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• Pierce County Scoreboard
• Packer Rundown: Jones twings hamstring, Harrell to get start, SD challenge
• Victim of tractor/motorcycle collision upgraded to fair
• Storms do minimum damage in Pierce County
• Fire destroys barn in the Town of Gilman
• Pierce County Scoreboard

Thursday, September 20

Volleyball

Elk Mound 3, Plum City 0; Spring Valley 3, Colfax 0; Mondovi 3, Elmwood 0; Amery 3, Ellsworth 1

By Wheeler News Service

Green Bay Packers' receiver James Jones pulled a hamstring at practice Thursday.

But Head Coach Mike McCarthy believes he caught it in time for a fast recovery and the rookie Jones is still expected to play on Sunday when the Packers host San Diego.

Thursday, they had 16 players on their injury report, but starters Al Harris and Charles Woodson were the only ones who didn't practice at all.

Woodson says he'll practice today (Friday) with his injured hip and McCarthy says Harris's back problem is getting better.

Also Thursday, the Packers put backup guard Tony Palmer on injured reserve. He's out for the year with the small neck fracture he suffered last Sunday against the New York Giants.

Harrell might get start

Packers' first-round draft choice Justin Harrell might make his N-F-L debut on Sunday against the Chargers.

That's because three of the four starters on the defensive line are on the injury report and they missed at least part of yesterday's practice.

Aaron Kampman has a rib injury, Cullen Jenkins has a bad wrist, and Johnny Jolly has an injured heel.

Also, defensive tackle Corey Williams has a bad ankle and he appears to be the most likely at this point to sit out Sunday's contest.

Harrell was busier at practice Wednesday than at any time in the regular season so far.

Of the 32 first-rounders in the NFL, Harrell is one of just five who has not seen any regular season action yet.

Two have knee injuries and quarterbacks Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell were hold-outs during their training camps.

Harrell is considered healthy. He missed some of the Packers' off-season workouts due to a bicep injury from college and he needed most of training camp to get in shape.

SD a tough test

With all of their injuries the Packers will face a huge challenge on Sunday, when they play San Diego at Lambeau Field.

The Chargers were blown out at New England 38-14 last Sunday night.

But they still represent an AFC that's clearly superior in talent to Green Bay's NFC and many say it's only a matter of time before the Chargers' offense explodes.

They've only averaged 14 points a game so far, after leading the league in scoring last year with running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates.

Tomlinson has only 68 rushing yards in two games, the lowest for back to back contests in his seven-year career.

To be fair, the 1-1 Chargers faced some of the league's top defenses in Chicago and the Patriots.

Tomlinson says the team is still in an adjustment period and new coach Norv Turner is still trying to get a feel for what each player does best.

The game will air on CBS and start at noon.

Stop the game

Brett Favre needs four touchdown passes to break Dan Marino's all-time career record of 420.

In case he does it on Sunday at home, the Packers are checking with the NFL to see if they can stop the game to observe the occasion.

Packer's Chairman Bob Harlan says he's not aware of any rules against it, but the league and CBS, would have to approve.

Most of Favre's weekly news conference Wednesday was devoted to his individual records - not all of them good.

Favre only needs three more interceptions to break George Blanda's career mark of 277.

Favre freely admits he cannot just have the good records.

He says that with his style of play, it's probably fitting that he break both Marino's and Blanda's marks.

Despite the interceptions, Favre said Blanda was a pretty good player in his years with the Oakland Raiders.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTowns staff

An Eau Claire woman who was the victim of a motorcycle/tractor collision Sept. 8 has seen her medical condition improve.

Rebecca S. Prior, 52, Eau Claire, is now listed in fair condition at Regions Hospital in St. Paul according to a spokesperson there Friday. She was previously critical.

According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Prior was driving her 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle on US Highway 10 in the town of Union Sept. 8 when attempting to pass a tractor driven by Sean M. Stoudt, 19, Menomonie, she hit the tractor's front left tire.

The impact ejected her from the motorcycle. Authorities said she wasn't wearing a helmet, but did have eye protection. Stoudt was uninjured.

Radio report indicated Prior suffered extensive injuries, including severely broken legs, a broken arm and other injuries. She was transferred to Regions by Life Link Helicopter.

After the helicopter left, a large piece of bone was found amid the wreckage. A Pierce County deputy immediately took the bone via squad car to Regions Hospital.

Helping the Sheriff's Department were the Plum City/Maiden Rock Ambulance Service, the Lund Fire Department and the Pepin County Sheriff's Department.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTowns Staff

Despite being under a tornado warning Thursday evening, the damages left by the storm in Pierce County were minimal.

The warning caused the sirens to be triggered in at least Prescott, River Falls and Ellsworth, but the blustery winds and heavy lightning resulted in nothing major.

A representative from the Pierce County Highway Department said they received report of a tree down in the Elmwood area, but stated that heavier winds were north of the county line. He stated there was no water or ditch damage.

In terms of electricity, Pierce/Pepin reported two outages - one that affected 24 accounts and the other 10 with the cause being down trees. The 24 accounts were without power for about 4 ½ hours and the 10 were for about two hours.

Spring Valley Police Chief Dan Burgess added that his department received no calls about the storms.

TOWN OF GILMAN - The Spring Valley Fire Department was called to the Ervin Gilbertson property at W2684 CTH B, approximately one mile west of Spring Valley in the Town of Gilman, at 2:40 p.m. Friday.

The barn, which was fully engulfed when authorities arrived, was a total loss. Smoke was rising from the caved-in walls atop the foundation within little over half an hour.

The cause of the blaze was unknown Friday afternoon, but high winds fanned the flames. The barn wasn't regularly used; an unofficial report at the scene indicated there hadn't been any activity in it since Tuesday. No one was injured.

Besides a small amount of hay kept in one end, there were a couple of tractors among the little machinery. No cattle were reportedly inside. An adjacent shed was threatened by the fire, but saved by the department.

Fire fighters were on the scene until 4 p.m.

Friday, September 21

Football

Ellsworth 20, Amery 14; Elmwood 56, Prairie Farm 0; Elk Mound 17, Spring Valley 0; Somerset 50, Prescott 12