Sports Digest

Tomahawk hockey wins WIAA Sportsmanship award

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, in cooperation with Rural Mutual Insurance, has chosen the recipients of the team Sportsmanship Awards for the 2024 winter state tournaments, including Tomahawk in boys’ hockey.

It’s the first time the Sportsmanship Award has been presented in boys’ hockey since 2021, and it’s the first time Tomahawk has earned the recognition in any sport, the WIAA stated in a press release. As the fourth seed, the Hatchets’ modeled sportsmanship both on and off the ice at the state tournament before, during and following their 8-4 loss to top-seeded New Richmond in the Division 2 semifinals. The River Falls Co-op received honorable mention.

Winners of the award in other winter sports included Lakeside Lutheran in boys’ basketball, Cuba City in girls’ basketball, Cumberland in team wrestling, West Bend West in gymnastics and the Sun Prairie West (Cap City) Co-op in girls hockey.

The WIAA/Rural Mutual Insurance Sportsmanship Award is presented to one school and community in each of the state team tournaments that exhibits exemplary sportsmanship. The award recipients are determined by the sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to ensure support for their teams are positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are showcased. Award winners receive a trophy and banner in recognition of the honor. Schools receiving honorable mention are acknowledged with a certificate of recognition. 

The selection process includes contributions and evaluations from contest officials, tournament management, police and security personnel, crowd control and ushers, WIAA staff members, area hotels and restaurants. Rural Mutual Insurance has been a sponsor of this award since 1965, and their partnership contributes to the promotion of sportsmanship in education-based athletics as a valued corporate partner of the WIAA.

Rhinelander’s Retzlaff nabs pole, finishes 16th at Richmond

Rhinelander native Parker Retzlaff scored the first pole position of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career last Saturday at Richmond Raceway in Virginia. 

Retzlaff set a blistering qualifying time of 22.420 seconds on the three-quarter mile short track. He won the pole by more than a tenth of a second with an average speed of 120.428 MPH. 

Retzlaff led the first 27 laps of the 250-lap race before fading into the pack for a 16th-place finish. He did score some bonus stage points for the season-long championship race, running in eighth position at the end of the race’s second stage. 

“First career pole, led laps but unfortunately our pit strategy didn’t play out how we had hoped,” Retzlaff posted on his public Facebook page. “Taking home 16th. Doesn’t show how fast this #31 @funkaway @jarnascar @teamchevy was.”

After starting the season with back-to-back top five finishes, Retzlaff has slipped to 15th in the championship point standings through six races, four points behind Anthony Alfredo for the 12th and final playoff position with 20 races remaining before the postseason.

The Xfinity Series is back in action tomorrow night at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Va.