Change V -X ie F w e D r P w Click to buy NOW! w m o w c .d k. ocu-trac SPORTS WEEKEND, FEBRUARY 8-9, 2020 | chippewa.com | SECTION B BAL SE L CHIPPEWA RIVER BASEBALL LEAGUE 2020 HOF class revealed McIlquham, Bresina, Steinmetz and Baiers to be honored in July CHIPPEWA HERALD ‌The Chippewa River Baseball League announced its five-player Hall of Fame Class for 2020 in a press release on Friday morning. Ray McIlquham, Todd Bresina, Mitch Steinmetz, Rick Baier and Randy Baier were chosen from a group of 25 active candidates and will be formally introduced at a ceremony during the league’s all-star game on July 5 at Cinder City Park in Altoona. FOR CHIPPEWA HERALD‌ McIlquham had a career that The sport of baseball has meant for (from left) Lesa, Tanner, Trey, Terrin and Joe Vavra. The family has remained involved with the sport spanned nearly 40 years across throughout their lives and will continue this season as Joe and Terrin prepare for their seasons in professional baseball while Tanner and Trey five decades. He caught for 10 coach on the staff at the University of St. Thomas. seasons, breaking into the Chip- pewa County League in 1946 with Lafayette and played 10 years with eight different teams with his final season coming with the Cadott Red Sox in 1961 be- fore a 23-year career as a league umpire. Bresina played 26 years in the Family business league and gained the reputation as a sure-handed second base- man and steady contact hitter As another season begins, passion for baseball remains strong as ever for Vavra family while managing Tilden in the late 2000s. He also carved out BRANDON BERG “I think baseball his niche as a relief pitcher and Chippewa Herald‌ has united us all is the league’s all-time leader in ‌DOWNSVILLE — It has always saves (27). come back to the sport of base- and whether we Steinmetz started his career ball for the Vavra family. wanted to get away with the Bloomer Merchants in Joe, Lesa, Tanner, Trey and 1988 before joining the Tigers Terrin Vavra have dedicated their from it or not…you in 1989. The shortstop was a lives to the sport and have seen try but you always standout defender and teamed their hard work result in success. with Bresina to form one of the And as the family prepares for get drawn back into league’s most long enured and another year on the diamond, this.” productive double play com- their passion for the sport re- binations. Steinmetz has a ca- mains as strong as ever. Trey Vavra reer on-base percentage of .505 “It’s kind of everything,” Tan- across more than 1,300 at-bats ner said baseball’s impact on the 2012, helping the team reach the and retired as the league’s career family. “It’s currently all of our postseason multiple times and leader in steals. professions. It’s been more of a pitched to slugger Justin Mor- Rick Baier opened his career as lifestyle than anything else.” neau when the first baseman a player with the Cadott Red Sox won the MLB Home Run Derby in 1986 before joining Tilden in Growing in the game‌ BRANDON BERG, CHIPPEWA HERALD‌ in 2008 at Yankee Stadium. The roots of baseball in the Trey Vavra speaks to a group of students touring Triple Threat Training As youngsters, Tanner, Trey Please see HOF, Page B2 Vavra family don’t begin with the recently in Downsville. and Terrin traveled with Joe and patriarch Joe — his grandfather Lesa. Joe coached and Lesa ho- Joe, father Frank and uncles were meschooled the children during all active in the sport. the season until the oldest son, THURSDAY PREP The same is said for Joe and his Tanner, was in fifth grade. brothers as the youngest boy out Joe and Lesa never tried to ROUNDUP of 10 children fell in love with the steer the children toward base- sport at an early age. ball, rather exposing them to a Joe cut his teeth in baseball variety of activities and inter- Chieftains on the fields in Lafayette before ests to help them find which ones graduating from Chippewa Falls Joe Vavra Tanner Vavra Trey Vavra Terrin Vavra they liked best. High School in 1978. “My parents have never forced beat Falcons He went on to play at the Uni- organization for five years before Twins in 2002 as the organiza- us to do anything,” Tanner said. versity of Wisconsin-Stout be- moving into coaching and player tion’s minor league field coor- “They’ve always been over the fore being drafted by the Los An- development. dinator. top when it comes to allowing Lake Holcombe girls geles Dodgers in the eighth round Joe remained with the Dodg- He moved up to the team’s us to do whatever our passions basketball deals of the 1982 First Year Player ers before coaching UW-Stout in hitting coach after the 2005 sea- Draft, playing in the Dodgers 2001 and joining the Minnesota son and stayed in that role until Please see FAMILY, Page B2 Flambeau first East Lakeland defeat PREP WRESTLING | CHI-HI QUAD CHIPPEWA HERALD ‌HOLCOMBE — The Lake Holcombe girls basketball team knocked off East Lake- land Conference Cards close regular season strong leader Flambeau 52-40 on Thurs- and I think the kids do too. This day evening. Chi-Hi wins three was good for all of them, they’re Brooke duals in home finale all excited and they’re going to Lechleitner led get back at it right away (Friday) the Chieftains BRANDON BERG morning and get ready for the (8-8, 6-5) with Chippewa Herald‌ regional next week on Saturday.” 14 points, joined ‌The Chi-Hi wrestling team Beckwith had a major deci- in double fig- Kane capped the regular season on a sion win and pinfall victory to ures by Megan high note Thursday, winning all go with a forfeit while Mattson Lechleitner with 13 points. three duals at a quad hosted by earned three forfeit victories. Justine Kane and Josi Elmberg the Cardinals. Johnson earned a first-round each added seven points in the Chi-Hi defeated Mondovi pinfall against Mondovi before victory. (54-19), Prescott (51-21) and two forfeit wins, Moucha had a Kristen Lawton scored 11 Osseo-Fairchild/Augusta/Fall dominant 12-0 major decision points for the Falcons (9-7, Creek (54-30) at a quad recently win over Prescott’s Alex Holt 8-1). added to the schedule after last flanked by forfeits and Drivas The Chieftains host South month’s Chi-Hi invitational was had a second-round pinfall and Shore on Tuesday. canceled due to winter weather. forfeit win in his two matches. Seven wrestlers had unbeaten BRANDON BERG, CHIPPEWA HERALD‌ Smith earned two forfeit wins Altoona 50, McDonell 41 performances individually for Chi-Hi’s Austin Smith fights for a pin against Osseo-Fairchild/Augusta/ before picking up a pinfall in one At Altoona, the Rails beat the the Chi-Hi as Iverson Beckwith Fall Creek’s Bo Prudlick during a matchup at 182 pounds on Thursday minute and 43 seconds against Macks in a Western Cloverbelt (106 pounds), Gabe Mattson evening at Chi-Hi. Osseo-Fairchild/Augusta/Fall contest. (120), Ayden Johnson (138), Dan- Creek’s Bo Prudlick and Pahl Maggie Craker scored a iel Moucha (145), Nathan Drivas tournament of the regular sea- 15 in Hudson. started his night with a forfeit game-high 18 points for Mc- (170), Austin Smith (182) and son for Chi-Hi, but following “It helps us a lot just to get out Donell (11-7, 8-4) while Lauryn Taylor Pahl (285) had unblem- the cancellation of last month’s on the mat and keep that con- Please see CARDS, Page B2 Deetz added 10 points. ished efforts. home invite the school was able fidence going,” Chi-Hi coach Averie Varsho had 13 points Originally last Saturday’s in- to put together a quad to give the Steve Anderson said. “We have Online:For more photos from for Altoona (5-12, 4-7). vitational at Wisconsin Dells team one more competition be- so many practices in a row and no Thursday’s event, check out our 00 was scheduled to be the final fore Division 1 regionals on Feb. competition, you start to wonder photo gallery at chippewa.com. Please see PREP, Page B3 1 Change V -X ie F w e D r P w Click to buy NOW! w m o w c| WEEKEND, FEBRUARY 8-9, 2020 THE CHIPPEWA HERALD .d B2k. SPORTS ocu-trac AREA SCHEDULE Cards SATURDAY‌ From B1 BOYS BASKETBALL: Bloomer vs Stanley-Boyd at Target Center, 2:15 p.m.; Rice Lake at Chi-Hi, 7:15 p.m. win before a 6-1 decision GIRLS BASKETBALL: New Auburn at Eau Claire Immanuel, 2:30 p.m. triumph and first-round BOYS HOCKEY: Chi-Hi at Hayward, noon pin. The Big Rivers Confer- BOYS SWIMMING: Chi-Hi at Menomonie (BRC Tournament), 10 a.m. ence does not host a con- WRESTLING: Bloomer/Colfax at Cameron (HON Tournament), 10 a.m.; ference tournament at the Cadott at Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee (Cloverbelt Tournament), 10 a.m.; end of the regular sea- Cornell/Gilman at Flambeau (Lakeland Tournament), 10 a.m. son, so getting live action NAHL: Minnesota Magicians at Chippewa, 7:10 p.m. against an opponent a lit- tle closer to the postseason was a welcomed sight for TELEVISION SCHEDULE the team’s veterans. “It’s nice not only to help SATURDAY‌ the record going into re- NASCAR AUTO RACING: Sprint Cup Series practice, FS1, 10:30 a.m., gionals and getting a better 12:30 p.m.