Sports digest

Retzlaff not returning to Xfinity Series ride in 2025

Rhinelander native Parker Retzlaff will not return the Jordan Anderson Racing No. 31 Chevrolet for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, he announced on Thursday.

“As my sophomore season in the Xfinity Series comes to an end, I am announcing that I will not be returning to Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport in 2025,” Retzlaff posted in a statement via social media. “I can’t thank Jordan Anderson and John Bommarito for giving me my first full time opportunity to race in the Xfinity Series and for allowing me to chase my dream.”

Retzlaff won two poles during the 2024 season, back in March at Richmond Raceway and earlier this month at Martinsville Speedway. In two full seasons driving the No. 31 Chevrolet, Retzlaff scored three top-five finishes — all on drafting-style superspeedways — and 11 top-10 finishes. He also led full-time drivers this season with 12 DNFs.

Retzlaff finished 21st in this year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series standings. He also made two starts in the top-tier NASCAR Cup Series, scoring a seventh-place finish in the August race at Daytona.

Martin scores touchdown in Whitewater finale

In likely his final collegiate game, Rhinelander High School alum Drake Martin scored a touchdown Saturday in UW-Whitewater’s regular-season ending 48-7 victory at UW-Eau Claire.

Martin capped off a 6-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard score that put the Warhawks up 17-0 late in the second quarter. The score was Martin’s fifth overall on the season and second on the ground. Martin, who played a hybrid tight end/H-back for Whitewater caught seven passes for 53 yards and three touchdowns on the year and added 89 yards on seven carries.

Whitewater went 6-4 on the season and 4-3 in the WIAC, putting the Warhawks in danger of missing the NCAA Division-III playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Hodag alumni to host baseball clinic Dec. 28

Rhinelander High School baseball alumni Joe and Sam Schneider will lead a youth baseball clinic in the Hodag Dome Saturday, Dec. 28. The Schneider brothers will be joined by other Rhinelander baseball alumni who went on to play after high school, either at the collegiate or club level. 

There will be two sessions — one for players age 8 to 11 from 9 a.m. to noon and another for players age 12-14 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Registration is $20 per player and covers instruction, lunch and a complementary T-shirt. 

Registration is available through a Google form online at https://forms.gle/1WW7tcEV1nitkN657. For more information about the clinic, contact the Schneiders at 715-628-4429 or email [email protected].