Sports digest

Girls’ hockey: Northland Pines falls to WVU in playoff preview

The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op found some offense Tuesday but could not keep up with Wisconsin Valley Union in a 9-4 loss in Wisconsin Rapids. 

The Eagles scored twice each in the first and third periods. Valley Union scored four times alone in the first period, tacked on three more in the second and two in the third. 

Ava Carillo and Larken Paff had Pines’ goals in the first period while Ruby Casper and Carrillo scored in the third. Sophomore Reese Retallick, one of five Rhinelander skaters listed on Tuesday night’s scoresheet for the Eagles, assisted on Carillo’s second goal. 

WVU outshot Northland Pines 42-13 in the game. Northland Pines freshman Lucy Nowak made 22 saves over the first two periods while Rhinelander junior Jalyn Zadnik played the third and made 11 stops. 

Tuesday’s game served as a prelude to a WIAA tournament game between the two squads. Wisconsin Valley Union (10-13-0) got the fourth seed in the six-team sectional while Northland Pines (4-19-0) got the fifth seed. The teams will play next Thursday in Stevens Point, with the winner facing top-seeded Central Wisconsin in the sectional semifinals the following Tuesday. 

The Eagles close out the regular season in Eagle River tonight against the Badger (Baraboo co-op) Lightning.

Little League baseball, softball registration open

Registration for the Rhinelander Little League baseball and softball programs is now open. 

The league is open to boys age 4-12 and girls age 4-14 in the Rhinelander area. 

Registration is open through March 28 with greater discounts with early registration. The fee is $50 per player/$75 per family through Feb. 28. The price increases to $70 per player/$100 per family March 1-17 and $90 per player/$120 per family March 18-28.

For more information, or to register, visit www.rhinelanderlittleleague.com.

NFHS announces football rule changes for 2025

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) announced a series of football rule changes for 2025, including one that adjusts a ruling that loomed large in a 2021 WIAA playoff game for the Rhinelander High School football team. 

A new exception was added to Rule 4-3-1 regarding when a loose ball goes out of bounds. Previously, the out-of-bounds spot was the yard line where the foremost point of the ball crossed the sideline. Now, when a forward fumble goes out of bounds or is ruled out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball shall be returned to the spot of the fumble.

That rule played a role in 2021 when Baraboo quarterback Luna Larson fumbled a football forward out of bounds, ahead of the line to gain, on a fourth-and-1 play in the third quarter of a Level 1 game against the Hodags. The Thunderbirds eventually scored on that drive, the difference in a 13-7 victory for Baraboo.

The rule change was one of several approved by the NFHS Football Rules Committee, which is composed of one member from each NFHS member state association that uses NFHS playing rules, along with representatives from the NFHS Coaches Association and NFHS Officials Association. 

Four revisions pertain to player equipment.

One of the equipment changes next year will permit some additional electronic communication with players during games; however, in-helmet communication is still not allowed. A change in Rule 1-5-3c(2) will permit fixed electronic signs with play signals as well as non-audio methods. However, players between the numbers still are not permitted to watch video.

In the same Rule 1-5-3c(3), another new item was added to the illegal equipment listing. Any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device worn by a player during the game is not permitted. No player participating in the game is allowed to wear any device that would record or transmit audio or video. 

The remaining player equipment changes focus on tooth and mouth protectors and arm sleeves. Tooth and mouth protectors a) shall not include any attachment(s) that do not serve a purpose and function in protecting the teeth or mouth, and b) shall not include anything that is a health or risk issue and could pose danger to themselves or other players. Effective in 2027, arm sleeves must meet the SFIA specification at the time of manufacture and must have a permanent, exact replica of the SFIA arm sleeve seal. The new specifications closely align with the current NFHS rules for football gloves.

The committee also approved a deletion in Rule 10-4-4b which continues the committee’s revisions in the penalty enforcement rules to ensure consistency, particularly among illegal participation fouls.

Eagle River Speedway to sanction USRA Late Models in 2025

Eagle River Speedway has announced that it will sanction its late model division with the United States Racing Association (USRA) in 2025.

The division has seen slow, yet steady growth at the third-mile, clay oval in northern Wisconsin during the past five seasons. The rules package for the weekly, Eagle River Late Models and USRA have matched up very closely in recent years.

“With the sanctioning there comes a certain comfort level that the drivers have,” track promoter Pat Zdroik stated. “Our hope is to have a few of these drivers decide to pop in and give our track a try on a Tuesday night and possibly garner some points in the process.”

USRA-sanctioned late model drivers have a chance to race for a chunk of both a national and track point fund. Late model drivers can learn more information including purchasing memberships at usraracing.com.

Eagle River Speedway will kick off its 2025 season on Saturday, May 24. Sunday, May 25 will serve as a rain date if needed.