Three homers and a complete game pitching effort from senior Michael Jansen carried the New Richmond baseball team to a 10-5 win over Amery on Thursday night.
The win is the sixth straight in Middle Border Conference play for New Richmond. The Tigers are tied with Ellsworth at the top of the MBC standings with 6-1 records. Somerset stands at 5-2 in conference play and Prescott is now 4-3 in MBC games.
New Richmond was carried to Thursday’s win by three homers. Darren O’Flanagan and Grant Nelson pounded homers over the left field fence. Dan Berger launched the deepest bomb of the game, a shot that carried into the street beyond the right-centerfield fence at Citizens Field.
Jansen pitched the first complete game of the season for the Tigers as the coaches work to extend the starting pitchers. Jansen gave up his first run, which was unearned, in the sixth inning. Amery got its final four runs in the seventh inning.
In other MBC games on Thursday, Somerset defeated Baldwin-Woodville 2-0 behind a Jared Dettmann two-hitter and Ellsworth topped Osceola 11-1 in five innings.
 

The New Richmond baseball and softball teams both came through with narrow wins over Somerset in the past two nights.
On Friday night, New Richmond scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to beat Somerset 8-4. The night before, the Tiger softball team withstood a major Somerset comeback to win 8-7.
In Friday’s baseball game, New Richmond built a 4-0 lead against Somerset ace Jared Dettmann. The Spartans used the long ball to come back in the game.
Dettmann led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to right-centerfield.
In the fifth inning, pinch-hitter Joey Schiltgen drilled a two-run homer down the rightfield line, cutting the margin to 4-3. Schiltgen was the final batter New Richmond starting pitcher Michael Jansen would face.
Somerset leadoff hitter Rocky Larson was the first batter to face Tiger reliever Josh Leavens and Larson lofted a single to rightfield. Larson alertly moved from first to third on a sacrifice bunt. Larson scored when Tiger catcher Grant Nelson couldn’t cleanly handle a third strike. Nelson had to throw to first base to get the out. Larson then bolted toward the plate, beating Leavens’ tag by a whisker.
The score stayed at 4-4 until the Tigers scored four runs in the top of the eighth against Spartan reliever Nick Dvorak. Leavens’ two-run single was the big hit of the rally.
In Thursday’s softball game, the Tigers played very well early to build up an 8-2 lead. The Tigers then began having trouble catching pop flys, in the infield and outfield. Somerset scored twice in the sixth inning and three times in the seventh inning. The Tigers got out of the jam when Sami Kleiner caught a line drive to centerfield for the final out of the game.

The NFL Draft has become one of the biggest sporting events in the country. This year’s move to prime team shows the volume of interest in the event.
It seems that everyone is doing an NFL Mock Draft, so here is the News’ version of the mock draft.
1. St. Louis Rams: Quarterback Sam Bradford. The Rams are pitiful and they hope Bradford is the keystone in their turnaround.
2. Detroit Lions: Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Lions need to add a defensive presence, they hope Suh can plug the middle for the next decade.
3. Tampa Bay Bucs: Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The once great Buc defense has fallen on hard times. McCoy is viewed as a leader who makes things happen.
4. Washington Redskins: Offensive tackle Russell Okung. With the investment in quarterback Donovan McNabb, the Redskins need to protect him. Okung is their best chance to add a Pro Bowl level tackle.
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive tackle Trent Williams. The Chiefs have always placed a high priority on a strong offensive line. Williams is their best option to solve the left tackle problem.
6. Seattle Seahawks: Offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga. The run on tackles continues. The Hawks hope running back C.J. Spiller will fall to them with the 14th pick.
7. Cleveland Browns: Safety Eric Berry. The Browns need impact players. Berry is a rangy ballhawk who fills a glaring need.
8. Oakland Raiders: Offensive tackle Bruce Campbell. The Raiders’ offensive line stinks. This is an attempt to turn that around.
9. Buffalo Bills: Quarterback Jimmy Clausen. If Clausen isn’t taken here, he could wait a dozen or more picks before he hears his name.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Defensive end Derrick Morgan. The run on pass rushers begins with this pick.
11. Denver Broncos: Linebacker Rolando McClain. McClain is the defensive centerpiece the Broncos plan to build around for their future.
12. Miami Dolphins: Outside linebacker Sergio Kindle. Another pass rusher falls off the board.
13. San Francisco 49ers: Cornerback Joe Haden. Niners have many needs, but cornerback tops them all.
14. Seattle Seahawks: Running back C.J. Spiller. The Hawks get their wish. The scatback falls to them with the 14th pick.
15. New York Giants: Running back Ryan Mathews. The Giants proved last year that they need more depth at running back.
16. Tennessee Titans: Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. The Titans draft their replacement for Kyle Vanden Bosch.
17. San Francisco 49ers: Tackle Anthony Davis. The Niners address the second of their needs, a tackle with a future.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Guard Mike Iupati. The Steelers have been eroding from the inside out. Iupati is the best interior line prospect in the draft.
19. Atlanta Falcons: Lineman Maurkice Pouncey. The Falcons could also go with a defensive back, but decide they need to commit more talent to the offensive line.
20. Houston Texans: Cornerback Kyle Wilson. With Dunta Robinson gone as a free agent, this is a need pick for the Texans.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Tight end Jermaine Gresham. Carson Palmer needs a reliable target who can catch passes over the middle.
22. New England Patriots: Wide receiver Dez Bryant. The Patriots have no problem taking players with high ceilings and character issues. Bryant has both.
23. Green Bay Packers: Safety Earl Thomas. The Packers could go in several directions, with tackle and cornerback also being considered. They need a reliable safety to work next to Nick Collins and Thomas will fit that role.
24. Philadelphia Eagles: Cornerback Devin McCourty. The Eagles can never have enough corners.
25. Baltimore Ravens: Safety Taylor Mays. The Ravens select Ed Reed’s eventual successor.
26. Arizona Cardinals: Defensive end Brandon Graham. The Cards have plenty of rebuilding to do on their defense.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Defensive tackle Jared Odrick. Age is starting to show at tackle for the Cowboys.
28. San Diego Chargers: Cornerback Kareem Jackson. The Chargers have a glaring need at cornerback.
29. New York Jets: Defensive end Everson Griffen. Even with the signing of Jason Taylor, the Jets need long-term pass rushing help.
30. Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback Patrick Robinson. The Vikings need to develop depth here quickly.
31. Indianapolis Colts: Defensive tackle Dan Williams. Colts need to fortify their defensive front.
32. New Orleans: Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. The Super Bowl champs find a bargain who fits one of their biggest needs.

New Richmond’s baseball team climbed to 3-1 in the Middle Border Conference while Somerset suffered its first MBC loss on Tuesday.
New Richmond defeated Prescott on Tuesday, 6-5, in 10 innings. The Tigers led 5-1 after four innings, before Prescott came back to send the game to extra innings.
Somerset lost to Ellsworth 3-2 on Tuesday. These two teams had shared the MBC lead entering Tuesday’s game in Ellsworth. Ellsworth now stands alone at the top of the MBC with a 4-0 record. New Richmond, Somerset and Baldwin-Woodville are tied with 3-1 records.

Boys golf
New Richmond won a tight four-team MBC boys golf match at Bristol Ridge Golf Club on Tuesday.
The Tigers shot a 163 to win the round. Somerset took second at 167 and Osceola finished at 168. Amery was last with a 181.
Somerset’s Jarod Bordynoski was medalist by shooting a 37. New Richmond’s Tyler Bohmke and Amery’s Erik Maanum each shot a 38.

New Richmond track
The New Richmond track teams each took third place among nine teams in the Eau Claire North Husky Invite on Tuesday.
The New Richmond boys were led by wins from Gaelan Hanlon in the 110 hurdles, Tyler Cran in the 100 meter dash and Shaun Peper in the discus throw.
The Tiger girls were led by sophomore Kat Keller, who swept the titles in the 100, 200 and 400 meter sprint races.

The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are both in a position to help themselves make a push for the Super Bowl through the 2010 NFL Draft, which starts Thursday night.

The Packers have the more pressing needs of the two teams. The Packers would love one of the top offensive tackles or cornerbacks to fall to them. If that doesn’t happen, a defensive back like Earl Thomas would be a great option. The Packers could also go for another pass rusher to match with Clay Matthews. Jerry Hughes of Texas Christian will be considered.

The Vikings are in the luxury position of not having a screaming need to be answered in the draft. The Vikings could gamble, hoping to find the big surprise. Quarterback Tim Tebow would fit that description, but that might be a long-shot. If he’s there when the Vikings pick in the second round, the Vikings would be more likely to grab Tebow then.

Two possibilities for the Vikings: defensive tackle or running back. A running back like Jahvid Best of California might get taken to replace Chester Taylor. Here’s a gamble the Vikings might take, mountainous defensive tackle Terence Cody. The Williams Wall is starting to show some age and Cody’s mammoth size would help him to plug in for Pat Williams.

Important games in the Middle Border Conference softball and girls soccer races headline Thursday’s events.
New Richmond’s softball team will be playing at Durand on Thursday. Both teams are 1-1 after the opening week of conference games.
Somerset’s softball team hosts one of the MBC co-leaders on Thursday. Prescott comes into Thursday’s game with a 2-0 mark, while Somerset currently stands at 1-1. The softball games begin at 5 p.m.
The New Richmond and Osceola girls soccer teams are both undefeated in MBC games heading into Thursday’s showdown in New Richmond. The game will be played at the Starr Elementary field, starting at 4:30 p.m.
The winless Somerset soccer teams faces another of the early MBC leaders on Thursday. The Spartans host Hayward, which is 3-0 in conference games, at the Somerset High School field at 4:30 p.m.
Two area track teams will be in action on Thursday. New Richmond will be competing in a track meet at Menomonie. The St. Croix Central track team will be involved in a meet at Elk Mound.
St. Croix Central’s baseball team faces another of the better teams in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference tonight. The Panthers, 1-1 in conference play, host Boyceville. The game starts at 5 p.m. at the Central baseball field.
The Somerset and St. Croix Central boys golf teams will be in action on Thursday. They both are scheduled to play in the Baldwin-Woodville Invitational, which will be played at the Pheasant Hills Golf Club in Hammond.

The New Richmond baseball team used a six-run fourth inning to earn its first win of the 2010 season on Tuesday.
The six-run rally led the Tigers to an 8-5 win over Baldwin-Woodville. Both teams are now 1-1 in Middle Border Conference action.
The Tigers trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the fourth. After an out to start the inning, eight straight Tigers reached base, starting with Dan Berger’s double to rightfield. The Tigers produced seven hits and one walk in the six-run rally.
Michael Jansen earned the pitching win. He came on in relief for Josh Leavens in the top of the fourth inning and pitched out of a jam.
The next game for the Tigers is Friday when they play at Durand.

In other action on Tuesday:
The Somerset baseball team remained unbeaten with an 11-0 win at Osceola. In other Middle Border Conference games, Ellsworth toppled Durand 13-0 and Prescott edged Amery 3-2 in eight innings.
The Somerset softball team earned its first win with a 6-5 decision at Osceola. In other MBC games, Baldwin-Woodville scored a 4-2 win over Amery and Durand lost a non-conference game to Bloomer 6-1.
The New Richmond girls soccer team suffered its first loss of the season, 5-0 at Rice Lake.
The New Richmond boys soccer team won its opening match of the season, 4-3 at River Falls.

The New Richmond softball team will play its first home game of the 2010 season on Monday.
The Tigers will be hosting Baldwin-Woodville at 5 p.m. on Monday at Hatfield Park in a Middle Border Conference game. The Tigers are already 1-0 in conference play after their 15-3 win over Osceola last week.
The New Richmond boys golf begins its season today, playing in the Hudson Invitational. The Tigers return several players from last season and are expecting to be a top competitor in the Middle Border Conference this season.
The St. Croix Central baseball and softball teams will both be in action on Monday, in road games. The Panther baseball team will be playing at Elk Mound, facing the defending Dunn-St. Croix Conference champions. The Panther softball team will be playing at Colfax.

The New Richmond baseball team lost at Osceola on Thursday night, 2-0. The Tigers face another severe test on Friday, when they play at Eau Claire Memorial. Memorial is the program that Tiger athletic director Casey Eckardt coached until coming to New Richmond last year.
In other games on Friday:
The New Richmond softball team will play at Hudson;
The New Richmond girls soccer team plays at home against Amery;
The St. Croix Central baseball team plays at home against Osceola.

Thursday night’s scores
Baseball
Osceola 2, New Richmond 0
Somerset 10, Durand 0
St. Croix Central 11, Colfax 0
Baldwin-Woodville 10, Amery 6
Ellsworth 8, Prescott 4

Softball
New Richmond 15, Osceola 3
Durand 5, Somerset 3

Track

At the St. Croix Central meet, Somerset won the girls team championship and Elmwood-Plum City took the boys title. Somerset’s boys were fifth among the 11 teams. The St. Croix Central girls placed fourth and the Panther girls took fifth place.

One of the highlights to Thursday’s high school sports schedule is the return of John Ball to the baseball coaching lines.

Ball was not offered a contract to coach New Richmond’s varsity baseball team this spring after more than 30 years as the Tigers’ head coach. Somerset quickly snapped up Ball, hiring him as the team’s assistant coach. Tonight Ball and the Somerset teams will be playing at home against Durand.

There is a full sports schedule tonight. New Richmond’s baseball team opens its Middle Border Conference schedule with a game at Osceola. The same goes for the Tiger softball team, opening its MBC season at Osceola. Those games start at 5 p.m.

Somerset’s baseball and softball teams will both be playing at home. Durand plays at Somerset in baseball and softball, with both games starting at 5 p.m. at Larry Forrest Memorial Park.

Somerset’s soccer team will beplaying at Osceola tonight and the Somerset boys golf team begins its season with a match at Mondovi.

Somerset’s track team will be part of an 11-team field at the St. Croix Central Track Invitational tonight. Amry, Boyceville, Colfax, Elk Mound, Elmwood, Glenwood City, Mondovi, Plum City, Prescott and Spring Valley will join Somerset and Central in the meet, with action starting at 4:15 p.m.

St. Croix Central’s baseball team will also be playing at home tonight, beginning its Dunn-St. Croix Conference schedule against Colfax.