For many Shawano area residents, high school football has been as much a part of fall as back-to-school shopping and the smell of burning leaves. Football field lights have shined as beacons across the Friday night sky, as the Hawks, Bears, Panthers, Tigers, et al.

Oconto Falls High School would join a 10-team Eastern Valley Conference in a proposed conference realignment plan recently released by the WIAA. Under the plan, which is a revision of a plan released in April, Oconto Falls would be joined by current Bay Conference teams Marinette, Denmark and Luxemburg-Casco in the Eastern Valley, expanding that conference to 10 teams, while the Bay shrinks to eight teams. Under the plan, the Eastern Valley would

Suring beat by Coleman The Suring High School volleyball team lost 3-1 to Coleman in a Marinette & Oconto Conference match Thursday in Suring. Suring lost the first two games 25-12, 25-16, then won the third 25-22 before losing the fourth game 25-16. Calley VanBellinger had 13 kills and eight digs.

The Lena High School boys cross-country team was fifth at a meet Thursday in De Pere. Lena had a team score of 166. Bay Port (20) won the meet, followed by Shawano (47), De Pere (63) and Green Bay Notre Dame Academy (109). Evan Beranek led Lena, finishing 20th overall with a time of 18 minutes, 26 seconds. Justin Heimke finished in 19:27 to finish 30th overall. Area Results Boys: 1. Bay Port (20), 2. Shawano (47), 3. De Pere (63), 4.

The Gillett Secondary School football team lost 65-20 to Peshtigo in a Marinette & Oconto Conference game Friday in Gillett. Alex Zeitler connected with Dylan Roberts on a 26-yard pass play for the Tiger’s only score of the first half, as Peshtigo pulled ahead 40-6.

Mike Friedman was halfway through his race and he was locked in. The Oconto Falls High School runner was virtually in a four-way tie with Little Chute’s Joe Van Grinsven and Freedom’s Matt Vosters and Sam Hinz.

The Oconto Falls High School girls golf team finished tied with Seymour for seventh place at Thursday’s Bay Conference match at Shawano Lake Golf Course. Denmark (191) and Marinette tied for first at the meet. Oconto Falls finished with a season-best 220 points. “We’re chopping strokes off every time we go out,” Oconto Falls coach Paul Luebke said, “which is nice.” Oconto Falls was led by Liz Coopman, who shot a 53.

Lester E. Nitzske, 72, of Laona, passed away on Monday, Sept. 2, 2013.

Gary M. Troutman, 67, died at McMinnville, Ore., on Aug. 29, 2013. Born Sept.