Lodi wins WIAA sportsmanship award for boys basketball - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WKOW) 

      The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, in cooperation with Rural Mutual Insurance, has selected the team Sportsmanship Awards for the 2012 winter State Tournaments.    

    The winners of the prestigious award are River Falls in gymnastics, Lodi in boys basketball, Notre Dame in girls basketball, Wausau West in boys ice hockey, Kettle Moraine Co-op in girls ice hockey and Spring Valley/Elmwood in wrestling.

    River Falls receives the Sportsmanship Award for the first time in gymnastics. The Wildcats placed second in Division 2 at the WIAA State Gymnastics Championships in March. The schools and communities receiving honorable mention include Arrowhead, Ashland, Burlington/Badger/Catholic Central/Wilmot, Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall, Mount Horeb and West Salem/Aquinas.

    Lodi, in its first-ever State Tournament appearance, was selected as the recipient of the sportsmanship award boys basketball. The Blue Devils displayed outstanding sportsmanship, enthusiasm and community support in their 59-30 semifinal loss to eventual champion Brillion. It is Lodi's third Sportsmanship Award overall, having earned the award for team wrestling in 2003 and 2005. Schools receiving honorable mention are Brillion, Drummond, Oshkosh North and Sheboygan Lutheran.
  
  Notre Dame was selected as the Sportsmanship Award winner in girls basketball for the first time, and it is the fifth overall sportsmanship award won by the school. The Tritons also received the commendation in girls soccer last spring and in 2002, boys soccer in 2007 and in girls tennis in 2008. This season, they fell 52-34 to defending-and-eventual Division 2 champion New London in the State semifinals. Barron, Milwaukee King, Oostburg and Seneca and receives honorable mention.    
 
   Wausau West was chosen as the winner of the boys hockey Sportsmanship Award for its sportsmanship at the State Tournament. It is the second sportsmanship honor in the past three years presented to the Warriors in hockey, having also been selected in 2010.  It is the fourth sportsmanship honor overall. They also received the recognition in boys soccer twice, in 1996 and 2000. The Warriors finished runner-up at the State Tournament, falling in the championship final to Notre Dame, 3-2, in two overtimes. Honorable mention goes to Eau Claire Memorial and Verona.

    The Kettle Moraine Co-op, which includes Kettle Moraine/Brookfield Central/Brookfield East/Menomonee Falls/Milwaukee King/Mukwonago/Slinger/Waukesha North/Waukesha South/Waukesha West, won its first sportsmanship award in girls hockey. The Glacier fell to the Onalaska Co-op, 5-4, in four overtimes in their semifinal match-up. The D.C. Everest Co-op received honorable mention recognition.

    Spring Valley/Elmwood receives its first Sportsmanship Award as a co-op in wrestling following its display of sportsmanship at the State Team Wrestling Tournament. It's the second time Spring Valley has been recognized with the honor. The Cardinals received the accolade in boys basketball in 1991. This year, they finished runner-up in Division 3, falling to two-time defending champion Coleman, 59-5, in the championship match after advancing with a 30-27 win over Random Lake in the semifinals. Arrowhead, Badger, Coleman, Delavan-Darien, Holmen, Iowa-Grant received honorable mention for the award.            

    The WIAA/Rural Mutual Insurance sportsmanship award is presented to one school and community in each of the State team tournaments. The award winners are determined by the conduct and sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to insure support for their teams are positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are upheld. Award winners receive a plaque and banner in recognition of the honor. Schools receiving honorable mention are acknowledged with a certificate of recognition.    
    The selection process includes contributions and evaluations from contest officials, tournament management, police and security personnel, crowd control and ushers, WIAA staff members, area hotels and restaurants.