The Pirates will wait to play until Friday, March 4th as a benefit of receiving a first round bye while Webster will host #6 Boyceville on Tuesday, March 1st.

Webster had their conference championship hopes dashed when they lost to Luck last Friday (31-22). Coincidentally, that loss also eliminated Grantsburg from contention and Luck will be the top team in the West Lakeland again this year. The Pirates host Luck this week in what is now a fairly meaningless game (somewhat like your second semester as a senior).

In other news:

Unity received a number one seed in D3 while St. Croix Falls nabbed a #6 seeding.

Luck got a #1 seed, Siren received a #2 seed and Frederic secured the #3 seed. All three teams are in the same region! That's some West Lakeland power!

All told the West Lakeland had THREE number one seeds, a number two, two number three seeds and a number six. That's a total of three first round byes and six first game home games.

Nice year, boys!

D3 Bracket (Unity, SCF)

D4 Bracket (Grantsburg and Webster)

D5 Bracket (Luck, Siren, Frederic)

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Boys basketball brackets

I've noticed a lot of confidence building in the girls from the beginning of the year until now and with a tough schedule looming (their next two conference opponents are Siren then St. Croix), they'll need all of it, plus some.

But even if they can't pull an upset off during the next couple games one thing is for sure… Grantsburg is relevant again in the West Lakeland.

***

The boys had a very difficult time tonight and fell to the Luck Cardinals 55-63. It was Grantsburg's second conference loss of the season and the Luck win puts the Cardinals atop the West Lakeland with just one loss.

Here's audio of the game.

The Pirates kept it close and actually tied it up in the third quarter but were in such heavy foul trouble it was only a matter of time until the game was decided on the free throw line and when it came down to the end Luck wasn't brilliant from the line, but they did enough to secure the victory.

***

Grantsburg plays Siren next Tuesday and we'll have the doubleheader on 105.7 WXCX.

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Boys and girls split in Luck

So a good showing from the West Lakeland as they go 8-3 in the first round with a set record of 26-10 (if you take out the Clayton/Frederic tilt the set record is 23-7).

Siren, Shell Lake and Frederic have been eliminated.

results courtesy of WisSports.net

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How’d the rest of the conference do?

There was little doubt heading into the West Lakeland finale that Grantsburg would be victorious, but they played the match anyway. And it came to pass. Grantsburg won in straight sets (25- 6, 5, 10).

The Pirates ended with an unblemished conference record.

In my column for next week's Sentinel I chronicle the dyansty that is Grantsburg Volleyball so be sure to pick up a copy next Wednesday.

Also… thanks to Deb Johnson who linked this site to the volleyball site. Much appreciated, Deb!

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Grantsburg volleyball still undefeated

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West Lakeland volleyball standings 9-30-10

Grantsburg did nothing to deserve a drop in the polls. Sure they lost a game to Webster last week, but they are still undefeated in matches including a big win in the Ashland Tournament over arch-rival (and the sixth ranked team in D3 according to the same poll) Washburn.

Deerfield (11-4), Racine St. Catherines (9-0) and Cuba City (5-4) all jumped ahead of the undefeated Pirates (9-0).

It's not that upsetting to me that this has happened. The poll is conducted by the volleyball coaches and like it or not a lot of times you vote for who you are most familiar with and the majority of schools are in the southern part of the state most coaches would be more familiar with those teams.

The only thing that matters is who wins their last match of the year. In Division 3 last year it was the Pirates. This year they have no blemish on their overall record. Polling is a fun way to see how your team is competing with other good teams in the state, but it has no real bearing on anything.

Grantsburg travels to Luck (6-9) tonight for a West Lakeland match.

West Lakeland Standings

CGF= Conference Games For, CGA= Conference Games Against, TGF= Total Games For, TGA= Total Games Against

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Grantsburg volleyball slips in poll

The Pirates fell 5-1 to the Elk Mound Mounders in the sectional semi-final game, giving up four runs in the top of the seventh to end Grantsburg’s remarkable season.

The game was close until then. Both teams scored one run in the sixth inning, then that fateful seventh inning for the Pirates. The leadoff hitter was hit, there were two or three walks and a couple hits in there that combined for four runs in the final frame.

The Mounders (what kind of mascot is that, anyway? Is it some sort of politically correct compromise? If I were a mound I’d be pretty offended) pitched extremely well giving up only four hits and striking out five. Their pitcher was in control most of the game.

The Pirates had won eleven in a row and they had a chance to win the game. They dodged early bullets by throwing two runners out at home… in the first inning! The first was Nolan Hanson to Ben Larson with Larson tagging out the advancing runner. The second came with the bases loaded and the batter bounced it to pitcher Thane Larson who threw it home for the force then Larson gunned it to first baseman Jake Ryan for a rare 1-2-3 double play.

Though the season didn’t end the way the Pirates and their fans would’ve liked to have seen, the team represented their home town well and they deserve our congratulations. They played ball like it should be and they were rewarded with a great season and a trip to Sectionals. Only sixteen teams get to do that every year.

Congrats, Pirates!

Really cool photo courtesy of Marianne Shira

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Baseball season ends

West Lakeland Girl’s Basketball Standings

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Boys and Girls basketball standings

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Grantsburg Football now 0-3