Advertised as a meet that provides the best competition for the greatest number of racers, the 67th annual Bill Smiley Invitational at Wausau East certainly provided that needed competition Saturday to local squads from Medford and Prentice-Rib Lake. Particularly for Medford standout Meredith Richter, who had gone unchallenged in her first four races of 2023, a good test was not only needed,

The Medford Raiders are hoping their first look at the Colby High School cross country course on Saturday is just a sign of what’s to come when they return for the WIAA Division 2 sectional meet on Oct. 21. Taking advantage on an ideal September morning and the relatively-flat layout, the Raiders set several season- or personal-best times while winning the team championships in three of the

The Medford Raiders drastically reduced their penalty yardage and rediscovered the run blocking that was so successful two weeks prior in Onalaska while rolling to a 50-14 win over Lakeland Friday night at Raider Field. They also seem to have found their next standout running back. Paxton Rothmeier had his third straight triple-digit yardage total and second straight game over 200 yards

Losing the first two duals at home obviously isn’t the way the Medford Raiders wanted to start the Great Northern Conference volleyball season, but a much more complete effort in the second of those losses Tuesday was encouraging. The Raiders fell 3-1 to Mosinee in sauna-like conditions inside Raider Hall, though the atmosphere was electric for an early-season match, fueled by the dueling student

The Medford Raiders did their best to beat the heat on the tennis court Tuesday afternoon, beat the Bloomer Blackhawks 4-3 at the end of their doubleheader and took a good shot at beating the Rhinelander Hodags at the start of it. Medford gave Rhinelander a pretty strong push, but the annual GNC title contenders used four straight-set wins to take a 4-3 victory in the day’s opening dual on

The Medford Raiders don’t get many swim meets that come down to the last event, but they came through in one that did Tuesday, winning the 400-yard freestyle relay to clinch an 89-80 win over Merrill in the home opener. Medford led 79-76 going into the last race. A win or a second- and third-place finish was needed to secure the team win. Breanna Kraemer, Jolie Steliga, Layla Petersen and Colby

For most teams, experimentation is a big part of early-season volleyball tournaments and some trial and error paid off nicely for the Gilman Pirates on Saturday. A week of tweaking carried into the first couple rounds of Saturday’s Prentice Invitational, but it all came together in round two when the Pirates snuck out a 2-1 victory against the host Buccaneers, handing them their first loss.

The Medford Raiders’ cross country program has reached the point where optimism and high expectations are simply going to be there when practice begins each August. This year, the positive vibes early on might be at an all-time high. Not only is Medford loaded with talent on the girls’ side, the Raiders got a pleasant surprise with some unexpected additions showing up for the boys team

Just like last fall, the Gilman Pirates, Owen-Withee Blackhawks and Thorp Cardinals are the projected front-runners in Central Wisconsin East eight-player football conference as the 2023 season. Despite the loss of six graduates, the Pirates expect to run with those teams again –– literally. Speed and quickness are among the key strengths Gilman will rely upon in its fourth year of eight-player

The Medford Raiders enter the 2023 football season with athletic talent they believe they can win with. They also start the fall with little varsity experience following the graduation of 22 seniors, meaning there will be a learning curve to overcome to get where they want to be at season’s end. As always, the Raiders aren’t easing into the season as another tough scrimmage session last