The Black River Falls soccer teams faced off against Baldwin-Woodville in two intense games on January 14.
The junior varsity team fought hard but ultimately fell short, losing 1-2. Ben Bresee scored the lone goal for BRF.
The varsity team also played a tough match, battling until the final whistle but coming up short with a score of 3-6. Despite the loss, there were several standout moments:
Goal 1: Maddux Alvarez, assisted by Drew Apicella
Goal 2: Maddux Alvarez, assisted by Drew Apicella and Calvin Lakowske
Goal 3: Henry Meek, assisted by Calvin Lakowske—marking Meek’s first goal of the season
In their first win of the season, the Tigers played a great all-around game against Onalaska Luther on January 14. Using a new zone defense, the Tigers were able to control the pace of play and focus on stopping Luther's top scorers. The Tigers had a great first half, going into halftime with a 20-point lead and increasing that to 25 after back-to-back transition alley-oops from Cecil Lopez to Braylon Backaus. Luther chipped into the lead in the second half, coming to within 2 points, but Lyndon Greengrass's free throw shooting and Nolan Boehm's ball control helped the Tigers secure their first win of the season, and the team claimed a 74-65 victory.
Offensively, Braylon Backaus (30 points) led the Tigers. Cecil Lopez (22 points), Nolan Boehm (9 points), Zaedyn Roseth (6 points), Lyndon Greengrass (4 points), and Mason Meimann (3 points) added to the winning tally.
📷 by Aralyn Whiteeagle, Breeze Staff
On January 11, in a non-conference matchup against Fall Creek, the Tigers got off to a slow start but fought their way back into the game, coming within 6 points in the second half. Fall Creek's size and shooting allowed the Crickets to pull away late in the game, securing the 62-42 win.
Braylon Backaus led the Tigers in scoring with 26 points, Nolan Boehm with 7 points, Cecil Lopez with 3 points, and Mason Meimann and Will Sedelbauer with 2 points each. #TiGRRpride
📷 by Aralyn Whiteeagle, Breeze Staff (photo is a sneak peek of last night's win!)
The wrestling team faced a tough challenge on senior night, falling to Whitehall 52-30 in a home match. Despite the overall result, individual victories were secured by Sully King, Keanau Goldsmith, Zayden Killian, Deacon Brown, and Auston Taylor, showcasing their skill and determination on the mat. #tigrrpride #seniornight
On January 12 and 13, high school vocal music director Kevin Fosado took Megan Knight, Katelyn Nosbisch, Zacharie Dobson, and Konnor Scharpf to the Vocal Dorian Festival at Luther College, which culminated in a concert on Monday night. This was an opportunity for these four high school choir seniors to learn and perform in a Midwest honors choir with almost 1000 students from four different states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois)! They were able to work with collegiate conductors, learn new pieces, meet top students from the Midwest, and have fun through choral music!
One of our wrestling moms, Trisha Jacox, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and started treatment this week. To support her and her three children, wrestling moms are collecting donations to help with expenses this evening at the home wrestling match. The match starts at 6 PM in the middle school gym.
It was a victorious night for the Lady Tigers as both the JV and varsity teams triumphed over Osseo-Fairchild on January 13.
In the varsity matchup, the Tigers edged out a close 65-60 victory. Bella Falcon led the charge with an impressive 23 points, while Olivia Larkin added 11 points to the scoreboard. The Lady Tigers came out strong in the second half, building momentum and energizing the crowd. The ladies started to make their fans sweat in the last two minutes, but the Tigers won.
The JV squad also performed well, earning their victory with contributions from top scorers Chylocree Belisle, who tallied 10 points, and Charlise Tebo, who added 7 points.
Congratulations to both teams on their hard-fought wins! Go, Tigers!
📷 Lyniah Coon, Breeze Staff
Parents: In 2023, Wisconsin enacted Act 20, a law aimed at increasing early literacy among students from 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) through 3rd grade. The act requires the assessment of early literacy skills and timely identification and support for students who may be struggling with reading. It also requires parent communication about students’ results, personal reading plans for at-risk students, and progress reports toward grade-level goals.
Beginning in January, parents/guardians of Black River Falls students in grades 5K-3 will be sent results from the winter early literacy assessment through a secure email. The email will be sent around January 20th from “no-reply@eduCLIMBER.com."
Select the large blue “View Documents” button in the email and answer the three questions on the page that follows. Then select “Submit” to see the list of documents you have received. We ask that you read the information shared and then select the “I Reviewed This Document” prompt to notify the district that the forms have been viewed. It is very important that the district has your current email information so you can receive these documents. Please contact the school’s secretary to update email addresses if needed.
You will receive a separate email for each 5K through 3rd-grade child in your family. If a personal reading plan is written for your child, you will receive additional similar emails with their plans and progress reports. Since the emails are auto-generated, you will need to contact either your child’s teacher or principal if you have questions.
Let's hear it for the girls' JV basketball team! They delivered a 38-29 win, defeating Alma Center-Humbird-Lincoln. Keira Small scored 17 points last night at Lincoln, and Charlise Tebo scored 8.
Varsity girls came up short in a hard-fought battle, falling 55-46. Bella Falcon led the charge with 15 points, and Charlise Tebo contributed 10 more points to the score.
Let's celebrate the effort and grit these players continue to display. Go, Tigers! #TiGRRpride
Let's go, Emily Kane! She officially earned her M.S. Ed. Reading Teacher and Reading Specialist degree from UW-La Crosse on December 15. Emily’s dedication to cultivating a love for reading and learning motivates her students daily. This outstanding accomplishment is a testament to her hard work, passion, and commitment to education.
Please join us in congratulating Emily on this amazing milestone! 🧡📚👏
🚍 Join Our Team and Earn a $500 Signing Bonus! 🚍
The School District of Black River Falls is hiring school bus drivers, substitute bus drivers, and non-CDL van drivers!
🌟 What We’re Looking For:
Caring, trustworthy individuals with a good driving record.
No experience? No problem! Free training is provided for qualified applicants.
🌟 Why Join Us?
Flexible, part-time hours (mornings and/or afternoons).
A $500 signing bonus for new drivers!
A great opportunity to earn extra income while serving our students and community.
Interested? Here's How to Apply:
📞 Contact:
Kristi Pronschinske, Transportation Supervisor, at 715-670-0181. Or, stop by N6657 County Road A.
Marti Herzberg at 715-284-4357 ext. 1002
📍 Applications:
Pick up in person at the District Office: 301 N. 4th Street, Black River Falls
Or apply online at https://wecan.waspa.org under "Support Staff"
Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.
The School District of Black River Falls is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
🚌 Come drive with us, make a difference, and enjoy a $500 bonus! 🚌
Seven talented BRFHS band members had the honor of participating in the first-ever Western Wisconsin Honors Band at Holmen High School on Friday, November 15. These dedicated musicians spent the day rehearsing alongside about 60 student musicians from the region under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Barber, director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The event ended on a high note with a fantastic concert featuring both middle and high school honors ensembles. Congratulations to Andrea Cogswell, Josie Demaske, Ava Gilberg-Stroud, Keanau Goldsmith, Karolann Mann, Garrett Tande, and Grace Tande for representing BRFHS with such skill and dedication.
🖤 🧡 Your hard work and talent continue to make us proud! 🧡 🖤 #tiGRRpride
We have an end-of-season football wrap-up! Although this season didn’t go as planned (1-8), there were still some bright spots and proud moments for the boys on the football team! Beyond the field, they gave back to the community, helping with cleanup at the fairgrounds and reading to kids at Red Creek—showing that being part of a team is about more than just the game. It’s about supporting the town we call home.
We also had some standout individual performances. Congratulations to Nate Gargulak on earning Coulee Conference Honorable Mention for Defensive End—Coach Yirko is excited to see what he brings next season as a senior!
And a massive shoutout to senior Aidan Gunderson for an unforgettable season: second in the state in total tackles (135), 1st team All-Conference Linebacker, 2nd team All-Conference Punter, All-Region Linebacker, and now moving on to All-State voting! Aidan’s dedication, team-first mentality, and consistency made all the difference on the field. We know he’ll go on to do amazing things beyond football.
Coach Yirko says the team is ready to bring a renewed drive next season. Good luck to all our athletes in their winter sports, and as always—Go Tigers!
📷 by Charlise Tebo, Breeze Photographer
It’s so hot out there, you don’t even need to know how to read a thermometer in Celsius! Due to the scorching heat index today, we're moving today's (August 26) C-team football game time from 5 to 7 PM to avoid melting on the field. 🔥 Spectators, bring water. We won't have concessions available.
Want to take your wrestling game to the next level? 🤼♂️💪 Join us for OPEN MATS every WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY from 5:30 to 7 PM! Open mats are a great way to improve your technique, build strength, and get extra practice time. Plus, it's a chance to hang out with your teammates and have some friendly competition. No matter your skill level, everyone is welcome! #tiGRRpride
🐅 Get Ready to Roar, Black River Falls Tigers! Fall sports are just around the corner, and we're excited to have you join the team. Looking for registration info, practice schedules, fees, or fall practice start dates? It's all on our handy athletics webpage: 🔗 https://www.brf.org/page/black-river-falls-athletics
Heads up, aspiring athletes!
⭐ Be sure you've completed a physical (or have an alternate year card on file) and signed your athletic handbook. These are essential for hitting the field (or court!).
⭐ Don't forget about ImPACT testing! Make sure you're up-to-date on this concussion baseline test.
Let's make this a winning season, Tigers! Go out there and show your stripes! #tiGRRpride #GetReadyToRoar
Don't forget to update your high schooler's information on Skyward before Open House! You'll need to complete this step before your child can pick up his or her laptop. Log in to Skyward and complete the necessary updates. If you have any questions, please contact the high school office at 715-284-4324.
http://skyward.iscorp.com/SkySTSblackriverfallswicom/sso/Skyward/login
Attention Shopaholic Parents (We See You )! We know it feels like just yesterday you were packing away sunscreen and pool noodles. But guess what? The whispers are true—eventually, school's coming. And while those enticing back-to-school sale flyers might be flooding your mailbox, fear not! We still need to pick out our new teacher outfits (fashionable sweater vests, anyone?). We wouldn't want you to miss out on those epic deals on neon highlighters and three-hole-punched everything. So, consider this your friendly reminder to:
✏️ Bookmark this post! It's ready when you're ready!
✏️ Sharpen those shopping pencils! You'll be all set by the time open house arrives (August 22--one month from today).
✏️ Distract yourselves with poolside puns! We recommend "feeling fintastic" or "beach day blues are a distant memory."
Here's the link: [ 🔗 https://www.brf.org/page/supply-lists ]
Stay tuned, future scholars (and their equally enthusiastic parents)! #tigrrpride
It's time to highlight staffers who have given 25 years to our district! Mary Repka and Marc Rukavina are pictured. Catherine Morgan, Kathy Neville, and Pam Pfaff-Olson also were honored for their 25 years of service. Share a good memory with one of these staffers in the comments! #tigrrpride
Hey, football players! 🏈 Don't forget that BRF is hosting a Commitment to Excellence Camp for ninth through twelfth-grade football players. This is a great opportunity to learn, work as a team, and improve your skills. When? July 8-12, Monday through Thursday from 8 to 10 am. Friday night will be Family Night, starting at 7 pm. In addition, there will be a youth camp on July 9-11 starting at 5:30. #tigrrpride
