Hockey Talk Sept. 2 — Happy Birthday Bucky!

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Ducks continued two-a-day workouts on Thursday at the Lake Delton Ice Arena. Head Coach Shaun Falzone said the team was building toward an endurance skating test on Friday (Sept. 3).

In between skating sessions are workouts with a pair of coaches that have helped keep the team healthy and in shape for the past two seasons. Andrea Henry is the team’s Yoga Coach and she also works with Holly Waterman in fitness sessions. The team meets with them every day with the sessions alternating between Yoga and Fitness.

Jacob Cartland

The players will continue through the long weekend, but Coach Falzone has some fun activities planned as well, including a 3-on-3 tournament on full ice, Several players have also taken advantage of free time to check out some other teams in town and they will be on hand at the Wisconsin Dells High School Chiefs South Central Conference football game against Wautoma Hornets on Friday. The Ducks are hoping to grab some good mojo from a football team off to a 2-0 start early in its 2021 fall season heading into the key conference battle.

Once the players get through the Labor Day weekend, they will enter their first game week of the season, preparing for a road trip to Motown for a busy weekend of exhibition games Sept. 10-12.

Happy Birthday Bucky!

People talk about unbeatable records. It’s doubtful any rookie will make an impression like Jimmy ‘Bucky’ Buckingham in the fall of 2013.

Entering its third season, the Ducks were coming off a sophomore season that saw them get to within a game of claiming the division title against the Northern Lights the season previous. A large number of returners made the trek to a season opening Showcase event set on taking that final step and they showed how serious they were with a 15-1 win against the St. Louis Frontenacs in the season’s opening contest.

But most of the talk after the game was around a rookie from Eagan, Minn., who just happened to make his first game as a junior his best one.

Jimmy Buckingham fired six goals in that opening game and went on to a solid season with 24 goals and 40 points for the Ducks.

‘Bucky’ went on to play another season of junior with the Connecticut Oilers in the EHL and spent a couple of seasons playing NCAA Division 3 with the Western New England University Golden Bears.

Saukhockey.info and the Dells Ducks would like to wish ‘Bucky’ a Happy 27^th Birthday!

RWD faces tough schedule in 2021-22

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The focus of high school sports is currently fall sports – football, cross country, boys’ soccer, girl’s golf and tennis, swimming, and volleyball.

We know several players from local teams are already taking part in before/after programs and varsity high school teams will be stepping on the ice in the next few days or weeks to begin captain’s practices, allowing students to begin preparing for their upcoming seasons.

For the RWD Cheavers, the actual season will begin Nov. 5 with a get together at Monk’s with practices getting underway three days later.

The annual pre-season scrimmages will take place at West Salem with both the host Panthers and DeForest Norskies taking part.

For the seventh time in nine seasons, the Cheavers will open the campaign against the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Red Raiders. The other two times the teams squared off in the second game of the campaign. This time around the game will be played at the South Wood County Recreation Center.

New this season will be a Thanksgiving Weekend tournament in Somerset and the other Holiday tournament, the annual Monk’s Cheeseburger Classic will return to its normal eight-team field with several new teams raising the caliber of the event.

The Somerset event will involve both the varsity and junior varsity teams with other teams from Eau Claire North, New Richmond and of course, the host Somerset teams taking part.

The RWD varsity team will open the event on Nov. 26 against the Eau Claire North Huskies immediately followed by the JV Cheavers against the New Richmond JV Tigers. Opponents and start times for the second day will depend on game results.

The Monk’s Battle for the Cheeseburger Classic will see familiar teams like Wisconsin Rapids, Tomah, McFarland, and Kenosha, but will also this season involve the Onalaska Hilltoppers, La Crescent Lancers and River Falls Wildcats.

Here is a look at the RWD Cheavers’ schedule as of Sept. 1. Games and start times are subject to change between now and the start of the season.

One different thing this season will be the Badger Conference Challenge which will pit teams from the Badger West against the Badger East. Opponents and start times will be determined based on standings at the time and the site is still to be determined as well. It will be played Jan. 15.

Badger West Conference games are in bold type.

November

23 — @ Wisconsin Rapids

26-27 — @ Somerset Spartans Holiday Tournament

30 — vs. Onalaska Hilltoppers

December

3 – vs. Edgewood Crusaders

7 – vs. Baraboo Thunderbirds

9 — @ Monroe Cheesemakers

11 – vs. Baldwin-Woodville Hawks

14 — @ Oregon Panthers

17 – vs. Sauk Prairie Eagles

21 — @ Tomah Timberwolves

28-30 MONK’S BATTLE FOR THE CHEESEBURGER CLASSIC

January 2022

4 — @ Waupaca Comets

6 or 8 — @ Edgewood Crusaders

11 — @ Baraboo Thunderbirds

15 — @ Badger Conference Challenge

20 – vs. Monroe Cheesemakers

25 – vs. Oregon Panthers

27-29 JV Tournament at Lake Delton Ice Arena (Hosted by DeForest)

February

1 – @ Sauk Prairie Eagles (JV @ Monroe)

4 — @ Hayward Hurricanes

5 — @ Ashland Oredockers

8 – vs. Janesville Bluebirds

Hockey talk Sept. 1 — Ducks start two-a-days

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks started a new month, taking training camp to a new level with first day of two-a-day on ice sessions at the Lake Delton Ice Arena today (Sept. 1).

The team continues to prepare for its upcoming USPHL season. Today the team was on the ice at 9 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. This will continue to be the schedule for the rest of training camp with alternating days of off ice fitness and yoga sessions as well as online schooling for several players in the afternoons.

Coach Falzone said in a video interview the team was still aware of some early season ice issues at the Lake Delton Ice Arena adding the intensity level of the practices will increase as the ice allows in the days ahead.

Varsity teams and youth hockey teams from Sauk County and Dane County will fill up the hours of icetime available in the next few weeks. Look at this space for details or visit Poppy Waterman Ice Arena (lakedeltonice.com).