Buckshot | January 2019

MR. RELIABLE
Whether he’s adjusting to Division I hockey
or dealing with his cut from the U.S. team,
Eau Claire native Emberson stays poised

MORE INSIDE:

Durand’s triple threat has Panthers looking like contenders
A change of scenery — and sport — have been just what Badgers

rower and Stanley-Boyd graduate Jenna Hoffstatter needed

2 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

COTNABTLEE ONF TS

ON THE COVER
Eau Claire native Ty Emberson stays
even-keeled throughout the highs
and lows of life as a high-level
Division I hockey player with the
Wisconsin Badgers. PAGE 3

TRIPLE THREAT
Durand’s trio of Emily Annis, Emma
Hansen and Hannah Prissel is
catching fire in the Dunn-St. Croix
Conference — as usual. PAGE 5

POSTERIZED
Menomonie boys hockey player
Cole Mensing. PAGE 8

FRESH START
A change of scenery — and sport
— were exactly what Wisconsin
rower and Stanley-Boyd graduate
Jenna Hoffstatter needed. PAGE 10

Durand’s Emily Annis, left, is one of three
Panthers in the top five in scoring in the
Dunn-St. Croix Conference.

MR. RELIABLEBUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019 3

Whether he’s adjusting
to Division I hockey or dealing

with his cut from the U.S.
team, Eau Claire native
Emberson stays poised

STORY BY NICK ERICKSON Ty Emberson skates in a game against the University of Minnesota this season. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ATHLETICS

MADISON — All was quiet in the That’s been Emberson’s MO his entire and considers him a piece who can help 206145 9-12-18
basement of the LaBahn Arena hockey career, whether it’d be the two lift the program back to the national stage.
on a chilly Thursday afternoon in years he spent on Team USA’s national de- In turn, Emberson — the Arizona Coyotes’
Madison. velopment program or Eau Claire Memorial third round pick in June’s NHL Draft — saw
Students weren’t back from break yet. High School. Madison as a place he could continue to
There wasn’t a full coaching staff. And get ready for the next level.
there were only 50 minutes of ice time for Now, he’s doing just that for UW.
the Wisconsin Badgers’ men’s hockey team While his point totals don’t jump off the It’s been a perfect marriage so far.
considering it had a game two days later board — two goals and four assists in 20 “It’s been unbelievable. It’s been a seam-
against Team USA’s 18-and-under squad. games — he has 38 blocked shots, a plus-2 less step into college life for me with the
Into the tunnel stepped third-year coach rating and a defensive stalwart for the help of Tony Granato (and defense coach)
Tony Granato, a former NHL sniper who has Badgers. Mark Osiecki,” Emberson said. “A lot of great
coached at the professional and Division “He just does everything right,” Granato teammates, a great roommate for me,
I levels. Needless to say, a person who said. school has been good. The area is unbe-
knows his hockey. Emberson was one of the first high- lievable, and the fans have been awesome.
Which is what made his ensuing state- ly-touted recruits Granato landed when he It’s been really good so far.”
ment that afternoon describing the team’s committed in summer 2016.
18-year-old defenseman, Eau Claire native Wisconsin has long awaited his arrival MORE EMBERSON PAGE 4
Ty Emberson, all the more telling.
“To come in here as a freshman ... com-
ing in and playing such a significant role
and really being as consistent as a player
that I’ve seen, maybe even in college
hockey,” Granato said, “is a great compli-
ment to his work ethic, his preparation, his
mental toughness, his character. He’s done
everything we’ve asked out of him.”
Soon after that ringing endorsement from
his head coach, Emberson came off the ice
and into the same tunnel. He was one of two
final Badgers off the ice. The other was his
longtime defense partner K’Andre Miller. The
two roommates stuck around after practice
to fire off some extra shots at the blue line.
Consistency isn’t an accident. It’s the
sum of little moments — like staying past
the final whistle of a quiet practice — add-
ing up to the greater part. It’s not always
flashy or noticed. But it always shows up
when it matters most.

4 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

> EMBERSON
FROM PAGE 3

It sure helps playing with a guy he’s got- STAFF FILE PHOTO
ten to know like a brother the past three
seasons. Ty Emberson was the Big Rivers Conference Player of the Year and WIAA Defenseman of the Year while playing with Memo-
rial in 2016.
Miller, a first-round draft pick of the
New York Rangers and offensive-minded game he plays, Emberson has just four team last month in complete stride. The former Old Abe has achieved
defenseman, pairs perfectly with the stay- penalty minutes on the season. His dis- Emberson simply saw it as an opportu- consistency through his mental fortitude,
at-home role Emberson has carved out for cipline is something many players never team-first attitude and willingness to do
himself. develop, let alone at his age. nity to better himself as a player. He’ll have whatever it takes.
another chance to make the roster next
The two partnered up on the USA U-17 “He’s crunched some guys,” Granato winter. But his next great test? Securing all
and U-18 teams prior to coming to Madi- said. “That’s the underrated part of his the tickets for Eau Claire area friends and
son together. game that a lot of people don’t recognize “It (the tryout) was a really good expe- family to come watch him play at Minne-
is how physically intimidating and tough rience for me,” Emberson said. “A lot of sota — where his brother Andrew and
Miller, Wisconsin’s leading scorer, said he can be at the right moment. He doesn’t knowledge was gained from that week out sister Mia go to school and also where his
Emberson had all the tools when he first run around trying to finish checks for no west. Obviously it was a really good team grandfather, Denny Zacho, played hockey
began playing with him in 2016. He’s just reason, but when there’s time for a big hit, and tough team to make, but you saw how and baseball — on Jan. 25 and 26th.
seen him hone them over the past three he brings it.” many good players were out there. You
years. saw them on the biggest stage, so I think “I can’t even count (how many people
Granato also raved about Emberson’s that’s just motivation for me next year.” have asked for tickets),” Emberson said
“He’s been an elite athlete and elite pain tolerance and willingness to get in with his patented smile. “ We are going to
hockey player, but I think just rounding the way of a shot. In fact, he had six blocks Emberson has handled everything that’s see who the real family members are that
out his game,” Miller said of where he’s against Penn State on Nov. 30, which been thrown at him and then some both weekend and who shows up in red.”
seen Emberson grow the most as a player. sparked a Badgers’ win over a Big Ten this winter and throughout his hockey
“He was really good at a lot of things three opponent. career. If history is a precursor, he’ll figure out a
years ago, and not a lot has changed. He way to get everybody into Mariucci Arena.
has just gotten better at those things. He’s His mental toughness rounds out his He adjusted his role once he stacked And probably wearing cardinal and white.
a great player to play with. I trust him a lot game to what it is, which is why he took himself up against the world’s best at his
when I’m on the blue line.” getting cut from the World Juniors U-20 age group. He got right back to work after
missing out on the World Juniors team.
They know one another’s tendencies
and have created a dynamic friendship
that has led to extreme cohesiveness on
the ice.

Even if that means, off the ice, Emberson
occasionally makes it tough for his buddy
to rest.

“Once in a while he just snores,” Miller
said with a chuckle. “It’s pretty loud some-
times. But sometimes after a long weekend
or long road trip where he just gets back
and passes out, I can’t even sleep.”

Playing for the national team the last
two seasons helped prep Emberson and
Miller to play college hockey at such a
young age. And play it well.

While wearing the stars and stripes the
past two years, Emberson played against
guys who were four or five years older in
the USHL. Same thing in college as he goes
up against players who might be as old as
25.

Every day, gameday or not, is a battle.
“Being able to play guys who are bigger,
faster and stronger than me helps me
elevate my game to the next level each
weekend, and even during the week,” Em-
berson said. “Practices are tiring, they are a
battle every day just like the program was.
Just the practices with older guys every
day, it makes you better.”
He’s showed he has more than em-
braced that challenge. Despite the physical

TRIPLE THREATBUCKSHOTTHEMAGAZINE/JANUARY2019 5

PHOTO BY BRANDEN NALL

Durand’ trio Emma hansen (left), Emily Annis (middle) and Hannah Prissel (right) are all among the Dunn-St. Croix Conference’s leading scorers this season.

Durand’s Hansen, Annis, Prissel putting up numbers with Dunn-St. Croix’s best

BY SPENCER FLATEN all among the top five scorers in the Dunn-St. Croix players, while Prissel has been on the varsity squad
LEADER-TELEGRAM STAFF Conference this season. And all three seniors wear for three of her four years at the school. All three saw
DURAND – There isn’t much the Durand girls bas- Panther purple. significant playing time when the Panthers went to
ketball program hasn’t accomplished over the last few the Division 4 state tournament in 2017, and their
years. “It’s a pretty good thing,” Durand coach Darrin roles have only grown more prominent.
Conference championships. Regional and sectional Loewenhagen said. “They’ve all been through winning
titles. 20-plus win seasons. The Panthers have just for the last three-plus years now, so it’s been a real But their connection goes farther back than their
about done it all. pleasure to work with the group. “ high school days. The trio has been playing together
And right in the middle of all of it has been a trio since eighth grade.
serving as the model of consistency the program has Hansen has led the way so far among the senior
followed since they arrived. trio – she is second in the conference in scoring at “We have a really family-like mentality,” Annis said.
Emily Annis, Emma Hansen and Hannah Prissel are 13.2 points per game, according to the latest numbers “We try to keep it in the back of our minds that this is
received by the Leader-Telegram. Annis and Prissel about more than just basketball, so we all get along
are not far behind, averaging 13.1 and 10.8 points per really well on and off the court.”
game, respectively.
MORE TRIPLE THREAT PAGE 6
Both Annis and Hansen are four-year varsity

6 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

STAFF FILE PHOTO > TRIPLE THREAT
FROM PAGE 5
Durand’s Emily Annis shoots over Howards Grove’s Ashley Reinemann
in the second half of the WIAA Division 4 state semifinals at the Resch The three have skill sets that com- Panthers for years.
Center in March of 2017. plement each other, which has Durand “Emma gets after it. She works really,
challenging for another Dunn-St. Croix
championship this winter. Each slots into really hard,” Annis said. “She’s more
her role with a level of comfort fitting of a aggressive and works harder than
senior with the resume they have. anybody out there on the court, and
you can tell.”
Prissel is the type of versatile player
who can contribute on either side of “Emma is definitely a very ferocious
the court on any given night. Defen- basketball player. She puts her heart
sively she can apply the pressure, and into every game she plays,” Prissel
as the stats have shown this year, she’s added.
got a knack for scoring too.
Annis has the basketball IQ to help
“Hannah’s got all the athleticism you lead the team in any situation, whether
want in a basketball player,” Annis said. on offense or defense. She has been
“On the defensive end, she’s always consistency personified for several
ready to get the steals whenever she years at Durand, earning second team
can. Offensively, she’s really been grow- All-Northwest honors as a junior and
ing every year and become more and fifth team All-Northwest recognition as
more of an offensive threat as we’ve a sophomore.
gone along.”
“Emily is one of those players who
Hansen is the nose-to-the-grind- is smart with the basketball and just
stone player that coaches love. Noted knows how to handle pressure,” Prissel
by her teammates for her work ethic, said. “She can handle everything that
she’s been a consistent scorer for the comes along with the sport of basket-
ball.”

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BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019 7

“Emily can kind of do it all. She’s a said. “But now it doesn’t even faze me.
very smart player,” Hansen added. You’ve just got to go out there with
your head in the game.”
The Panthers’ triple threat helped
the team get out to a 9-0 start to the The Panthers have the luxury of not
season. Durand is currently locked in being over-reliant on any one player to
a battle with Colfax and Elk Mound for do the heavy lifting for them. If one of
the conference crown. the girls has an off night, there’s more
than enough around to pick up the
Durand defeated Elk Mound in the slack.
first meeting between the two this
season, but fell to Colfax in a tight- “It’s really nice to know that, because
ly-contested matchup between ranked obviously you can’t have a good game
teams. The Panthers and Vikings are every game,” Annis said. “So if one of us
scheduled to meet again on February isn’t having a good game, we’ve got the
8 in what is expected to be a pivotal other two – and not even just the other
game in the conference race. two, we’ve got four, five, six players on
the bench who can come out and score
“My freshman year, (big games) were double digits any night.”
a little bit nerve-wracking,” Hansen

Durand’s Hannah
Prissel passes
the ball during a
girls basketball
game at Altoona
on February 12,
2018.

STAFF FILE PHOTOS

Durand’s Emma Hansen tries to get around Altoona’s Emma Mickelson during
a girls basketball game at Altoona on February 12, 2018.

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10 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

STROKE Jenna Hoffstatter, once a star
OF LUCK volleyball player, finds new

home on the water

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ATHLETICS

Wisconsin’s Jenna Hoffstatter and the novice eight finished
fifth in the Big Ten Tournament last season.

BY JACK GOODS peting at the University of Wisconsin. Volleyball was called,” Hoffstatter said.
LEADER-TELEGRAM STAFF seemed unrealistic, considering the level of recruits the It seems crazy, but Badgers assistant coach Jim
Badgers often go for and that she already had burned a
Jenna Hoffstatter had accomplished her dream. year of eligibility. Then she remembered the pamphlets Mitchell said it isn’t unusual, especially at Wiscon-
After a stellar volleyball career at Stanley-Boyd, she used to get in high school. sin.
the Orioles’ setter was able to continue her career
collegiately at the Division I level at UW-Green Bay “Everyone got those flyers in the mail,” Hoffstatter “I’d say probably close to 80 percent of our team
2016. She got a chance to play, too, suiting up for 88 said. “’Come row at Madison.’ If you’re a student athlete, started on our team with no rowing experience,”
sets as a freshman while averaging 1.26 digs per set for everyone gets those.” Mitchell said. “We’re getting more and more recruits
the Phoenix. with high school experience and even some interna-
She decided to give it a shot and emailed the Wis- tional students, but still, most of our students start as
Still, something didn’t feel right. Green Bay just consin coaching staff. After a few emails, Hoffstatter athletes from other sports. We call it our talent transfer
wasn’t the place Hoffstatter wanted to be. went on an official visit and accepted a perferred walk- program.”
on position on the team.
“It didn’t really fit me personally,” said the three-time Mitchell said coaches look for a handful of traits,
All-Cloverbelt selection. Despite no prior rowing experience and minimal including overall athletic ability and drive. A strong
knowledge of the sport, she transferred to become a core is a major plus. Hoffstatter is far from the biggest
So, she went back to another dream of hers – com- member of an NCAA crew team. athlete on the team, but she makes up for it with her
work ethic.
“I didn’t even know what each side of the boat

BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019 11

“In a 2,000-meter race, what we always liked that mindset.” STAFF FILE PHOTO
do in the spring, it takes about 240 Now in her second year on the
strokes,” Mitchell said. “We can see Jenna Hoffstatter (left) while with Stanley-Boyd volleyball in 2015.
her pulling all out for all 240 strokes. team, she’s jumped to the varsity
That’s pretty tough to not take a level. Madison has become a second
stroke off.” home, she’s in the best shape of her
life and has made close bonds with
She started in the novice boat teammates built through gruelling
with the rest of the newbies, finding practices and 5 a.m. wakeup calls.
a home in a racing shell that holds
eight rowers and a coxwain to steer Hoffstatter said her goal is to get
and motivate. into one of the team’s top three
boats in the spring, the main season
The first time she went on the water for collegiate rowing. Since that first
they connected two boats together practice, her technique has improved
for increased stability, but that didn’t and so has the mental side.
settle the nerves.
“I just really think the sport is built
“That was even scary,” Hoffstatter to make mentally strong individuals,”
said. “All of us were just kind of freak- Hoffstatter said. “It sounds cliche, but
ing out.” it kind of changed how I view myself,
how I deal with difficult situations.”
The sea legs developed eventually.
She sat in the seventh seat, toward Her passion for volleyball hasn’t
the back end of the boat, when the left. She still loves watching and
group finished in fifth at the Big Ten often goes up to Green Bay to see her
Tournament. friends and former teammates play.

Despite the stark change in sports, There’s a new sport taking up her
she found some of her previous ath- time now, though.
letic training came in handy.
“If anyone is thinking about doing
“Rowing is very technical,” Hoff- it, I’d say just go for it,” Hoffstatter said
statter said. “Obviously I was a setter, of persuing crew. “I met some of my
a defensive specialist. I was honing best friends … some of my brides-
those skills for 12 years, practicing maids. It’s grueling, but all of these
non-stop. I picked it up quick but I girls have your back. It’s the camara-
always wanted to get better. … We’re derie that you do it for. I think that’s
just trying to improve, and I guess I what everyone is kind of after.”

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12 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

PHOTO BY BRANDEN NALL

Chippewa Falls’ Jack
Schimmel (bottom),
Isaac Frenette (left)
and Isaac Lindstrom
(top) have formed a
formidable top line
for the Cardinals.

FTLOIEPSLHINIGEH
Cardinals’Frenette, Lindstrom
and Schimmel form potent trio

BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019 13

STORY BY JACK GOODS
LEADER-TELEGRAM STAFF

CHIPPEWA FALLS And it’s a situation Jack and the STAFF FILE PHOTO
—The ingredients pair of Isaacs are perfectly fine with,
were always there. especially considering a goal from Chippewa Falls’ Jack Schimmel takes the puck down ice during a boys sectional
any of them was probably set up by hockey game at Hobbs Ice Arena against Eau Claire North on February 20, 2018.
The members of Chippewa Falls another member of the line.
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Rivers in scoring near the halfway
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the Cardinals in points by a large assist is a point, too, so no one is
margin. The three are the only play- afraid to give up the puck,” Schim-
ers on the entire roster with more mel said.
than nine.
“Those guys have been offensive
Their proximity to one another leaders for us,” Sikkink said. “They
one the scoresheet is a different have a lot of really good small
story. Frenette leads the team habits. When they play together as
with 22 points, just one more than a three-way group, they are awfully
Lindstrom. Schimmel is a bit further hard to compete against. It doesn’t
back in the point total, boasting matter if the other team has good
17, but is tied with Lindstrom for D or a good defensive forward
the team lead with 11 assists. All of matchup. They do a great job when
them have a four-point game under they’re working hard together to
their belt. overcome those obstacles.”

That’s unusual for a Chippewa First through fourth in the con-
Falls team that got used to Jordan ference standings is separated by
Steinmetz finishing way ahead of its just two points. While North made a
second-placed scorer. statement earlier this month with a
5-1 win against Memorial, Chippe-
“They are all pretty close togeth- wa Falls later defeated the Huskies
er, which is kind of odd, really,” to show they mean business.
Chippewa Falls assistant coach
Scott Sikkink said. “Usually there’s Chi-Hi sees an opportunity, and
one guy that separates himself its stars make it realistic.
pretty significantly. We haven’t had
that. It’s kind of a unique situation.” “We’re not in a rebuilding stage
anymore,” Schimmel said. “We’re in
a winning mindset. We have it all
now. We just need to put it out.”

14 BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019

HENIGEWHTS STAFF FILE PHOTO

NORTH’S URDAHL BLOSSOMS North’s Zach
INTO AREA’S TOP GOAL-SCORER Urdahl takes a shot
during the hockey
BY JACK GOODS improvements statistically. He’s already game against Rice
LEADER-TELEGRAM STAFF surpassed his sophomore year goal total Lake at Hobbs
by four despite playing less than half Ice Arena in Eau
North hockey’s Zach Urdahl has the games. While he’s not quite on pace Claire on February
become the Huskies’ old reliable. to match his assist totals from last year 16, 2018.
It hasn’t really been a question (24 in 2017-18, 13 this year), it’s likely
whether he’d get on the board or not in he’ll still pass he’s previous career best in
a game this season. points by at least 10.

“It’s just how many,” coach Ryan Parker “He’s been growing every year that
said with a chuckle. we’ve had him,” Parker said. “He defi-
nitely has a niche to score goals and the
The 6-foot junior is tied for third in the great thing about it is he loves to do it.
state with 30 goals, trailing the leader by When he gets an opportunity to get
just three. He notched four hat tricks in to that point, he’s all in. He sells out.”
his first ten games, something he said is
unprecedented at any level of his career, Urdahl credits a strong offsea-
let alone against a tough varsity sched- son program for the jump. Un-
ule. The hat tricks have come in high like many of his teammates,
pressure situations as well, with all four he doesn’t play other
occurring in Big Rivers competition. sports, instead investing
his time away from the
He notched two or more points in Huskies into additional
eight of the first ten games. time on the ice.

“That’s pretty cool considering last “Every kind of
year I was in the high teens in goals,” decision I make
Urdahl said. “It’s nice to know the off- is kind of hockey
season work is showing and I’m getting based,” Urdahl
rewarded for it.” said. “I always try
to focus on that.”
It’s true, Urdahl has made enormous

BUCKSHOT THE MAGAZINE/JANUARY 2019 15

He’s gotten bigger, stronger and a spotlight on the program. STAFF PHOTO BY
perhaps most notably, faster. “Hopefully that translates into the STEVE KINDERMAN

“I think my speed for sure has rest of our guys,” Parker said. “We’ve Zach Urdahl
gotten faster,” Urdahl said.”Being got other guys that have been skates versus Eau
able to skate around guys, not really wanting to get to that next level. Claire Memorial
making too many stickhandling ... We’ll tell them all the time, we in intracity boys
moves, but just small ones have kind understand, ‘Yeah they may be here hockey play on
of helped me get ahead of a player watching so-and-so, but you get so Thursday, Jan. 3 at
and around him.” many more opportunities to be in Hobbs Ice Center.
front of these guys.’”
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chance the Badgers would like to
“He’s got that, how do you say prepare him for the collegiate game
it, swagger about it,” Parker said. with a junior season in the United
“That’s what he does. That’s what he States Hockey League. His USHL
loves to do.” rights are owned by the Lincoln
Stars after the team selected him in
He isn’t just being rewarded on the 2018 draft.
the score sheet. He was already
getting Division I looks, having For Parker, this is familiar territory.
visited Wisconsin in the fall. The He just finished going through the
step forward in production at North, whole process with Stange, who,
in addition to his work with Team thankfully for the Huskies, opted to
Wisconsin, only increased interest. stay at North for his senior season.
In December, he committed to the
Badgers, adding to the growing list Urdahl is trying to put the USHL
of Chippewa Valley players making decision out of his mind during the
their way to Madison. Stange and year.
Altoona native Daniel Laatsch are
expected to join the Badgers in 2019 “Usually you don’t think about it,”
and 2020, respectively. Former Me- Urdahl said. “You just kind of focus
morial skater Ty Emberson is a fresh- on where you’re at and what you’re
man with Wisconsin this season. doing right now.”

Having two future Division I As for the now, the Huskies are in
talents at the same time at North contention for a Big Rivers title.
seemed unbelievable a few years
ago. The Huskies haven’t pro- “I think it prepares us for down
duced a Division I player since the road, later in the season,” Urdahl
Derrick LaPoint went to North Da- said of the pre-Big Rivers schedule.
kota in 2007, but suddenly, there’s “Our record doesn’t show amazing
right now, but I think we played a lot
of hard teams.”

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