Thank you for reading Issue 46 of Menomonie News Net. If you missed previous Issues, you can always catch up HERE.

In this issue we feature an article by Joan Pougiales on an innovative program called Project Hope. In researching for this story, Joan discovered that many individuals were willing to share their experiences. You’re invited to read and learn more. This weekend seems to be chock-full of opportunities to help support one’s favorite nonprofit, or even several! Read all about it.

And yes, those donations being shared are helping us keep you connected to this community. Thank you!

Soaking up these last bits of summer…

Editorial Team: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Team Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz

Website: menomonienewsnet.org Submit News: [email protected]

In this Issue…

• Project Hope - An Innovation in Local Law Enforcement

• Paused Data Center Updates

• Blood Drive Correction

• Several Fundraisers this Weekend in Menomonie

• Virtual StrongBodies Fall Sign-Up

• An Evening with William Kent Krueger

• Looking Back: October

• MHS Grads: Where are they Now?

• Public Meetings: Oct 1-8

• Menomonie Events at a Glance

• MHS Extracurricular Activities

• MHS Bands Hold Outdoor Concert

• Menomonie Inducts Seven into Hall of Fame

Project Hope - An Innovation in Local Law Enforcement

By Joan Pougiales, MNN Contributor

For Officer Aaron Bergh, the despair among residents he sees as Menomonie Police Department’s “boots on the ground” liaison for Project Hope is the hardest part of the job. Most of the adults he works with — almost 300 since 2022 — are struggling with some kind of substance abuse, putting them at risk for incarceration. Others are struggling with homelessness or are elderly with no family support.

Project Hope is a collaborative efforts involving law enforcement, social workers and paramedics with the goal to intervene early to keep people out of the criminal justice system by getting them the support they need as quickly as possible as well as helping them become self-reliant members of the community.

Origin story

In 2020, the city of Menomonie launched Project Hope to focus on juveniles at risk. Awarded $600,000 in federal funding through the Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Use Prevention Program in 2022, the project was expanded to cover adults at risk. Funding was recently increased to $1 million for 2026-2028 to increase staff from one police officer to include case workers and a project manager.

Law enforcement has traditionally been reactive – waiting for crimes to occur and then reacting to them. Project Hope’s approach is to head off crime before it happens, primarily by identifying people at risk of incarceration and intervening early, employing what are known as Diversion and Deflection strategies.

How it works

Early identification can happen in numerous ways. Individuals can self-refer through a “safe space” program, which is HIPAA-compliant, confidential and doesn’t risk incarceration. Others might be referred by a probation officer or other community member – a social worker, family member, counselor, medical provider, even the library. Bergh might reach out proactively If he notices that someone is appearing regularly in city dispatch calls for service. 

The scope and variety of need in Menomonie is revealed through the calls that Bergh responds to. He might get a call about someone struggling with drug abuse. For example, someone might be struggling to clear the drug paraphernalia from their residence so they can get through a recovery program. He has received calls from hospital discharge coordinators when an elderly patient was being discharged with nowhere to go or alerting him to homeless individuals. 

The resources that Project Hope can offer people in crisis include rent money, security deposits, phones to stay in touch, tents for homeless people, rides to appointments, referrals to treatment services, assistance with filling out applications for housing and treatment or referrals to medical providers for health care and detox.

Bergh also follows up regularly to check on participants’ welfare and progress, which may be the greatest resource he provides – the knowledge they are not alone. He emphasizes that these resources are not “handouts”.  They are a path to self-reliance. 

Project Hope Stories

Rebecca Stender called on Project Hope for assistance when her husband, an ex-Marine struggling with PTSD and alcohol addiction, ended up in an emergency room following a car accident. When attempts at a blood draw triggered a PTSD reaction, Bergh helped calm the situation sitting with Stender until he could be transferred to another facility. He continued to check in on Stender’s progress for several months. Stender’s wife is grateful for Bergh’s ability to turn around what could have been a very bad situation in the ER, and for his compassion and continuing interest in her husband. 

Nathan Landry echoes this gratitude. Four months after being released from a stint at the Dunn County Jail for issues related to alcohol addiction, he found himself homeless, hungry and sleeping on the street. He contacted Bergh, who brought him blankets and a bag of food. Later he brought Landry a tent and phone refill cards so they could stay in touch as well as a ride to Arbor Place so he could self-admit for rehab. Landry chose not to stay and ultimately ended up back in the Dunn County Jail. When he got out, Bergh found him shelter at Cairn House, Stepping Stones’ homeless shelter, followed by a long-term rehab program at Hope Gospel Mission in Eau Claire, which so far is proving successful. 

David Chinn is one of Project Hope’s success stories. He reflects on his past saying he previously spent “most of my life” incarcerated, much of the time for drug abuse. After his latest release from jail, Project Hope assisted him with his first month’s rent and security deposit. Without that assistance, Chinn says he’s sure he would still be living in terrible conditions and hating the world. Instead, he became certified in several areas of treatment, including as a Peer Specialist and a Smart Recovery Facilitator. Currently working in the role of Peer Specialist at Kaleidoscope Center, Chinn is also grateful for the funding provided by Project Hope that allows the center to stay open when other services are closed. He describes Bergh and Project Hope staff as “phenomenal people” who are working to change the narrative around addiction, recovery and law enforcement using a new, proactive model, sometimes called a Quick Response Team (QRT). “They may carry a badge and a gun and handcuffs, but they’re not trying to handcuff people,” says Chinn.

What Lies Ahead

Despite success stories like these, Bergh knows there’s more to measuring outcomes. He cites not-yet-published data collected by Cordata Health of Ohio, suggesting that similar law enforcement programs have led to a 44.5% cost reduction in the use of emergency resources. With Project Hope’s increased funding, they hope to gather their own data to look at the project’s potential impact on health outcomes, use of emergency resources, and other metrics. 

One drawback Bergh sees with the QRT model is the inevitable delays of one to six months in getting people the resources and treatment services they need when they need them. Since the individuals he works with are already in crisis, such delays can lead to them to disengage from the process or even disappear.

Nonetheless, he remains hopeful that a new, community-wide collaborative model to provide resources to people in need can expedite the process. 

(The Dunn County Sheriff’s Department receives its own funding and Deputy Dylan Crist serves as the county’s Behavioral Health Officer for Project Hope.) 

Visit https://www.menomonie-wi.gov/473/Project-Hope for more information about Project Hope. Officer Aaron Bergh can be reached at 715-308-5475.

Joan Pougiales is a long-time Menomonie resident glad to see innovative approaches with potential to improve our community.

Paused Data Center Updates

By MNN Staff

The following news updates regarding the City of Menomonie paused data center have been released since last week and shared here for your information.

“Menomonie mayor defends move to halt massive data center project,” September 24: Wisconsin Public Radio interview

“Menomonie City Council Member gives thoughts about paused data center project,” September 25; WQOW News 18

“Matthew Crowe (Council Member) Press Conference,” September 25, Eye on Dunn video

Red Cross Blood Drive Correction

The blood drive being held at Menomonie United Methodist Church should have been listed as follows: Mon Oct 6 - United Methodist Church, Noon - 6pm.To view a full list and/or make an appointment click here.

Fundraisers Galore this Weekend

By MNN Staff

Fri Oct 3 Menomonie’s Got Talent (to benefit Boys and Girls Club- Menomonie)

Menomonie's Got Talent; Fri Oct 3, Mabel Tainter Theater, 6 pm

An evening showcasing local talent and raising funds for the Boys and Girls Club in Menomonie. Prizes awarded: $500 – 1st Place; $250 – 2nd Place; $100 – 3rd Place; plus, a Fan Favorite award. Tickets may be purchased HERE.  

Sat Oct 4 The Haunted Hillside (to benefit Dunn County Humane Society)

The Haunted Hillside (Opening Weekend) Sat Oct 4, Noon - 9 pm, N5041 610th St, Menomonie. Note: The Haunted Hillside is open Fridays and Saturdays throughout October. For more information: The Haunted Hillside Facebook Page

Sat Oct 4  The Memories Reunion Concert (to benefit Stepping Stones of Dunn County)

Sat, Oct 4, 2-4 pm, Menomonie High School Auditorium. Free concert. Non-monetary donations for Stepping Stones accepted at the door. Sponsored by Peace Lutheran Church.

Sat Oct 4 Tanglewood Swing for a Cause

Tanglewood Golf Course, 4 pm. Proceeds benefit winning team’s nonprofit choice.

Sat Oct 4 Car & Motorcycle Show (to benefit WI Foster Closet)

Virtual StrongBodies Strength Training Fall Registration

FREE Extension series runs Oct 7 through Dec 18

Upcoming Fall StrongBodies virtual series starting Tues, October 7th.

Oct 7 - Dec 18; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 – 10:15 am

Bonus presentations on nutrition and other topics offered multiple times throughout the series

Register online at: https://go.wisc.edu/en2v26

A welcome email with the Zoom link to join class will be sent in the week prior to the series or within 3-5 days if registering after October 1st, 2025.

A recorded option to access a StrongBodies session at anytime can be found HERE.

Source: UW Extension Strong Bodies Facebook

An Evening with William Kent Krueger

Fri, Oct 3, 6pm - Harvey Hall Theater, UW-Stout Campus

The award-winning author will present and sign books, discussing his latest Cork O'Connor mystery, Apostle's Cove.

The event is a collaboration between Dragon Tale Books, the Menomonie Public Library, and the UW-Stout Literary Committee. This is a free event. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the author, have their books signed and time for audience questions.

Source: Facebook page

Looking Back: October

News items from Dunn County’s past compiled by the Dunn County Historical Society

STOUT EDGES LA CROSSE

Stout running back Luke Bundgaard (30), a redshirt freshman from Weyerhauser, runs into a big hole created by guard Derek Branch (76), a senior from New Brighton, Minn., and tight end Brian Johnson (31), a junior from Hudson. The Blue Devils remained undefeated with a come-from-behind victory over UW-La Crosse. October 18, 2000 Dunn County News

PRICE OF SHAVES TO BE 15 CENTS

When the barbers of Menomonie call “Next” after Oct. 21 patrons must expect to pay 15 cents for a shave. This price was fixed at a meeting of the Barbers' Protective Association Monday evening. It includes a neck shave, but whether you want a neck shave or not the price is 15 cents. The advance from 10 to 15 cents for a shave is simply in accord with similar advances in other lines of business all over the country and many barber shops have already increased the price. October 17, 1907 Dunn County News 

WILD RICE -- WILD DUCK FOR LAKE MENOMIN

 Marlin Ranson, M.O. Doolittle and J.B. Lutz are sponsors for a movement to entice the wild duck to Lake Menomin. The plan is to plant wild rice, and in this manner produce a feeding ground. Wild ducks were at one time quite plentiful about here, but owing to lack of proper feed, few if any are now to be found. Sportsmen will be pleased to know that sufficient money has been contributed to plant about 150 lbs. of rice. October 29, 1908 Dunn County News

HUMAN FLY SCALES CHURCH SPIRES OF MENOMONIE

Should you observe the figure of a man pirouetting at the apex of one of the city’s church steeples, you should not conclude that you are witnessing the gyration of an animated statue of the Flying Mercury. Neither will it be something ornate and original in the way of weather vanes. The object of your wonder is Mr. Anton Sacho, steeple jack, who has just completed the contract for repairing the spire of St. Paul’s German Lutheran Church, damaged by lightning last summer. The work included shingling and painting and involved $300 expense. Mr. Sacho is now engaged in coating with gold leaf the cross on St. Joseph’s Church steeple and painting the tower. His work takes him 135 feet above the pavement. Mr. Sacho hails from Oshkosh and scales the dizzy heights with the ease of a fly making the ascent of a window pane. October 30, 1913 Dunn County News

NEW CLASS IN CITIZENSHIP

Women voters who wish to study American government and politics this winter may enroll tonight at 7:30 at the high school for the Thursday night class in citizenship offered by the Evening School. This course was originally announced to meet two nights a week but it has been changed to a once-a-week class to make it possible for people with a small amount of spare time to attend. Director Curren and Principal Ashley of the Evening School have planned the course especially to meet the present needs of women  voters but it is open to men as well. Up to November 4th, it will cover quickly what the citizen needs to know to vote intelligently in the coming election. After that it will take up in detail party organization, local, county, state and national government and the broader modern question of citizenship. It is a practical course, as are all courses offered by the vocational schools. I.0. Slocumb is the teacher. October 14, 1920 Dunn County News 

ANOTHER ALLEGED GOLD MINE

The NEWS has been handed a piece of quartz from the farm of Mr. Robert Williams, of the town of Menomonie, near Irvine's mill, which to a "tenderfoot" glitters with promise of rich yield of precious metal. We are informed that the specimen is from an apparently exhaustless ledge that puts out from a high bank, and that Mr. Williams has been quietly investigating the matter for some months and is now convinced he has a bonanza in his find. But our confidence would be greater were the specimen before us heavier, and the glittering gold-like particles with which it is filled not so manifestly composed of worthless pyrites, so apt to lead the hopeful prospector to indulge in peace-destroying, baseless dreams of the sudden acquisition of great wealth. "All is not gold that glitters." October 31, 1885 Dunn County News 

 Do you like “old news?” Follow the Dunn County Historical Society on Facebook www.facebook.com/dunnhistory for a daily dose.

MHS Grads: Where are They Now?

??? Name - Class of ???

By Judy Foust

Dear Readers,

NO, your eyes are not deceiving you. NO, I’m not too lazy to write a column for this week’s newsletter. YES, I have no bananas! (Only those of you of a “certain age” will likely get that reference). YES, no one has completed an interview for this week.

Although I have a number of interviewees finishing up their information, none are ready to print this week. So… I’m taking a brief walk down Memory Lane~~

Since I wrote my first column in February, I’ve interviewed and shared the stories of 23 MHS graduates! I thought you might enjoy rereading or catching up on someone you’ve missed. Just go to the MNN website and click on the issue you’d like to read.

• Issue 14 ( February 19, 2025)—Joe Leventhal

• Issue 15 (February 26, 2025)—Marianne DeHoff

• Issue 20 (March 19, 2025)—Justin Schwarz

• Issue 21 (April 9, 2025)—Dana Waznik

• Issue 23 (April 16, 2025)—Marcia Bjornrud

• Issue 24 (April 30, 2025)—Carolyn Cole

• Issue 26 (May 14, 2025)—Erika Dinkel-Smith

• Issue 27 (May 21, 2025)—Elizabeth “Bit” Ohvall

• Issue 28 (May 28, 2025)—Alison Raemaker

• Issue 30 (June 11, 2025)—Judy Berg Foust

• Issue 31 (June 18, 2025)—Anna Mahoney

• Issue 32 (June 25, 2025)—Diane Schofield

• Issue 33 (July 2, 2025)—Stefani Friedenfels Terry

• Issue 34 ( July 9, 2025)—Daniel Hagaman

• Issue 35 (July 16, 2025)—David Whitman

• Issue 36 (July 23, 2025)—Leila Heise

• Issue 37 (July 30, 2025)—Marie Rasmussen Frawley and Jeff Frawley

• Issue 38 (August 6, 2025)—Brendan Ryan

• Issue 40 (August 20, 2025)—Joe Waggoner

• Issue 41 (August 27, 2025)—John O’Neill

• Issue 42 (September 3, 2025)—Sally Nystuen Vahle

• Issue 43 (September 10, 2025)—Joe Kneer

• Issue 45 (September 24, 2025)—Gary Berg

If you wish to refer someone for this column, I need the following information: 1) the person’s name, 2) email and/or cell number, and 3) why you are referring that person.

If you are referring yourself, please let me know which of the following options you are choosing:

1. Jot down responses to a list of possible topics and send your notes to me, so I can write your story.

2. Write your own story. (I’ll provide a list of topics and questions as your starting point).

3. Meet face-to-face with me for an interview.

4. Arrange a zoom interview.

Remember: I need your senior class photo and 1-2 current photos.

Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her to request an interview contact her at [email protected]

Public Meetings Oct 1 - 8

City of Menomonie

Mon Oct 6 City Council Meeting, 7 pm, Council Chambers

Click HERE for calendar and agendas.

School District of Menomonie

None Scheduled

Click HERE for calendar and add’l details

Dunn County

Wed Oct 1 Executive Committee, 5:30pm, Agenda

Wed Oct 8  Transit Committee, 8 am, Hwy Dept; Highway Committee, 8:15 am, Hwy Dept

Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting

Menomonie Events at a Glance

Wed Oct 1 - Emergency Preparedness Class for Seniors, 10am, Senior Center; Farmer’s Market, 10 am - 6pm; Blood Donor Drive, 11am-5pm, Phillips Medisize

Thurs Oct 2 - Blood Donor Drive, 10am-4pm, St. Joseph Catholic; Vibrant Voices Memory Choir Rehearsal, 1pm, Our Savior’s Lutheran; Housing Clinic, 4pm, Kaleidoscope Center; Cars & Caffeine, 6pm, The Neighbors

Fri Oct 3 - Menomonie’s Got Talent, 6pm, Mabel Tainter; Evening with Wm Kent Krueger, 6pm, Harvey Hall

Sat Oct 4 - Farmer’s Market, 8am - 1 pm; Braver Angels Workshop, 10am, First Congregational UCC; Foster Closet Car & Motorcycle Show, 10-2pm, 3375 Kothlow Ave; Haunted Trail Opening Day, Noon - 9pm; Community Connections, 12:30-2:30pm, Public Library; Memories Reunion Concert, 2pm, MHS Auditorium; Swing for a Cause Charity Golf Tournament, 4-7pm; Tanglewood Greens,

Mon Oct 6 - Blood Donor Drive, Noon-6pm, United Methodist Church; MHS Bands Outdoor Concert, 7pm, Wilson Park; Fire Dept Open House, 5-8pm, Station 2, 2417 Wilson St

Wed Oct 8 - Farmer’s Market, 8am - 1pm

MHS Extracurricular Activities

Compiled from MHS Daily Announcements

Wed, Sept 24

In the last 9 hole Big Rivers Conference meet of the year the Girls Golf Team finished in 7th place at Lake Hallie Golf in Chippewa Falls on Tuesday. Leading the way were Maggie Winsand carding a 46 good for 11th place & Evy Asher with a 50 good for 21st place, followed by Lucia Santibanez, Cierra House & Zoey Cleveland.

Thurs, Sept 25

Congrats to the Girls Tennis Team on their win on Tuesday in the last conference match of the regular season. Varsity won 5-2 and JV won 7-0 against River Falls.

Fri, Sept 26

The Girls Golf Team made a very good showing at the 8 team, 18-hole Big Rivers Conference finals Thursday at the Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, finishing in 6th place & only 3 shots out of 5th place. With that finish the Mustangs finished in 7th overall in the Conference ahead of Rice Lake. Leading the way were Maggie Winsand carding an 89 good for 9th (out of 40 golfers), Lucia Santibanez 94 good for 13th, followed by Evy Asher, Cierra House & Zoey Cleveland.

Tues, Sept 30

Congratulations to the Sophomore Football Team on their win vs. Eau Claire Memorial last night. They won 43-14 and are now 5-1 on the season. Congratulations to the Boys Cross Country Team for their excellent performance last Friday in Marshfield. The boys placed their entire top 5 in the top 10 of the large school division to win the meet. Senior Luke Ray led the way with a personal best time of 16:08 to finish 2nd. That time qualifies him to earn All-American status from the National Coaches Association!

MHS Bands Hold Annual Outdoor Concert

Menomonie Inducts Seven into Hall of Fame

Honorees Span Athletes, Coaches, Educators and 1993 title team

By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor

MENOMONIE - Menomonie High School honored seven new members of its Athletic Hall of Fame during homecoming weekend, with introductions at the football game Sept. 26, and formal induction ceremonies Sept. 27.

The 2025 class features Ben Walter, Angie (White) Wilson, Ben Dahlke, Joe LaBuda, Nicole Schmidt, the 1993 State Championship Football team and Steve Schrantz.

For a more detailed story, go to the Menomonie News Net website.

Ben Walter - Golf, Hockey

Ben Walter, a 1989 graduate, was a four-year letter winner in both golf and hockey, earning All-Big Rivers Conference honors all four years on the golf course. He twice qualified for the WIAA state boys golf tournament and, in 1988, competed at the U.S. Junior Amateur.

At the University of Wisconsin, Walter became one of the Badgers’ most decorated golfers. He was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, helped UW to back-to-back conference titles in 1993 and 1994, and won the 1994 Big Ten individual championship with a record-setting score — the program’s first such champion in three decades. He also qualified for the 1994 NCAA Championships.

Walter went on to win three Wisconsin State Opens, earn 1993 Wisconsin Amateur Player of the Year honors, and compete on multiple professional tours. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Golf and UW Athletic halls of fame in 2019.

Angie (White) Wilson - Track and Field, Cross Country, Coach

Angie (White) Wilson, a 1983 Menomonie High School graduate, enters the Menomonie Athletic Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as both an athlete and coach.

Wilson starred in track and cross country, earning seven varsity letters and qualifying for multiple state meets from 1980-82. She graduated holding several school records, including the outdoor 400-meter dash that stood for 42 years. In 1983, she was named Western Wisconsin Prep Athlete of the Spring.

At UW-La Crosse, Wilson competed at the NCAA indoor and outdoor nationals and earned All-America honors in the 4x400 relay in 1987, when she also served as team MVP and co-captain.

Wilson later coached at Bloomer and Menomonie, guiding multiple conference championship teams and developing state-level athletes. Since 2004, she has specialized in the horizontal jumps at Menomonie, where her athletes have collected numerous conference titles, records and state honors.

Ben Dahlke - Track and Field, Football, Basketball

Ben Dahlke’s impact on athletics stretched from Menomonie High School to the U.S. Air Force Academy and a 20-year military career.

In track and field, Dahlke, a 1995 Menomonie graduate, was a four-time letter winner, three-time state qualifier and multiple conference champion in hurdles, relays and the triple jump. He received All-State honors in 1994 and 1995 and graduated holding several school records. Dahlke also lettered in basketball and served as co-captain his senior year.

Dahlke joined the football team as a junior and quickly became a key contributor. He helped Menomonie win the 1993 WIAA Division 2 state championship and finish runner-up in 1994, earning First Team All-Big Rivers Conference and All-Northwest Region honors as a wide receiver. He was also named Second Team All-State.

At the Air Force Academy, Dahlke earned three letters in track and field, captained the 1999 team and later served as a coach before a decorated career as a lieutenant colonel.

Joe La Buda - Coach: Football, Baseball, Softball

Joe LaBuda guided Menomonie’s football ascension to one of Wisconsin’s top football programs. LaBuda began his coaching career in Florida before moving to Menomonie in 1989. Over the next 32 seasons, his teams averaged fewer than two losses per year while piling up conference and state honors. He retired in 2020 with a record of 321-60, ranking 18th nationally in winning percentage among coaches with more than 300 victories.

Under LaBuda, Menomonie won 22 Big Rivers Conference titles, reached the state semifinals 16 times, finished runner-up twice and claimed five state championships. His 1997 squad earned national attention by finishing No. 10 in the USA Today poll.

LaBuda also coached baseball and softball, guiding both to regional and conference titles. He has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and National High School Coaches HOF.

Nicole Schmidt - Track and Field, Cross Country, Basketball

Nicole Schmidt excelled across three sports at Menomonie High School and carried that success to the University of South Dakota. A 2013 MHS graduate, Schmidt was a four-time letter winner in cross country, basketball and track. She earned multiple Big Rivers Conference honors in cross country and set the school’s 4K record. On the court, she helped the Indians win the 2010 conference basketball title and graduated as the program’s three-point record holder.

Her greatest success came in track, where she was a five-time conference champion in the 400 and 800, four-time state qualifier in the 800, and the 2010 Big Rivers Athlete of the Year. She graduated holding several school records.

At South Dakota, Schmidt was an eight-time letter winner in cross country and track, helping the Coyotes to multiple Summit League titles and setting relay records. After earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at South Dakota, Schmidt graduated in 2023 as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor from Sonoran University of Health Sciences.

1993 State Championship Football Team

The 1993 Menomonie High School football team cemented its place in Wisconsin history with an unforgettable playoff run that delivered the program’s first state championship.

After dominating the Big Rivers Conference, Menomonie opened the postseason with a stunning 34-0 rout of No. 3-ranked Sun Prairie, a perennial Division 1 power that had dropped to Division 2.

That set up a state semifinal against Monroe, which carried the nation’s longest winning streak. Instead of the expected shootout, the game turned into a defensive classic, tied 3-3 after regulation. Menomonie’s goal-line stand in overtime — stopping Monroe inches from the end zone — set up a game-winning field goal that shocked the state and ended Monroe’s streak. The victory drew headlines in the Milwaukee Journal, Madison State Journal and USA Today.

In the state championship game, Menomonie defeated Ashwaubenon, led by future NFL running back Aaron Stecker, in a record-setting 49-31 shootout. The 80 combined points remain a WIAA title-game record.

The victory gave Menomonie its first football state crown and a No. 1 ranking in the Milwaukee Journal’s Large School Poll — a historic breakthrough that launched the program into statewide prominence. Menomonie would go on to win state football titles in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002.

Steve Schrantz - Distinguished Service Award

Steve Schrantz, a longtime teacher, coach, official and broadcaster, has been selected to receive the Distinguished Service Award.

Schrantz began teaching in Menomonie in 1969 after graduating from Elk Mound High School, UW–Eau Claire and UW–Stout. He coached boys basketball at every level before becoming head coach in 1986, compiling a 65-45 record — the program’s best winning percentage since 1950. His 1986 team won the Big Rivers co-championship, regional and sectional titles, and advanced to the WIAA state tournament.

From 1979 to 1989, he also coached softball, helping the program to a 181-37 record, five state appearances, runner-up finishes in 1982 and 1987, and the 1983 state championship.

Schrantz was a familiar voice on the radio, co-hosting Coaches Corner/Western Wisconsin Sports Saturday and serving as the “Voice of Menomonie” for football and basketball broadcasts. In 2011, he received the UW-Stout Athletic Distinguished Service Award.

He and his wife, Kathy, have three children (Amy, Chris, Sara) and now enjoy following their seven grandchildren’s activities.

For a more detailed story, go to the Menomonie News Net website.

Layne Pitt retired as the longest serving sports information director at UW-Stout and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.

Menomonie Inducts Seven into Hall of Fame by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Menomonie Mustangs Athletics and Activities | UW-Stout Blue Devil Athletics 

For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.

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