Eau Claire Express Baseball reinvigorated the Chippewa Valley’s spirit for spectator sports, earning first place for their season played at Carson Park. The Express are a staple of Eau Claire, so their comeback made our sports-deprived hearts beat faster. In second, the Ski Sprites brought life back to Lake Altoona by performing water shows throughout the summer (and haunting us once more in late October). Chippewa Steel Hockey remains in third, continuing to spark joy in every smack of the puck in Chippewa. –Kelly Carlson