Friday, August 7, 2020 www.rivernewsonline.com Page 12 SPORTS THEY’LL BE CRYING IN THEIR BEER DIGEST GNC makes fall 2010 Rebels sports schedule stay hot, stun changes defending champ The Great Northern Confer - ence on Tuesday made a host of Kimberly for schedule changes to a number Legion state title of its fall sports as it prepares for Second in a series an abbreviated season in the wake of the COVID-19 pan - By Jeremy Mayo demic. The most drastic sched - RIVER NEWS SPORTS EDITOR ule changes took place in football, boys’ soccer and vol - By vanquishing one of its leyball — all of which had their most stubborn opponents in first days of practice pushed dominating fashion, defeat - back to Labor Day following a ing Merrill 14-0 in the first WIAA Board of Control decision round of the 2010 Wisconsin late last month. AA American Legion Base - Details are still to be deter - ball state tournament, the mined by the conference regard - Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels ing COVID protocols and atoned for games that had restrictions at events, and will slipped through their grasp be announced at a later date. during the regular season See RiverNewsOnline.com for and regional tournament, a rundown of the changes. setting up a chain of events BOB MAINHARDT ARCHIVES that would culminate four In this Aug. 3, 2010 photo, the Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels celebrate after recording the final out in the days later in a state champi - Wisconsin American Legion Class AA state tournament championship game against Kimberly at Athletic onship. Park in Merrill. LOCAL After the Merrill win, SCOREBOARD tough games against River that time, all summer. That’s field. He got a runner out at John Huebner: We had a Falls and Holmen remained when we were competitive. second on a force before the game plan. Could I have GOLF ahead for the Rebels, fol - Dan Kellen, runner scored at home. We thrown Sam in that game? lowed by a two-night show - junior OF/P/C: could have easily gotten beat Yeah, I could have, but he PINEWOOD C.C. down with Kimberly. I think it that game. Then the bunt would have been on short Men’s League In part one of our oral his - helped that that he put down. They rest and, in my mind, there Tuesday, Aug. 4 Low Gross tory of the 2010 state cham - the other ended up throwing it around isn’t a single chance they’re 40 — Jamie Stafford pion Rebels, we looked at teams were and I think he ended up on beating us with the way Sam 41 — Mike Fleury, Kyle Adams 42 — Lyn Backhause, Dave Karr, George the Rebels’ up-and-down just sitting in third base to get us going. was pitching, and the way Miller path to the state tournament. their hotel He got us going through that we were playing, if he’s on Low Net 29 — Alex Bontz, Lyn Backhause Today, in our second install - rooms just sit - portion of the tournament. full rest. 32 — Mike Murray, George Miller, Doug ment, we relive the team’s ting around. I remember Without him, we’re not win - Troy White: Behn 33 — Kyle Adams, Jamie Stafford, Ed Or - championship march. going fishing during the day ning that game. I remember likowski, Dave Karr, Butch Seeger ___ and doing normal stuff at Comer: not being Birdies: Dick Beckman (11), Andy VanDyke (11), Jamie Stafford (13), home to keep your mind off Having a guy happy when I George Miller (14), Ted Fifrick (16), Winning the late game on it and then, same time every like Ben Prom left the bump. Jesse Richter (16), Tom Felch (18). the first night of the tourna - day, get in the car, meet at who isn’t The offense Mixed Couples League Thursday, July 30 ment kept the Rebels in the the Town Pump and head going to com - did not pick Men’s Low Gross winner’s bracket and play - down there. Nothing really plain about me up. I did 38 — Derrick Fore 42 — Mike Karle ing late in the evening. It changed for us. just playing not pick myself up. I remem - 43 — Kyle Adams was around 8 o’clock by the ___ left field and ber having zero confidence Women’s Low Gross 52 — Paula Fleury time first pitch rolled not hitting. going into that game, but 54 — Judy Bloomquist around. That was fine by the After the emotional open - We talked about knowing then all the confidence in the 55 — Sue Schroeder Men’s Low Net team to make the roughly ing night victory over Mer - your role. Ben’s like, “OK, world the next game. 28 — Darin Bloomquist 45-minute drive down U.S. rill, the Rebels eked out a 5-2 I’m going to play great de - Huhnstock: I think if we 31 — Derrick Fore 33 — Kyle Adams Highway 51 to Merrill. win over River Falls. Kellen fense.” would have gotten beat in Women’s Low Net Dan Huhnstock, Rebels allowed an earned run on ___ five innings, 10-run ruled, 31 — Linda Gropengiser 32 — Judy Bloomquist, Sue Schroeder, manager: In five hits with five strikeouts our guys would have been Lynn Karle hindsight, the over seven innings while Due to the unique double down, but I remember once 35 — Jan Parker, Danielle Adams, Chris Flannery scheduling of also hitting a home run. The elimination format, the win we started to rally and put Birdies: Derrick Fore (13, 14, 18), Kyle the state tour - next night sophomore Kyle over Holmen moved some runs on the board and Adams (16). nament could Comer allowed three runs on Rhinelander to 3-0 and auto - elongated the game for them, RHINELANDER C.C. not have seven hits with seven strike - matically into the champi - our guys, their chins were Men’s League worked any outs and hit two home runs onship game, however it still up. There was a sparkle in Thursday, July 30 Low Gross better for us. in a 7-3 victory over Hol - needed to play the next their eye (saying), “We can 32 — Nic Weight Basically men. night. The Rebels drew de - do this. We can play with 36 — Mike Carlson, Nick Schiefelbein 37 — Dale Mooney, George Baksic every game was a late While those were the head - fending AA state champion them.” Low Net evening game. Most of them lines, Rebels third-base Kimberly, which was in a Henkel: When I look back 24 — Jake Weinand 29 — Nick Weight were 8 o’clock starts. Our coach John Huebner recalled win-or-else scenario. While on it, and maybe my mem - 31 — Dale Mooney, George Baksic, Nick kids, being only 45 minutes the unsung role of Ben Prom the team’s ace, Sam Hueb - ory is misleading, it always Schiefelbein, Tom Marion Eagle: Bill Kenealy (7) away, could sleep in their — the only senior on the ros - ner, was eligible to pitch that felt like that was a “get to Birdies: Nic Weight (4, 5, 7, 9), Dan La - own beds every night. They ter other than Sam Huebner night under old Legion pitch - know you” kind of game. bodda (1, 2), Jerry Cleary (1, 4), Alex Cir - illi (1), Tony Hansen (1), Greg Edwards could go to their jobs every — to help the team through ing rules that allowed pitch - That was the one where we (2), Ben Opsal (3), Jess Spiegelhoff, day. The coaches could go to those middle games of the ers to throw no more than 10 were feeling them out, see - Doug Bouffiou (5), Jack Haug (5), Andy Hildebrand (5), Jake Nelson (5), Pete Otis their jobs every day and you tournament. innings in any three-day ing what they had and we (5), Tim Phelan (5), Nate Schrock (5), just take a leisurely ride John Huebner: stretch, the team decided to learned the stuff we needed Don Stroede (5), Joe Sturzl (5), Mike Carlson (6), Nick Schiefelbein (6), Jack down there in the evening to We had a rest Huebner for the follow - to about them that game. It Sorensen (7), Jeff Chandler (8), Kari Hjelt show up to play baseball. No couple of ing night and put Troy White was really growing the antic - (8), Dale Mooney (9). different than any night of tough games on the mound. ipation toward that final NORTHWOOD G.C. the week all summer long. after that Things did not go well for game. Men’s League Alex Henkel, where we Rhinelander in the first meet - Sam Wednesday, July 29 junior UT : We had some key ing. The Rebels committed Huebner: It Low Gross 37 — Kyle Christian loved playing plays. There’s five errors that night, fell be - was like, 39 — Dave Frasier at night. a few plays in hind 14-0 after three innings “You guys 40 — Nate Shefveland, Eugene Gilman Low Net That’s what that tourna - and needed back-to-back can have all 33 — Jeff Brock, Nate Shefveland, Chuck you looked ment that I look at to this walks to extend the game in the fun Gilman 34 — Mark Senoraske forward to day. In that River Falls the fifth inning. Kellen fol - tonight but, 35 — Dave Frasier, Kyle Christian, Steve about playing game, I look at Ben Prom. lowed with a grand slam that tomorrow, Dahlquist Birdies: Eugene Gilman (10), Rob Schin - Legion ball, That was a tough game and brought Rhinelander within it’s going to be war.” delholz (13), Nate Shefveland (14), Hank was playing under the lights. he came up throwing. He 14-9, but Kimberly eventually Dervetski (15), Kyle Christian (16), Jeff Brock (16). We were used to playing at made a play out in the out - prevailed 19-10. See Rebels . . . page 13

12 FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020 WWW.RIVERNEWSONLINE.COM PAGE 13

John Huebner: There were four Rebels people sitting out in lawn chairs WISCONSIN From page 12 in left field and immediately they took their hand up and did the old SPORTS GLANCE Kimberly still needed to win whirly bird, the home run (sig - once more to force a winner-take- nal), and I’m like, “Gosh, that ball Milwaukee all championship game with did go.” Rhinelander. It accomplished that ___ BREWERS by beating Holmen 7-1 on the af - ternoon of the title game. Kim - Perhaps it was better that the SCHEDULE berly, the defending champions, umpires did not see White’s shot Monday : Chicago White Sox 6, Milwaukee 4 won four straight games in the go over the fence, as it set up one Tuesday : Chicago White Sox 3, Milwaukee 2 tournament to reach the finals and of the most iconic moments in Wednesday : at Chicago White Sox, late was playing against a team it had Rhinelander baseball history. Thursday : at Chicago White Sox, late beaten by nine runs the night be - Staked to a 9-1 lead, Sam Hueb - Friday: vs. Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m. (FSWI) fore — a team that did not even ner retired the first two batters Saturday: vs. Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m. (FSWI) win its own regional and had only he faced before giving up a two- Sunday: vs. Cincinnati, 1:10 p.m. (FSWI) two players over the age of 18 on out single to Will Randerson. Aug. 10: vs. Minnesota, 7:10 p.m. (FSWI) its roster at the start of the season. Clean-up hitter Sam Rein was MLB STANDINGS AS OF AUGUST 4 On paper, the matchup seemed to BOB MAINHARDT ARCHIVES next, and the first pitch he saw NATIONAL LEAGUE AMERICAN LEAGUE favor the Cougars, and that sense In this Aug. 3, 2010 photo, Dan turned into a soft fly ball to shal - East Division W L Pct GB East Division W L Pct GB Kellen rounds third on his way to Miami 3 1 .750 1 N.Y. Yankees 8 1 .889 — was evident prior to the game. score following a shot to right by low right. It was heading into the Atlanta 8 4 .667 — Baltimore 5 4 .556 3 John Huebner: Kimberly, they’re hole between White in right field Washington 4 4 .500 2 Tampa Bay 5 6 .455 4 Alex Henkel during the sixth inning N.Y. Mets 4 8 .333 4 Toronto 3 5 .375 4› a cocky team, and they had a of the Wisconsin American Legion and Michlig at second. Philadelphia 1 3 .250 3 Boston 3 8 .273 6 good team, good program. Dan Class AA state tournament champi - White: It went up and I thought Central Division W L Pct GB Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago Cubs 9 2 .818 — Minnesota 9 2 .818 — (Huhnstock) and I grabbed (our onship game between Rhinelander I had it and then, as I was sprint - Cincinnati 5 6 .455 4 Chicago White Sox 7 4 .636 2 and Kimberly at Athletic Park in St. Louis 2 3 .400 4 Cleveland 6 6 .500 3› players) and I was just watching Merrill. The Rebels blew the cham - ing as fast as I could — because Milwaukee 3 5 .375 4› Detroit 5 5 .500 3› them warming up and their antics. pionship game open with a six-run my only goal when the ball went Pittsburgh 2 9 .182 7 Kansas City 3 9 .250 6› West Division W L Pct GB West Division W L Pct GB It was just another game they sixth. All the scoring occurred with up was to sprint and decide what Colorado 8 2 .800 — Oakland 7 4 .636 — were going to win. two outs. I was going to do once I got three L.A. Dodgers 8 4 .667 1 Houston 6 4 .600 › San Diego 7 5 .583 2 L.A. Angels 4 7 .364 3 Sam Huebner: I think the biggest seconds from impact — but it’s San Francisco 5 7 .417 4 Texas 3 6 .333 3 thing for me was seeing how like, “I’m not getting there.” Arizona 3 8 .273 5› Seattle 4 8 .333 3› cocky they were, and I was going 103 pitches. With no pitch count Michlig: I dropped a routine pop to try to shut them up as best I rules in place at that time, and up right to me in the seventh in - Milwaukee could. with Huebner playing in his final ning of one of those (regional) John Huebner: We brought them game in a Rhinelander uniform games (against Merrill) and pop BUCKS in and said, “Just take a look before heading to Southern Idaho ups have kind of been a night - down there. Look at how they’re to begin his collegiate career, it mare my whole life. It’s just not SCHEDULE approaching this game. In two was going to take more than an my cup of tea. That play I was Aug. 2: Houston 120, Milwaukee 116 hours,” I said, “They’re going to act of God to force him from the playing deep and I took one look Tuesday: Brooklyn 119, Milwaukee 116 all be crying in their beer.” mound. at Troy. I knew he wasn’t going Thursday: vs. Miami, late ___ Sam Huebner: The only way I to get there and I just ran and Saturday: vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) wasn’t going back in is if it got dove. Aug. 10: vs. Toronto, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN) Sam Huebner was on the postponed to a different day. White: He just dove in front of NBA STANDINGS AS OF AUGUST 4 mound for the biggest game of his Lucas Michlig, me out of the blue, I was expect - EASTERN CONFERENCE WESTERN CONFERENCE life, and it showed early. He sophomore 2B: I ing to be scooping it up. I never Team W L Pct GB Team W L Pct GB walked a couple of batters in the remember there saw him. x-Milwaukee 54 14 .794 — z-L.A. Lakers 51 15 .773 — x-Toronto 48 18 .727 5 x-L.A. Clippers 45 22 .672 6› first inning and worked his way was never a doubt Michlig: The ball was so close to x-Boston 44 23 .657 9› x-Denver 44 23 .657 7› out of a bases loaded jam un - that Sam was coming out of my glove. It went x-Miami 43 25 .632 11 x-Houston 42 25 .627 9› x-Indiana 42 26 .618 12 x-Utah 42 25 .627 9› scathed by striking out Luke Van - going to go back in the pocket but, when I hit the x-Philadelphia 40 27 .597 13› x-Oklahoma City 41 25 .621 10 Handel. In the bottom half of the on the mound. He ground, it came all the way out. Brooklyn 32 35 .478 21› x-Dallas 41 29 .586 12 Orlando 32 36 .471 22 Memphis 32 36 .471 20 inning the Rebels loaded the bases, had his winter There was half the ball showing. Washington 24 43 .358 29› Portland 31 38 .449 21› Kellen hit a sacrifice fly to give jacket on. He was Huhnstock: Lucas went back Charlotte 23 42 .354 29› San Antonio 29 37 .439 22 Chicago 22 43 .338 30› New Orleans 29 38 .433 22› Rhinelander the lead and then sweating, but there was no ques - and made a heck of a play on that New York 21 45 .318 32 Phoenix 29 39 .426 23 Detroit 20 46 .303 33 Sacramento 28 39 .418 23› VanHandel threw away a two-out tion in anyone’s mind that he was ball. It’s just like, ‘Oh my gosh, Atlanta 20 47 .299 33› Minnesota 19 45 .297 31 grounder by Henkel, allowing the going back out there. we did it!’ It was just such a sense Cleveland 19 46 .292 33› Golden State 15 50 .231 35› x-Clinched playoffs z-Clinched conference Rebels to take a 3-0 lead. The Comer: We were just so loose in of relief. Cougars got one back in the third the dugout and, like Luke said, we Michlig: It’s weird how I can re - as the game settled into a rhythm. knew Sam was going back out member every step of catching Huebner allowed only three hits there. It’s like, “All right, let’s just that ball and then getting up. on the night and a strong sit in the dugout. We’ll crush some Troy was right there and then I Rhinelander defense kept Kim - Gatorade, talk about some girls think Schmidty and Micah came HODAGS AT berly from drawing any closer. and then we’ll get back to it in 30 out to right. Everyone else was Sam Huebner: I think it was all minutes here.” on the pitcher’s mound and our SMALL TOWN the adrenaline. I knew I was ___ two piles condensed after a little throwing the ball faster. I could bit. I had my own little pile, but feel it. My curve ball, everything, The skies eventually cleared. then we all headed to the mound. WThe RhiOnelanRder 1L1UD base baSll tEeamR tookI oEn HSor - tonville in their first game at the Small Town Base - just had a little more zip on it. It Kimberly got two on via a single Kellen: Honestly, I didn’t even ball World Series at the 70 West Fields in Minocqua was the adrenaline. I did have and a walk to lead off the sixth, know who caught the ball. As Friday, July 24. Hortonville won 16-4. some troubles throughout the but Huebner dug in from there soon as I heard everyone go PHOTOS BY BRETT LABORE /LAKELAND TIMES game locating, but the biggest with a pair of strikeouts and a crazy, I just ran out and mobbed thing in that first was just getting grounder to get out of the jam. Sammy. That was something out of there, even if we gave up Then came the Rebels’ final hour else. one run or two, don’t let it get out — including a big rally in the bot - Comer: Talk about not knowing of hand. It definitely could have tom of the inning, and the crow - what to do. You put in all that gone a little different in that first ing moment in the seventh. work and finally the game is inning if we didn’t get out of there. Bryan Kronberger reached on a over. I think everyone, for a split Luckily it worked out the way it bunt single to get things going and second there, was like, ‘Oh, (ex - did. Schmidt drew a walk. Huebner pletive), what do we do now?’ John Huebner: I look at (first lined a shot into right center for a That’s my one and only dog pile baseman) Micah Baumgartner in two-out RBI single and the flood - and I’ll never forget it. There’s no that championship game. (Short - gates opened from there as part of rhyme or reason to it. All of a stop) Nate Schmidt, a couple of a six-run rally. Schmidt scored on sudden, you’re just hugging balls thrown (low), not easy hops, a wild pitch, Kellen added an RBI everybody. I remember two sepa - Micah scooped those out. Little single and Henkel followed with a rate piles for a second and then things like that will change the dy - slicer to right, officially scored as everybody comes back in. What namic of the game. Micah misses an error, that brought home two a time. one of the two or one of the three, by a stingy Merrill scorekeeper. John Huebner: The best part Right fielder Sawyer Bishop throws the ball back to he scooped up every one of them. To this day, Henkel contends it was watching the kids react. This the infield. He missed one of those, we’ve got was a double. isn’t about the coaches, Dan and runners on base, that changes the Eventually, White came to the I. These guys are the ones that whole game, especially with a plate as the potential game-clinch - did this. We just kind of sat back team like Kimberly. ing run and hit a blast to left that in the dugout. That, to me, was ___ was ruled an RBI double off the the best part of the whole game, top of the wall. Athletic Park has a just watching the reaction of The championship game was metal fence installed for high those kids. It was special to scheduled to start at 8 p.m., but school and legion play, but the fa - watch. was pushed up to 7:30 due to the cade of the structure is an eight- ___ threat of thunderstorms. In the foot high granite wall erected by bottom of the fifth, with the the Works Progress Administra - In the final installment of this Rebels up 3-1, a bolt from a cell tion during the Great Depression. series, which will be published in skirting south of Merrill forced According to John Huebner, Tuesday’s River News , we chron - the teams off the field for what White’s shot hit off the top of the icle the aftermath of that state ended up being a 28-minute delay. stone wall, roughly 30 feet beyond championship and the team’s The Rebels had to sit and wait, the outfield fence, and bounced legacy. with a two-run lead in the biggest back into the field of play for what Jeremy Mayo may be Judson O’Malley takes a swing, looking for a big game of their lives. By this point, should have been a title-clinching reached at jeremy@ hit. Sam Huebner had already thrown home run. rivernewsonline.com.

13