Sparta swept the singles competition in a nonconference tennis match against Black River Falls to capture a 4-3 victory.

The win was the first of the season for the Spartan netters, who took advantage of a forfeit at the No. 4 singles match.

Sparta dominated the other singles matches, however, winning the first three matches in straight sets.

In No. 1 singles action, Sparta's Ryan Mathews scored a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Tiger Garrett Buselmeier.

Spartan Cody Whitted blanked Ryan Whaley of Black River Falls 6-0, 6-0 in the No. 2 singles match, while Sparta's Kevin Rasmussen scored a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Tiger Ryan Kimer at No. 3.

Sparta struggled a bit in doubles play, losing all three matches to the Tigers.

At No. 1 doubles, the Spartan duo of Jesse Thornsen and Drew Schmidt were defeated 6-0, 6-1 by the Tiger tandem of Mike Kellen and Ben Ludeman.

Spartans Charles Heyerdahl and Jordan Jenkins were beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Tyler Torkelson and Sid Mahan of Black River Falls in the No. 2 doubles match, while the Sparta team of Matt Ames and Adam Frei lost 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 in a three set match at No. 3 doubles.

Spartan head coach Steve Quast said Sparta's 4-3 victory avenged a loss to the Tigers by the same score last season.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 8, 2008 issue

The Lady Spartan strikers rebounded from a tough loss to capture four straight victories last week, including one in Mississippi Valley Conference girls soccer action and three at the River Valley Invitational.

Sparta started the four-game winning streak with a 1-0 MVC win over West Salem Thursday, then opened play at River Valley Saturday with a 1-0 defeat of Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.

The Lady Spartans added a 3-1 victory over host River Valley and captured the team title with a 4-0 defeat of Holmen.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 5, 2008 issue

The Sparta softball team split a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference contests earlier this week, upsetting La Crosse Logan on Tuesday before falling to La Crosse Central a day later.

The Spartans edged the Rangers 1-0 in a home game, but had to settle for a split after an 11-1 defeat at the hands of the Red Raiders.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 1, 2008 issue

Sparta pitchers Jared Crocker and Brandon Amundson combined to hold La Crosse Logan to just seven hits Saturday, but the Spartans helped the Rangers with three errors which led to a 3-1 loss for Sparta in Mississippi Valley Conference baseball action at La Crosse.

Crocker held Logan scoreless over the first two innings, but Sparta was held in check as well.

The Rangers drew first blood in the bottom of the third, when Adam Kleman singled and scored and Tony Mueller reached on an error and eventually stole home to put Logan on top 2-0.

Sparta looked as if it would answer in the top of the fourth, when the Spartans threatened by loading the bases with two outs.

Crocker started the rally with a two-out double and Andrew Schanhofer followed by drawing a base-on-balls.

Jared Selbrede belted a single to load the bases with two outs, but Ranger pitcher Austin Lubinsky ended the threat with a strikeout.

Both teams went scoreless in the fifth frame as well, before Sparta finally got on the board in the top of the sixth.

Jacob Anderson belted a solo home run to lead off the sixth, helping the Spartans cut the Logan lead in half at 2-1.

Logan came right back in its half of the sixth, when Mike Weber belted a solo home run that allowed the Rangers to regain their two-run advantage at 3-1.

Sparta failed to mount a rally in the top of the seventh, as the Rangers held on for the narrow victory.

Spartan head coach Jake Dodge said his team showed improvement despite the defeat.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 28, 2008 issue

The Sparta boys and girls track teams turned in stellar performances Tuesday at the Hoffman Invitational in Black River Falls.

The Lady Spartan thinclads captured the team title, while the Sparta boys earned second.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 24, 2008 issue

Ethan Schmitz continued his hot streak on the links, firing a four-over-par 76 to lead the Sparta boys golf team to a sixth-place finish in the Singh Grewal Invitational at Sparta Municipal Golf Course Saturday.

Sparta took sixth in the 12-team Division 1 competition, and earned sixth overall in the 24-team invite.

Luke Brown added an 18-hole round of 82 for Sparta, followed by teammates Zach Molland and Dayne Geier with rounds of 84 and 85, respectively.

Chippewa Falls finished with 316 total strokes to win the Division I competition, as well as the overall team title.

Other Division I finishers included Middleton in second with 320, Reedsburg and Winona tied for third with 323, Holmen in fifth with 324 and Sparta with 327 in sixth.

Seventh place went to Baraboo with a 337, followed by Tomah in eighth at 355, Eau Claire North in ninth at 356, Marshfield with 358 in 10th, La Crosse Central with 360 in 11th and La Crosse Logan with 377 in 12th.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 21, 2008 issue

Brandon Schmidt admits his exposure to curling was slim and none before he entered college at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

But when Schmidt, a Sparta Senior High School graduate, met his college roommate, that changed in a hurry.

Now Schmidt is a competitive curler, recently competing at the National Collegiate Curling Championships in Chicago with a team from Stevens Point.

"My roommate's family has (been curling) forever," said Schmidt.

"They asked me to curl with them one year," he continued. "It was fun, and I've been doing it ever since."

Schmidt now curls weekly for a team at the Clintonville Curling Club, and honed his skills enough to land a spot on a squad that recently competed at the national level.

Last year, Schmidt was selected as an alternate on the team, but he did not compete at the national event.

This year was a different story, however, as Schmidt and his teammates landed in second place in the Division 2 level at the collegiate championships.

Schmidt explained that curling, which is somewhat similar to shuffleboard, involves two four-player teams.

"Each player throws two stones, and the skip, the guy at the end, tells you where to put the shots," said Schmidt. "At the end, you want to be the person closest to the button - the target at the end of the ice."

Each team gets eight shows per round, and a game consists of eight "ends", or rounds.

There are "sweepers" involved as well, who try to manipulate the stones by clearing a path on the sheet of ice.

While he knew nothing of the sport when he began to play, Schmidt, a standout pole vaulter in high school, said he's glad he was willing to try something different.

"It just looked like fun," he said.

"I really love the camaraderie...and it's a gentleman's sport," Schmidt added.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 14, 2008 issue

Jamie Kenyon upped her team-leading goal total to six, and Ellyn Herrman earned her second shutout of the season Tuesday, as Sparta rolled to a 3-0 victory over West Salem in Mississippi Valley Conference girls soccer action at West Salem.

The victory allowed the Lady Spartan strikers to bounce back from their first loss of the season - a 3-0 defeat at the hands of La Crosse Logan last week.

Sparta jumped out to an early lead, when Kenyon, a sophomore forward, took a pass from senior Kelsey Anderson and dented the Panther net.

The Lady Spartans doubled their advantage later in the half, when Becca VonRuden scored on another assist by Anderson to give Sparta a 2-0 advantage.

Sparta's defense shut down the Panthers over the first 40 minutes, allowing the Lady Spartans to hold the two-goal lead into the half.

Kenyon got the Spartans going again in the second half, this time with a goal off an assist by Shinae Lenser to give Sparta a 3-0 advantage.

Herrman, a senior goalie, and the Lady Spartan defense took it from there, holding West Salem scoreless in the second half and allowing Sparta to coast to the win.

Herrman finished with one save in the net, as the Spartan defense held West Salem's offense at bay all day.

The victory improved Sparta's record to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in MVC action, while West Salem fell to 0-3 with the loss.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 10, 2008 issue

The Spartan baseball team rebounded from a lopsided loss to Westby in its season opener last week by rolling to a road victory at Wisconsin Dells one day later.

Sparta suffered a 13-6 nonconference loss to Westby in Sparta Thursday, but bounced back on Friday to defeat Wisconsin Dells 10-2.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 7, 2008 issue

Sophomore Jamie Kenyon scored a pair of goals and senior Ellyn Herrman was perfect in the net Tuesday, lifting Sparta to a 3-0 shutout win over La Crosse Central in the Mississippi Valley Conference girls soccer opener for both teams.

The win was Sparta's second in as many games to start the season.

Kenyon got Sparta on the right track early in the first half, scoring at the nine-minute mark with the help of an assist by Becca VonRuden.

With just one minute left in the half, Erin Williams put Sparta on top 2-0 when she dented the Red Raider net with the help of a Kelsey Anderson assist.

The Lady Spartan strikers held their two-goal lead into halftime, and kept the advantage well into the second half.

With just 10 minutes left on the clock, Kenyon struck again, this time off an assist by Williams to give Sparta a 3-0 advantage late in the contest.

The goals were Kenyon's third and fourth of the season.

While the Lady Spartans were solid offensively, it was the Sparta defense that made a big difference in the outcome.

Sparta held Central to just five shots on goal, and Herrman managed to fend off all five scoring attempts to earn the shutout in the net.

The Lady Spartans finished with nine shots on goal in the conference opener.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 3, 2008 issue

The Sparta boys and girls track and field teams continued their indoor season last week with an appearance at the Chippewa Falls Indoor Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The Lady Spartan thinclads and the Sparta boys both captured eighth place at the nine-team invite.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 31, 2008 issue

The Sparta boys basketball team wrapped up its 2007-08 campaign earlier this month at its annual banquet and awards dinner.

Six Spartan boy cagers were honored by the team, including seniors Bryan Giraud and Eric Schmidt, juniors Jordan Jandt and Josh Knoll and sophomores Kevin Rasmussen and Jordan Laufenberg.

Laufenberg, the team's leading scorer, earned Most Valuable Player honors, while Rasmussen picked up the Diaper Dandy Award.

In addition, Laufenberg and Rasmussen were named to this year's all-Mississippi Valley Conference honorable mention team.

Jordan Jandt took home plenty of hardware as well, earning a Captain's Award and landing a spot on the all-MVC sportsmanship team.

In addition, Jandt was the first recipient of the team's very first Lee Wells Award.

The new award was created in memory of Lee Wells, a former Spartan cager who was killed late last year in a Thanksgiving Day car crash south of Sparta.

Knoll was honored by the coaching staff as the recipient of the team's Coaches' Award, given to a player who shows leadership on and off the gardwood.

Giraud received the team's Tool Box Award for his hard work and determination, while Schmidt was honored with a Captain's Award.

Sparta, which finished the season with 3-17 overall record and a 1-11 conference mark, failed to land a player on the all-MVC first or second teams.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 17, 2008 issue

Senior Trevor Erickson walked away from the annual Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey banquet with plenty of awards last week, earning top honors in both the West Central Hockey Conference and the Mississippi Valley Conference for his performance on the ice this season.

Erickson, who missed several games at the start of the season while recovering from knee surgery, was named to the all-conference first team in both the WCHC and MVC.

In addition, Erickson, who led the Viper icemen in scoring this season with 13 goals and 16 assists (29 total points), was named the team's Most Valuable Player.

Perhaps the best honor Erickson earned this season, however, was recognition as a member of the all-state honorable mention squad.

Several other Spartans earned post-season honors as well, including sophomore goalie Ethan Anderson.

Anderson, who finished the season with a 7-6 record and a .913 save percentage in the net, earned second-team honors in both WCHC, as well as the MVC.

Senior Devin McClain received third-team recognition in WCHC play and was tapped to share the team's Most Valuable Defenseman Award with senior teammate Zach Molland.

Molland also earned honorable mention honors for his performance in WCHC games this season.

Viper senior Sam Lehmann earned a pair of honors as well, picking up the teams Hobey Baker Award and landing a spot on the all-WCHC honorable mention squad.

Seniors Ethan Schmitz and Josh Zander  were named to the all-MVC honorable mention squad.

In addition, Schmitz received the team's Most Competitive Player Award, while Zander was named Sparta-West Salem-Bangor's Most Valuable Forward.

Senior Matt Gorniak was honored as well, earning a spot on the all-MVC Sportsmanship Team.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor finished its 2007-08 season with a 12-9-1 overall record, earning fifth in the WCHC standings with a 6-7-1 mark and third in the MVC race with a 4-4 record.

The highlight of the Viper season came in the playoffs, where Sparta-West Salem-Bangor came just one win from earning a berth in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 State Hockey Tournament.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 6, 2008 issue

Back-to-back wins over Black River Falls and Pioneer-Westfield earned Sparta its third straight Wisconsin Inter-scholastic Athletic Association Division 2 girls basketball regional championship over the weekend.

The Lady Spartans cagers scored a 46-39 come-from-behind victory over Black River Falls in semifinal action at Sparta Thursday night, then captured the regional crown with a 53-41 victory over Pioneer-Westfield in La Crosse Saturday afternoon.

Sparta 46, BRF 39
The Lady Spartans trailed for three-plus quarters, but poured it on over the final eight minutes of play to pull out a semifinal victory over the Tigers.

Black River Falls opened up an early lead, outscoring Sparta 11-7 in the opening quarter.

The Tigers continued to roll in the second quarter, using an 11-4 run to open up a 22-11 lead, before the Lady Spartans scored the final four points of the frame to cut the deficit to 22-15 at halftime.

Sparta continued to battle back in the second half, using an 11-8 third-quarter run to cut the Tiger lead to 30-26 entering the final eight minutes of the game.

An 8-4 Sparta run knotted the score at 34-34 early in the fourth quarter, until a Katie Flock steal and lay-up put the Lady Spartans on top 36-34 with 5:09 left on the clock.

Sparta 53, Pioneer 41
Sparta erased an early Pioneer-Westfield lead midway through the first quarter, and held the upper hand the rest of the way.

The Lady Spartans fell behind by four points, but outscored the Pioneers 16-13 to take a narrow lead after eight minutes of play.

Sparta continued to roll in the second quarter, using a 14-8 run to open up a 30-21 lead at intermission.

The Lady Spartans continued to add to their lead in the second half, using a 13-7 third-quarter run to forge a 43-28 advantage with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Pioneer-Westfield battled back in the final frame with a 13-10 run, but Sparta was able to sink enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the Pioneer rally.

As they've done most of the season, the Lady Spartans finished with a very balanced scoring attack.

Flock, Herrman and Kylie Steinhoff scored nine points apiece to lead the Spartan offense, while Anderson and Hailee Sullivan each finished with eight.

Sparta improved to 15-7 on the season with the victories, while Black River Falls ended its season with a 15-7 record and Pioneer-Westfield finished with a 15-8 mark.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 3, 2008 issue

Sparta held Adams-Friendship scoreless for more than a dozen minutes Tuesday, as the Lady Spartans rolled over the Green Devils 89-10 in the opening-round of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 girls basketball regional at Sparta.

The Lady Spartan cagers used their trademark full-court pressure to hold the Green Devils scoreless over the first eight minutes of play, allowing Sparta to open up a commanding 23-0 lead after one quarter of play.

Sparta continued to roll in the second quarter, building a 44-0 lead midway through the quarter before Adams-Friendship was able to get on the scoreboard.

The Green Devils' first basket of the game came with just 3:25 left in the half, but Sparta was able to build a 51-6 lead at intermission.

Spartan head coach Greg Dull took off the full-court pressure early in the second quarter, but Sparta's defense was still able to hold the Green Devils to just six first-half points.

The third quarter went much the same, as Sparta's defense once again held the Green Devils scoreless over an eight-minute span.

Sparta outscored Adams-Friendship 20-0 in the third frame, opening up a 71-6 lead with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Adams-Friendship scored four points in the final frame, but Sparta dumped in 20 despite using a stall to cruise to the easy win.

Sparta used a balanced scoring attack throughout the game, as all 12 members of the team scored at least two points.

Sophomore Jenna Anderson led the way for the Lady Spartans on offense with a game-high, 16-point performance.

Tara Nichols added an 11-point effort for Sparta, while Hailee Sullivan finished with 10 points and Haylee Kirking and Katie Flock scored nine points apiece.

Kylie Steinhoff and Sammi Ruedy each chipped in seven points for Sparta, followed by Shayla Ferris with six, Kelsey Anderson, Abby Kiefer and Martha Wilms with four apiece and Jenna Schroeder with two tallies.

Sparta, the top-seeded team in the regional, improved to 13-7 on the year with the victory, while the Green Devils finished their 2007-08 season with a 1-19 overall record.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 28, 2008 issue

Senior Trevor Hutson capped off his high school career in style over the weekend, capturing fifth place in the 215-pound weight class at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 State Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Hutson edged Merrill's Joe Akey 6-4 Saturday to capture the fifth slot, rebounding from a quarterfinal loss to become the sixth Spartan in the past seven years to place at state.

Hutson opened the tourney with an 8-1 victory over Joel Yogerst of Slinger, but suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Vance Grube of Wisconsin Rapids in the quarterfinal round.

The loss knocked Hutson into the consolation bracket, where he rebounded with a 5-0 decision over Joe Epping of Kenosha Tremper and a first-period pin of Jacob Keeser of Fort Atkinson.

Hutson then fell to 3-2 on the weekend with a tough 11-2 loss to Trevor Weinkauf of Waterford, but battled back to earn fifth with the narrow victory over Akey.

Sparta's other state qualifier, junior Derek McDonald, bowed out of the state tournament early.

McDonald suffered a narrow 12-9 loss to Logan Cudd of River Falls in the opening-round match at 112 pounds.

McDonald had Cudd on his back as the match ended, but he was unable to score the come-from-behind victory.

The tournament ended for McDonald when Cudd lost his second-round match.

Hutson, who was sidelined for part of this season as he recovered from knee surgery, finished his senior season with a 28-4 dual match record.

He is the first Spartan to earn a medal in the 215-pound weight class.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 25, 2008 issue

They say the third time's a charm, and that certainly was the case for the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team this week.

After dropping two tight West Central Conference games to Onalaska during the regular season, the Viper icemen got revenge with an upset of the fourth-ranked Hilltoppers in Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 sectional semifinal action at Onalaska Tuesday.

Sophomore goalie Ethan Anderson held Onalaska scoreless over the final two periods, turning away 17 shots on goal in the third frame, to lead Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to a 3-2 victory over the Hilltoppers.

The Vipers came out strong, opening up an early 1-0 lead when Tyler Schomberg scored with the help of an Ethan Schmitz assist just 1:18 into the game.

Just under two minutes later, Onalaska answered when Jerry Rank took a pass off the stick of Mike Bottcher and slid a shot past Anderson to knot the score at 1-1.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor regained the lead less than five minutes later, when Sam Lehmann scored a power play goal with the help of assists by Zach Molland and Josh Zander to give the Vipers a 2-1 edge at the 6:15 mark.

With less than five minutes remaining in the first frame, Onalaska battled back once again, this time on a power play goal by Brice Wizner off assists by Jordan Guth and Mason Sedlacek that knotted the score at 2-2.

The score remained tied into the second period, and solid defense by both teams kept the deadlock in place into the third frame as well.

Midway through the third frame, Viper freshman Brandon Unser dented the Hilltopper net with the game winner, backhanding a pass from Chris Stark at the 7:29 mark.

Anderson and the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor defense held the Hilltoppers in check down the stretch, allowing the Vipers to earn the hard-fought victory and a trip to Saturday's sectional final.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor head coach Dave Dettle was pleased with the way his players stepped up in crunch time.

'We got two huge goals from two players (Schomberg and Unser) who usually don't score," he offered. "They really came up big at the right time."
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 21, 2008 issue

Spartans Trevor Hutson and Derek McDonald won their respective weight classes at Saturday's Wisconsin Inter-scholastic Athletic Association Division 1 wrestling sectional in Waunakee, earning berths to next weekend's state wrestling tournament in Madison.

Hutson enacted a bit of revenge on his way to state, defeating DeForest's Drew Barman 6-4 in overtime to claim the 215-pound title.

Barman ended Hutson's season at sectionals last year, and held a 4-2 third-period lead over the Spartan senior at this year's sectional.

Hutson rallied down the stretch, however, knotting the score at 4-4 with about 30 seconds remaining in the championship match to force the extra frame.

Hutson then picked-up a takedown in overtime to seal the victory and his first trip to state.

McDonald dominated in the 112-pound weight class at the sectional, earning a trip to state when he pinned Baraboo's Matt Kowalke with just five second remaining in the title bout.

McDonald advanced to the championship match with a first-period pin of DeForest's Mike McDaniel in the opening round, and a 7-0 victory over  Nathan Misenheimer of Middleton in the semifinals.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 18, 2008 issue

Sparta built a comfortable lead over the first three quarters Tuesday, then held on down the stretch to pick up its first Mississippi Valley Conference victory of the season.

The Spartan cagers used a 19-point third quarter to open up an 11-point cushion entering the final eight minutes of the game, but had to battle right to the wire before escaping with a 42-41 road win at Onalaska.

The conference contest was a tight one early on, as both teams battled to an 8-8 deadlock after the opening quarter of play.

Sparta got the upper hand in the second stanza, outscoring the Hilltoppers 14-11 to forge a narrow 22-19 advantage at halftime.

The Spartans continued to roll in the second half, using a solid defensive performance en route to a 13-5 run and a 35-24 lead with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Onalaska came storming back in the final frame, cutting the Sparta lead to just one with a 17-7 run, before missing two potential game-winning shots in the closing seconds.

Sophomore Kevin Rasmussen poured in 14 points to lead a balanced scoring attack for Sparta.

Josh Nichols added a 10-point effort for the Spartan cagers, followed by Jordan Laufenberg and Josh Knoll with eight and seven points, respectively.

The victory improved Sparta's record to 1-9 in conference play and 3-15 overall, while Onalaska fell to 2-9 in MVC action and 5-13 overall with the loss.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 14, 2008 issue

Trevor Hutson posted a perfect 3-0 record to finish first at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 Regional in Reedsburg Saturday, leading Sparta to a third-place finish in the eight-team tournament.

Hutson, who won an individual title at 215 pounds, was one of a dozen Spartan grapplers to advance to this weekend's WIAA Sectional at Waunakee.

Matt Tourdot, Mike Jacobson, Kevin Schmitz and Derek McDonald added second-place finishes for the Spartans.

Tourdot posted a 3-1 record to earn the runner-up slot at 140 points, while Jacobson recorded two pins en route to a 3-1 mark and a second-place finish at 160 pounds.

Schmitz was solid as well, earning a 3-1 mark with a technical fall and a major decision victory to take second at 275 pounds.

McDonald picked up a pair of pins on his way to a 3-1 mark and a second-place finish at 112 pounds.

Derick Johnson earned Sparta's only third-place finish at the regional, posting a 2-1 record with a pin and a technical fall in the 125-pound weight class.

Six Spartans finished in fourth at the regional, including Tom Tourdot, Nick Winchel, Cody Olson, Jesse Amundson, Seth Harelson and Brandon Amundson.

Tom Tourdot scored a major decision win on his way to a 2-2 mark to finish second at 103 pounds, while Winchel finished 2-2 to place fourth at 119 pounds.

Olson went 2-2 on the day to finish fourth at 130 pounds, while Jesse Amundson earned a hard-fought overtime victory to record a 2-2 mark and take fourth at 135 pounds.

Harelson finished in fourth place with a 2-2 record at 171 pounds, and Brandon Amundson picked up a pin on his way to a 2-2 record and a fourth-place finish at 189 pounds.

The top four finishers in each weight class advance to Saturday's WIAA Sectional at Waunakee.

Mississippi Valley Conference champion Tomah won the team title with 250.5 points, followed by Reedsburg in second with 211.5 points and the Spartans with 166 in third.

Fourth place went to La Crosse Logan with 154.5 points, La Crosse Central was fifth with 112, Holmen scored 99.5 points in sixth, Osseo-Fairchild-Altoona-Augusta took seventh with 53 and Onalaska scored 25.5 points in eighth place.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 11, 2008 issue

Sparta broke open a close game with 10 unanswered points in the first quarter, then cruised over the final three frames to hand Onalaska Luther its first loss of the season Tuesday.

The Lady Spartans outscored the 10th-ranked Knights in all four frames, allowing Sparta to pick up its sixth victory in seven starts.

The score was close early on, before Sparta exploded to close out the first quarter with a 10-0 run that opened up a 22-11 advantage for the Lady Spartans.

Sparta never looked back after that, using a 17-9 second-quarter run to forge a 39-20 advantage at the half.

The Lady Spartans continued to roll in the second half, using a 19-17 run in the third quarter to increase their lead to 58-37 with just eight minutes remaining in the game.

It was more of the same in the final frame, as Sparta used a 16-12 run to coast to the nonconference road victory down the stretch.

Sparta used stingy pressure defense and a balanced scoring attack on its way to the big victory.

Four Lady Spartans scored in double figures.

Katie Flock led all scorers with a 19-point performance, including nine in the pivotal first frame, to fuel Sparta on offense.

Hailee Sullivan and Kelsey Anderson added 14 points apiece for the Lady Spartans, while Ellyn Herrman finished with 11.

Abby Kiefer chipped in seven points for Sparta, followed by Jenna Anderson and Sammi Ruedy with four and three points, respectively.

Sparta improved to 9-5 on the season with the victory, while Onalaska Luther fell to 15-1 with its first defeat of the year.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 7, 2008 issue

The Lady Spartans used stifling defense to build a double-digit lead over three quarters, then cruised down the stretch to defeat Wisconsin Dells 50-36 in nonconference girls basketball action at Sparta Friday.

Sparta held the Chiefs to just 11 first half points in the victory - the fifth in six games for the local girl cagers.

The Lady Spartans used a 12-7 run in the opening eight minutes to open up an early lead.

Sparta continued to roll in the second stanza, doubling up on the Chiefs with an 8-4 run to take a 20-11 lead into the half.

The Lady Spartans picked up where they left off in the second half, outscoring Wisconsin Dells 16-9 in the third quarter to forge a 36-20 advantage with just eight minutes remaining in the contest.

The Chiefs bounced back a bit in the final frame, outscoring Sparta 16-14 over the final eight minutes, but the Lady Spartan lead was too much to overcome.

Sparta's Ellyn Herrman poured in a game-high 13 points to lead all scorers, while Hailee Sullivan added an 11-point performance for the Lady Spartans' balanced scoring attack.

Katie Flock added an eight-point effort for Sparta, followed by Martha Wilms and Kelsey Anderson with seven and six points, respectively, for the Lady Spartans.

The victory improved Sparta's overall record to 8-5 on the season, while Wisconsin Dells fell to 10-4 on the year with the loss.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 4, 2008 issue

The Spartans swept all 14 matches, including seven by pins, en route to a near-perfect 81-0 victory over Onalaska in Mississippi Valley Conference wrestling action at Sparta Thursday.

Sparta fell just three points shy of a maximum score of 83, taking full advantage of six Hilltopper forfeits in the bout - the first in Sparta for former Spartan coach Lyle Blum.

Blum, who left Sparta at the end of last season to take over a struggling Onalaska program, may have received a warm reception from the crown, but the Spartans were all business when the attention turned to the mat match-up.

Sparta opened up a 6-0 lead right off the bat, when Tom Tourdot received a forfeit in the 103-pound bout.

The Spartans followed with four straight pins after that, opening up a commanding 30-0 advantage early.

Derek McDonald got Sparta started with a third-period pin of Onalaska's Bryan Gilkes at 112 pounds, and Nick Winchel followed by pinning Hilltopper Byron Stein in the third period of the 119-pound match-up.

Sparta followed with second-period pins by Derick Johnson at 125 pounds and Cody Olson at 130 pounds.

Morgan Leis earned a forfeit for Sparta at 135 pounds, and Matt Tourdot followed by pinning Onalaska's Danny Schimanski just 56 seconds into the 140-pound match to give the Spartans a 42-0 cushion.

Spartans Jordan Stanek (145 pounds), Nick Anderson (152 pounds) and Mike Jacobson (160 pounds) earned forfeits to put Sparta on top 60-0 with just four bouts remaining in the match.

Seth Harelson tacked on three points for the Spartans, when he scored an 11-5 victory over Onalaska's Thomas Fortier at 171 pounds.

Brandon Amundson scored Sparta's fastest pin of the evening, sticking Hilltopper Andy Amundson in just 34 seconds at 189 pounds.

Sparta's Kevin Schmitz followed with a forfeit at 215 pounds, and Trevor Hutson pinned Onalaska's Zach McInerney in just 1:45 to give Sparta the lopsided win.

The 81-point total was the highest in school history, and fell just three points shy of a perfect score of 84.

The victory improved Sparta's record to 5-0 in MVC action and 10-2 overall, and sets the stage for Tuesday's showdown with cross-county rival Tomah.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 28, 2008 issue

Ethan Schmitz's goal early in the second period allowed Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to escape with a 2-2 tie in West Central Conference hockey action at La Crescent Tuesday night.

The Lancers opened up an early 1-0 lead when Jesse Dickson scored on a La Crescent power play with 3:59 remaining in the opening period.

Another Lancer goal, this one off the stick of Stiehl Krueger, gave La Crescent a 2-0 advantage just 5:48 into the second stanza.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor battled back later in the frame, when Sam Lehmann scored an unassisted goal on a slap shot from the blue line with just over six minutes left in the period, cutting the Lancer lead to 2-1 entering the third frame.

The Vipers knotted the score just 1:27 into the final frame, when Schmitz scored off a Drew Mack pass from behind the La Crescent net.

Both teams failed to score down the stretch in regulation, forcing an extra frame.
It was more of the same in the eight-minute overtime, and the game ended in a 2-2 deadlock.

"We played hard and gave a strong effort against a solid La Crescent team," said Viper head coach Dave Dettle.

"It was a great game, and very exciting, as both teams had chances to win in overtime," he continued.

Dettle was especially pleased with Sparta-West Salem-Bangor's defense.

"We played excellent team defense, holding La Crescent to just two goals and 26 shots in the game," offered Dettle. "We also got solid goal-tending from Ethan Anderson."
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 24, 2008 issue

Devin McClain scorched the net with a pair of power play goals to lead Sparta-West Salem-Bangor to a lopsided 8-3 victory over La Crosse in West Central Conference hockey action at Sparta Ice Arena Friday.

The Vipers scored three first period goals and put the game away with a quartet of goals in the second stanza to capture their second straight victory.

La Crosse came out strong, opening up an early 1-0 lead with a goal just 40 seconds into the game.

It was all Vipers after that, as Sparta-West Salem-Bangor answered with three straight goals to pull in front 3-1 after one period of play.

McClain struck first for the Vipers, scoring a power play goal with the help of assists by Zach Molland and Trevor Erickson at the 5:20 mark.

Just under three minutes later, Craig Mathews dented the La Crosse net with the help of assists by Matt Hinz and Sam Lehmann to put the Vipers on top 2-1.

With less than a minute remaining in the opening period, the Vipers struck again, this time with a goal by Tyler Schomberg off assists by Molland and Ethan Schmitz to give Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 3-1 edge entering the second stanza.

The second period brought with it more of the same, as Sparta-West Salem-Bangor scored four unanswered goals to open up a commanding 7-1 lead.

Lehmann scored first, denting the La Crosse net 2:22 into the period with the help of assists by Mathews and Hinz.

Just eight seconds later, Josh Zander got into the act with a goal off assists by Erickson and Connor Miles to give the Vipers a 5-1 advantage.

McClain took advantage of another power play opportunity at the 3:59 mark, scoring with the help of assists by Zander and Erickson to put the Vipers on top 6-1.

Molland made it 7-1 at the five-minute mark, scoring with the help of assists by Erickson and Lehmann to keep the Vipers rolling with a 7-1 cushion.

La Crosse cut the deficit to 7-2 with an early third-period goal, but Sparta-West Salem-Bangor regained its six-goal lead when Erickson scored an unassisted goal at the 6:03 mark.

La Crosse scored its final goal of the game midway through the final frame, but the Vipers were able to cruise to the win down the stretch.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 21, 2008 issue

Casey Olson set the stage and Jordan Laufenberg nailed the final scene Tuesday, lifting the Sparta boys basketball team to a thrilling 56-47 overtime victory.

Olson made one of two free throws in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime, and Laufenberg scored eight of Sparta's 12 extra-period points to fuel the nonconference victory over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau.

The victory was the first of the year for the Spartans, snapping an 11-game losing skid that dated back to the season opener against West Salem Nov. 27.

Sparta got off to a slow start, as the Redmen opened up a narrow lead with a 12-9 run over the first eight minutes of the game.

The Spartans righted the ship in the second stanza, battling back with a 15-10 run to pull in front 24-22 at halftime.

Senior Brian Giraud scored a couple of key baskets off offensive rebounds to propel the Spartans in the second-quarter comeback.

Sparta continued to pad its lead in the second half, outscoring Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 8-7 in the third period to open up a 32-29 cushion with just eight minutes left on the clock.

The Redmen rebounded with a 15-11 run to forge a narrow 44-43 lead in the closing seconds of the game, but Olson's free throw tied the score at 44-44 to force an overtime period.

It was all Sparta in the extra frame, as Laufenberg ignited a 12-3 run that allowed the Spartans to coast to the victory down the stretch.

Laufenberg led the way for Sparta on offense with a game-high 16-point performance, including a six-of-six effort from the free throw line.

Jordan Jandt  added 10 points to help a balanced offensive attack for the Spartans, while Giraud, Josh Knoll and Kevin Rasmussen finished with nine points apiece for Sparta.

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau was led by Matt Dunn's 13-point performance.

The victory improved Sparta's record to 1-11 overall, while Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau fell to 7-5.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 14, 2008 issue

The Lady Spartans got off to another quick start and never looked back Friday, leading from wire to wire in a lopsided 60-44 victory over cross-county rival Tomah in Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball action at Sparta.

Sparta jumped out to a 5-0 lead early in the game and held a 15-12 lead after the opening eight minutes of the game.

The Lady Spartans continued to build their lead in the second quarter, using a 16-11 run to forge a 31-23 lead at the half,

A 17-10 third-quarter run gave Sparta a comfortable 48-33 lead with just eight minutes remaining in the game.

The Lady Spartans closed the game with a 12-11 run down the stretch to cruise to their third straight conference victory.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 14, 2008 issue

Sparta's stifling full-court pressure stymied Black River Falls on offense Tuesday, as the Lady Spartans rolled to a 62-50 victory over the Tigers in nonconference girls basketball action at Sparta.

Sparta used solid defense to hold Black River Falls in check and open up an early 10-6 advantage after one quarter of play.

The Lady Spartans continued to roll in the second stanza, outscoring the Tigers 16-13 to increase their lead to 26-19 at the half.

The Tigers battled back a bit on offense in the second half, but Sparta still held an 18-17 scoring edge in the third quarter to forge a 44-36 lead with just eight minutes remaining in the game.

Sparta was able to pull away down the stretch, using an 18-14 run in the final frame to seal the victory.

Junior Katie Flock led the way for the Lady Spartans on offense, pouring in a game-high 16 points.

Senior Ellyn Herrman added an 11-point effort for Sparta, followed by Abby Kiefer with eight, Hailee Sullivan with seven, Kelsey Anderson with six and Jenna Anderson with five.

Herrman led Sparta on the glass with five rebounds.

Sparta improved its overall record to 3-3 with the victory, while Black River Falls dropped to 3-2 on the season with the defeat.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 20 , 2007 issue

Sam Lehmann recorded a hat trick and Sparta-West Salem-Bangor's defense held Viroqua to just eight shots on goal Tuesday, and the Vipers picked up their first North Central Hockey League victory with an 8-0 thumping of the Blackhawks at Sparta Ice Arena.

Both teams started slowly, skating to a scoreless tie throughout a majority of the opening period.

The Vipers finally broke the deadlock late in the first frame, when Brandon Unser scored with the help of assists by Tyler Schomberg and Ethan Schmitz to give Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 1-0 advantage with just 32 seconds left in the period.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor's offense came storming out in the second period, scoring two goals in the opening minute.

Lehmann struck first for the Vipers, scoring off a Josh Zander assist just 26 seconds into the frame.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor took a 3-0 lead 32 seconds later, when Elliot Hesselberg scored off another Zander assist.

The Vipers moved in front 4-0 less than five minutes later, when Lehmann struck again, this time with the help of assists by Zach Molland and Devin McClain on a power play.

It was all Sparta-West Salem-Bangor in the third period as well, as the Vipers scored four more times to seal the victory.

McClain dented the net with an unassisted goal 6:17 into the frame, and Unser got his second goal at the 14:05 mark off a Talon Sharp assist to put the Vipers on top 6-0.

Just 20 seconds later, Trevor Snippen scored with the help of an assist by Matt Hinz, giving the Vipers a 7-0 cushion.
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 17 , 2007 issue

Fueled by senior Kelsey Anderson, the Lady Spartans built an early lead and held on for a 47-37 victory over Holmen in Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball action at Sparta Tuesday.

Anderson poured in eight first-half points, as Sparta battled to its first MVC victory of the season.

Holmen forged a narrow early lead, but Sparta created havoc - and several key turnovers - with its full-court press to rally late in the frame and open up a 9-7 advantage entering the second stanza.

The Lady Spartans opened it up in the second quarter, exploding on a 19-12 run to build a 28-19 lead at intermission.

The Vikings battled back in the second half with a 10-9 third-quarter run that trimmed Sparta's lead to 37-29.

Sparta put the game away down the stretch, however, using a 10-8 fourth-quarter run to coast to the 10-point victory.

Anderson and Katie Flock finished with 10 points apiece to lead another balanced scoring attack for the Lady Spartans.

Hailee Sullivan added a nine-point effort for Sparta, followed by Ellyn Herrman with six, Jenna Anderson with five, Martha Wilms with four and Abby Kiefer with three.

The victory was a big one for the Lady Spartans, because last week Holmen scored an upset win over La Crosse Logan, one of the teams favored to win the MVC race.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 13 , 2007 issue

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor scored three unanswered goals in the second period Saturday to break open a close game on its way to a 6-4 victory over Marshfield in nonconference boys hockey action at Sparta Ice Arena.

Josh Zander scored on a penalty shot early in the second period to break a 2-2 deadlock and ignite the Viper rally.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor jumped out to an early lead, when Elliot Hesselberg scored just 45 seconds into the game with the help of assists by Connor Miles and Sam Lehmann.

Just 20 seconds later, Ethan Schmitz took a pass from Talon Sharp and scored to give the Vipers a 2-0 advantage in the opening minutes of the game.

Marshfield battled back later in the frame, scoring a pair of unanswered goals - one at the 9:15 mark and another in the closing seconds - to force a 2-2 tie entering the second period.

The Vipers took control after that, when Zander's penalty shot five minutes into the second period gave the Vipers a 3-2 advantage.

Just over a minute later, Matt Hinz scored with the help of an assist off the stick Brandon Unser to give the Vipers a 4-2 lead at the 10:50 mark.

Midway through the frame, Unser scored with the help of an assist by Tyler Schomberg to increase the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor lead to 5-2.

Marshfield cut the Viper lead to 5-3 when it scored with just 43 seconds left in the second stanza.

Less that four minutes into the third period, Marshfield pulled within one of the Vipers with a goal at the 13:40 mark.

Sparta-West Salem-Bangor put the game away later in the frame, when Devin McClain scored an unassisted goal at the 10:35
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 10 , 2007 issue

Sparta outscored Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 17-8 in the second quarter en route to a 51-40 victory over the Redmen in nonconference girls basketball action at Galesville Monday.

The second-quarter run followed a solid first quarter for the Lady Spartans, who were able to forge a 15-point advantage at intermission.

The Spartans opened up a 17-11 lead after one quarter of play, then outscored G-E-T by nine to build a 34-18 lead at the half,

G-E-T slowed Sparta a bit on offense in the second half, outscoring the Lady Spartans 11-10 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 44-30 with just eight minutes remaining in the game.

The Redmen held a 10-7 scoring edge down the stretch as well, but the Lady Spartan cagers were able to hold on for the victory.

Sparta used a balanced offensive attack to earn the victory, as 10 Lady Spartans scored at least two points.

Kelsey Anderson led the way for Sparta with a team-high 11-point effort, while Katie Flock added eight points, all in the pivotal first half.

Ellyn Herrman chipped in seven tallies for the Lady Spartans, followed by Abby Kiefer with six, Jenna Anderson with five and Hailee Sullivan with four.

The victory, the first of the season for the Lady Spartans, evened Sparta's overall record at 1-1.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 6 , 2007 issue

Sparta opened its 2007-08 wrestling season with a lopsided victory over Madison West, but suffered narrow defeats in its next two duals to finish with a 1-2 overall record at Saturday's weather-shortened Reedsburg Invite.

Sparta hammered Madison West 67-9 in the tourney opener, but suffered a 38-26 loss to Westby in the second match.

In the third dual of the tourney, the Spartans held a late lead before suffering a 39-36 loss to host Reedsburg.
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 3 , 2007 issue

Devin McClain scored a pair of power-play goals and Sam Lehmann recorded a pair of assists to lead the Sparta-West Salem-Bangor hockey team past Baraboo-Reedsburg 2-1 in the Vipers' season opener at Reedsburg Tuesday.

Baraboo-Reedsburg built an early lead, when Zach Downing scored just over two minutes into the game.

The Vipers answered three minutes later, when McClain scored a power-play goal with the help of assists by Lehmann and Craig Mathews to knot the score at 1-1 at the 5:08 mark in the first period.

Both teams settled down defensively in the final 12 minutes of the first frame, and the period ended in a 1-1 deadlock.

The Vipers took advantage of another power-play in the second period, when McClain scored at the 5:16 mark to give Sparta-West Salem-Bangor a 2-1 lead that would hold up down the stretch.

Lehmann and Josh Zander each picked up an assist on McClain's game-winner.

The Viper defense took over after that, holding Baraboo-Reedsburg without a goal over the final two periods to seal the victory.

Vipers head coach Dave Dettle was pleased with his team's effort in the season opener.

"The game was close and hard-fought," Dettle said.

"I thought we played a solid game," he continued. "It is a great way to start the season."

Dettle said the Viper offense did a nice job of capitalizing on its opportunities.

"Our power play was very good," he said. "We scored twice and we had numerous other opportunities."

Dettle was especially pleased with the win considering the Vipers were forced to open their season shorthanded because of several key injuries.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat N ovember 29 , 2007 issue

An injury slowed Cole Scholze at the start of the 2007 football season, but the senior defensive lineman from Sparta was able to shake it off and turn in a stellar effort down the stretch.

Scholze's performance on the field this season helped him lead a contingent of six Spartan gridders earning spots on the all-Mississippi Valley Conference team.

Scholze was the only Spartan to earn first team all-MVC honors this season.

Spartans joining Scholze on the all-conference squad included junior Aaron Freeman and seniors Trevor Erickson, Mike McCloskey, Trevor Hutson and Zach Molland.

Freeman earned all-MVC second team honors as an offensive lineman, while Erickson, a safety, and McCloskey, an outside linebacker, made the second team on defense.

Molland, Sparta's starting quarterback, and Hutson, a tight end and outside linebacker, were named to the MVC's honorable mention team.

In addition, McCloskey was honored as a member of the all-MVC sportsmanship team.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald N ovember 26 , 2007 issue

The Sparta volleyball team fell short of capturing its sixth straight Mississippi Valley Conference championship this season, but that didn't stop the Lady Spartan spikers from landing five players on the 2007 all-conference squad.

Seniors Ellyn Herrman and Natalie Hemmerich, junior Katie Flock and sophomores Aleatra Nading and Jamie Kenyon represented the Lady Spartans on this year's all-MVC team.

Herrman, a middle hitter, and Flock, an outside hitter, both earned all-MVC first team honors for their efforts on the court this season.

Herrman and Flock led the Lady Spartan spikers to a third-place finish in the 2007 MVC race behind 2007 champion La Crosse Aquinas and second place La Crosse Logan.

Nading, Sparta's setter, and Kenyon, a middle hitter, landed on the all-MVC honorable mention team.

In addition, Hemmerich earned a spot on the all-conference sportsmanship team.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald N ovember 19 , 2007 issue

Despite finishing last in the 2007 Mississippi Valley Conference standings, the Sparta girls tennis team landed a pair of netters on the league's all-conference squad.

Senior Sarah Brueggen and freshman Kristina Stuntebeck both earned all-MVC honors for their performances on the court this season.

Brueggen, who played at the No. 2 singles position for the Lady Spartans for most of the season, was named to the all-MVC honorable mention squad.

Stuntebeck, who settled in an the No. 3 singles slot in her first year at the varsity level this season, earned a spot on the all-conference sportsmanship team.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald N ovember 12 , 2007 issue

Three members of the Sparta girls golf team earned post-season honors at the lady linksters' awards banquet recently.

Senior Michelle Pauley, a sectional qualifier for the Lady Spartans this season, picked up the most hardware. Pauley was named the team's Most Valuable Performer, and earned all-Mississippi Valley Conference second team honors as well.

Junior Kelsey Foss received the team's Positive Attitude Award, and was named to the all-MVC sportsmanship team.

Senior Kassie Perkins landed Sparta's Coaches' Award for her performance on and off the course this year.

All-MVC first team members this season included Katie Tabbert, Emily Swift and McKenzie Holthaus of Onalaska, Christina DeBoer of Holmen and Sara Mattes of La Crosse.

Golfers joining Pauley on the all-conference second team were Hannah Noel and Eryn Johnson of Holmen, Alli Plath of Onalaska and Rhianna Nichols of Tomah.

All-MVC honorable mention honors went to Brianna Manguson and Carmen Lozpona of Onalaska, Christa Beranek and Emily Vike of Holmen and Brittany Pierce, Brianna Francis and Shelby Hoeft of Tomah.

In addition to Foss, members of the sportsmanship team were Emily Swift of Onalaska, Emily Vike of Holmen, Marissa Holzer of La Crosse, Shelby Hoeft of Tomah and Maddie Kettner of Aquinas.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat N ovember 8 , 2007 issue

The Sparta boys and girls cross country teams landed five runners on the 2007 all-Mississippi Valley Conference squad.

Three Lady Spartan harriers earned all-MVC honors, while two members of the boys team picked up post-season awards as well.

Sparta Girls
Lady Spartan junior Areanna Lakowske, who finished 17th at this year's Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Cross Country Championships, led a contingent of three runners on the 2007 all-MVC team.

Lakowske was the most decorated runner in the conference this season, earning 2007 MVC Runner of the Year honors for her first-place finish in the MVC championship meet.

Lakowske also picked up all-MVC first team honors for her performance.

Freshman Andrea Hedrick finished 15th in the MVC championships to earn all-MVC honorable mention honors, while senior Kelsey Anderson was named to the conference's 2007 sportsmanship team.

Other first team members included Maddie Hibshman, Jami Hill, Jamie Burr and Katie Hill of Onalaska, Hannah Sleznikow of La Crosse Central and Jesse Heiden of Holmen.

Sparta Boys
Freshman Raeven Lantz finished 21st at the MVC championship meet to earn honorable mention honors for the Sparta boy harriers.

Lantz was joined on the all-conference team by senior Adam Simpson, who earned a spot on the all-MVC sportsmanship team.

First team all-MVC selections included Mike Behringer and Kyle Patzner of Holmen, Derek Storkel of Tomah, Bobby Glotfelty of Logan, Zach Wilhelmy of Aquinas, Dan Roth of Onalaska and William Krumbach of Central.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald N ovember 5 , 2007 issue

The Sparta soccer team just keeps on making headlines.

This fall, the Spartan strikers won the school's first-ever Mississippi Valley Conference championship.

Now the team is making an impact with its generosity by donating 10 years worth of old uniforms to orphaned children in Rwanda, Africa.

The donation was the idea of Joanne Stanek, the mother of goalie Jordan Stanek. Stanek's friend runs a church in Rwanda, which is home to many orphaned children, many who enjoy soccer. After Stanek convinced the school to donate the uniforms, Schroeder Construction owner Rita Schroeder offered to pay the shipping costs.

"We're so thankful Schroeder Construction stepped forward to take care of the expense for the soccer team," Stanek said.

In addition, the team sent letters and a photo, and held a pen drive for the orphans.

"Pens...that was all they wanted - American pens for the students," Stanek said. "It's amazing the little things we take for granted."

Stanek has received many photos over the years of the children of Rwanda, and hopes to soon see some photos of the kids in their Sparta soccer uniforms.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat N ovember 1 , 2007 issue

Areanna Lakowske may have fallen a bit shy of her goal, but the Sparta junior turned in another stellar performance to capture 17th at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Cross Country Championships.

Running in her second straight state meet, the Lady Spartan junior completed the 4K course at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids in 15:39.

As a sophomore last season, Lakowske finished 34th at the state meet.

"I was hoping for a top 10 finish, or right around there, but I did a lot better than last year, so I'm happy," Lakowske said.

"Last year was an experience," she continued. "This year, I knew what it was like going in so there weren't a lot of surprises."

This year was different for Lakowske for another reason as well - she had some company.

Sparta freshmen Jenna Anderson, Andrea Hedrick and Raeven Lantz also qualified for the state meet and competed at the same venue with Lakowske.

Anderson and Hedrick finished 82nd and 86th, respectively, for the Lady Spartans with times of 16:40 and 16:46.

Lantz landed in 95th place for the Spartan harriers with a time of 18:11 on the 5K boys state championship course.

Lakowske said she was glad to have some company at the state meet.

"It was nice having someone to warm up with," she said.

"I was more relaxed this year having some other people there with me," Lakowske continued.

She said the fact that three Lady Spartans, including a pair of first-year runners, qualified for state shows the program is getting stronger.

"Next year looks promising," Lakowske offered.

"We'll have a stronger team," she added. "It looks like we'll have a solid team for a while."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 29 , 2007 issue

Junior Areanna Lakowske and freshmen Jenna Anderson, Andrea Hedrick and Raeven Lantz extended their cross-country campaigns Saturday with solid efforts at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 sectional at Skyline Golf Course in Black River Falls.

Lakowske earned her second straight state cross country berth with a fifth-place finish in the sectional race, while Anderson and Hedrick both finished in the top 15 to earn their first state berths.

Lantz finished in 11th place in the boys race to earn a trip to the state meet as well.

Lakowske led the Lady Spartans to a fourth-place finish in the 15 team meet, while Lantz's finish helped the Sparta boy harriers capture sixth in the 16-team boys race.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 22 , 2007 issue

Sparta got a little help from La Crosse Central on Saturday, then took care of those very same Red Raiders Monday to claim the school's first-ever Mississippi Valley Conference soccer championship.

Nate Pastick scored one goal and recorded an assist on another to lead the Spartan strikers to a 3-0 victory over Central at Sparta Monday.

Both teams battled to a scoreless tie for most of the first half, until Ethan Flock broke the ice in the final minute, scoring with the help of a Pastick assist to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead at intermission.

The Spartans moved in front 2-0 midway through the second half, when Ethan Schmitz converted a Drew Mack pass into a score to help Sparta forge a 2-0 advantage at the 57-minute mark.

Four minutes later, Pastick put the icing on the MVC championship cake when he scored on a penalty kick to give Sparta a 3-0 lead with just 19 minutes left on the clock.

The win gave Sparta a one-point edge over West Salem in the final league standings, forcing the Panthers to settle for second.

West Salem had a chance to catch the Spartans, but a 3-2 loss to Central Saturday put Sparta in the driver's seat.

In the MVC race, each team is awarded three points for a victory and one for a tie.

Sparta finished with a 10-2-2 record and 32 points in the final standings, while West Salem tallied 31 points with a 10-3-1 mark.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 18 , 2007 issue

Areanna Lakowske captured an individual Mississippi Valley Conference crown Thursday, leading the Lady Spartans to fourth place in the conference  cross country meet at Forest Hills Golf Course.

The Sparta boys, led by freshman Raeven Lantz, placed sixth in the MVC championship.

Lakowske finished the 4K course at Forest Hills in 15:06, edging Onalaska freshman Maddie Hibshman by just one second to earn her first-ever MVC crown.

Sparta freshman Andrea Hedrick captured a top 15 finish, completing the race in 16:05 to land in 15th, while Emily Stedman came in 29th with a time of 16:53.

Freshman Jenna Anderson landed in 32nd for the Spartans with a time of 17:04, followed by Kelsey Anderson with a 39th-place finish in 18:50.

Onalaska captured the team title, knocking-off perennial powerhouse La Crosse Central, which had won MVC championship for the past 18 seasons.

The Hilltoppers finished in first with 24 points, while Central settled for second with 62 points.

Holmen finished in third with 72 points, followed by Sparta with 116 in fourth, La Crosse Aquinas with 126 in fifth, La Crosse Logan with 139 in sixth and Tomah in seventh with 184.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 15 , 2007 issue

Sparta earned a narrow victory in the opening match, but followed with a pair of easy wins in the second and third to roll over Holmen 3-0 in Mississippi Valley Conference volleyball action at Sparta Thursday.

Sparta escaped with a 25-22 win in the opening game, but turned it up a notch to score a 25-16 win in the second and take a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Spartan spikers put the match away with a 25-13 victory in the third game.

Katie Flock led the way for the Lady Spartans with 14 kills, while Ellyn Herrman added seven kills for Sparta.

Aleatra Nading finished with 25 assists for Sparta.

The victory improved Sparta's record to 6-4 in conference play, while Holmen fell to 0-11 in MVC action with the loss.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 8 , 2007 issue

Sparta held a pair of one-goal leads Tuesday, but La Crosse Aquinas battled back on both occasions to force a 2-2 tie with the Spartans in Mississippi Valley Conference soccer action at Sparta.

The contest marked the fifth time this year that Sparta played into extra frames in conference action, and was the Spartans' fourth double-overtime game of the MVC season.

Sparta jumped in front at the 32-minute mark, when Nate Pastick beat the Blugold goalie on a penalty kick to give the Spartan strikers a 1-0 lead.

The Spartan lead wouldn't last long, however, as Blugold Caleb Christianson answered with a goal two minutes later to knot the score at 1-1.

The tie held into halftime and well into the second half, but Sparta was able to regain the lead in the final six minutes of the battle on another successful penalty kick off the foot of Pastick.

It was another short-lived lead for Sparta, however, as Blugold Sam Irons scored with the help of a Kyle Quillin assist to force another tie - this time at 2-2.

Both teams failed to score down the stretch, and also went scoreless in both overtime periods, as the game ended in a 2-2 deadlock.

The game was the second in a row where the Spartans and the Blugolds battled into extra frames.

Aquinas scored a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Sparta earlier this season.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 4 , 2007 issue

A pair of first-half goals and a stellar net performance by sophomore Jordan Stanek was enough for the Sparta boys soccer team to knock West Salem from atop the Mississippi Valley Conference standings Thursday.

Ethan Schmitz and Ethan Flock each scored a goal and Stanek allowed just one Panther score, as the Spartan strikers won for the fifth straight time.

Sparta took control early, jumping out to a 1-0 lead at the 14-minute mark, when Schmitz scored off a pass from Flock.

The Spartans doubled their lead a dozen minutes later, when Flock scored with the help of an assist by Rustu Kunbul to give Sparta a 2-0 lead at the 26-minute mark.

Several more scoring attempts missed the mark for the Spartans later in the half, but Sparta's defense held West Salem scoreless to preserve the 2-0 advantage at the half.

West Salem pulled within one goal of Sparta at the 56-minute mark in the second half, when Brian Quinn scored an unassisted goal to cut the Spartan advantage to 2-1.

That was as close as the Panthers would get, however, as Stanek held West Salem scoreless down the stretch to secure the win for the Spartans.

Sparta improved its conference mark to 7-2-1 and moved into a second-place tie in the league standings with the victory.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 1 , 2007 issue

As far as team success is concerned, it's likely been a frustrating golf season for the Lady Spartan linksters.

Unable to field a full team in most of its matches this year, Sparta finished dead last in the 2007 Mississippi Valley Conference standings.

But new hope arrived Wednesday at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association regional, and Spartan senior Michelle Pauley took full advantage of it.

Pauley extended her season by shooting an 18-hole score of 99 at Forest Hills Golf Course and earning a spot in next week's WIAA sectional golf tournament.

Pauley's round was Sparta's best on the day, and it earned her a spot as one of the two individual sectional qualifiers.

Pauley and junior Kelsey Foss, who fired a round of 123, were the only two Lady Spartans competing in the regional
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 27 , 2007 issue

Madison East barely got off the bus Thursday night, before the Purgolders found themselves trailing Sparta by three touchdowns in nonconference football action at Sparta Memorial Field.

And the Spartans were able to build on their early-game momentum and continue the offensive onslaught en route to a 43-7 thumping of Madison East.

The lopsided victory snapped a three-game losing skid for the Spartans.

While the Spartan offense was nearly unstoppable Thursday, it was Sparta's defense that got things started early, when Josh Knoll picked off a Purgolder pass on the opening play from scrimmage and returned it to the Madison East 26-yard line.

Four plays later, Trevor Erickson hit paydirt from five yards out and Zach Molland booted the extra point to put the Spartans on top 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.

Sparta's defense forced East to punt on its next drive, and Molland hit Trevor Hutson on a 46-yard touchdown pass with 6:10 remaining to give the Spartans a 13-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Sparta continued to roll, recovering a Purgolder fumble on the ensuing kick-off to take possession on the Madison East 25-yard line.

Erickson broke free on Sparta's next play from scrimmage, scoring from 25 yards.

Another Molland extra point put the Spartans on top 20-0 with 5:56 left in the first quarter.
Sparta's offense didn't let up in the second quarter either.

Devin McClain scored on a one-yard plunge with just under four minutes remaining in the game, and Molland capped off a late 49-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge in the final 22 seconds of the half to put the Spartans on top 33-0 at intermission.

Erickson completed a 37-yard option pass to Mike McCloskey to fuel Sparta's first scoring drive of the second quarter.

Molland booted a 34-yard field goal late in the third quarter to give the Spartans a 36-0 advantage entering the final frame.

Sparta's defense stepped up again in the final frame, when Knoll picked up his second interception of the game and returned it 71 yards for another Spartan score.

Madison East averted the shutout with a late touchdown, but Sparta was able to coast to the easy victory and and get its bench some playing time down the stretch.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 24 , 2007 issue

Michelle Pauley's 10-over-par round paced the Sparta girls golf team in a Mississippi Valley Conference match at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek Monday afternoon.

Pauley carded a nine-hole total of 46 on the par-36 layout, but it wasn't enough for the Lady Spartans.

Unable to field the four players necessary to post a team score in the match, Sparta finished last in the six-team contest with an incomplete round.

Kelsey Foss added a nine-hole round of 65 for Sparta, while Lady Spartan Kassie Perkins carded a nine-hole total of 75 in the league match.

Onalaska fired a team total of 179 to capture first place and finish the regular-season conference slate with a perfect record.

Holmen landed in second place with a team score of 188, while Tomah came in third at 214.

Fourth place went to the combined La Crosse Central/La Crosse Logan squad with 216 team tallies, followed by La Crosse Aquinas in fifth with 257 and the Spartans in the six slot.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 20 , 2007 issue

Junior Katie Flock and senior Ellyn Herrman combined for 32 kills to pave the way for a 3-1 victory for the Lady Spartan spikers in Mississippi Valley Conference volleyball action at Tomah Thursday night.

Sparta opened the best-of-five match with a narrow 28-26 victory over the cross-county rival Timberwolves, but Tomah evened the score at 1-1 with a 25-20 defeat of the Lady Spartans in the second game.

Sparta regained its advantage with a 25-19 victory over Tomah in the third game of the match, then closed out a 3-1 win with another 25-19 win in the fourth.

Flock finished with a match-high 18 kills to lead the Lady Spartans offensive attack, and added 14 kills to fuel a solid defensive performance as well.

Herrman added 14 kills and eight digs for the Lady Spartans.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 17 , 2007 issue

No one can say Luke Brown doesn't use his head on the soccer field.

For the second time this season, Brown scored on a header off a corner kick to lift the Spartan soccer team to victory, as Sparta scored a 2-1 win over defending champion Onalaska in Mississippi Valley Conference action at Sparta.

After battling to a scoreless tie in the first half, Sparta drew first blood and took a 1-0 lead at the 60-minute mark, when Cade Arenz scored on a penalty kick after Brian Palm was tripped in the box by a Hilltopper defender.

The narrow lead held up until late in the game, when Onalaska tied the score at 1-1 with a header by Alex Twite at the 73-minute mark.

With just two minutes remaining in the game, Brown headed a perfect corner kick off the foot of Ethan Schmitz into the net for the game-winner.

Sparta turned in a stellar defensive effort on the game, holding the Hilltoppers to just three shots on goal, including zero in the first half.

The Spartans finished with 14 shots on goal, including a dozen in the pivotal second half.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 13 , 2007 issue

Taking advantage of a few stopped drives and a pounding ground attack, undefeated La Crosse Central handed Sparta a 21-37 defeat in both teams' first Mississippi Valley Conference matchup of the season at Veterans Memorial field in La Crosse Friday.

 It seemed as if the momentum might go Sparta's way early in the first quarter following a decent punt return and a 25-yard run by Trevor Erickson that put the Spartans inside Red Raider territory. But that opportunity was squandered with a turnover on the next play. 

 After a scoreless first quarter, Central got on the board first with a 10-yard touchdown run followed by an extra-point kick with just over six minutes left in the half.

 Sparta rallied, and with one minute to go in the second quarter, quarterback Zach Molland completed a 14-yard pass to Trevor Hutson in the end zone. Molland then hit the extra-point, tying up the score at seven all.

 In the final minute of the half, Central managed to get to the 26-yard line and kick a field goal, pulling ahead of the Spartans, 10-7.

 An interception stopped Sparta's momentum again early in the third quarter. By the end of the quarter, Central's merciless running game was wearing on the Spartans.

 The Red Raiders put up back-to-back touchdowns in the final minute and a half of the third quarter. They put another six points on the board with seven minutes to go in the game. Despite a blocked point after kick, Central increased its lead 30-7.

 Sparta made it into the end zone next on a Molland-to-Erickson five-yard pass reception. Molland's point after kick brought the score to 30-14. Central answered immediately with a 47-yard touchdown run.

 With  a minute and a half to go in the game, Molland hit Josh Knoll in the end zone with a seven yard pass. Molland's extra-point kick was good but the fat lady had already sung.

 When the dust settled, only 16 yards separated the teams' total yardage. Central finished with 363, while Sparta had 347.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 10 , 2007 issue

La Crosse Logan swept both the singles and the doubles matches Tuesday to hand the Lady Spartan tennis team a 7-0 loss in Mississippi Valley Conference action at Sparta.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Sparta netters, and their second MVC defeat in as many matches.

In singles action Tuesday, Sparta's Alexie Hardie suffered a 6-0, 6-1 loss at No. 1, while Lady Spartan Sarah Brueggen was defeated 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2.

In the No. 3 singles match, Sparta freshman Kristina Stuntebeck turned in a solid effort, before losing 6-2, 6-2, while Spartan Elisabeth Ageton was blanked 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4 singles.

In doubles action, the Sparta duo of Tarra Harrigan and Cat Stuntebeck fell 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1, and the Lady Spartan twin-sister team of Emily and Laura McCallum was defeated 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2.

In the third and final doubles match, the Sparta tandem of Erin Dinger and Jessi Fortun suffered a 6-1, 6-0 loss.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 6 , 2007 issue

Spartans Areanna Lakowske and Adam Simpson both recorded top-five finishes Thursday to lead their respective cross country teams to second place at the Viroqua Invitational.

Lakowske captured the individual title in the girls meet to lead the Lady Spartan harriers to the runner-up spot, while Simpson finished fourth for the boys.

Sparta Girls
Lakowske finished the race in 17:19 to earn the individual championship and lead the Lady Spartans to their best finish of the young season in the nine-team invitational

Sparta's Jenna Anderson finished just behind Lakowske in fourth place with a time of 18:06, while teammate Andrea Hedrick turned in a time of 18:34 to capture the sixth slot.

Kelsey Anderson finished in 11th place for the Lady Spartans with a time of 18:57, while Emily Stedman finished 64th with a time of 24:38 and Jenea Skon finished in 28:43 to land in 73rd.

"The course had numerous grueling hills and it was a challenging course for the girls," said Lady Spartan head coach Melinda Benzing.

"They did very well, both as a team and as individuals," she continued. "We had three girls in the top ten and one girl just out of the top ten in 11th place."

Sparta Boys
Sparta had to settle for the runner-up spot, finishing in second just one point behind team champion Viroqua.

The host Blackhawks finished in first with 57 points, while the Spartans came in just one point back with 58.

Third place went to Black River Falls with 83 points, followed by Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau in fourth with 106 and Onalaska Luther with 130 in fifth.

Sixth place went to Westby with 113 team tallies, Hillsboro was seventh with 155 and Brookwood finished eighth with 180.

Simpson's time of 18:48 was good enough for fourth place, while Sam Kiefer finished the race in seventh place with a time of 19:05.

Raeven Lantz turned in a time of 19:28 to capture the 13th slot for the Spartans, followed by Derek McDonald in 15th with a time of 19:49 and Ben Schauf with a time of 20:18 in the 23rd spot.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 4 , 2007 issue

Sparta scored an easy win in the opener en route to an easy 3-0 victory over Holmen in Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) volleyball action at Holmen Monday,

The Lady Spartan spikers cruised to an easy 25-13 victory over the Vikings in the first game of the best-of-five match, and opened up a 2-0 advantage with a narrow 25-23 win in the second game.

Sparta continued to roll in the third game of the match, scoring a 25-17 victory to seal the win.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 30 , 2007 issue

Seniors Trevor Erickson and Zach Molland remember all-too-well Sparta's 0-9 football season of a year ago.

Friday, however, Erickson and Molland did what they could to help the Spartan gridders forget the past and get their 2007 season off to a solid start.

Erickson scored on runs of 37 and 35 yards, while Molland tacked on a pair of short touchdown runs to lead Sparta to a 35-6 victory over nonconference rival Black River Falls in the season and home opener for Sparta at Sparta Memorial Field.

After a scoreless first quarter, Black River Falls opened up a 6-0 advantage early in the second stanza when Tiger running back Matt Millis hit paydirt from one yard out.

Sparta came right back to tie the game on a five-yard touchdown run by Molland.

Molland added the extra point to put the Spartans on top 7-6.

Sparta increased its lead to 14-6 later in the frame, when Erickson scored on a 37-yard touchdown run and Molland added his second extra point.

A one-yard touchdown run by Molland, coupled with his third extra point of the game, allowed Sparta to take a 21-6 lead into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, Connor Miles scored on a six-yard run, Erickson hit paydirt from 35 yards out and Molland booted two more extra points to allow Sparta to coast to the victory down the stretch.

Sparta finished the game with 279 yards on offense, including 218 yards on the ground, and held the Tigers to just 186 yards.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 27 , 2007 issue

The Sparta football team is coming off a solid performance at a scrimmage in Richland Center over the weekend, and is looking to ride that momentum to a victory in its season and home opener against Black River Falls Friday night.

Spartan head coach Larry Severson said his team is looking to put its 0-8 season of a year ago behind it, and nothing would better serve the cause than a win over Sparta's neighbor to the north.

"It's huge," said Severson of Friday's nonconference battle with the Tigers.

"We need momentum, and the first game is really big. It could really give us a jump start if we are able to come out and play well," he continued.

Sparta and Black River Falls have split a pair of games during the Severson era, and Severson knows his team has to come out ready to play Friday if it's going to move to 2-1.

"We need to control the ball and not let them have big plays," he said.

"If we establish both the run and the pass, play smart on defense, don't get out of position and don't get fooled by the counter, I think we have a very good chance," continued Severson.

The No. 1 concern of the Spartan defense will be to stop Tiger halfback Matt Millis.

"Matt is their go-to guy out of the backfield, and we've got to stop him," said Severson. "We also expect him to jump into the quarterback position in the shotgun once in a while, and we're prepared for that too."

Offensively, Severson said the Spartans must be able to attack the weaknesses in the Tiger defense.

"In an ideal situation, you want to establish the run first and go from there, but we're are going to attack what they are giving us," he said.

"If they stack the box and try to stop the run, then we'll attack them through the air," Severson continued. "But if I had my choice, I would like to try and establish the run first."

Sparta scrimmaged Richland Center and Baraboo in Richland Center Saturday, and Severson liked what he saw - especially on defense.

"I think it went pretty well," he said.

"We found a few things we need to work on, but we expected that," he said. "We also did some nice things. We established the running game and put together a nice 10-play drive that ended in a touchdown against Richland Center."

Defensively, the Spartans flexed their muscles a bit, giving up just two touchdowns - one to each team.

"Overall, we did a nice job defensively," Severson said. "We were able to shut them down."

Severson said his team has been working hard in the pre-season, and he believes it will show on the field Friday night.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 23 , 2007 issue

The Sparta girls tennis team rebounded from a lopsided loss in its season opener to pick up back-to-back nonconference wins in a pair of road matches last week.

The Lady Spartan netters rolled to a 6-1 victory over Viroqua Thursday, and edged West Salem 4-3 one day later.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 20 , 2007 issue

The fall sports season opened this week for three Sparta squads, and the rest of the Spartan teams will get their 2007 campaigns underway next week.

The Spartan football, girls tennis and girls golf squads held their first day of practice Monday, while the volleyball, boys soccer and boys and girls cross teams kick-off their seasons at the beginning of next week.

The season openers for the Sparta football, girls tennis and girls golf teams are just around the corner as well, and the following is a look at their respective schedules.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 9 , 2007 issue

Ethan Schmitz led a contingent of eight Spartan golfers at last week's Three Rivers Golf Association Juniors Tournament at Sparta Municipal Golf Course.

Schmitz, who will be a senior on the Spartan boys golf team this school year, fired a one-under-par round of 71 to capture the championship in the boys ages 16-18 division.

He shot a one-over round of 37 on the front nine, but followed it up with a two-under round of 34 on the back to post the best score of the tournament.

Schmitz finished the day with three birdies, two bogies and 13 pars.

Schmitz was back in action this week, when he traveled to Sheboygan to compete in the Culver's PGA Junior Championships Tuesday and Wednesday at The Bull.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 2 , 2007 issue

Sparta bounced back from an opening-round loss to capture back-to-back wins and advance to the final four in the Junior American Legion State Baseball Tournament in Burlington over the weekend.

The young Spartans suffered a narrow 5-4 defeat at the hands of Bayport in the first game of the tourney Friday, but rallied to score 1 4-3 victory over Hortonville Saturday and defeat host Burlington 2-1 on Sunday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 30, 2007 issue

Sparta Baseball 12 and under team #2 captured second place this past weekend in a Little League boys tournament hosted by Caledonia.

The young team of fifth and sixth grade boys opened the six-team tournament on Saturday, posting a victory over St. Charles with 7-2 score.

They then went on to beat Caledonia Gold, scoring eight runs to Caledonia's one, assuring them of a spot in the semifinal round.

Sunday's first game was a hard-fought battle against the heavily favored Caledonia Black team. At the end of the game, the teams were tied at six apiece with an extra inning looming.

Sparta batted first and scored, giving thema one-run lead. The Sparta defense held strong for the rest of the inning, winning the game and giving them a seat in the finals.

The championship game was against a big Iowa team. The boys tried hard, but the Lansing Mudcats overpowered them for the win. Nevertheless, the U12 team made a fine showing with a second place finish.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 26 , 2007 issue

The Sparta Parks and Recreation Department U12 traveling softball team captured the team title in a recent youth softball tournament in La Crescent.

The young Lady Spartans posted three straight victories and went without a defeat in the tourney to capture the championship.

Sparta opened the eight-team tournament on the right foot, scoring a victory in the quarterfinal match, then posted back-to-back wins in the semifinals and finals to come home with the hardware.

Sparta's U12 team is led by coaches Ken Green and Chuck Siekert.

Team members include Kelsey Thurston, Cassidy Kripe, Halla Ortery, Christinia Siekert, Abby Mitchell, Jackie Schroeder, Tori Green, Meghan Wiedl, Schannel Girrard, Miranda Hemmersbach, Haley Hesselberg, Emily Fendt and Mikala Sund.