisconsin Rapids in Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association sectional semifinal action at Sparta Ice Arena.

The Red Raiders used a pair of early power-play goals and solid defense throughout to hand the Viper icemen only their third loss of the season.

Wisconsin Rapids drew first blood midway through the opening period, when Vince Biegel scored on a power play with the help of an assist by Jake Barber to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead at the 8:26 mark.

Just under six minutes later, Wisconsin Rapids struck again, this time on a power-play goal by Barber off assists by Zach Campbell and Tim Holck.

The Red Raiders took their 2-0 lead into the second period, and neither team scored over the 17-minute span, allowing Wisconsin Rapids to enter the final frame with a two-goal advantage.

Just over three minutes into the third period, Campbell scored off assists by Casey Nelson and Biegel to give the Red Raiders a 3-0 advantage.

Wisconsin Rapids added a late insurance goal in the final minute to coast to the victory.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor finished with 25 shots on goal, while the Red Raiders peppered the Viper net with 44 scoring attempts.

Viper goalie Ethan Anderson finished with 40 saves in the net.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor finished its season with a 19-3-2 overall record, while Wisconsin Rapids improved to 12-11-1 with the win.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 25, 2010 issue

Senior Jordan Laufenberg scorched the nets for a game-high 30 points - including four treys in the second quarter - to ignite Sparta to a lopsided 76-53 victory over cross-county rival Tomah in Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball action at Sparta Thursday.

The Spartans dominated from the onset, outscoring the Timberwolves in all four quarters to snap a two-game losing skid.

Sparta came out strong, opening up an early lead with a 19-12 run over the first eight minutes of play.

Laufenberg's hot hand from three-point land helped Sparta explode on a 21-11 second-quarter run to open up a 40-23 halftime lead.

Tomah held its own early in the second half, but Sparta managed to up its lead to 58-40 lead entering the final frame with an 18-17 run in the third quarter.

The Spartan boy cagers pulled away down the stretch, closing with an 18-13 run over the final eight minutes of play to coast to their second conference victory of the season.

Senior Kevin Rasmussen added a dozen points for Sparta, while senior Mac Smith finished with 10.

Sophomore Mitchel Pauley added an eight-point effort, followed by seniors Matt Boris and Jon Fendt with six apiece and seniors Casey Olson and Jake Bisinger with two each.

Sparta improved its record to 2-9 in MVC action and 9-11 overall, while the Timberwolves fell to 1-10 in league play and 5-15 overall.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 22, 2010 issue

A fourth-quarter rally came up just short Tuesday, as Sparta suffered a narrow 55-53 loss to Pioneer-Westfield in nonconference girls basketball action.

Westfield, a familiar post-season foe of the Lady Spartans over the past several seasons, came out of the gate strong, opening up a 13-9 lead over Sparta.

Sparta bounced back in the second stanza, using a 16-7 run to pull in front of the Pioneers 25-20 at halftime.

Westfield came storming back early in the second half, outscoring the Lady Spartans 17-6 in the third quarter to open up a 37-31 lead entering the final eight minutes of play.

Sparta came back again, this time with a 22-15 run to knot the score at 53-53 on a pair of free throws by junior Jenna Anderson with just 18 seconds left on the clock.

The comeback effort fell just shy, however, when Katie Raymond hit a shot with just one second left in the game to lift the Pioneers to a two-point win.

The win was the first for the Pioneers in their last four meetings with the Lady Spartans.

Sparta topped Westfield 65-48 to win a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 regional championship in 2007, and came back a year later to top the Pioneers 53-41 in the 2008 regional final.

Last season, Sparta scored a 55-44 victory over Westfield in a nonconference contest at Sparta.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 18, 2010 issue

Sparta captured seven individual titles and sent 10 wrestlers to sectionals Saturday, earning a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association regional championship and a trip to Tuesday's team sectional.

The Spartans dominated on the mat, winning the regional title at Viroqua by nearly 90 points.

Seniors Adam Wiedl, Brandon Brueggen, Jordan Stanek and Matt Tourdot, juniors Morgan Leis and Tom Tourdot and sophomore Brandon Rickert wrestled their way to individual titles to pace the Spartans.

Wiedl recorded a pair of pins to take the title at 112 pounds, while Rickert won at 119 with a pin and a technical fall.

at 145 pounds, Leis earned a pair of first-period pins to capture an individual title, while Tom Tourdot won three straight matches at 152 pounds to claim the crown.

Brueggen battled to a pair of hard-fought decisions to finish first at 171 pounds, while Stanek earned a major decision win en route to a title at 189 pounds.

In the 215-pound weight class, Matt Tourdot continued his domination with a pin and a technical fall to win a title and improve his overall record to 43-0 so far this year.

Three other Spartan grapplers landed in second at Saturday's regional, also advancing to next weekend's individual sectional.

Bruce Nowaczyk finished with a 2-1 mark to earn second at 103 pounds, while Toby Mosley finished at 3-1 to capture the 125-pound crown.

In the 130-pound weight class, Derek VonRuden earned a pin and a win in three matches to land in the runner-up slot.

The top two wrestlers in each weight class advanced to Saturday's individual sectional at Richland Center.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 15, 2010 issue

It may not have been pretty, but it was effective.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor escaped with an 8-8 overtime tie against La Crosse Tuesday to capture the 2009-10 West Central Conference hockey championship.

The Red Rangers used four third-period goals to knot the score at 8-8 and force overtime, and no one was able to score in overtime allowing the game to end in a tie.

The Vipers came out strong, scoring three unanswered goals in the first period to open up an early lead.

Eric Burdick struck first for Sparta-West Salem-Bangor, scoring with the help of assists by Brandon Unser and Craig Mathews to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead at the 6:36 mark.

Four minutes later, Mathews scored off an assist by Burdick to double the Viper lead to 2-0.

Derek Betz got into the act 27 seconds later, scoring off assists by Matt Berghefer and Jake McCabe to give Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 3-0 advantage with just over six minutes remaining in the period.

La Crosse bounced back just 13 seconds later, scoring a goal that cut the Viper lead to 3-1 entering the second period.

The Red Rangers continued to roll in the second stanza, scoring a shorthanded goal and a power-play goal in the opening 10 minutes of the period to knot the score at 3-3.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor answered with back-to-back goals in just over a minute to regain the lead at 5-3.

McCabe scored first for the Vipers, denting the Red Ranger net off an assist from Tyler Gorniak at the 9:22 mark.

Just over a minute later, Mathews followed with an unassisted goal to give the Vipers a two-goal lead with 6:29 left in the second period.

La Crosse battled back again, scoring at the 12:30 mark to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor regained its two-goal advantage at 6-4 with just under two minutes left in the frame, when Unser scored off an assist by McCabe.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Red Rangers opened the third period with three unanswered goals to forge a 7-6 lead with 8:22 left on the clock.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor answered with a power-play goal by Gorniak off assists by Unser and McCabe to force a 7-7 deadlock at the 9:07 mark.

With 2:19 left in the game, the Vipers pulled in front again, this time on a McCabe goal off an assist by Elliott Hesselberg that put Sparta-West Salem-Bangor on top 8-7.

The Red Rangers continued to battle back, denting the Viper net with a game-tying goal in the final minute of the game to force the extra frame.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor entered Tuesday's final league contest with a one-game lead over Onalaska in the WCC standings, so the tie allowed the Vipers to capture the championship outright.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 11, 2010 issue

Inconsistency has been a thorn in the side of the Sparta boys basketball team for most of the season.

So far this season, most of Sparta's losses can be attributed - at least in part - to a poor performance in a specific quarter or stretch of play.

The case was just the opposite Friday, however, as a third-quarter offensive onslaught ignited the Spartans to a 61-56 nonconference victory over Westby at Sparta High School.

The second-half outburst allowed Sparta to erase a first-half deficit and snap a two-game losing skid.

Sparta managed to forge an early lead with a 17-16 run over the opening eight minutes.

The Norsemen battled back in the second stanza, outscoring Sparta 12-9 to move in front 28-26 at the half.

The Spartans turned it up a notch on both ends of the floor in the second half, using a 19-8 third-quarter run to build a 45-36 advantage with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Westby battled back a bit in the final frame, using a 20-16 run down the stretch, but Sparta was able to hold on for a hard-fought victory.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 8, 2010 issue

The domination left no doubt Tuesday - Sparta is by far the best wrestling team in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

The Spartans easily broke cross-county rival Tomah's stranglehold on the MVC title, thumping the Timberwolves 41-20 on their own mat to capture Sparta's first conference crown in six years

"I think it's an important win because it shows we're headed in the right direction," said Spartan head coach Jake Larsen.

"It shows what we're doing in practice and during the off-season is working," he continued. We've been second three years in a row, so this was a good win for the kids."

Tomah, which brought a 35-match winning streak to the mat Tuesday, took an early 3-0 lead when Ross Lynch scored a 1-0 victory over Sparta's Brandon Brueggen at 171 pounds.

The Spartans bounced back quickly, however, recording three straight pins to pull in front 18-3.

Jordan Stanek started the Spartan onslaught by recording a second-period pin in the 189-pound match.

Matt Tourdot added a first-period pin at 215 pounds, and Steven Stevenson followed by sticking his opponent 1:58 into the 275-pound match.

The Spartans suffered a narrow loss at 103 pounds when Bruce Nowaczyk was defeated 8-6, but Sparta answered with three more easy wins to open up a commanding lead.

Sparta's Adam Wiedl scored a late pin at 112 pounds, and Spartan Brandon Rickert picked up a 19-1 technical fall victory in the 119-pound bout.

At 125 pounds, Sparta's Toby Mosley earned a second-period pin that put the Spartans on top 34-6.

Sparta's Derek VonRuden followed with a hard-fought 2-0 decision at 130 pounds that gave the Spartans a 37-6 lead and sent several Tomah fans to the exits early.

The Timberwolves battled back with four straight victories to cut the Spartan lead to 37-20 with one match remaining, but Tom Tourdot ended the conference title bout on a high note for Sparta with a 4-0 victory at 160 pounds.

The Spartans won eight of 14 matches and recorded five pins on the way, while Tomah scored victories in just six matches.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 4, 2010 issue

Jake McCabe scored just 55 seconds into overtime Thursday, lifting Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to a 3-2 victory over Onalaska in West Central Conference hockey action at Sparta Ice Arena.

The Viper icemen remained undefeated with the victory, and moved within one win of clinching at least a share of the 2009-10 conference crown.

Defense was the name of the game in the first period, as the top two teams in the WCC skated to a scoreless tie over the opening 17 minutes of play.

Onalaska drew first blood midway through the second stanza, when Keaton Bronston scored a power-play goal to put the Hilltoppers on top 1-0 at the 8:58 mark.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor answered just over a minute later, when Craig Mathews scored a shorthanded goal off a Brandon Unser assist to knot the score at 1-1 with 6:42 left in the period.

The din created by Matthews' game-tying goal had barely subsided when the Vipers struck again - scoring just 16 seconds later on a Tyler Gorniak goal off a McCabe assist that gave Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 2-1 advantage entering the third period.

The Vipers held onto the narrow lead for a majority of the final frame, before Onalaska's Randy Burkhardt scored at the 11:22 mark to force another tie at 2-2.

Burkhardt's goal ultimately forced overtime, when both teams failed to score down the stretch.

The Vipers wasted little time in the extra frame, however, taking advantage of an Onalaska penalty when McCabe scored the game-winner on a power play.

Unser, who leads the Vipers with 25 goals an 18 assists, tacked on two more points with a pair of assists in the game.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor finished with 30 shots on goal, while Onalaska peppered the Viper net with 44 scoring attempts.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 1, 2010 issue

Sparta came out on top in a back-and-forth battle on the hardwood Tuesday, edging Mauston 50-47 in nonconference boys basketball action at Sparta.

The Spartans fell behind early in the see-saw battle, as Mauston opened with a 13-11 run over the first eight minutes of the game.

Sparta battled back in the second stanza, outscoring the Golden Eagles 14-10 to forge a slim 25-23 advantage at the half.

It was Mauston's turn again in the third quarter, as the Golden Eagles used a 14-13 run to cut the Spartan lead to 28-27 with eight minutes left in the contest.

The Spartan boy cagers held on down the stretch, using a 12-10 fourth-quarter run to secure their third victory in four games.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 28, 2010 issue

The Sparta wrestling team continued its stellar season last week with an easy Mississippi Valley Conference victory and a top three finish in its own invitational.

The Spartans blanked Onalaska 80-0 in conference action Thursday to tie a school record for dual match victories, and followed Saturday with a third-place finish at the Spartan Invitational.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 25, 2010 issue

Sophomore Erin Murrayís perfect performance from the field and the free-throw line lifted Sparta to a 58-50 victory over Eau Claire Regis in nonconference girls basketball action at Eau Claire Tuesday.

The victory was the third straight for the Lady Spartans, and their fourth win in six games.

Regis jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Sparta 12-8 over the opening eight minutes of play.

The Lady Spartans battled back in the second stanza, however, using a 14-8 run to forge a narrow 22-20 lead at halftime.

The game remained tight throughout the third quarter as well, but Sparta managed to get the upper hand with a 16-15 run to take a 38-35 lead into the final frame.

The Lady Spartan cagers continued to pull away down the stretch, using an 18-15 run over the final eight minutes of play to secure the victory.

Murray nailed three of three field goals from beyond the three-point line and sank all six of her free throw attempts to knock down a team-high 15 points to pace the Sparta offense.

Junior Kala Lindley added 13 points for the Lady Spartans, followed by junior Jenna Anderson with nine, junior Haylee Kirking with eight and sophomore Megan Herrman with seven.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 21, 2010 issue

Mac Smith's hustle proved to be the difference maker Friday night, igniting Sparta to a hard-fought 52-50 victory over the cross-county rival Timberwolves in Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball action at Tomah.

Smith tracked down a loose ball and nailed a bank shot at the buzzer to give Sparta its first conference victory of the season.

The Spartans came out of the gate strong, building a 22-15 lead over the first eight minutes of play.

Tomah bounced back a bit in the second stanza, using a 14-13 run to cut the Spartan lead to 35-29 at the half.

Both teams struggled a bit on offense in the third quarter, but Sparta managed to outscore the Timberwolves 8-7 to take a 43-36 lead into the final frame.

Tomah battled back down the stretch, doubling up on Sparta 14-7 to knot the score at 50-50 in the final seconds of the game.

With just five seconds left on the clock, Sparta's Jordan Laufenberg went to the line to shoot a bonus free throw.

Laufenberg's free throw missed its mark, but Smith was there to snag the rebound and knock down the game-winner for the Spartans.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 18, 2010 issue

Junior forward Brandon Unser's hat trick upped his team-leading goal total to 17 Monday, lifting Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Holmen-Aquinas in West Central Conference hockey action at La Crosse.

Unser scored a pair of goals in a span of 3:14 in the opening period, and converted a penalty shot late in the second period to ignite the Vipers on offense.

Unser's first goal, which was aided by assists from Eric Burdick and Craig Mathews, gave Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 1-0 advantage just 2:47 into the game.

Holmen-Aquinas bounced back 17 seconds later, knotting the score at 1-1 on a Peter Coppola goal at the 3:04 mark.

The deadlock was short-lived, however, as Unser scored off another Burdick assist to give the Vipers a 2-1 advantage with just under 11 minutes left in the frame.

The Avalanche bounced back again just over three minutes later, knotting the game at 2-2 with just under eight minutes left in the frame.

The deadlock held well into the second period, when Unser was awarded a penalty shot after Holmen-Aquinas was called for tripping in the final two minutes of the frame.

Unser converted the penalty shot to complete a hat trick and give the Vipers the lead for good with just 1:31 left in the second period.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor nursed the one-goal lead until late in the third period, when Craig Mathews scored off a McCabe assist to put the Vipers on top 4-2 with only 14 ticks left on the clock.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 14, 2010 issue

A stingy second-half defense helped Sparta break open a close game and cruise to an easy 52-29 road victory over Onalaska in Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball action Thursday.

The Lady Spartan cagers, who led by six at the half, held the Hilltoppers to just two third-quarter points en route to their first conference victory of the season.

Sparta used an 11-7 run in the first quarter to open up an early lead on the Hilltoppers' home floor.

A 14-12 run in the second quarter allowed the Lady Spartans to take a 25-19 lead into the locker room at intermission.

It was the third quarter that really made the difference, however, as Sparta opened the second half with an 11-2 run to build a 36-21 lead with just eight minutes left in the game.

The Lady Spartans capped off their stellar defensive effort with solid offense, outscoring Onalaska 16-8 down the stretch to pull away for the lopsided victory.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 11, 2010 issue

If Eric Burdick isn't careful, he may end up with a new nickname - something like "Last Minute Man".

Burdick, a sophomore forward on the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team, picked up his second game-winning goal in overtime this season to seal a 2-1 Viper victory over Baraboo-Portage in nonconference action at Sparta Ice Arena Tuesday.

The game was a defensive battle from the start, but Sparta-West Salem-Bangor managed to forge an early lead when Jake McCabe scored an unassisted goal midway through the opening period of play.

The Viper icemen held the lead for better than 20 minutes, before Baraboo-Portage evened the score at 1-1 with a power play goal in the final four minutes of the second stanza.

The deadlock held through the final frame, forcing a sudden-death overtime period.

The Vipers wasted little time in the extra frame, as Burdick capitalized on assists from Brandon Unser and Craig Mathews to nail the game-winner just 16 seconds into the overtime period, allowing Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to remain undefeated.

Burdick scored his first game-winning goal in overtime last week to defeat Wisconsin Dells 5-4 in the opening round of the Orange Moose Tournament Dec. 28.

The Viper icemen went on to defeat Prairie Ridge and Madison East-La Follette to capture the Orange Moose Tournament championship at Black River Falls.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 7, 2010 issue

The Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team remained undefeated over the Christmas break, stringing together three straight victories to win the team title at the Orange Moose Tournament in Black River Falls last week.

The Vipers opened the tourney Monday, Dec. 22, with a 5-4 overtime defeat of Wisconsin Dells, and moved into the championship game with a 4-3 win over Prairie Ridge a day later.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor followed with a lopsided 8-3 victory over Madison East-La Follette to capture the championship.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 4, 2010 issue

Sparta jumped out to an early lead, then held off a second-half charge to capture a 35-32 victory over Black River Falls in nonconference boys basketball action at Black River Falls last week.

The Spartan boy cagers forged an early lead, outscoring the Tigers 15-7 over the opening eight minutes of the game.

Sparta continued to build on its lead in the second stanza, using a 7-5 run to pull in front of Black River Falls 22-12 at the half.

The Tigers refused to pack it in, however, and battled back in the second half with a 13-6 third quarter run that cut the Spartan lead to 28-25 with just eight minutes left in the contest.

Leading by three, the Spartans turned the ball over with just 14 seconds left on the clock, but the Tigers missed on a three-point attempt to tie the game, allowing Sparta to hold on for the win.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 29, 2009 issue

The Lady Spartan cagers held Wisconsin Dells in single digits in each of the final three quarters Friday, using a solid defensive performance to defeat the Chiefs 39-29 in nonconference girls basketball action at Sparta.

The game remained close over the first eight minutes of play, before Sparta managed to forge a 12-10 lead entering the second quarter.

The Lady Spartans picked it up a bit in the second stanza, using a stingy defense to outscore Wisconsin Dells 11-4 and take a 23-14 lead into the half.

Defense continued to carry Sparta in the second half, as the Lady Spartans used a 10-8 third-quarter run to increase their lead to 33-22 with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Wisconsin Dells outscored Sparta 7-6 down the stretch, but the Lady Spartans managed to hold on for the win.

Jenna Anderson led all scorers, pacing a balanced offensive attack for Sparta with an 10-point performance.

Shayla Ferris added an eight-point effort for the Lady Spartans, followed by Cassy Trost with six, Haylee Kirking and Sydney Olson with four apiece and Erin Murray with three.

Kala Lindley and Aleatra Nading each chipped in two points for Sparta.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 21, 2009 issue

Sparta blasted La Crosse Logan with 10 pins Tuesday, rolling over the Rangers 67-12 in Mississippi Valley Conference wrestling action at Sparta.

Tom Tourdot got Sparta started with a second-period pin of Ranger Sam McCormick at 160 pounds.

Brandon Brueggen followed with a hard-fought win for Sparta, edging Logan's Damion Figueroa 2-1 in double overtime at 171 pounds to give the Spartans a 9-0 lead.

The onslaught continued with five straight pins to give Sparta a 39-0 advantage.

Jordan Stanek started the flurry of pins, sticking Logan's Dylan Jones in the first period at 189 pounds, and Matt Tourdot followed with a first-period pin of Ranger Tyler Mattie in the 215-pound match.

Steven Stevenson earned a first-period pin over Logan's Trevor Peden at 285 pounds, while Bryce Nowaczyk stuck Ranger Nate Juran in just 16 seconds at 103 pounds.

Spartan 112-pounder Adam Wiedl ran Sparta's streak to five when he pinned Logan's Gabe Kapanke in just 1:01.

Logan recorded pins at 119 and 125 pounds to cut the Sparta lead to 39-12.

It was all Sparta after that, however, as Toby Mosley stuck Logan's Josh Johnson just 1:33 into the 130-pound match to start Sparta on its way to three straight pins.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 17, 2009 issue

The Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team got its 2009-10 season off to a solid start last week, capturing wins in back-to-back victories.

The Viper icemen opened with a lopsided 8-0 home win over Viroqua Thursday, and moved to 2-0 on the year with a 6-2 road victory at DeForest Saturday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 14, 2009 issue

It was a ragged start to the season for both teams, but a couple of key plays by junior Jenna Anderson made sure it was a good start for Sparta.

Anderson knocked down a pair of huge three-pointers - one early and one late - that helped lift the Lady Spartans to a 43-34 come-from-behind victory over West Salem in nonconference girls basketball action at Sparta Tuesday night.

With Sparta struggling on offense, trailing 9-0 late in the first quarter, Anderson buried a trey with just 30 seconds remaining in the frame to get her team back on track.

Anderson's second key three came early in the fourth quarter, putting the Lady Spartans ahead for good with six minutes left on the clock.

West Salem held a 9-3 advantage after the first eight minutes of play, and maintained the six-point lead at the half after both teams managed to score 11 points in the second stanza.

The Lady Spartans outscored the Panthers 11-10 in the third quarter, and entered the final frame trailing West Salem 30-25 with just eight minutes remaining.

It was all Sparta in the final frame, as the Lady Spartan cagers used an 18-4 run down the stretch to pull away for the victory.

Anderson finished with a game-high 12-point performance to lead Sparta on offense, while junior Haylee Kirking knocked down 11 for the Lady Spartans.

Sydney Olson and Cassie Trost added five points apiece for Sparta, followed by Erin Murray with four, and Megan Herrman and Aleatra Nading with three apiece.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 3, 2009 issue

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Call (608) 269-3186

Or stop in at 1302 River Road 
(in Sparta's Industrial Park)