Shawano Leader Sports Headlines

Racing starts SaturdayBy: 

Scott Owen, Leader Columnist

Contributed Photo Joel Seegert could be racing in the Sports Mod division at Shawano Speedway this season, which begins Saturday.

The venerable half-mile oval known as the Shawano Speedway will soon come alive and welcome racers and fans of all ages.

As the offseason comes to a close, it will be remembered as a season of loss. Seven-time Shawano Speedway Late Model track champion and longtime fan favorite M.J. McBride passed away this winter along with former Sportsman division track champion Bill Lemmens. Opening night will be the M.J. McBride memorial, beginning around 6:15 p.m.

The Late Models will also be running for an increased purse. The race will pay $2,000 to the winner as well as bonus money for each lap led and additional money for the hard charger.

Along with the Late Models, each race night will again host the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods and Mighty Fours. The Spectator Eliminators are once again slated to be part of the show numerous nights this summer.

Some of the highlights on the season schedule include Ladies Night on June 4, the Hammond Farm and Greenhouse IMCA Stock Car Shootout on June 18, the Fury at the Fairgrounds on June 25, the sixth annual Racing for a Reason on July 9, Hall of Fame night on July 23, the Sun Drop Shootout on Aug. 2 and Fan Appreciation night on Aug. 27.

The Fury at the Fairgrounds on June 25 is the third leg of the Cheesehead Triple Crown for IMCA Modifieds. The three-race swing will also feature a $10,000-to-win show at 141 Speedway along with $5,000-to-wins at the Oshkosh Speedzone and Shawano Speedway. This should be an awesome show with some of the top Modifieds racing talent from across the nation.

This year’s Hall of Fame class will feature two former track champions, smilin’ Clyde Schumacher, the track’s first-ever point champion, and George Sweere, a former Hobby Stock track champion.

Also some new names to look for in victory lane this summer include Tyler Thiex, Kyle Raddant, Brekken Kleinschmidt, Lucas Hacker, Scott Blanke and Brianna Ambroziak (who will also be racing against her brother, Kyle).

Look for a return this summer to weekly racing by former IMCA Modifieds track champion, “Modzilla” Jeremie Hedrick, who is planning on racing weekly at the track.

I think the class with the most competitive racing week in and week out may be the IMCA Sport Mod. Last year, it featured the closest point battle and it may well again this summer. Lucas Lamberies is the two-time defending champion, but he will have his hands full if he wants to make it three in a row. Look for last year’s runner up, Jason Jach, along with the likes of Jordan Bartz, Wyatt Block, Thiex, Raddant, Kleinschmidt, both Ambroziaks, Brandon Nygaard, Jordan Barkholtz, Logan Fleischman and Brock Saunders all to make some noise this summer.

Winter is gone, and spring is on. Let’s go racing!

Shawano Speedway 2016 Schedule

April 16 — MJ McBride Night

April 23 — Regular race night

April 30 — Spectator Eliminators

May 7 — Twig’s Beverage Night

May 14 — Kersten Excavating Night. Spectator Eliminators

May 21 — Tribute to Go-Karters

May 28 — Spectator Eliminators

June 4 — Ladies Night presented by Charlie’s County Market; first 500 ladies get in free. Spectator Eliminators

June 11 — School’s Out Night at the Races sponsored by NWTC

June 18 — Hammond Farm & Greenhouse IMCA Stock Car Shootout

June 25 — Cheesehead Triple Crown, Fury at the Fairgrounds sponsored by Luisiers Drilling Inc.

July 2 — Family Night presented by 22 Shell; families get in for $15. Spectator Eliminators

July 9 — Sixth annual Racing for a Reason Night, raising money for childhood cancer awareness

July 16 — Reinhart Night at the Races, Kids Build a Car Night. Spectator Eliminators

July 23 — Hall of Fame Night

July 30 — Shawano Cement/Gillett Cement Product. Kid’s Gold Rush Night. Spectator Eliminators

Aug. 2 — World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Sun Drop Shootout with IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Mods

Aug. 6 — Bud Lynn Memorial Night

Aug. 13 — Little Caesar’s/Mike’s Video Kids Backpack Night. Spectator Eliminators

Aug. 20 — Second annual Alumni Night, free corn roast after the races, sponsored by Charter Communications

Aug. 27 — Fan Appreciation Night sponsored by Seubert Calf Ranches, $5 adult admission. Spectator Eliminators

Sept 2 — Enduro race at the fair

Sept. 3 — Budweiser Championship Night sponsored by Fabiano Bros

Sept. 4 — Triple Header at the Fair: Tag races, Spectator Eliminators, trailer races

Sept. 5 — Demolition derby

Scott Owen is the Shawano Speedway track announcer.Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

McBride leaves legacy at the trackBy: 

Brad Luepke, Special to the Leader

M.J. McBride

In the realm of sports, you know you’ve made it when one word or initial is all you need to know whom someone is talking about.

LeBron, Kobe, Steph, Kareem and Magic in basketball. Nomar, A-Rod and Babe in baseball. Closer to home, A-Rod and Jordy in football. And finally in auto racing you have Jimmie, Dale and The King.

This trend holds true in our local racing scene, as well. When I say Pete, Nick and AJ, everyone knows instantly who I am talking about.

Yes, I forgot one — M.J.

In the Upper Midwest, if you are talking racing and you say M.J., there is no need to say McBride; people just know.

M.J. will forever be linked to Shawano Speedway. His legacy, like Dale Earnhardt’s to NASCAR, will live on with both young and old here.

As a young boy, I would come to the speedway early for time trials. I won’t lie. I was never the biggest McBride fan as a child, but I respected the driver he was on the track and the person he was off it.

As a young fan, I would run around the pits, checkered flag in hand, looking for any driver that would sign my flag. When I would get to the red and white hauler, it would never matter if M.J. won or failed to finish, he would not only take time to sign my flag, he would also take time to talk to me. He’d ask how I liked the races and if I had fun. That always stuck with me through the years.

I also remember the mix of boos and cheers among the crowd. I remember the blockade formed in protest of line-up procedures. I remember the night he blew up and tried to sneak a backup car onto the track so he could run the A main. I remember the shows he would put on slicing and dicing through the field to the front. I remember the battles with Parker, Buckbee, Thielke, Anvelink and Guigere. The list and memories could go on and on.

A year ago or so, M.J. stopped at the track. We put him in the gator and took him out on the track he helped put on the map. We showed him all the changes, the concrete wall, the increased banking, among other things.

I just sat and listened to him talk about the good old days. He was very modest, giving credit to his rivals that made him better.

He’d point out spots on the track and tell me about an event that happened there. We pulled him into victory lane, and I told him, “I bet you remember a lot of good times here.”

He smiled, with a gleam in his eye, and said, “Man, I had a hell of a run here.”

You could see the pride, but he quickly gave credit to the pit crew that worked hard to give him a great car, week in and week out.

“I could be a pain in the butt in the shop sometimes,” he said.

Saturday, we honor a legend who left us too soon. A touching tribute is planned, and the M.J. McBride Memorial race will hit the half-mile. Look up to the sky Saturday and smile, because if you look real close, you will see M.J. looking down and smiling. He will be smiling, not because we are honoring him, but because it is a packed house at a place he loves.

We have a long and storied history at Shawano Speedway, and it is important that we never forget that. Always look to our future, but never forget our past.

M.J. was a huge part of our past. That’s right, I said M.J., because one name is all you need.

Enjoy the show, M.J. This one is for you.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Brad Luepke, Special to the Leader

I sat down with four fixtures at the Shawano Speedway to get their thoughts on the upcoming 2016 racing season: Scott Owen, former racer and current track announcer; Shawn Fredenberg, track photographer; Josh Effenberger, flagman; and Bert Lehman, Full Throttle Magazine editor.

Thanks, guys for sitting down and chatting with us.

Who are you looking to have a breakout season in 2016?

Lehman: He’s already put together strong seasons in the past, but if he can put the motor problems behind him, I expect Brett Swedberg to take that step to the next level.

Owen: I am looking for big things from a couple of drivers this year. I think that Scott Blanke will be a strong competitor this summer in the IMCA Stock Car class. He picked up a very competitive Wolf chassis this winter. I also expect to see Tyler Thiex become a consistent top six or seven car in the Sport Mods and also expect Kyle Raddant to pick up a feature win in the Sport Mods.

Fredenberg: I couldn’t agree with you more, Scotty. I’m going to go with Kyle Raddant. He was very fast in his rookie year, and I look forward to him being a consistent front runner in the ultra-competitive Sport Mods division.

Opening night at Shawano Speedway, there is always a buzz in the air. How do you feel on opening night?

Lehman: Opening night is always special. My favorite part is seeing the new tin on the cars before they start showing the scars of a race season. I also like to see how drivers in new divisions do. Call me old, but in my opinion, social media has taken some of the joy out of it. I really liked not being able to see what cars for different drivers look like prior to opening night. You had to go to go to the track to see the car graphic schemes.

Owen: Opening night for me is like Christmas morning. There is so much anticipation as to what is to come. Who will be at the track, who switched divisions, what the cars look like and what newcomers to the sport are there. Also, it’s the fact that I haven’t been to a race since last October, so that also adds to the excitement.

Fredenberg: I’m not sure there is a way to describe it. It’s like a big family reunion. Everyone is all smiles and happy to see each other. There is electricity and buzz in the air as drivers and crews begin their championship battles. All the cars are shiny and new. Like Scott said, it’s like Christmas in April, really.

Effenberger: Almost electric atmosphere opening night. Lots of energy and excitement, along with a few butterflies in the stomach.

The Fury at The Fairgrounds, a $5,000-to-win Modifieds special, which is the last leg of the Cheesehead Triple Crown, comes to Shawano on June 25. Will the Shawano regulars be able to compete with the best Modifieds drivers in the country?

Lehman: I think some of the Shawano regulars will be able to compete. The size of Shawano Speedway creates an unknown as The Cheesehead Triple Crown has competed on smaller tracks in the past. It will be interesting to see if travelers, and locals, use a crate or open motor at Shawano Speedway. That could be the big debate.

Owen: I certainly think the Shawano regulars will hold their own against the travelers. We have seen time and again that our racers can run with anybody.

Fredenberg: I’d say without a doubt our regulars can hang with the travelers. Wisconsin has proved time and time again we have some of the best Modifieds drivers in the nation as they travel to other states and win.

Effenberger: I think there are more than a couple guys who can give the travelers a run for their money. Should be a great show with some awesome talent invading the half mile.

The World of Outlaws return Aug. 2. Will Shane Clanton go back-to-back, or will someone step up and top the Georgia driver?

Lehman: Shane Clanton will not go back-to-back. Jimmy Mars always finishes in the top five. This is the year he wins it.

Owen: Clanton had a great year last year. He has to be a favorite again. Jimmy Mars has been close in the past and has won at Shawano before. Maybe this will be his year.

Fredenberg: Clanton has shown speed out of the box again this year already, but others have stepped up, and in biggest part in Josh Richards. The rookie field, as of this writing, is stout and any of them could win, with Coulter, Franklin, Moyer JR or Wilmoth. Possibly Brian Shirley adds this race to his schedule even. Mason Zeigler has been fast, also. I guess I’m saying there is a lot of talent in the WOO Series and I will say, no, Clanton will not repeat.

Effenberger: I hope we get a different winner this time around; always fun to see different winners. My guess would be Kid Rocket among the regulars with WOO that have the best shot to win this year.

Hammond Farm and Greenhouse’s IMCA Stock Car Showdown is $1,000 to win in 2016. Who walks away the winner that night?

Lehman: It’s hard to pick against Travis Van Straten. Until someone shows they can beat him, he is my pick.

Owen: This is another great race on the schedule. Travis Van Straten has been the man to beat the last few years. It is hard to pick against him, but I would say that Brandon Czarapata and Dan Michonski may be up to the task.

Fredenberg: The class too tough to tame. It would be easier picking the Powerball than who will win this race. Anybody in that field is a feature-winning car driver. I’m going outside the box and going with John Heinz. He should have that new car working great by then.

Effenberger: Hard to bet against (Brandon) Czarapata.

Rumblings are Joel Seegert, Brekken Klienschimdt and Joey Taycher will be among others racing Shawano in 2016. Who of those, or maybe someone else, are you looking forward to seeing race the half-mile?

Lehman: If Tim Buhler returns on a weekly basis, he would be my choice. When you can add a quality driver like him to the Late Model division, it is always a plus.

Owen: It would be great to have Tim (Buhler) back on a weekly basis, but I am interested in Joel Seegert. He looked promising in the handful of nights he ran a year ago. Of course his dad is a former track champion, so I want to see what he can do.

Fredenberg: The Ambroziak rivalry as brother and sister are set to square off in the Sport Mods division. They have already been smack talking, so it will be interesting to see who has to eat crow at the end of the year.

Effenberger: Any and all new faces turning laps on our historic half-mile makes me smile. Always love new faces and as many as we can get each and every Saturday night.

What is your favorite part of Saturday race day?

Lehman: Good, close racing.

Owen: My favorite part of race day is when I can call a race for someone picking up their first win. Especially if it is someone who has worked their way up from the bottom and come close to winning before.

Fredenberg: The people. Drivers, crew, fans, workers. Just seeing the family again. It’s hard to describe to somebody who hasn’t experienced it, but we are truly family.

Effenberger: Hands down my favorite thing about Saturday nights is getting to live out a childhood dream. I always feel like a kid at Christmas because I get to do what I love doing, getting to be the flagman. Plus, it’s the best seat in the house!

Besides the specials, What is your favorite night on the schedule?

Lehman: Hall of Fame Night.

Owen: Racing for a Reason night is my favorite night of the year. Always a great crowd, awesome items up for auction and raffle, and raising money for a great cause.

Fredenberg: Easy one, (Racing For a Reason) night. Wouldn’t miss this night for the world.

Effenberger: Hands down, besides any specials, I love Hall of Fame night. I’m a huge fan of racing history and love the chance to see and talk with guys that paved the way for what we get to do each summer. Priceless!

Lastly, inquiring minds want to know. Tell us your 2016 track champions.

Lehman: Brett Swedberg, Jerry Wilinski, Travis Van Straten, Lucas Lamberies and Calvin Stueck.

Owen: Mighty Four, Calvin Stueck; Sport Mods, Jason Jach; Stock Car, Travis Van Straten; Mod, Jerry Wilinski; Late Model, Troy Springborn.

Fredenberg: Champions, this is my demise. Actually, not mine, but those who I pick, as I seem to be bad luck. Sorry in advance to those I pick. Late Models, Tim Buhler; Modified, Jerry Wilinski; Stocks, Dan Michonski; Sport Mods, Jordan Bartz; Mighty Four, Calvin Stueck.

Effenberger: It’s anyone’s to win. … Everyone starts out at zero.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Wildcats allow 14 unanswered runsBy: 

Chris Caporale, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham Community School sophomore Kamille Davids pitched 5 2/3 innings in her team’s 19-15 loss to Tri-County at home Thursday.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham Community School senior River Otradovec prepares to swing at a pitch. She reached base on an error and scored as part of a seven-run fifth inning.

Tri-County scored five runs in the seventh inning Thursday to secure a 19-15 victory over Gresham.

Gresham held a seven-run lead going into the sixth, but senior pitcher Taylor Hoffman struggled to get out of jams in the closing innings.

“They were just hitting Taylor. Nothing against Taylor,” Gresham head coach Amanda Reindl said. “They were just hitting her. It was just to spots we couldn’t get to. There’s not much we were able to do about it.”

The Wildcats fell behind early, as pitcher Kamille Davids allowed two earned runs before finishing the first inning with two strikeouts. Tri-County shortstop Amber Baehman then made three consecutive plays, including a diving catch, to keep Gresham off the board.

Gresham (1-3, 1-3 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) was able to load the bases in the second inning before Kennedy Hoffman and Makena Arndt each walked to tie the game at 2. Mackenzie Hoffman then grounded into a fielder’s choice for the Wildcats’ first lead of the night.

Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the third, the Wildcats had just five hits over the next two innings but scored 10 runs, including two on a triple by sophomore Hailey Hoffman.

The hosts scored six runs off Tri-County starting pitcher Makenzie Conley in building a 13-10 lead after five innings.

“We’re a good hitting team,” Reindl said. “We’re a good hitting team when we don’t second guess ourselves.”

Getting runs across the plate did not mean much, however, because Gresham could not stop committing errors in the field. The Wildcats committed seven errors, including five in Tri-County’s five-run fifth inning.

“Gresham did a really good job in terms of pitching and whatever else, but we just finally started hitting the ball at the end,” Tri-County head coach Jamie Helmrick said.

The Penguins added four runs in the sixth to take a 14-13 lead.

Catcher Shannon Sachs made back-to-back basket catches in foul territory in the sixth inning to cut the Wildcats’ comeback effort short.

Gresham, which trailed by six runs heading into its final at-bat, was able to get after pitcher Alyssa Buechner for two runs before a groundout to Tri-County first baseman Melinda Anderson finished off the game.

The Wildcats’ 15 runs were the second-highest output of the season. Tri-County (4-1, 4-1 CWC-10) has scored 44 runs in its two games this week.

Reindl was still excited that, after the offensive outburst, her team gets another chance at the Penguins this season.

“Communication is what killed us, and then it just snowballed from there,” Reindl said. “But we will be able to see Tri-County again, so hopefully, we will have our A-game then.”

Davids led the Wildcats at the plate, connecting for three singles and three runs. Arndt posted two hits and a run.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

Tri-County 2 0 2 1 5 4 5 19 17 5

Gresham 0 3 0 3 7 0 2 15 10 7

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Participation is below district’s minimum standardBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

The Clintonville Board of Education voted Monday to allow the high school wresting program to continue for at least two more years although it does not comply with the school district’s participation policy.

Thirteen students competed in wrestling this year. The season concluded in March. District policy dictates that the program be dropped unless at least 14 students participate.

A couple dozen wrestlers, their parents and coaches attended the past two board meetings in support of the program.

“Wrestling has always been an up and down throughout the years, and the rules handed down by the WIAA change every year,” Clintonville High School coach Justin McAuly said.

McAuly said he was optimistic about the program’s future because of the larger number of youngsters participating in the youth wrestling club.

Students at Marion High School can join the team in a co-op arrangement that also could boost numbers, he said.

McAuly said he found of 70 of the 147 high schools in the state that offer wrestling have teams with fewer than 21 members.

He also said some wrestlers quit the program because they didn’t like wearing the singlets, or one-piece uniforms. He said he expects the WIAA to eventually go to a two-piece uniform.

Eric Joren, president of the youth wrestling organization, said he was concerned the program would fall by the wayside if wrestling was dropped at the high school.

The board will review participation in the high school program again in two years.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Most votes follow statewide trendsBy: 

Chris Caporale, [email protected]

Overnight deer-hunting blinds, antlerless deer hunting permits and bear permits were among the topics discussed at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources annual spring fish and wildlife rules hearing Monday at Shawano Community Middle School.

The Shawano County hearing was held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress’ annual county conservation meeting.

Over 4,300 people attended the sessions, held simultaneously in all 72 counties, statewide. Forty-three people attended the meeting in Shawano.

The meetings enable residents to comment on proposed fish and wildlife rule changes and advisory questions, Natural Resources Board advisory questions and Conservation Congress advisory questions. They also can submit resolutions for changes they would like to see in the future.

Results of the meetings, which are only advisory, will be presented to the state Natural Resources Board in May.

Most of the discussion in Shawano focused on rule clarifications provided by conservation warden Alyssa Gove.

“This hearing affords citizens the chance to share their perspective or concerns that directly relate to the question being asked,” Gove said.

The DNR’s final question asked about eliminating exceptions for Class A and C permits for hunters with disabilities and certain active duty military personnel, along with junior hunters, to hunt antlerless deer in buck-only zones.

“If you think about the big picture and the number of antlerless deer harvested in buck-only counties, it’s not a very big percentage of the population. So, the question is, do you want to give disabled military and youth an opportunity to harvest a deer that could possible die from winter anyways, or do you want to have an added opportunity for those in a buck-only area?” DNR wildlife biologist Kay Brockman-Mederas said. “It’s a matter of opportunities to others.”

Statewide, meeting participants voted 2,224-1,439 to eliminate the exceptions. In Shawano, the vote was 26-15 to eliminate the exceptions.

Three questions pertained to portable blinds on department lands north of state Highway 64. Shawano County residents voted 24-16 against a proposal to allow the blinds to remain intact overnight between Sept. 1 and Jan. 31 and 33-8 against another asking to allow the blinds to remain overnight during firearm and muzzleloader seasons. They supported, 22-20, a proposal for a three-year trial period for allowing overnight blinds on the lands.

Shawano’s voters tied 17-17 on a question about shortening beaver- and otter-trapping seasons by between two and four weeks on nontrout waters in Zone B, the northeastern portion of the state.

Most of the county’s voters were in line with the statewide totals.

Voters, for example, supported dividing counties into multiple deer-management units rather than one per county, 28-14. The change would allow for more specific quotas to be set in areas that need to be controlled. For example, Shawano County could be split into two regions, allowing one section to take a more proportionate number of deer than the other.

A majority of hearing attendees statewide also said lawmakers should repeal a law relaxing iron mining regulations.

The congress asked attendees whether they want the law erased. According to tallies released Wednesday, 2,350 attendees voted to repeal the law and 1,140 voted to keep it. Shawano County attendees agreed, 25-12. They also supported a ban on new state permits for frac sand mining and processing, 32-7.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Laude strikes out 9 for HawksBy: 

Chris Caporale, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Chris Caporale SCHS sophomore Alex Hoffman leaps over a baserunner on a steal attempt during Tuesday’s Bay Conference victory over Xavier.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior pitcher Nate Laude flips a ball to first baseball Tasa Grignon during the Hawks’ 4-3 victory over Xavier on Tuesday. Laude threw for seven innings, allowing six hits and striking out nine batters.

Xavier wasn’t going to go down without a fight in the opening game of the Bay Conference season Tuesday in Shawano.

Holding a four-run lead in the final inning, Shawano made a few mental errors that allowed Xavier back in the game before the Hawks closed out a 4-3 victory.

Pitcher Nate Laude went the distance for Shawano, striking out nine and scattering six hits. He also drove in two runs.

Laude, though, allowed two singles in the top of the seventh inning that, compounded by two Hawks errors, gave Xavier its first runs of the game. He closed out the game by enticing University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit Matt DeYoung to ground out to first base.

“We made a couple of mental mistakes on who should have what, and we let them right back into a ball game,” Shawano head coach Rob Wolff said. “I give them credit for battling back. They put the ball in play, and look what happens when you put the ball in play. Put a little pressure on us, and we folded a little bit at the end, but we got her done.”

Wolff used the inning as a learning experience for his younger squad.

“I said, ‘This is for everybody. These are mistakes that we can correct and not do them any more,’” Wolff said. “But I told (Laude), ‘You just have to take a deep breath and compose yourself.’ That’s going to happen.”

Shawano jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first inning when Laude’s RBI single scored Kien Moorman and an error brought in Tasa Grignon.

In the third inning, Moorman walked and stole second base. Grignon hit into a fielder’s choice, but DeYoung missed the tag on Moorman at third base. Laude then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Moorman. Jack Hanuer added an infield single and Brady Belongia reached on an error, enabling Grignon to score for a second time and giving the Hawks a 4-0 advantage.

Jacob Lacy walked to load the bases, and then Shawano’s bats went silent. Shawano’s next two batters struck out.

In the fifth inning, with runners on second and third with no outs, three consecutive Hawks struck out.

“We had lots of scoring opportunities with runners in scoring position,” Wolff said. “We just have to capitalize a little bit more on that because, when you’re playing a good team, you’ve got to capitalize on that.”

“We put ourselves in some tough situations,” Xavier head coach Dan Gassner said. “We were fortunate enough to give up only four runs because they left a lot of guys on base.”

The Hawks managed only four hits on Xavier’s No. 2 pitcher, Jacob Weisenberger, who allowed three hits and two earned runs in the game.

Wolff wants to see a more complete game from his team.

“We’ve got to get our bats talking a little more and get consistent pitching and better defense,” Wolff said. “We can’t fall apart like that, and we can surprise people this year.”

Xavier (0-2, 0-1 Bay Conference) and Shawano (1-1, 1-0 Bay) will meet again on Thursday, with DeYoung taking the mound for Xavier and junior Dylan Sumnicht throwing for Shawano.

“It’s going to be a challenge. We’re going to have to be really disciplined at the plate,” Wolff said. “You have to lay off the upper stuff in the zone. Keep it down. Just put the ball in play and put the pressure on them.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Shawano boys 2nd, girls 3rd at home meetBy: 

Chris Caporale, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Alyssa Anker throws the shot put at the Hawks’ triangular meet Thursday at home. She finished in fourth with a distance of 26 feet, 11 3/4 inches.

Shawano Community High School senior Erika Dunnam won both the shot put and discus in the Hawks’ first outdoor meet of the season Tuesday in Shawano.

Shawano competed against Waupaca and Clintonville on the day, with Waupaca winning both the girls and boys meets, and the Shawano boys finishing in second and the girls in third.

Dunnam’s shot put distance of exactly 34 feet was over three feet farther than second place, while her discus throw of 88-8 was a full 10 feet clear of the closest competitor.

Senior Zeke Gueths also placed first in the discus (138-10), along with a fourth-place finish in the shot put (41-4).

The Hawks took first in five of the eight relays races. The boys 4x800 relay team won its race by 25 seconds over Waupaca.

“We put (Atty Wagner) in there as well last week, and ran him again today, and he kept up with them and did a nice job running,” coach Scott Smurawa said. “We’ll be excited about that.”

Smurawa expects many of the teams’ younger athletes to improve steadily as they catch on and gain experience.

“We don’t have as many returners as I expected from last year, but you have new ones coming out,” Smurawa said. “New younger ones, new freshmen, there’s a number of them.”

He pointed out Parker Pues, a freshman who has excelled in sprints and jumps, and junior Richard Johnson, who is competing in track for the first time. On Tuesday, Johnson won the 400 (54.62), ran in the 4x400 and 4x200 relays, and finished in third in the high jump.

Asked what he hopes to see from his team over the course of the season, Smurawa responded: “Just improve on their performances. Do a little better each and every time, and look for their best performance once we get to conference.”

Shawano Triangular Meet

Shawano Community Middle School

April 12

Boys

Team scores: Waupaca, 96; Shawano, 79; Clintonville, 10.

Local top 3 finishers

100 meters: 3, Anthony Pues, Clintonville, 11.87.

200: 2, Payden Buck, Shawano, 25.14.

400: 1, Richard Johnson, Shawano, 54.62; 3, Atty Wagner, Shawano, 58:72.

800: 1, Andrew Cardish, Shawano, 2:18.59; 2, Joshua Kutchenriter, Clintonville, 2:26.34; 3, Shawn King, Shawano, 2:26.59.

1,600: 3, Kutchenriter, Clintonville, 5:25.50.

3,200: 2, Chase Lhotka, Shawano, 11:03.26; 3, Griffin Bohm, Shawano, 12:09.34.

110 hurdles: 3, Brandon Zoll, Shawano, 19.00.

300 hurdles: 3, Michael Mault, Shawano, 44.72.

4x100 relay: 2, Clintonville (Anthony Pues, Noah Hartleben, Bailey Tate, Nick Raasch), 49.68.

4x200 relay: 1, Shawano (Buck, Johnson, Parker Pues, Crede Timm), 1:41.82.

4x400 relay: 1, Shawano (Mault, Tyrell Hesse, Johnson, Timm), 3:54.53; 3, Clintonville (Anthony Pues, Kutchenriter, Samuel Wittman, Tate), 4:12.64.

4x800 relay: 1, Shawano (Bohm, Andrew Cardish, Lhotka, Wagner), 9:05.09; 3, Clintonville (Cole Cotherman, Riley Hauser, Nathan Raasch, Yuki Shimizu), 10:25.16.

Discus: 1, Zeke Gueths, Shawano, 138-10.

High jump: 1, Hesse, Shawano, 5-8; 2, Wagner, Shawano, 5-4; 3, Johnson, Shawano, 5-4.

Pole vault: 1, Hesse, Shawano, 11-6; 2, Buck, Shawano, 11-6.

Long jump: 2, Mault, Shawano, 18-8.

Triple jump: 2, Parker Pues, Shawano, 36-10; 3, Timm, Shawano, 36-5.

Girls

Team scores: Waupaca, 89; Clintonville, 53; Shawano, 38.

Local top 3 finishers

100 meters: 2, Jessie Barker, Clintonville, 13.54; 3, Chelsey Birling, Clintonville, 14.09.

200: 2, Tori DePerry, Shawano, 29.47.

400: 2, Emma Weatherwax, Clintonville, 1:09.22; 3, Carrie Young, Shawano, 1:09.53.

800: 2, Allison Graper, Clintonville, 2:40.33;

1,600: 1, Kara Pyatskowit, Clintonville, 5:46.25; 2, Taylor Young, Clintonville, 5:56.25; 3, Allison Graper, Clintonville, 6:08.10.

3,200: 1, Pyatskowit, Clintonville, 12:28.69; 2, Kaylie Branstrom, Clintonville, 13:29.44; 3, Jordan Tellock, Clintonville, 13:36.84.

4x100 relay: 1, Shawano (Kendall Bricco, Autumn Braun, Onalee Siegfried, Hannah Wendorff), 57.78; 2, Clintonville (Allysin Booth, Allison Lenoble, Anne Pham Nguyen, Rebecca Van Asten), 58.69.

4x200 relay: 1, Shawano (Bricco, DePerry, Kristina Kurtz, Siegfriend), 1:58.38.

4x400 relay: 2, Clintonville (Jessie Barker, Taylor Young, Brooke Wespetal, Weatherwax), 4:32.64; 3, Shawano (Carrie Young, Kylie Guenther, Kurtz, Wendorff), 4:42.18.

4x800 relay: 1, Clintonville (Pyatskowit, Weatherwax, Wespetal, Taylor Young), 10:35.91; 2, Clintonville (Tellock, Graper, Kaylie Branstrom, Kelsey Keller), 11:44.44.

Shot put: 1, Erika Dunnam, Shawano, 34-0; 2, Lacey Jung, Clintonville, 30-8 1/2.

Discus: 1, Dunnam, Shawano, 88-8.

High jump: 3, DePerry, Shawano, 4-2.

Pole vault: 2, Wendorff, Shawano, 7-6.

Long jump: 2, DePerry, Shawano, 14-2.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

BOYS GOLF

Hawks take 4th in season opener

Josh Mueller shot a team-best 43 at the opening Bay Conference match of the season Tuesday at Shamrock Heights Golf Club in New London.

Shawano placed fourth at the meet with a score of 198. New London finished in first with a 166.

Shawano junior Austin Kohl shot a round of 45. Tyler Buerman and Braxten Surber rounded out the scoring with scores of 54 and 56, respectively.

BASEBALL

Gresham 4

Rosholt 2

Gresham junior Derek Bowman struck out 15 batters, rapped two doubles and drove in one run in the Wildcats’ road victory Monday.

Junior Neal Cerveny scored two runs for the Wildcats (2-1, 2-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-10), who defeated Rosholt (1-1, 1-1 CWC-10) for the first time in seven seasons.

Menominee Indian 12

Marion 1

Menominee Indian senior Nick Corn pitched five innings, allowing just two hits while striking out seven batters Monday on the road.

Corn added two hits, including a double, and two RBIs for the Eagles (1-2, 1-2 Central Wisconsin Conference-10).

The Eagles racked up eight hits and 10 walks against the Mustangs (0-3, 0-3 CWC-10).

SOFTBALL

Shawano 18

Xavier 4

Hannah Hein hit a bases-loaded triple as part of a seven-run inning for the Hawks in Tuesday’s home victory.

Junior Saige Henning tallied four hits for Shawano. Sophomore Erin Cerveny got the victory, allowing four runs in three innings for the Hawks (2-0, 1-0 Bay Conference).

Hein struck out four of six batters to close out the game, pushing Xavier to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the Bay.

Menominee Indian 13

Marion 0

Senior Kelsey Corn pitched a 13-strikeout one-hitter for the Eagles in six innings Monday on the road.

Corn also recorded four RBIs on three hits for the Eagles (2-1, 2-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-10).

Skylla Szczerbak took the loss for Marion (1-1, 1-1 CWC-10).

GIRLS SOCCER

West De Pere 3

Shawano 2

Megan Klitzke and Lindsey Roloff each scored in the final 10 minutes of Tuesday’s road contest, but Shawano remained winless on the season.

Morgan Klitzke added an assist for Shawano (0-3-0, 0-1-0 Bay Conference). Goalie Carlie Hinnefeld stopped 27 shots.

West De Pere (2-1-1, 1-0-0 Bay) scored in the 10th, 43rd and 52nd minutes.

BOYS TENNIS

Ashwaubenon 7

Shawano 0

Joe Willkomm and Carter Peplinski played Shawano’s closest match of the day, a 6-3, 6-4 loss at the hands of Nolan Wills and Chase Coleman at No. 2 doubles Tuesday.

Shawn Klemens and Teddy Meyers in the singles flights, and Kyle Easter and Manny Morel at the top doubles position, each won two games in their two-set losses.

The remaining Hawks failed to win a game.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Shawano takes 7th at indoor meetBy: 

Leader Staff

Shawano freshman Parker Pues posted four top-10 finishes to help the Hawks to a seventh-place finish Friday at the 10-team Wausau West Warriors Boys Invitational in Wausau.

Pues had four top-10 finishes at the indoor meet: sixth as part of the 4x160 relay team, 10th in 55-meter dash, ninth in the long jump and eighth in the triple jump.

The Hawks were paced by their relay teams, two of which took fourth.

Shawano’s fourth-place finishing 24-lap relay team (Andrew Cardish, Griffin Bohm, Shawn King and Chase Lhotka) was 39 seconds off the pace set by Wausau West. The Hawks’ mile relay team, consisting of Crede Temm, Tyrell Hesse, Richard Johnson and Atty Wagner, also placed fourth, finishing in 4 minutes, 7.96 seconds.

The 4x160 lap relay team of Payden Buck, Kainen Halstead, Pues and Logan Stefl took sixth with a time 1:18.81, just over six seconds behind the winning team from Wausau West.

Chase Lhotka took sixth in the mile at 5:19.23; Bohm was 23 seconds behind him.

Junior Michael Mault placed eighth in the 200-meter hurdles with a time of 30.72. Mault added a 12th-place finish in the 55 hurdles. Sophomore Brandon Zoll had a team-best 9.68 seconds in the hurdles, good for ninth place.

Sophomore Dylan Mastrodanato ran the 3,2000 in 12:48.15 to place sixth.

Hesse added a sixth-place finish in the long jump.

Wagner and Johnson each reached 5 feet, 4 inches in the high jump, tying for 10th place.

Hesse took fifth place at 11-6 in the pole vault, while Buck finished in seventh at 11-0.

Wausau West won the invite with 181 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood finished in last place with 5.5 points.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

University of Wisconsin football coach Paul Chryst will be the guest speaker for the 24th annual Doug Jirschele Memorial Sports Awards Banquet on May 14 at Clintonville Lanes and Banquet Hall.

Ron Wolf, former Green Bay Packers general manager and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame, will receive the Doug Jirschele Nice Guy Award.

The Doug Jirschele Sports Awards recipients are Bill Kinzigner, former Clintonville High School educator and coach; Nicole Hanson, Clintonville High School, Class of 2011; and Lee Wetzel, Clintonville High School educator and girls swimming head coach.

Winner of the Forgotten Person Award, presented to someone who has made contributions to sports in the Clintonville area but has not always received the proper recognition, will be announced the night of the banquet.

Bill Jartz, news anchor at WBAY/TV-2 in Green Bay and a Clintonville High School graduate, will be the master of ceremonies.

The cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. Dinner, catered by Mathew’s Supper Club, will be served at 7 p.m., and the program will follow at 8 p.m.

The banquet is sponsored by Clintonville American Legion Post 63 to benefit the Clintonville American Legion baseball program and other youth baseball activities.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 Average: 5 (1 vote)

SOFTBALL

Almond-Bancroft 6

Menominee Indian 1

Senior pitcher Kelsey Corn struck out 14 batters in six innings of work, allowing two hits, four walks and one earned run Thursday on the road.

The Eagles (1-1, 1-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) got their lone run on an RBI single from Naneque LaTender in the seventh inning.

Almond-Bancroft moved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in CWC-10 play.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Hawks fall to Pulaski, 8-2By: 

Chris Caporale, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Morgan Klitzke looks to drop off a pass to a teammate during the first half of Thursday’s game in Pulaski. Klitzke recorded both of Shawano’s goals in an 8-2 loss.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Sarah Dickmann cuts through two Pulaski defenders in the midfield Thursday. Dickmann assisted Morgan Klitzke’s second goal of the afternoon in a 8-2 loss.

Before getting into Bay Conference play Tuesday in West De Pere, Shawano girls soccer coach Bob Croschere wanted to challenge his team.

Pulaski, which went 17-3-2 and played in the Division 2 regional final last year, provided the challenge Thursday.

Trailing by four goals in the 42nd minute, Shawano picked up its tempo to create more scoring opportunities but only converted on two of them, eventually falling to the size and speed of Pulaski, 8-2.

Croschere said he likes to schedule tough nonconference opponents.

“I don’t avoid people when we schedule stuff,” Croschere said. “I try to schedule games like this just for these reasons. It shows some holes, but it also gets us to step up to a certain level, and say, ‘We have to get to here.’”

Haley Vandenhouten scored four goals for Pulaski, including two of the Red Raiders’ three goals in the first 20 minutes of the contest. Nicole Mooren, Maddie Wasilew and Brooke Schauer also found the back of the net on Shawano goalie Maddie Rabideau in the first half as Pulaski took a 5-0 lead.

In the 38th minute, SCHS senior Teagan Monfils put a shot across of the front of the goal, just missing the far post. She also rifled a shot at Pulaski goalie Lauren Wanta in the 42nd minute.

Morgan Klitzke put the Hawks on the board, on an assist from Megan Klitzke, in the final minutes of the half.

Just eight minutes into the second half, Sarah Dickmann almost got a shot on target as the Hawks continued to pressure Pulaski. Morgan Klitzke scored again, tightening the game to 5-2, in the 57th minute.

It took 10 minutes before Vandenhouten got back in her stride, tallying her hat trick in the 67th minute. Schauer and Vandenhouten tallied the final two goals in the 74th and 85th minutes, respectively, to close out the game for the Red Raiders (2-0).

The Hawks’ scoring opportunities left some concerns for Pulaski head coach Clete Gerhartz.

“Our defensive breakdowns were a concern, but it’s early in the season,” Gerhartz said. “We just broke down. And that was one of the things we focused on in halftime. … It was just a credit to Shawano.”

Despite the result, Croschere was happy with his team’s improvement.

“Overall, we played a lot better here than we did on Tuesday (a loss to Wrightstown),” he said.

Rabideau saved 14 shots for the Hawks (0-2) in her first start of the season.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

BASEBALL

Wild Rose 10

Gresham 0

Wild Rose senior Schuyler Waller threw a no-hitter against Gresham on Thursday.

Gresham (1-1, 1-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) drew four walks.

Wild Rose is 1-0 overall and in the CWC-10.

SOFTBALL

Gresham 17

Wild Rose 3

Sophomore Kamille Davids pitched six innings, struck out 10 batters, had two hits and drove in two runs in Gresham’s six-inning road victory Thursday.

Makena Arndt was 3 for 5 at the plate, with three stolen bases and three RBIs, for Gresham (1-1, 1-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-10). Senior River Otradovec added three RBIs. Taylor Hoffman and Mackenzie Hoffman each added two hits and two RBIs.

Wild Rose fell to 0-3, 0-2 in the CWC-10.

GIRLS TRACK

Hawks shine in pole vault at Wausau West

Senior Kristy Kurtz set a school record en route to winning the pole vault, clearing 11 feet, as Shawano placed eighth out of 12 teams Thursday at the Wausau West Invitational.

Two other Hawks also fared well in the pole vault, with sophomore Onalee Siegfried finishing third and Hannah Wendorff fifth.

The Hawks’ eight-lap relay team of Kendall Bricco, Kylie Guenther, Kristina Kurtz and Averi Vomastic finished in fourth place.

Stevens Point won the meet with 166 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood took third place, led by high jump champion Paige Norrbum.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

BASEBALL

Oshkosh North 6

Shawano 0

SCHS junior Dylan Sumnicht pitched four innings for the Hawks in Tuesday’s road loss.

He allowed just two earned runs while striking out two and allowing five hits in Shawano’s season opener.

The Spartans (1-0) were led by pitcher Brian Brown’s nine strikeouts in five innings of work.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Well, Mike Mullen and Jared Siefert have surely made a splash in the Late Model division.

Both are former IMCA Modified drivers who have enjoyed great success and have quickly shown they are formidable competitors in the Late Model ranks.

Mullen picked up his first career Late Model feature win Saturday night in only his fourth night behind the wheel of a Late Model chassis. In two nights of racing at Shawano, Mullen has a third-place finish and a feature win. Siefert picked up his first Late Model win two weeks ago at the Shawano Speedway and also has a runner-up finish in just a handful of nights.

Each of these drivers is a second generation racer. Mullen is the son of Brian Mullen, who has been one of the top Modified pilots in the country for many years. Siefert, the son of former Shawano Speedway track champion Art Siefert, has sold his Modified equipment and is focused squarely on the Late Model. Mullen, on the other hand, still has a Modified and will continue to race both cars.

Siefert is a former IMCA Modified national champion. Mullen has won the prestigious Clash at the Creek Modified race each of the last two seasons, picking up $10,000 with each victory.

For many years, it was the big three in the Late Model division. MJ McBride, Terry Anvelink and Pete Parker had a virtual stranglehold on the division in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Then, drivers such as Troy Springborn, Tom Naeyeart, Nick Anvelink and Ron Berna picked up the torch and have been the drivers to beat for the last decade plus.

In recent season, Brett Swedberg has asserted himself as a frontrunner also and now has been joined by the likes of Siefert and Mullen.

In terms of money, the gap between racing a competitive Modified and a competitive Late Model continues to shrink. Couple that with the fact that Late Models are now racing weekly on Friday nights at the Luxemburg Speedway, which has been a Modified hot spot for many years, and it is a distinct possibility that more Modified drivers will make the move to a Late Model in the coming seasons.

Saturday was the track’s fifth annual Racing for a Reason night. The track was able to raise $15,500 for the fight against childhood cancer. This brings the five-year total to $58,500.

Scott Owen is the track announcer at Shawano Speedway.Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Tony Noll in 1st season as varsity grid coachBy: 

Leader Staff

Menominee Indian High School’s new football coach is undergoing a learning curve in preparation for the upcoming season.

Not only will Tony Noll be taking over a varsity football program for the first time, he also will lead Menominee Indian’s conversion to eight-man football.

Noll was hired earlier this year to replace Chris Clache, who compiled a 15-54 record over eight seasons and a 1-8 mark in the Central Wisconsin Conference-10 last season.

Noll, who was the girls volleyball coach at Almond-Bancroft High School two years ago, has been involved in youth league football as coach and referee in Wausau since 1997.

“I think this will be a great challenge as we all learn and transition to eight-man football this year,” said Noll, who is an English teacher at MIHS. “I am trying to incorporate what I already know about the game.”

Noll said he has spent the summer researching the eight-man game and talking with other coaches in the squad’s new conference — the Great-8 North Division.

Like at many other small schools, the football program at MIHS has been at a competitive disadvantage in recent years because of low enrollment and injuries. The school has not had a junior varsity team for the past two seasons.

“I want to develop a competitive and winning eight-man football program,” Noll said. “But first and foremost, I see high school sports as a place were students learn skills such as discipline and leadership.

“I am a firm believer in my players being students first and athletes second.”

MIHS is the second school in the area to move to eight-man football. Bowler/Gresham made the switch in 2013.

Twenty-tw0 eight-man squads will compete in Wisconsin this fall. The WIAA plans to create a 16-team playoff the year after 30 or more schools offer eight-player football.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Girls 8U softball play begins SaturdayBy: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Braedyn Kowalkowski of the Shawano 11U baseball squad awaits a pitch Friday against Peshtigo. Shawano won the Shawano Youth League tournament game 8-3.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano 11U pitcher Jake Polzin delivers a pitch Friday against Peshtigo. Shawano won 8-3 to open Shawano Youth League tournament play.

The Shawano boys 11U team started off the second weekend of the Shawano Youth League tournament with a bang.

The team, which took first at an Oconto tournament on June 29, defeated Peshtigo 8-3 Friday.

“The hitting, defense and pitching have been coming together,” coach Chris Popp said. “We have four really good pitchers.”

Popp said the challenge Saturday, when temperatures are expected to reach the 90s, will be staying hydrated.

“As long as we play our game and take care of business, we should be alright,” Popp said.

Also Friday, the Shawano Black U12 squad defeated Shiocton 5-0 and Ripon 4-2. The Red squad lost 11-0 to Bonduel and 11-0 to Merrill.

“The Black squad is off to a good start and has some good kids,” SYL president Dustin Beyer said. He said the Red squad played a good Bonduel team in the opening round.

On Saturday, the SYL will launch its first girls 8U softball tournament with five teams: Shawano, Bonduel, Kaukauna, Plover and Greenville.

The Shawano softball team, which opens against Bonduel at 8 a.m., won back-to-back tournaments last month at Little Chute and Kimberly.

“They have some nice girls coming up through the system,” Beyer said. “We are expecting some big things from that squad.”

The tournaments continue through the weekend, with opening pitches slated for 8 a.m. both days.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Dick Koeppen donating $15K for Jirschele Field improvementBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Jirschele Athletic Field in W.A. Olen Park in Clintonville will get a new electronic scoreboard, thanks to a $15,000 donation from an area baseball fan.

“Baseball has always been important to me and my family,” Dick Koeppen told the Common Council on Tuesday.

Koeppen said he played on the field for more than 43 years, from his days in high school to his seasons with the Clintonville A’s. His sons, Jeff and Bob, also played on the field. He learned about four years ago that the A’s needed new dugouts and a new scoreboard. The club could not afford a new scoreboard, however.

Koeppen decided to donate the cost of a new electronic scoreboard with the only requirement being it says “Compliments of the Koeppen family” or something similar. He also asked to have input into the location and the final design, which have not been finalized.

Earlier this year Koeppen asked Interim City Administrator Chuck Kell for help in getting the project done and the scoreboard installed. Kell agreed.

The Tourism, Marketing, and Advertising Council voted to donate up to $4,000 to complete the installation of the scoreboard. There will be no cost to the city.

Clintonville A’s manager Tom Fietsch told the council that the club also is willing to help with getting the scoreboard installed. The team’s share of the costs is estimated at $1,390.

In addition to the A’s, the field is used by the American Legion, Babe Ruth and school teams. There are about 100 games played on the field every year, Koeppen said.

Koeppen said a lot of people take the A’s for granted. He said the club, which sponsors the Fourth of July fireworks each year, has done a lot of work to keep the field in shape.

The scoreboard is expected to be installed later this year.

Koeppen is a former Clintonville mayor and alderman and current chairman of the Waupaca County Board.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Henning’s blast helps Shawano Legion to 10-9 victoryBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano American Legion shortstop Zack Sousek fields a ball against visiting Waupaca in Shawano’s 10-9 win Thursday at Memorial Field. Sousek scored three runs.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano American Legion second baseman Ky Schmidt fields a throw on a Waupaca stolen base Thursday in the Patriots’ 10-9 win over Waupaca.

An early rally and a wild pitch keyed Shawano American Legion’s 10-9 win Thursday over visiting Waupaca.

With Shawano behind 1-0 entering the bottom of the first, Zack Sousek hit a leadoff single and scored on a Ky Schmidt single. Outfielder Chase Henning then delivered a two-run blast to pull the Patriots ahead 3-1.

“They didn’t pitch to him after that, which is a smart move,” Shawano coach Will Gillis said. “He just did what he has done all year.”

Henning was 1 for 2, had two intentional walks and scored two runs.

“Chase is a great hitter and one of the best hitters I have ever seen at the high school level,” Waupaca coach Kyle Douglas said.

Shawano (12-6, 7-1 Fox River Valley-West) added six runs in the second inning and one in the fifth.

Kasey Krisof led off Shawano’s half of the second with a walk. Sousek singled, and Ky Schmidt delivered a two-run single. Following an intentional walk to Henning, Grant Wainio singled in Schmidt. Starting pitcher Tasa Grignon hit a single, then Jack Lacy doubled in Henning and Wainio. Kristof capped off the rally with a sacrifice to score Grignon, who reached base on a single.

In the fifth inning, Sousek was hit by a pitch and scored on a wild pitch by Brendan Canterbury.

Waupaca (10-6, 5-5 Fox River Valley-West) chipped away at the lead with two runs in the third, three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Grignon picked up the win despite allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out two. He was relieved by Dylan Sumnicht, who allowed two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings before being lifted in the sixth inning for Tommy Stueck.

Stueck walked the first two batters to lead off the top of the seventh, but eventually struck out the side to seal the victory.

“He didn’t pitch a ton in high school and is still figuring out his pitches. But when he gets into a groove, he can hit his spots,” Gillis said.

Schmidt was 2 for 2, drew two walks, scored twice and drove in three runs. Sousek was 2 for 3 and scored three runs.

Losing pitcher Ryan Dayton gave up nine runs on six hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. Leadoff hitter Shane Olson was 2 for 2 and scored two runs.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet