River Falls - Pierce County Journal

River Falls head coach Ryan Bishop meets with his players on the mound during the late innings of the Wildcats’ home game against Hudson on Thursday, April 27.

Missed opportunities pile up, RF baseball swept by Hudson

The River Falls High School baseball team would make the creators of Gilligan’s Island blush with how many baserunners it stranded during the season series against the rival Hudson … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 5/3/23

River Falls senior Teddy Norman takes off his gloves while jogging to first base after drawing a walk earlier this year. Norman and the Wildcats have taken advantage of walks and stolen bases in their 6-0 start this year.

RF baseball thrashes New Richmond in doubleheader, Wildcats alone atop BRC

With how much sweeping the River Falls High School baseball team is doing, it might be time they consider a Swiffer endorsement. The Wildcats have swept each of their first two Big Rivers … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/27/23

River Falls junior Jordan Schwantz blasts a two-run walk-off home run to straightaway center field at home against Menomonie on Tuesday, April 18. Schwantz’s blast into the cheap seats gave River Falls a 5-3 win, its first conference victory of the season.

RF softball topples Menomonie with walk-off home run

It has been quite the week for the River Falls softball team. Less than 24 hours after River Falls knocked off Ellsworth 8-5 in a non-conference clash on Monday afternoon, which delivered the … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/27/23

River Falls senior Chris Lavasseur competes in the 125 kg weight class at the USA Powerlifting Nationals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the end of March. Lavasseur was one of the best in the country this year, as his efforts secured a ninth-place finish among the best high school lifters in the United States.

Nine River Falls athletes compete at national powerlifting competition

River Falls powerlifting head coach Ulice Payne III makes a habit of telling his athletes to compete in the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Nationals at least once in their career because of the immense … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/20/23

River Falls senior pitcher Eli Condon delivers a strike during a game earlier this year. Condon pitched five innings and allowed just one earned run during the Wildcats’ 10-2 win on the road against Eau Claire Memorial on Thursday, April 13.

RF baseball sweeps Memorial, improves to 4-0

The River Falls High School baseball team has yet to make an error through its first four games of the season. The Wildcats’ defensive excellence, in addition to stellar pitching and … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/20/23

The River Falls basketball class of 2019-20 celebrates together after winning the annual alumni tournament at River Falls High School on Saturday, April 8. It was their second consecutive championship. This year’s team included (from left) Matthew Tiffany (coach), Michael Tiffany, Matthew Chapin, Michael Johnson, Ezra Wells, Nolan Bechtold, Taylor Tirrel, Mike Vitt, Adam Feyereisen and Payton Flood (coach).

Camaraderie, tradition continues at RF’s annual alumni basketball tournament

When former Wildcats walked into the gym Easter weekend for River Falls’ eighth annual boys’ basketball alumni tournament, past players’ faces lit up with joy as they rekindled … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/13/23

River Falls senior Elijah Baker (#23) jumps in celebration with junior Chase McQuade while teammates cheer in the background. The duo celebrated Baker touching home plate after hitting his first home run of the year during the season opener at home against Tartan on Friday, April 7.

River Falls baseball cruises to 12-2 victory in season debut

On Friday afternoon, the River Falls High School baseball team traded snow shovels for bats and gloves, and they looked pretty good doing it. The Wildcats spent the better part of four hours the … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/13/23

River Falls senior Brooklyn Silloway wins her heat of the 55-meter dash during a meet at UW-Stout earlier this season.

RF’s young athletes shine at EC North track meet

In a meet where many of River Falls’ heavy hitters didn’t compete, it paved the way for younger athletes to shine and build confidence ahead of a quickly approaching Big Rivers Conference … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/6/23

Seniors Owen Larson (#4) and Jack Gehl (#19) celebrate after scoring during a game last season. Larson and Gehl leave two open varsity slots for this year’s team that need to be filled this spring.

RF baseball will rely on pitching strength, depth in 2023

Although the River Falls High School baseball team has yet to cement its infield and outfield starters, the Wildcats already know the strength and depth of their veteran pitching staff going into … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 4/6/23

River Falls senior Rebecca Randleman blows by her competition and takes first place during her heat of the 55-meter dash preliminaries at the Blue Devil Invite. Randleman finished second in the finals later that afternoon on Tuesday, March 21.

River Falls track and field finishes top five at Blue Devil Invite

Although River Falls track and field head coach Max Haskins was pleased with his team’s top-five finish at the Blue Devil Invite, that’s not what he’s focused on this early in the … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/30/23

Kevin Black, formerly the head coach of the River Falls High School wrestling team coaches during the Northern Badger Wrestling Tournament in River Falls on Friday, Dec. 30. Black stepped down as River Falls head coach shortly after the 2022-23 season ended.

Kevin Black steps down as River Falls wrestling head coach

After 10 years as the River Falls High School wrestling team’s head coach, Kevin Black has stepped down and will shift additional focus to the family relationships in his life, particularly … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/30/23

One of nearly 70 River Falls High School students involved with the powerlifting team gets parallel during a squat repetition in a meet earlier this season.

Powerlifting: River Falls’ fastest-growing high school sport

When Ulice Payne III began working as a personal trainer in downtown River Falls in 2017, he had no idea that less than five years later he’d be the head coach of a team competing in one of the … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/23/23

Seniors Elise Frisbie, Morgan Priggie and then-juniors Brooke Silloway and Rebecca Randleman wear their medals on the podium after finishing fifth in the Division 1 4x200 meter relay at the state championships in La Crosse last spring. Both Silloway and Randlemen return for their senior seasons this year.

RF track and field targets 2023 BRC championship

Both the River Falls girls’ and boys’ track and field programs have set their sights on the 2023 Big Rivers Conference championship, which would be their first titles since 2015 and 2019 … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/23/23

The River Falls High School football team huddles while junior quarterback Jacob Range delivers the play call. The Big Rivers Conference will look different for River Falls in 2024, as Eau Claire North and Memorial are leaving the conference while Rice Lake returns.

HS Football: Big Rivers Conference slated for realignment in 2024

The Big Rivers Conference is one of more than a dozen high school leagues in Wisconsin that will undergo realignment, which is slated to be implemented in the fall of 2024, according to recent WIAA … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/23/23

River Falls senior guard Ella Peters sports her new Gustavus Adolphus uniform during a campus visit. Shortly after the high school season ended, Peters announced she will continue her academic and athletic career at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn

RF’s Ella Peters to play basketball at Gustavus Adolphus

Shortly after the Lady Wildcats’ season ended, River Falls senior guard Ella Peters made it official; she will be playing Division 3 basketball at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/16/23

River Falls senior Sophia Jensen performs her floor routine during the team state portion of last week’s meet in Wisconsin Rapids. Jensen was one of three seniors that helped lead the Wildcats to a successful 2022-23 season.

Senior leadership set the tone for RF gymnastics

In a season that included runner-up finishes at both the Big Rivers Conference and Division 2 sectional tournaments, a young River Falls gymnastics roster relied heavily on the leadership of seniors … more

Reagan Hoverman | 3/16/23

River Falls senior Ben Accola is joined by head coach Cam Wilken (right) and assistant coach Tim LaVold (left) at the annual Wisconsin High School Coaches banquet in Middleton on March 2. Accola was one of four players in the state named as a finalist for the Jeff Sauer Humanitarian Award.

Two River Falls hockey seniors receive statewide honors

After the 2022-23 season ended, two River Falls High School senior hockey players received statewide recognition for two vastly different reasons. Multi-year Wildcat goaltender Jayden Serene was … more

3/16/23

3-3-23 The River Falls gymnastics team prepares for their first rotation at the WIAA state meet in WIsconsin Rapids Friday afternoon. The Wildcats would finish sixth out of 10 teams with a combined team score of 135.333. Nicolet won the D2 team title with a score of 142.75...Nate Beier/GX3 Media

River Falls gymnastics finishes sixth at state championships

After the River Falls High School gymnastics team earned a runner-up finish at the Division 2 sectional tournament two Saturdays ago, the Wildcats traveled to Wisconsin Rapids High School last … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/10/23

River Falls junior Jonah Severson makes a runner during the second half of the Wildcats’ home regional semifinal against Rice Lake on Friday, March 3.

River Falls boys' season ends in regional semifinal defeat

The Division 2 regional semifinal featured the fourth-seeded River Falls Wildcats hosting the fifth-seeded Rice Lake Warriors. The two Big Rivers Conference foes met twice this year and split the … more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/10/23

River Falls senior Ella Peters looks for an open teammate during a game earlier this season. Peters finished her high school basketball career in the first-round playoff game against La Crosse Central on Friday, Feb. 24.

RF girls' comeback bid falls short in regional semifinal

On a night when River Falls held La Crosse Central’s all-state senior guard to 22% shooting and nine points less than her season average, head coach Ian Sticht would have thought his Wildcats had a great chance to win. more

By Reagan Hoverman | 3/1/23