Hatchet Girls Wrestling Team Finished Second at Invite
Published on 02/06/2025 under News
The Northwoods has a rich hockey tradition, and over the next few days the area will bring the game back to basics. Many skaters begin with pond hockey, playing on frozen waterways large and small. Coming up this weekend, there are actually a pair of tournaments right here in Northern Wisconsin. That includes the American Pond Hockey Invitational, which returns to Lake Minocqua for a third consecutive year. Let’s Minocqua Visitors Bureau is helping organize the event. Sherry Hulett says, “We love having the players and fans explore our corner of the Northwoods… Last year was a huge success and we’re hoping to grow the event even more in 2025.” The invite tournament features teams from not only Wisconsin and Midwest, but a pair of international teams flying in from the UK. It is free for spectators, and they’ve got no shortage of activities in addition to the hockey. That includes fire pits, saunas, curling, and children’s activities, along with live entertainment, raffles, and food. They’ll even have an exclusively brewed beer from Rocky Reef Brewing Company. Proceeds will support the Minocqua Volunteer Fire Department and the Lakeland Hawks Ice Arena. Action gets underway Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, Eagle River is hosting the annual USA Hockey-Pond Hockey Tournament this weekend. We’ll have a preview on Friday. Photos provided by Let’s Minocqua Visitors Bureau
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Hatchet Girls Basketball Team Loses at Rhinelander
Published on 02/07/2025 under News
Snowmobile riders in Lincoln County didn’t quite get the announcement they were hoping for. The Lincoln County Forestry, Land and Parks Department made their much awaited snowmobile trail decision yesterday, announcing that only the Hiawatha will open to snowmobiles at this time. The opening came at 8am Friday morning, following an assessment of trails Thursday. They said in the announcement, ‘Due to a lack of adequate snow, all other Lincoln County snowmobile trails will remain closed at this time.” Forecasters are calling for several inches of snow throughout the day on Saturday, and another assessment will likely follow. The opening of the Hiawatha will at least allow a corridor for Lincoln County riders to travel north and access the trails in Oneida County from SARA Park. In the mean time, recapping the trail openings, in addition to the Hiawatha…Oneida and Price County Trails open Friday morning at 8am; Forest County Saturday morning at 8am; Vilas and Iron County trails are already open. All of the trails are considered in early season riding conditions.
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Hatchet Boys Basketball Team Loses to Rhinelander
Published on 02/08/2025 under Sports
Tomahawk’s girls’ basketball squad got out to a slow start and never recovered in Rhinelander Friday night, losing 52-32. The Hatchets only mustered nine points in the first half and were behind by as many as 22 in the game. Freya Alberg led the way in scoring with 13 points while Claire Albert had 12. Albert also broke the school record for steals in a career in Friday night’s game. The loss drops Tomahawk to 10-9 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will try to shake it off and hit the road Monday for a showdown at Marion.
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Lincoln County Opens Hiawatha Trail for Snowmobiles; Other Trails Remain Closed
Published on 02/07/2025 under News
Eagle River is known as the hockey capital of Wisconsin, and this weekend thousands of players from around the country will return to their roots with an iconic outdoor tournament. Its time for the Pond Hockey National Championships on Dollar Lake. The event is now in its 18th edition. USA Hockey helps sanction the event. This year they’ve got more than 200 teams registered. The 20 rinks will feature more than 350 games over the next three days. This year should bring back a bit of normalcy after poor ice conditions on Dollar Lake in recent years. The 2023 event was moved to makeshift rinks at the snowmobile derby track, while last year’s tournament was canceled all together. In fact, this is only the second time in five years that the event has taken place as expected. After opening festivities Thursday, the game action begins Friday morning. Games continue through the weekend with the championship rounds on Sunday. That’s not the only major pond hockey tournament happening in the Northwoods this weekend. As we previewed yesterday, Minocqua is hosting a separate event known as the American Pond Hockey Invitational. That’s taking place on Lake Minocqua.
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Career and Technical Education Month: Tomahawk Students Take Advantage of Dual Credit Courses
Published on 02/07/2025 under News
February is Career and Technical Education Month, and Tomahawk High School has a number of programs in their CTE curriculum that ensures students are well prepared after graduation. Principal Ryan Huseby recently shared some of the highlights of Tomahawk’s CTE program. Among those opportunities is the dual-credit program which allows students to earn college credits while still in high school. THS students can currently accumulate more than 50 college credits, a number Huseby says continues to grow each year. He added, “Our dual credit courses provide students a head start with their post graduation plan, helping them build career-ready skills and save both time and money.” And even if the student is planning to directly enter the workforce, Huseby notes, “These students will benefit from advanced training, setting them apart from other entry-level candidates and increasing their career mobility. Last year, Tomahawk had 409 dual credit course enrollments. They’ve doubled the state average of completion with 56.6% compared to the state average of 25.7%. The Tomahawk CTE also incorporates youth apprenticeships and certification programs. We’ll take a closer look those programs throughout February.
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‘Love the Littles’ February Diaper Drive Kicks Off in Merrill
Published on 02/07/2025 under News
Diapers are a much needed, but costly part of having a new born. A collection in Merrill launched this week to support a diaper assistance program. Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is home to the Merrill Diaper Closet which provides diapers and wipes to families who might need a little extra support. Over the next two weeks, they’re hosting what they’ve dubbed their ‘Love the Littles’ diaper drive. Organizers noted that ‘diapers are a large expense for families.’ Their goal is to provide this service to those who might need a little help in a confidential, non-judgmental setting. The Diaper Closet is available to the community twice a month. They have diapers or pull-ups for not only infants and toddlers but adult sizes as well. To help keep the Closet well stocked, they’re partnering with a ten locations in Merrill to serve as drop-off sites this month. In addition to diapers and wipes, they’ll also accept monetary donations which will help purchase the supplies of greatest need. The collection runs through February 23. Drop off locations (during regular business hours): • Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (300 N. Logan St.) • Christ United Methodist Church (300 N. Mill St.)• St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ (903 E. 2nd St.)• The Chiropractic Wellness Center (109 S. Center Ave.)• Park City Credit Union (501 S. Pine Ridge Ave.)• Polka Dotted Pie (914 E. Main St.)• Incredible Bank (3210 E. Main St.)• Westside Market (1504 W. Main St.)• Riverside Athletic Club (500 S. Center Ave.)• Courtside Furniture (1022 E. Main St.)
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Pond Hockey Tournament Returns to Eagle River
Published on 02/07/2025 under News
Weather-related school closures aren’t unusual at this time of year. But in Antigo, they canceled classes Friday due to widespread illness affecting much of their campus. In the announcement, superintendent Glenda Oginski said the closure would allow the district to conduct a comprehensive and thorough deep cleaning of all facilities including the use of hospital-grade disinfectants. While classes are canceled, after-school programs and extra-curriculars will continue as scheduled. Oginski encouraged families to observe good health practices at home including frequent hand-washing and monitoring for symptoms of illness, keeping students home when sick.
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Officials Urge Caution with Multiple Fatal UTV Accidents after Breaking Thru Ice
Tomahawk’s boys’ swimmers placed second in their Great Northern Conference Meet at Rhinelander Friday night. The Hatchets finished with 235 points, finishing behind only the host.
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Antigo Cancels Friday Classes due to Widespread Illnesses
Published on 02/08/2025 under Sports
The Hatchet boys’ basketball squad struggled mightily in their game against Rhinelander at the Hatchet House Friday, losing 81-13. The loss is Tomahawk’s ninth straight. The Hatchets fall to 4-14 on the season and 0-9 in Great Northern Conference play. Tomahawk is back in action Monday for the Battle for Lincoln County at Merrill.
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American Pond Hockey Invite Returns to Lake Minocqua Friday, Saturday
Tomahawk had four second-place finishes in the meet. The Hatchet 200 Medley Relay team of Dane Dekiep, Zach Germano, Sam Zastrow, and Bruce Peetz finished second with a time of 1:47.61. Also placing second was the 200 Freestyle Relay squad of Peetz, Germano, Connor Germano, and Jack Amelse with a time of 1:43.78. Zach Germano placed second in the 100 Yard Breaststroke, clocking in at 103.71. The 400 Freestyle Relay team of Zastrow, Dekiep, Peetz, and Amelse finished second with a time of 3:39.49.
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