The Plover-16 Fastpitch Softball team won the Dick Mulray Tournament in Kimberly June 26-28, 2009. Team members are, from left, front: Kaylee Mitch, Brittany Ziegel, Emily Miskoski, Sara Gross and Hallie Brock. Back: coach Kevin Raflik, Laura Raflik, Lindsey Makuski, Cassie Lepak, Morgan Oppor, Sam Bertz, Emily Mallek and coach Jeff Oppor. (Contributed photo)

Portage County Gazette

As we celebrate 20 years, we take a look at some of the stories that have graced the pages of our publication.

Five years ago:

July 11, 2014

Former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) pitcher Jordan Zimmermann was named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the second year in a row as a member of the Washington Nationals, after he went 6-4 with a 2.79 ERA in 18 starts in the first half of the season.

The Central Wisconsin Impact 11U baseball team won the 11U Game Day USA Wisconsin State Championship in Wisconsin Dells. Impact team members included Trey Zagrzebski, Logan Schulfer, Tanner Schude, Jared Mountin and Jacob Conrad of Plover, Isaac Cychosz and Nathan Kropidlowski of Rosholt, Nathan Konkol of Stevens Point, Tristan Schelvan of Amherst, Marcus Jaworski of Iola, and Tyler Beyer and Carson Guck of Wisconsin Rapids.

The Central Wisconsin Impact 11U baseball team shows off its Championship Rings after they won the 11U Game Day USA Wisconsin State Championship in Wisconsin Dells Friday through Sunday, June 27-29, 2014. Team members are, front row, from left: Nathan Konkol, Tyler Beyer, Logan Schulfer, Tristan Schelvan and Isaac Cychosz. Back row: Head coach Ryan Schulfer, Tanner Schude, Nathan Kropidlowski, Trey Zagrzebski, assistant coach Trent Schelvan, Carson Guck, Marcus Jaworski, assistant coach Shawn Cychosz and Jared Mountin. (Contributed photo)

10 years ago:

July 10, 2009

The Plover-16 Fastpitch Softball team won the Dick Mulray Tournament in Kimberly. Team members were Kaylee Mitch, Brittany Ziegel, Emily Miskoski, Sara Gross, Hallie Brock, Laura Raflik, Lindsey Makuski, Cassie Lepak, Morgan Oppor, Sam Bertz and Emily Mallek.

The 18U Fire Pro Fastpitch team placed ninth out of 214 teams at the “Triple Crown Sports Sparks” Tournament in Brighton, Colo. Team members were Patrice Suplicki, Kassie Krueger, Nicole Henke, Hillary Trebiatowski, Brooke Piotrowski, Kelly Franks, Brittany Bergquist, Emily Haluska, Lacey Probst, Katie Krueger and Jeanie Limberg.

Fire Pro Fastpitch, a girls softball team from the Stevens Point area in the 18-U category, took part in the “Triple Crown Sports Sparks” Tournament in Brighton, Colo., beginning Thursday, July 2, 2009, and took ninth place out of 214 teams. Members of the Stevens Point team included, from left, front: Patrice Suplicki, Kassie Krueger, Nicole Henke, Hillary Trebiatowski, Brooke Piotrowski and Kelly Franks. Back: Coach Pat Suplicki, Brittany Berquist, Emily Haluska, Emily Mallek, Lacey Probst, Katie Krueger, Jeanie Limberg, coach Tia Teske and coach Dave Trebiatowski. (Contributed photo)

20 years ago:

July 9, 1999

Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) graduate and 1996 Olympic racewalker Curt Clausen set the U.S. National Championship Meet record in the 20K with a time of 1:23.34. Earlier that spring, Claussen broke the 50K American record for the second time in 1999 with a time of 3:48.04.

Guided by then-manager Kraig Terpstra, the Plover Black Sox American Legion Baseball team won 25-4 over the Stevens Point Sixers in Plover. The Black Sox scored 15 runs in the fourth inning, including 12 unearned, as 12 straight batters scored and Plover sent 19 batters to the plate in the inning. Brandon Grabski had three at bats in the fourth inning, while Dan Weinkauf hit a three-run home run in the fourth, and struck out 12 over six innings for the win on the mound.