WSAW Hilight Zone Podcast

Don't stress, the Ouimette sisters of Minocqua will still play Division 1 basketball together. It'll just be in a different city than originally planned. Julianna is transferring from Lehigh after her freshman season to play for UW-Green Bay and naturally, her sister Kristina followed her commitment there.  Noah Manderfeld talks with the pair about the decision and the benefits Green Bay offers th...

For months, Antigo long jumper MacKenzie Wissbroecker has strived for the 19-foot long jump. Last Friday, she achieved that in front of the very person who initially held the school record, Cherie Dillahunt.  There's a lot to unpack with the senior who is going for a three-peat in the long jump at state in Division 2. Noah Manderfeld talks with Wissbroecker about the moment she set her new PR, the...

Seven freshman, five sophomores, three juniors and one senior is the roster construction of Chequamegon softball. There's a lot of young talent for a Fighting Eagles squad on the rise. Sports Director Noah Manderfeld speaks with Head Coach Paige Herbst and sophomore Angelina BeBeau about the youth movement up north, and how the unique roster construction is pushing players to grow even faster.

Few people spend 33 years at one job. But Tom Anderson isn't most people. He's entering year 33 at Iola-Scandinavia as their head softball coach and he's loving every minute of it. He's had a lot of success in that time, as well. He's sitting at over 440 career wins and just won his first state title last season.  Noah Manderfeld speaks with Anderson about his career and his passion for the game o...

A new era on the gridiron is underway at D.C. Everest with offensive assistant Braden Mitchell being promoted to Head Coach. NewsChannel 7's Nolan Bulmahn dives into how the combo of football and family fuels Mitchell to strive for success as the Evergreen's sixth coach in program history.   

Columbus Catholic and Almond-Bancroft boys basketball are the two central Wisconsin teams who will be playing at state in Division 5 and they are the top two seeds. However, the programs are quite different. Columbus is making their third trip to state since 2017 and has nine seniors on their team, while Almond-Bancroft has just two seniors and is making their first trip to state in school history...

Marathon is a basketball town and Thursday night will be a special one for the community. The boys basketball team will be making the trip down to Madison to play Kenosha St. Joseph in the WIAA Division 4 State Semifinal game. It will be their first trip to state since 2018. These Red Raiders remember that 2018 team fondly- the five seniors were in 6th grade at the time. In this episode, they look...

Stratford native Derek Kraus will be racing in NASCAR's Cup Series, a dream come true. He will be sporting the No. 16 in a part-time role for six races this year for Kaulig Racing starting this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In this episode, Kraus talks with Noah Manderfeld about his excitement for the new adventure and what this accomplishment means to him.

It had taken over a century for Marshfield boy's basketball to win an outright Wisconsin Valley Conference title. Now they've done it three years in a row. It's a run of excellence that deserves a deeper look. Noah Manderfeld speaks with Brook Hinson, Chris Pohl and head coach Chris Fischer about what's made this team successful and why playoff success could be coming their way this season. 

It's been 17 seasons since Pittsville girls basketball has had success close to this season's. They are 18-4 as they near the playoffs as a No. 2 seed, hoping to make their first state title appearance since 2004.  In this episode, Reese Grimm, Brynn Friday, Brooke Grossman and Head Coach Jason Knott discuss the special season and how things will only look up from here.

Last year, Marcus Hall was helping D.C. Everest boys' basketball win games in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. This year, he's part of the Green Bay men's team that has gone from worst to first in the Horizon, all with a new head coach and a boatload of new players.    NewsChannel 7's Ben Helwig visits with Hall on his first year playing D1 college basketball, the role he's playing and what makes...

Last year, the Crandon girls' basketball team took home a share of the Northern Lakes Conference title. That group was led by five seniors.  This year, a new group, featuring a blend of veterans and young contributors, is charting its own path to success, while relying on the lessons learned from the seniors before them. NewsChannel 7's Ben Helwig speaks to Crandon players Alexis Shallock, Samara...

Phillips girls basketball has won their regional in each of the last three years. There's a number of reasons, but at the core of the Loggers success is family and consistent winning. NewsChannel 7's Noah Manderfeld speaks with Kacy Eggebrecht, Mataya Eckert and head coach Mike Eggebrecht about what makes this program special, and their desire to get over the hump and into the WIAA state tournamen...

Pacelli Boys basketball was two wins away from state last season and that's a good thing when you see how much of their roster is returning. They lost just two seniors from that team, and they return their two scoring leaders in Camden Schurk and Jaydon Awe. Both are sophomores. NewsChannel 7's Noah Manderfeld speaks with those two and senior Logan Mayer about the hopes this team has of building o...

Gabe Sommers grew up racing bandoleros at State Park Speedway in Wausau. The Plover native had no idea that he'd become a tour champion. However, that's exactly what happened. On Oct. 8, Sommers won the Oktoberfest 200 at La Crosse Speedway to claim the 2023 ASA Midwest Tour title.    Ben Helwig visits with Sommers about his journey through the racing scene and how he is grateful for the ride. 

Lakeland's Saylor Timmerman is going to the SEC for softball. The junior who throws 70 milers per hour has committed to Arkansas. Noah Manderfeld speaks to the flamethrower about her decision, and her goals for the last two seasons at Lakeland. 

September of 2021. That's the last time Marshfield volleyball lost a Wisconsin Valley Conference match. They've won 27 straight regular season matches and they haven't dropped a set in any of those matches.  Noah Manderfeld speaks with seniors Abby Ongna and Ashlyn Barwick along with head coach Dawn Sadowska about the streak and what it's doing for the future of the program.

Through their first four games, the Three Lakes/Phelps football team is averaging nearly 35 points per game. On defense, they've given up just 26 points all season. Those are totals emblematic of how the number two team in eight-player has won games this season, using their perfect blend of strength and speed.  Ben Helwig visits with Three Lakes/Phelps head coach Tyler Maney, quarterback Jared Kau...

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Andy's Madison Capitols will host the Green Bay Gamblers at Marathon Park in the first-ever USHL game in Wausau. It will also mark a family reunion for the Brandt family. Andy and Brian Brandt Jr. both grew up in Wausau and played for Wausau West. Once each of their playing careers were over, they became coaches. Andy is now the head coach and general manager for the USHL's...

It's been quite the couple of years for Wausau East football. The Lumberjacks played just two games in 2020. In 2021, they were unable to field a varsity roster. The last two years they've been bouncing as a JV team and in 8-player.  Finally, on August 11, they returned to varsity 11-man action, topping Lakeland 23-7 in Minocqua. It was their first win in 1,440 days.  Now, the team prepares for th...

Wausau’s Brady Cleveland had the dream of his life come true when he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the NHL draft. For Brady, the moment was stamp on a lifetime of hard work. NewsChannel 7's Noah Manderfeld spoke to the Wausau native about what draft night was like and what he's doing as he gets ready for his freshman season with the University of Wisconsin. You can fi...

Wausau native and racer Luke Fenhaus reached victory lane in just his third race in the ARCA Menards Series East, winning in Nashville on a last lap restart. It's been a great start to the season for Fenhaus through four races of his first full-time season in the ARCA series, who's sitting in second in the standings. Noah Manderfeld speaks with the Wausau driver about the moment he won at Nashvill...

In 2020, Macey Kilty suffered a devastating shoulder injury in the 2020 Olympic Trials. Just two years later, the Stratford native would suffer the same injury while pushing for the Olympic rings once again. Through perseverance and the help of her loved ones, she's feeling better than ever, with some monster matches looming that could determine her fate for Paris 2024.    Ben Helwig visits with K...

Janel McCarville is the next SPASH girls basketball head coach. If you don't know the McCarville name, look no further than her 2013 WNBA Championship ring with the Minnesota Lynx. But her home is Stevens Point, and she is back to replace her former head coach Kraig Terpstra as the new Panther coach. Noah Manderfeld speaks with McCarville about her path from Stevens Point to the pros and then back...

For over a decade, Russell Gymnastics has been a hub for young gymnasts in central Wisconsin. However, success is just one aspect of what makes this place home. Take it from three stand-out gymnasts who will be competing on the biggest of stages. Hear from Arianna Ostrum, a level ten competing at Nationals in Oklahoma, as well as Addison Brock and Abigail Berens, both level nine athletes who are c...