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

Click here for a printable form to mail,

Call (608) 269-3186

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