Shawano Leader Sports Headlines

By: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Two new drivers added their respective names to an already impressive list of feature winners Saturday night at Shawano Speedway.

Weekly racing has been held at the track since 1963, and I would venture to say that nearly every racer to smash the loud pedal at the historic half-mile has had a goal of winning at least one feature race. Saturday, Jordan Barkholtz and Brad Wedde secured their first career feature wins at the track, while Mitch Stankowski won his first career Modified feature.

For Stankowski, it was sweet redemption after leading the previous week’s feature on lap 14 before being overtaken by perennial front-runner Jerry Wilinski. Stankowski, an affable second-generation racer from Wausau, made the move to the IMCA Modified class a season ago after running in the IMCA Stock Car class.

Stankowki’s father, Lester, raced on the ultra-competitive paved ovals of central Wisconsin in the 1960s and 1970s, while Stankowski’s brother-in-law, M.G. Gajewski, is a top pavement Late Model racer. So Stankowski definitely comes from a racing family, but he is the first one to have success on dirt.

Mighty Four pilot Brad Wedde, of Clintonville, has come through the ranks of ice racing and enduros and often times has to battle his cousin Calvin Stueck on the track. Wedde sits atop the point standings with a 7-point edge over his cousin.

IMCA Sport Mod racer Jordan Barkholtz, of Hortonville, made his debut at the track in 2010 and has been a consistent front-runner ever since. In 2012 Barkholtz finished second in the point standings to Tracy Wassenberg. Last season Barkholtz was forced to miss a number of nights after a nasty wreck caused irreparable damage to his car. This season Barkholtz rolled out a fresh Banshee chassis built by IMCA Modified racer Marcus Yarie. Barkholtz had to fend off Wassenberg to gain his first victory.

Interestingly enough, Stankowski is also racing a Banshee chassis this season.

Aside from the first-time winners last week, the bad luck continues for Brett Swedberg. Swedberg has been in position to finish at or near the front of every Late Model feature this year, but has yet to finish a feature at Shawano due to mechanical issues.

On the flip side, Marion racer Doug Blashe has experienced a renaissance of sorts this season. Blashe scored the feature win last week after Swedberg dropped out of the race. He also has a third- and an eighth-place finish at Shawano as well as a win at Luxemburg Speedway already this season.

It’s shaping up to be a great summer. Who will be the next to win their first?

See you at the speedway.

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

Softball team gets key returners as postseason approachesBy: 

Leader Staff

The clouds are starting to part for the Shawano Community High School softball team.

Due to injuries, the Hawks have yet to see the expected preseason lineup in action this season. After winning four of five to end April and open May, the Hawks’ struggles were exemplified in a winless streak that lasted nearly two weeks.

However, the roster is getting healthier and Shawano returned to the win column by defeating Clintonville 15-0 at home Friday. Saige Henning hit two home runs for the Hawks, while Courtney Ainsworth and Brianna Zook added one each.

Sydney Schreiber pitched the win, allowing only one hit and striking out four.

Shawano coach Kevin Isaacson said key players have returned and more are expected in coming weeks.

“We’ve had a season riddled with injuries, and we’re finally starting to get some of our kids back,” he said. “It’s just nice to be getting our lineup back together.”

Friday’s returner was Briana Boda, who reached base two times against Clintonville.

Isaacson said so many players missed time with injuries that the Hawks nearly needed an entirely new lineup.

“We played a game (yesterday) with four freshmen and two sophomores on the field, against a conference champion,” he said. “We’ve had to ask a lot of freshmen and sophomores to help and it’s been a challenging season for the kids.”

In addition, the schedule hasn’t been favorable to Shawano (9-12, 6-8 Bay Conference), as many of its opponents would have posed a challenge even with a healthy Hawks lineup.

“We’ve lost 12 games and 10 of them are to state-ranked opponents,” Isaacson said. “But we know we’re a talented group and as we get healthy, we’ll be right there.”

Clintonville dropped to 2-17 overall and is 2-13 in the Eastern Valley Conference.

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BASEBALL

Wild Rose 13

Marion 0

Wild Rose (12-7, 11-3 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) scored in each of the first four innings to bring Thursday’s game at Marion to an early end.

Marion (2-14, 1-14 CWC-10) committed eight errors in the game, leading to five unearned runs for Wild Rose.

The Wildcats finished with eight hits in the game, starting with two in their five-run first inning. They took the 13-0 lead in the fourth and the game was ended after five.

Bonduel 15

Oconto 5

Bonduel had 20 hits in five innings to earn a nonconference home win Friday.

Bonduel improved to 16-1 overall and is 11-1 in Central Wisconsin Conference-8 play.

The Bears had early control of the game with three runs in the first inning and six more in the second. Their 9-0 lead remained until the fourth inning when Oconto (10-8, 8-3 Packerland Conference) scored four runs to ruin Bonduel’s shutout bid. The Bears scored six more runs over the following two at-bats to bring an early end to the game.

Colton Dobratz led Bonduel with four hits and three RBIs; Travis Wollenberg had three hits and three RBIs; Tanner Mews added two hits and three RBIs. Jordan Boldt pitched three innings for the win; he allowed four runs and six hits while striking out one.

Harry and Gabe Hintz had two hits each for Oconto. Parker Anderson took the loss.

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Mueller ties for individual 3rd placeBy: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Troy A. Bruzewski Shawano Community High School golfer Braxten Surber hits a tee shot Thursday during the Oconto Falls Invitational at River Island Golf Course.

Unsurprising to the rest of the field, Marinette couldn’t be caught at the Oconto Falls Invitational at River Island Golf Course on Thursday.

The Marines had the top two individual scores and another top-10 finisher, leading to a team score of 328. They finished five strokes ahead of second-place Bay Port (333), with Ashwaubenon (348) in third.

Braden Mueller led Shawano with an 81, placing him in a tie for third with Kyle Breitenfeldt of Bay Port and leading the Hawks (350) to a fourth-place finish. After nine holes, Mueller was one stroke behind a five-player tie for the lead with a 41. He had his lone birdie on the first nine, at the par-5 No. 7.

Mueller started the second nine with another birdie, at No. 1. However, a triple bogey at No. 5, followed by two consecutive bogeys, removed Mueller from the lead group. Marinette’s Garrett Waloway (79) and Dakota Langlois (80) earned the two best scores of the invitational.

Josh Mueller finished with an 85 for the Hawks, placing him 14th on the individual board.

Cole Huntington had two double bogeys through nine and had a 47 at the turn, but he improved for a 44 on the second nine to finish at 91. Braxten Surber added a 93 for Shawano.

Clintonville avoided a last-place finish in the 11-team tournament, placing 10th with a team total of 406. Paul Kenfield led the Truckers with a 95, shooting a 48 on the first nine and 47 on the second. Justin Mueller led the team through nine with a 47, but had two triple bogeys and two double bogeys in the final six holes of his round. Mueller finished with a 99; Tyler Colla had a 97.

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Gresham golfer finishes 4th at Shiocton meetBy: 

Troy A. Bruzewski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Troy A. Bruzewski Gresham High School golfer Killian Eggert sinks a putt Thursday during the Shiocton Invitational at Eagle Creek.
Photo by Troy A. Bruzewski Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School golfer Devin Gruna hits a tee shot Thursday during the Shiocton Invitational at Eagle Creek.

The Gresham High School boys golf team again relied on Killian Eggert to put the Wildcats near the top of the leaderboard Thursday at Eagle Creek.

The Shiocton Invitational was the second consecutive event the Wildcats were unable to submit a team score due to not fielding a full team. However, it was also the second consecutive meet that Eggert has challenged for the overall individual win. He finished with an 82 to tie for fourth and follow his first-place tie Monday at Golden Sands.

Gresham coach Ben Dieck said he likes Eggert’s chances to extend his season further than last year.

“(Eggert) got to the sectional last year, but no further,” Dieck said. “I think he can go further this year and we’re hoping we’ll have more than one (advance).”

That is more likely to happen with the team having a full card of golfers. Eggert was joined by just two teammates, and Gresham therefore was omitted from the team standings. Marathon won the meet with a 359; Fox Valley Lutheran was second at 365 and Manawa was third with a 369. Wittenberg-Birnamwood finished ninth with a 412. Menominee Indian (529) was 12th.

“We’ll have people back and have a full team before (next week’s) regular season finale,” Dieck said.

Even with a short roster, the Wildcats were still close to a win.

Eggert was ahead of Weyauwega-Fremont’s Alex Hulbert and tied with Manawa’s Ryan Schuelke through six holes on the first nine, despite Hulbert’s birdie on the par-3 No. 3. Eggert began to lose ground at No. 7. He had two bogeys and a double bogey to close the first nine, while Schuelke and Hulbert hit par on all three. Hulbert held a one-stroke advantage after nine holes, with Schuelke a stroke behind and Eggert three behind.

Schuelke had a birdie at No. 10 to pull even with Hulbert, but Eggert gained two strokes on the leader by hitting par at No. 11 and a birdie No. 12.

The three golfers remained close throughout the second nine, but a double bogey at No. 18 relegated Eggert to a tie for fourth, while Schuelke and Hulbert tied for the top score at 79.

Maverick Bushman was the lone golfer to break 100 for Wittenberg-Birnamwood, finishing with a 92. He had to recover from early struggles that included a triple bogey, two double bogeys and a bogey in the first four holes. He finished with a 48 on the first nine and cut that to 44 on the second nine. Kyle Adamski finished with a 101 and Madison Bushman had a 103.

John Long led Menominee Indian with a 93 and was the only team member to finish under 100. He had a 50 on the first nine, but recovered for a 43 on the second nine. A double bogey at No. 14 and a bogey at No. 17 prevented him from a potential top-10 finish.

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By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Contributed Photo Award recipients at the Doug Jirschele Memorial Sports Award Banquet are, from left, Katie Ripley, Paul Halverson, Kean Kasper and Devante Adams of the Green Bay Packers, and guest speaker University of Wisconsin professor Michael Leckrone.

The 23rd annual Doug Jirschele Memorial Sports Awards banquet drew a crowd of nearly 400 sports enthusiasts to Clintonville Lanes and Banquet Hall on Saturday night.

Three Doug Jirschele Sports Awards were presented:

Paul Halverson: A 1986 Clintonville High School graduate who played football, basketball and baseball. He was a captain on the basketball team his senior year and second team all-conference. In football he received the Mike Mahnke Award and was unanimous choice for first team all-conference on both offense and defense. In baseball he was first team all-conference two years.

He played baseball for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse after high school and was a member of the Clintonville Athletics for 21 years, as a player and player/manager. His 11-year BABA managerial record was 159-21.

For the past 25 years, Halverson has been coaching at least one sport. He coached volleyball, basketball, track and baseball while teaching in Oshkosh. He also coached youth baseball, basketball and volleyball in Hortonville, and he’s the junior varsity softball coach at Hortonville High School.

He is a financial representative with Zaddack and Associates Financial Group in Appleton.

Katie (Strelow) Ripley: A 1998 CHS graduate, she lettered in volleyball four years and was an honorable mention all-conference in 1996, unanimous first team all-conference in 1997 and second team all-area in 1997. She held the school record in the high jump and advanced to sectionals in the event, along with the 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay teams in 1998.

She attended Marian University, received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and played four years of volleyball. Her team remained undefeated in the conference all four years and had two NCAA Tournament appearances. Katie received all-conference honors in 2000 and 2001.

She has coached at Marion, Green Bay West and Clintonville high schools. The past four years she has assisted in Oconto Falls. She helped coach the teams to two conference championships and two state appearances. She also coaches the seventh- and eighth-grade Northern Lightning club teams during offseason.

She is now a real estate agent with Metzler-Hanson Realty in Oconto Falls.

Kean Kasper: A 1979 graduate of Clintonville High School, he lettered three times in both football and basketball and twice in baseball. He was voted first team all-conference and UPI first team all-state quarterback in 1978. He also was named to the 1979 Shrine Bowl football team.

Kasper was a member of the 1977 Class B championship basketball team and a member of the 1978 and 1979 Class A state tournament basketball teams. He was voted second team all-conference in 1978 and first team all-conference in 1979. In 1979 he was voted honorable mention all-state.

In college, Kasper participated in basketball at UW Whitewater, where he graduated in 1983.

Kasper is in finance and banking for over 30 years and is president of Stoughton Trailers Acceptance Co. and the Stoughton Trailers Canada.

The annual Doug Jirschele Nice Guy Award went to Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams. This award is presented to an individual who has achieved success in the world of sports, but might not have ties to the Clintonville area. Adams attended Palo Alto High School in Redwood California, where he was a two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback and led his team to a state championship.

The Annual Forgotten Person Award went to Steve Hanson of Clintonville Lanes. He was recognized for his support of area athletes and the 5th Quarter Club. This award is presented to an individual who has made contributions to sports in the Clintonville area, but has not always received the proper recognition.

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

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BASEBALL

Bowler 15

Menominee Indian 12

A three-run eighth inning gave Bowler a road win over Menominee Indian on Thursday.

The Panthers took advantage of nine errors by the Eagles to win the game, despite being outhit 15-11. Bowler took a 4-1 lead in the top of the second, before Menominee Indian regained the lead with five runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Eagles held a 7-5 lead into the sixth inning, but the Panthers scored 10 runs in the final three innings, including the eighth. Bowler (7-7, 7-7 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) scored three in the eighth to clinch the win.

Nick Corn, Michael Pecore and Adam Isham had two RBIs each for Menominee Indian (6-10, 5-9 CWC-10).

SOFTBALL

Luxemburg-Casco 5

Shawano 1

The Spartans clinched a share of the Bay Conference title with the win at home Thursday over Shawano.

The Hawks’ lone run arrived on a Saige Henning home run to center field. Erin Cerveny took the loss, allowing 11 hits and striking out one.

Shawano dropped to 8-12 overall and 6-8 in the Bay Conference; Luxemburg-Casco improved to 17-3 overall and 13-1 in the conference.

Waupaca 9

Clintonville 2

An early 2-0 Clintonville lead was erased by nine unanswered runs by Waupaca, which defeated the Truckers at home Thursday.

Waupaca (5-12, 5-7 Eastern Valley) collected 14 runs and capitalized on three Clintonville (2-16, 2-12 Eastern Valley) errors.

Cassandra Blank had two hits for Clintonville.

TENNIS

Shawano 7

Menasha 0

Shawano didn’t surrender a single set in a win over Menasha at home Thursday.

In singles, No. 1 Cole Reuter (6-4, 6-3) and No. 2 Rolando Colon (6-4, 6-2) won the closest matches for Shawano, while No. 3 Jacob Schoenike and No. 4 Teddy Myers won their matches, 6-2 and 6-0.

The Hawks allowed Menasha only three games in doubles competition. Teddy Mickelson and Zach Soper (6-2, 6-0) won at No. 1 doubles, and Sajen Knueppel and Dalton Parson (6-1, 6-0) won at No. 2 doubles. Manuel Morel and Kyle Easter provided the Shawano win at No. 3 in a shutout.

The Hawks improved to 6-4 overall and have their final dual meet of the season at home against Fox Valley Lutheran on Thursday.

SOCCER

Shawano 5

New London 3

Sarah Dickman had three goals and an assist for Shawano at New London on Thursday.

Mega Klitzke and Rachel Schnell added one goal each for the Hawks; Morgan Klitzke had an assist.

Carlie Hinnefeld finished with 10 saves for Shawano, which improved to 7-6-1 overall and 4-1-2 in the Bay Conference.
story created on Thursday 5

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By: 

Gary Seymour, [email protected]

The pursuit of perfection is different in baseball than other sports, for this reason: You can’t double-team a pitcher.

Unlike any other sport, baseball is unique in that a good pitcher on a bad team can take down a team of all-stars. It’s a team game, but within that team game is the essential, individual battle between hitter and pitcher, and if you can’t hit what he’s dealing, it doesn’t matter whether the eight behind him can catch it or not. It’s why the best teams in the major leagues lose 60 times a year, and it’s why a significant winning streak is a pretty big thing.

A pretty big thing came to an end Tuesday when the Bonduel High School baseball team dropped a 1-0 decision to perennial powerhouse Shiocton, closing out the Bears’ season-opening 13-game winning streak.

At the outset of the season, Bonduel coach Donnie Gruenewald liked his team’s chances to stay competitive because of the solid nucleus of seniors with varsity experience. The Bears’ 13-0 start, the best for any baseball team in the school’s history, exceeded expectations.

“If you’d told me at the start of the year that we’d start off 13-0 and 9-0 in conference, I’d … have taken it,” he said. “It was beyond what we’d anticipated.”

Not surprisingly, a good part of Bonduel’s success can be traced to the spot 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. Pitcher Connor Rosin has been outstanding, as his 4-0 record befits his station as No. 1 starter in Gruenewald’s rotation. Rosin also has two homers and leads the team with a .428 batting average. Trevor Pedersen pitched a three-hitter in the loss to Shiocton, and although he fell to 4-1, his earned run average stayed below 1.00.

Like all good teams, Bonduel has adjusted to adversity. Shortstop Hunter Vanderlinden, one of the mainstays offensively and defensively, was hitting .419 with three home runs when he injured a hamstring in a win over Amherst. Vanderlinden, one of four reliable arms in the stable, pitched in three games and allowed just two earned runs. Until his soon-expected return, he has been replaced at shortstop by Travis Wollenberg, who moved over from third base and handled short flawlessly.

Wollenberg, who also pitches, is hitting .378. His 3-0 record as a pitcher looks even better by his not having allowed an earned run all season. Don’t let the “earned runs” thing fool you, either — Bonduel has committed only 16 errors in 14 games.

Bailey Dingeldein is hitting .387 with a homer, and Colton Dobratz is batting .300 for the Bears, who during an early four-game span scored 69 runs.

“We’d been hitting line drives all over the field,” Gruenewald said. “Lately we’ve been popping up a bit, but we’ll get it back. This is a laid-back group, but they know what they have to do, and they do it. I don’t think losing once is going to bother them. They’ll just pick up where we left off and get back to it.”

Bonduel, which had been averaging 10 runs per game before losing to Shiocton, can control its destiny in the league and secure at least a co-championship by winning out. The Bears, who beat Shiocton in their earlier matchup, play a doubleheader Thursday at defending conference champion Iola-Scandinavia.

After the conference season is sorted out, the Bears take their chops into the postseason and see what kind of havoc they can create in the Division 3 playoffs.

First, there is the regular-season finale to determine neighborhood bragging rights, against Shawano.

“I like that we’re playing them,” Gruenewald said. “It’s good for the kids to play against other kids from the area, kids they might know and hang out with.”

What’s not to like? Neighborhood rivalry, two successful programs, late May afternoon. Familiarity of this sort usually means you can toss the win-loss records out the window.

Before defenestrating all those W’s, though, the Bears might want one more peek. This season is already a keeper, and if they have a finish cooked up anything like the start, it will be one interesting June.

Veteran sportswriter Gary Seymour’s column appears weekly in the Leader. To contact him, send email to [email protected] this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Troy A. Bruzewski, [email protected]

Photo Courtesy of Green Bay Packers Fourth-round pick Jake Ryan impressed coach Mike McCarthy last week during the Green Bay Packers’ rookie orientation camp.
Photo Courtesy of Green Bay Packers Jake Ryan shows the hair he donated while still in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan.

As more Packers fans discover Jake Ryan, some also discover their photo searches weren’t sorted by date.

When Ryan was selected by Green Bay in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, the comparisons to linebacker Clay Matthews were instantaneous.

Ryan played linebacker at University of Michigan, starting on the outside and moving to middle linebacker for his senior year. He also was a pass-rushing threat off the edge for the Wolverines, adding another similarity to Matthews.

However, some based their comparison on outdated images.

During his first three seasons at Michigan, Ryan also was known for having hair length paralleled only by former Michigan quarterback and current Jacksonville multi-purpose player Denard Robinson. Draft coverage included multiple video highlights of Ryan and his windblown shoulder-length locks, blazing by offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. Those scanning for a new long-haired linebacker at Packers training camp will have a fruitless search.

After an ACL injury in his junior year, Ryan cut his hair and donated it. As a Michigan native, I noticed the new “do” while watching the Wolverines on television. Though, references by Wisconsinites in recent months referring to parallels between Ryan and Matthews usually mentioned the hair.

When I made my first-ever trip to Lambeau Field for the rookie camp on Saturday and took my first steps into the locker room, I located another Michigan guy getting used to his surroundings. Ryan sat alone at his locker as media and others occupied the oval room. I wondered if his isolation was at least partially due to Ryan not sporting a Thor-like look.

After an introduction, my first question to him was “How many people do you think can’t recognize you without the long hair?”

“I just couldn’t take care of it anymore,” he said while laughing. “That hair was a lot of work.”

Coach Mike McCarthy was one of the first to be somewhat surprised by Ryan’s appearance, though this was unrelated to follicles.

“He’s bigger than I thought he was in person,” McCarthy said. “I like that. He looks pretty natural inside.”

McCarthy’s comments during Saturday’s press conference seem to suggest Packers fans will have ample time to see the short-haired Ryan on the field this season.

“He’s picked it up clean and making the calls out there,” he said. “I think he has an opportunity to play inside.”

As McCarthy apparently could attest to, it’s evidently good to have a new guy from Michigan in town. On a coincidental note, Ryan’s last day with that long hair was also my birthday. That was not a coordinated effort.

Troy A. Bruzewski is sports editor of The Shawano Leader. He can be reached at 715-526-7020 or [email protected] this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Gresham golfer shares medalist honorsBy: 

Leader Staff

The Bonduel High School boys golf team had its best nine-hole score for 2015 Monday, but Pacelli posted the best score of the season in Central Wisconsin Conference-10 competition to win the four-team meet at Golden Sands Golf Course.

Each of the four Pacelli golfers, along with their alternate, finished in the 40s to finish with a 169. Iola finished second with a 184 and Bonduel was third at 196. Gresham was a golfer shy of recording a team score; however, Killian Eggert tied Zach Mortenson, of Iola-Scandinavia, for the low score with a 40.

Eggert was very close to claiming sole possession of first place, holding a three-stroke lead over Mortenson with three holes remaining. The gap narrowed by a stroke at No. 7 and by two strokes at No. 8. Both golfers hit par at No. 9 to finish in a tie.

Zach Acker led Bonduel with a 44 and finished in a tie for seventh with Jon Bauer, of I-S. Acker also was within striking distance of the leaders, but was hampered by bogeys in the final two holes. After seven, he had a 32, just one stroke of behind Eggert and one ahead of Mortenson. Acker dropped to seventh after scoring a six on each of the final two holes.

Austin Acker finished with a 46 for Bonduel, and a seven at No. 6 prevented him from placing higher on the individual leaderboard.

Garret Riemer had a 50 for the Bears; Matt and Mitch LaBerge each finished with a 56.

Bonduel coach Dave LaBerge said the team will need to avoid the late-round struggles in the CWC-10 meet at Foxfire Golf Club in Waupaca on May 21.

“We had several golfers playing very well and just struggled on the last few holes coming in,” he said. “… I believe we can continue to improve and maybe move up a few more spots after the conference meet if we play to our potential.”

Gresham’s Austin Welk and Nate Bowman shot 66 and 69, respectively, at Golden Sands.

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WEST DIVISION

CAROLINE 13, BOWLER 0

WP - Nick Desrochers; LP - Scott Clauss

CAROLINE: Cory Resrochers was 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs. Mike Fischer was 2 for 4. Nick Witter was 2 for 2. Bryce Rodriguez had a three-run home run, and Ryan Brietenfeldt had three RBIs.

BOWLER: Scott Clauss, Eli Bierman, Ryan Zarda and Walker Miller each had one hit.

TIGERTON 12, LITTLE FALLS 6

WP- Paul Sellner, LP - Jeremy Bauer

TIGERTON: Eric Kroening was 4 for 5 with a home run. Dylan Berg and Pat Provoast were each 2 for 5.

LITTLE FALLS: Drew Radies was 3 for 5. Jeremy Bauer was 2 for 5.

LEOPOLIS 21, TILLEDA 3

Aaron Hoffman and Brandon Laabs combined for a no-hitter as the Bulldogs overwhelmed the White Sox.

WP - Aaron Hoffman; LP - Curt Brei

LEOPOLIS: Justin Reminger was 4 for 5 with two doubles. Aaron Hoffman was 4 for 6 with a double. Brock Hoffman was 3 for 4. Brandon Laabs was 4 for 7 with a double. Brady Hoffman was 2 for 6 with a double. Nick Kristof was 3 for 6.

ROSHOLT AT MANAWA

Note: Rosholt is not fielding a team this season.

EAST DIVISION

GRESHAM 4, CLINTONVILLE 3

WP - Adam Carroll; LP - John Dunlavy

GRESHAM: Jordan Stichman was 2 for 3 with two doubles. Adam Carroll was 2 for 3 with a double. Brent Burkholtz had a double.

CLINTONVILLE: John Dunlavy was 3 for 5.

NEOPIT 10, MENOMINEE 2

WP - Anthony Leeman; LP - Shane LaTender

NEOPIT: Alex Frechette was 5 for 6 with two doubles. Dustin Peters was 2 for 6.

MENOMINEE: Steve Awonapay was 2 for 5. Alex O’Kimosh was 2 for 4. Kyle O’Kimosh had a double.

MARION 3, SHAWANO 2

WP - Cody Reimer; LP - Dan Buettner

MARION: Dave Jueds was 2 for 3 with a double. Cody Reimer and Jake Westphal each had a double.

SHAWANO: Brandon Esep was 2 for 3. Braden Zueske had a double.

NORTHERN DIVISION

ELDERON 22, BIRNAMWOOD 4

Elderon broke things open with nine runs in the seventh inning.

WP - Rick Boda; LP - Kevin Lex

ELDERON: Marv Meronk was 3 for 4 with two doubles. Matt Meronk was 2 for 7. Justin Meronk was 2 for 4 with a home run.

BIRNAMWOOD: Corey Krull was 2 for 4 with a home run. Tim Rew also homered.

ELAND 7, WITTENBERG 3

WP - Vaughn Steebs; LP - Dom Anderson

ELAND: Ryan Hubachjek was 4 for 5 with a double. CJ Hahn was 3 for 4. Joe Buss was 2 for 5 with a double.

WITTENBERG: Dave Rodgers was 3 for 3 with a double.

HATLEY 8, ANIWA 3

WP - Adam Janikowski; LP - Denton Mortenson

HATLEY: Jeremy Schmidt was 2 for 5 with a double. Neil Szutkowski and Wyatt Brown were each 2 for 4.

ANIWA: Bryce Meverden was 3 for 4.

SOUTH-CENTRAL DIVISION

WAUPACA 11, NEW LONDON 1

WP - Jeff Riddle; LP - Joe Schuster

WAUPACA: Nate Nelson was 4 for 5. Jake Reedy was 3 for 5. Andy Wanty was 2 for 2 with a RBI.

NEW LONDON: Jim Thorpe was 1 for 3 with a RBI.

PLOVER 7, SCANDINAVIA 0

WP - Eric Fritz; LP - RJ Rosenthal

PLOVER: Howie Heinrich was 3 for 4 with a double and two runs. Jason Jones was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

WEYMONT 6, LANARK 5

Hunter Billington singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th as Weymont snuck by Lanark.

WP - Kyle Bozques. LP - NA

WEYMONT: Eric Keeman was 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Kyle Bozques was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Hunter Billington was 2 for 4.

LANARK: Jordan Wilkins was 2 for 3. Cal Krusizk was 1 for 3 with two runs.

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BASEBALL

Shawano 7

Seymour 5

Chase Henning had two hits including a two-run home run in Tuesday’s win at Seymour.

Grant Wainio pitched two innings to get the win, allowing one hit and striking out one. The win improved Shawano’s record to 10-7 overall and 7-5 in the Bay Conference.

Reed Blake was the losing pitcher for Seymour (6-7, 4-6 Bay). He worked 5 1/3 innings, struck out three, walked four, gave up six hits and allowed seven runs, five earned. Clayton Vanlanen was 2 for 4 with two doubles.

Shiocton 1

Bonduel 0

An undefeated season was spoiled for Bonduel at home Tuesday.

After four scoreless innings, Shiocton scored the game-winning run on a two-out double in the fifth inning.

Bonduel had runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings, but was unable to get a run.

Gavin Braun pitched the win for Shiocton (12-1, 9-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-8); Trevor Pedersen took the loss for the Bears (13-3, 8-1 CWC-8).

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BASEBALL

Seymour 6

Shawano 4

Jack Hanuer went 2 for 3 but was one of the few bright spots in Shawano's home loss Monday.

Nate Laude took the loss for Shawano (9-7, 6-5 Bay Conference). He worked three innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked two.

Winning pitcher Phil Grelecki went five innings. He gave up three earned runs on four hits while recording one strikeout and two walks.

Seth Jefson and Jerad Anderson were each 2 for 4 for Seymour (6-6, 4-5 Bay).

Bonduel 10

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 6

Bonduel recovered from an early two-run deficit on the road Monday to remain undefeated.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. The Bears responded with seven runs in the second and three more in the third to take a 10-2 lead.

Bonduel (13-0, 9-0 Central Wisconsin Conference-8) was unable to extend the lead further after Casey Kerstner entered in relief for the Chargers. He held Bonduel scoreless for the final four innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven. The Chargers shrank the deficit, but couldn’t score any runs in the seventh.

Travis Wollenberg got the win after entering in relief for Austin Siolka; Wollenberg allowed two earned runs on five hits. Connor Rosin pitched the final two innings for Bonduel and struck out five. Trevor Pedersen led the Bears’ offense with two hits and two RBIs.

MacLean Alwes took the loss for Wittenberg-Birnamwood (5-14, 3-8 CWC-8); Kerstner and Keegan Miller had two hits each for the Chargers.

Menominee Indian 6

Tigerton 3

Ty Latender pitched a complete-game win for the Eagles on the road Monday.

Nick Corn led the offense with three hits and three RBIs. Michael Pecore added a hit and an RBI.

Tigerton took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but a three-run third by Menominee Indian (6-9, 5-8 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) gave it a 3-1 lead. That advantage was extended to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the sixth, then an insurance run in the seventh.

Hayden Harris struck out five and allowed six hits in the loss; he also had two hits at the plate. Travis Marquardt and Patrick Bailey also had two hits each for Tigerton (3-10, 3-10 CWC-10).

SOFTBALL

Bonduel 13

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 6

After four scoreless innings, Bonduel scored all 13 of its runs in its final three at-bats on the road Monday.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood (5-14, 3-8 Central Wisconsin Conference-8) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Pitcher Erica Alwes held the Bears scoreless through four innings. She finished with three strikeouts and allowed five walks in the loss.

Lexi Reinke and Kaylee Rymida scored three runs each for the Bears, while Taylor Weier finished with two hits and four RBIs. Bonduel (5-9, 4-5 CWC-8) took a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning. It sealed the win with nine runs in the final two innings.

Jen Dowden pitched five innings for the win, striking out eight and allowing eight hits. Reinke entered in relief to earn the save, striking out two and allowing three hits.

Tigerton 14

Menominee Indian 8

Megan Anheuser had four RBIs for Tigerton at home Monday.

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Eagles tied the game in the top of the third, before Tigerton scored nine runs in the bottom of the inning.

Menominee Indian started a rally in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to make the score 14-6 and added two more in the seventh. Joan Waukau led the Eagles with three hits and three RBIs. Ania Smith also had three RBIs.

Summer Kopitzke pitched the complete-game win for the Tigers (9-7, 9-4 Central Wisconsin Conference-10). She had four strikeouts and allowed three walks. Taylor Mahkimetas allowed eight walks and 10 runs in the Menominee Indian (10-4, 9-3 CWC-10) loss.

Tigerton 18

Wausaukee 8

Morgan Marquardt had three hits, five RBIs and a run scored Friday in Tigerton’s home win.

The Tigers scored 12 runs in the first three innings, then added six insurance runs in the final two innings.

Summer Kopitzke pitched the win, allowing seven earned runs and striking out four.

SOCCER

Shawano 3

Denmark 0

Shawano reached .500 mark with its win at home Monday.

Morgan Klitzke scored three goals for the Hawks, with Sarah Dickmann assisting on two of them. Goalie Carlie Hinnefeld rejected all 12 Denmark shots she faced.

The Hawks moved to 6-6-2, 3-1-2 in the Bay Conference.

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Shawano driver forced out of Late Model feature on white-flag lapBy: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Brett Swedberg had a dominant Late Model again Saturday at Shawano Speedway, as he looked to put his troubles behind him and win his first feature of the year. He’d been in position to claim the feature in each of the season’s first two events, but was still without a win. Unfortunately for him, he’s still seeking that first win.

Swedberg passed Jeff Curtin for the early lead and motored from the pack. He quickly caught the tail of the field and began lapping cars as Doug Blashe raced into second.

However, heavy smoke emerged from his car just as he took the white flag and Swedberg coasted to the pits. Blashe assumed the lead and went for his first win of the year at Shawano. Troy Springborn finished second and Paul Parker crossed the line in third.

IMCA Modified

Jesse Peebles started on the outside pole in the IMCA Modified feature and seemed to have the car to beat. Mitch Stankowski moved into second and two cars began to distance themselves from the rest of the field. Peebles initially built a comfortable lead over Stankowski but caught lapped traffic on lap 10, allowing Stankowski to close in.

Peebles was been running the high side but was forced low by the cars in front of him. Charlie Wild joined the mix also as Peebles and Stankowski raced side by side for the lead. Stankowski was finally able to clear Peebles on lap 17 to take the lead and held it for his first career IMCA Modified feature. Wild took second and Mike Wedelstadt beat Peebles to the line for third.

IMCA Stock Car

Gary Kasperek led the opening lap of the IMCA Stock Car feature before mechanical woes forced him off the track, allowing Justin Jacobsen to take the lead. He lasted just two laps out front before Travis VanStraten took the point and led the remainder for the win. Jacobsen was second and Steven Stewart was third.

IMCA Sport Mod

Zack McKinnon held the lead of the IMCA Sport Mod feature for just a lap before Jordan Barkholtz drove his machine in front of the field. Barkholtz quickly had company, as he was joined by Tracy Wassenberg and Lucas Lamberies. Barkholtz raced the outside groove with Wassenberg to his inside and Lamberies on their bumpers. The three cars raced in a tight pack to the finish as Barkohltz raced to his first career feature win. Wassenberg had to settle for second, with Lamberies finished third.

Mighty Four

Brad Wedde passed Calvin Stueck for the lead and eventual win in the Mighty Four feature. Lewis Jepson led the first lap and Stueck took over the lead on lap two. It was the first career win for Wedde, who was followed by Grant Kastning in second and Stueck in third.

Racing continues Saturday night with Spectator Eliminators returning. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m.

Shawano Speedway

May 9

Race Summary

Late Model Feature: 1. Doug Blashe, 2. Troy Springborn, 3. Paul Parker, 4. Ron Berna, 5. Nick Anvelink, 6. Cody Grosskreutz, 7. Joe Reuter, 8. Jeff Curtin, 9. Aaron Wickersheim, 10. Tom Naeyaert.

Heat 1: 1. Brett Swedberg, 2. Blashe, 3. Curtin.

Heat 2: 1. Rob Krull, 2. Tim Rothe, 3. Berna.

Heat 3: 1. Parker, 2. Anvelink, 3. Grosskreutz.

IMCA Modified feature: 1. Mitch Stankowski, 2. Charlie Wild, 3. Mike Wedelstadt, 4. Jesse Peebles, 5. Matt Oreskovich, 6. Jerry Wilinski, 7. Marcus Yarie, 8. Cody Hudson, 9. Tony Wedelstadt, 10. John Berna.

Heat 1: 1. Stankowski, 2. Wild, 3. Yarie.

Heat 2: 1. Hudson, 2. Oreskovich, 3. Tony Wedelstadt.

Heat 3: 1. Peebles, 2. Wilinski, 3. Mike Wedelstadt.

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. Travis VanStraten, 2. Justin Jacobsen, 3. Steven Stewart, 4. Mike Schmidt, 5. Dustin Loberger, 6. Tom Riehl, 7. Harley Simon, 8. Trent Nolan, 9. Vern Stedjee, 10. Chris Lowenhagen.

Heat 1: 1. VanStraten, 2. Jacobsen, 3. Gary Kasperek.

Heat 2: 1. Stewart, 2. Stedjee, 3. Simon.

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. Jordan Barkholtz, 2. Tracy Wassenberg, 3. Lucas Lamberies, 4. Jordan Bartz, 5. Jason Jach, 6. Wyatt Block, 7. Brock Saunders, 8. Zack McKinnon, 9. Kyle Raddant, 10. Brandon NyGaard.

Heat 1: 1. Barkholtz, 2. Jach, 3. Lamberies.

Heat 2: 1. McKinnon, 2. Wassenberg, 3. Bartz.

Mighty Four Feature: 1. Brad Wedde, 2. Grant Kastning, 3. Calvin Stueck, 4. Lucas Hacker, 5. Dalton Nelson, 6. Carl King, 7. Lewis Jepson, 8. Matt DeWilde, 9. Forest Kerneen, 10. Hollie Welch.

Heat 1: 1. Kastning, 2. Stueck, 3. Wedde.

Heat 2: 1. Hacker, 2. Welch, 3. King.

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By: 

Troy A. Bruzewski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Troy Bruzewski Grant Wainio went nine innings for Shawano Community High School in a 4-3 win Saturday over Menasha.

One late run combined with putting an early end to a Menasha rally led to a doubleheader sweep for the Shawano Community High School baseball team Saturday.

The Hawks scored the game-winning run in the seventh to take the opener 4-3 and stopped Menasha’s seventh-inning rally one run shy of a tie, winning the second game 8-7.

Grant Wainio got the win for Shawano in the opener, getting 12 strikeouts and allowing eight hits. Only one of the runs he allowed was earned.

After Menasha took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth, Shawano responded with three runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 3-1 lead. However, Menasha tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs.

Neither team scored a run in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings with Wainio remaining in the game. He went nine innings before Brendan Cummings entered in relief. The Hawks scored the game-winner in the 10th inning, and Cummings held Menasha scoreless in its final at-bat to preserve the win.

Early runs were plentiful in the second game, unlike the opener. Both teams scored four runs in the first inning, and Menasha took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third. Shawano starter Jack Lacy then threw three shutout innings while the Hawks’ offense regained the lead.

Shawano posted another four runs in the sixth to take an 8-5 lead into the seventh. The Bluejays began a rally and scored two runs in the seventh, but the tying run never crossed the plate as the Hawks held on for an 8-7 win.

Lacy pitched a complete game, striking out three and allowing eight hits. Just two of the seven runs he allowed were earned.

Ky Schmidt and Chase Henning were both 2 for 2 in the win, which improved Shawano’s record to 9-6 overall and 6-4 in the Bay Conference.

The Hawks face Seymour in back-to-back games to start the week, then have a week off before playing at Denmark on May 19.

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Shawano finishes 1-2, rests some playersBy: 

Troy A. Bruzewski, [email protected]

The Shawano Community High School girls soccer team wasn’t shut out in Saturday’s soccer invitational at Green Bay East.

Despite not scoring a goal in regulation, the Hawks earned a 1-0 win over the tournament host. However, the win was sandwiched by two losses.

Shawano opened with a 2-1 loss to Eau Claire North. Morgan Klitzke scored Shawano’s lone goal and tied the game at 1-1. North scored the game-winning goal in regulation.

Carlie Hinnefeld had nine saves for Shawano.

Against Green Bay East, Hinnefeld rejected all four shots she faced in regulation and was an integral part of the game requiring extra play.

“We each had scoring chances in the game,” Shawano coach Robert Croschere said. “But we went to penalty kicks when regulation ended, because of the tournament setup.”

The Hawks got the edge in the shootout, therefore claiming the win without scoring an official goal. Teagan Monfils, Megan Klitzke, Morgan Klitzke, Louisa Keenan and Colleen McFarlane scored shootout goals to give Shawano a 5-3 advantage in the extra play.

With two games complete and several weeks remaining in the season, Croschere decided to rest several players in the Hawks’ third game. They faced New London, which was winless in Bay Conference competition entering the tournament.

The Bulldogs took advantage of Shawano’s lineup shuffle and defeated the Hawks 4-0. Madelyn Rabideau had five saves for the Hawks, who have a rematch on the horizon.

“New London was just the final game and I rested a lot of players,” Croschere said. “We will have to face them again Thursday for a conference game and I expect a different result.”

Shawano’s record moved to 5-6-2 overall, 2-1-2 in the Bay.

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By: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Though the 2015 racing season is only two point-nights old, it certainly appears that Clintonville racer Matt Oreskovich has asserted himself as a true candidate to win the IMCA Modified point tussle at the famed half-mile speed plant known as the Shawano Speedway.

Entering action this Saturday night, the “O Show” has a feature win and a second-place feature finish. Unlike many racers, Oreskovich didn’t come from a racing family. His father, also Matt Oreskovich, was a highly skilled hockey player who played in the United States Hockey League from 1964 through 1972. His promising hockey career was cut short by injuries.

Matt the racer has compiled a very diverse racing background. He has raced on ice in studded and nonstudded rear-wheel drive as well as studded front-wheel drive. He has raced on dirt in four cylinders, IMCA Sport Mod, and even had a short stint in a dirt late model. On pavement he has raced endures and school buses. That’s right, a school bus as part of the ever-popular “Eve of Destruction” held annually at WIR in Kaukauna.

Aside from his own racing exploits, Matt supports his son, Max, who has raced numerous seasons at the area’s ultracompetitive dirt go-kart tracks and this past winter wheeled a nonstudded front-wheel drive car on the ice.

Oreskovich has raced in the IMCA Modified division at the track since the 2011 race season. Prior to that he was a front-runner in the IMCA Sport Mod class. Oreskovich finished last season by winning the feature race on the final night of racing. He picked up this season right where he left off last year by winning the feature on opening night. Last week he came home with an impressive second-place finish after starting the race in 17th due to a spin in his heat race.

Oreskovich holds a 2-point advantage in the standings over defending track champion Marcus Yarie. The season point chase should again be a tremendously close battle between Oreskovich, who is looking for his first title at the historic half-mile, and former track champions Yarie, Jerry Wilinski, Eddie Muester and Jerry Muenster, as well as hotshoes including but not limited to Cody Hudson, Mitch Stankowski, Tony Wedelstadt, John Berna and Jamie Schmidt.

Of one thing I am certain: Anytime Oreskovich is on the track you can be certain to hear the cheers from his loud and loyal fan base, especially those located near turn one. This is shaping up to be a great year. See you at the speedway.

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

By: 

Leader Staff

Despite playing without its lead golfer, the Bonduel High School boys golf team managed a fifth-place finish Thursday in the St. Thomas Aquinas Academy Invitational at Riverside Golf Club in Menominee, Michigan.

The Bears finished with a team score of 427 in the nine-team meet won by Peshtigo with a 362. Wausaukee was second with 370.

Austin Acker led the Bears with a 93 and was the only Bonduel golfer who finished under 100.

“We didn’t have our normal No. 1 golfer (Zach Acker), so I was pretty happy with how the kids played overall,” Bonduel coach David LaBerge said. “Austin Acker had a solid 93 and Mitch LaBerge shot his lowest round of the year (103), which included a 45 on the back nine.

“Most of the kids played their best golf of the season.”

David Parrott finished with a 112. Garret Reimer had a 119, and Matt LaBerge had a 121.

Menominee Indian finished eighth but did not field a full card, so the Eagles were not given a team score.

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BASEBALL

Menominee Indian 11

Marion 1

Menominee Indian (4-8, 4-9 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) scored five runs in the fifth inning to seal a win at home Friday over Marion (1-11, 1-11 CWC-10).

Michael Pecore and Adam Isham had two-run hits in the fifth for the Eagles; Ty Latender added an RBI-single. Pecore finished with two hits and four RBIs for Menominee Indian.

Forrest Webster got the win, pitching five innings and allowing six hits with four strikeouts. He also drove in the Eagles’ first run, in the first inning.

Rosholt 12

Gresham 0

Rosholt had two five-run innings and totaled 13 hits Friday at Gresham.

The Hornets scored a run in each of the first two innings, then took a 7-0 lead with a five-run third. They brought the game to an end after six innings, scoring five more runs in the sixth.

Christian Haffner had eight strikeouts for Gresham (7-5, 7-5 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) in the loss.

Spencer Bembenek allowed only two hits for Rosholt (12-0, 13-3 CWC-10).

SOFTBALL

Denmark 9

Shawano 8

A late Shawano rally fell short Thursday at Denmark.

The Hawks held an early 2-1 lead after Brandi Gueths hit a two-run single, but Denmark (3-7, 6-9) regained the lead and held it into the seventh inning. Alli Raddant, Brianna Zook and Saige Hennings hit consecutive doubles in the at-bat that brought Shawano within a run at 9-8. However, the Hawks couldn’t score the game-tying run.

Erin Cerveny took the loss for Shawano, which dropped to 6-6 in the Bay Conference and 8-10 overall.

Menominee Indian 17

Marion 1

Kelsey Corn had three hits, three runs and four RBIs for Menominee Indian in its lopsided home victory over Marion (0-12, 0-12) Friday.

Taylor Mahkimetas, Elizabeth Corn, Faith Munson, Monae Waukau and Naneque LaTender had two RBIs each for the Eagles. Joan Waukau and Ania Smith had one RBI each.

Menominee Indian (11-3 overall, 10-2 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) totaled 16 hits in the game.

Rosholt 19

Gresham 1

The visitor took advantage of six Gresham errors Friday, some arriving in a 12-run fourth inning for Rosholt.

After a scoreless first inning, Rosholt scored three runs in the second inning and four more in the third. The Wildcats snapped the shutout bid with a run in the bottom of the third, but the 12-run fourth brought an early end to the game.

Brianna Stehberger had two hits to lead Gresham (3-8, 3-10 Central Wisconsin Conference-10).

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By: 

Gary Seymour, [email protected]

For fans of the status quo, the press release from the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association is a good read.

Proposed amendments to WIAA by-laws intended to address competitive equity were defeated last month, meaning that divisional placements for postseason tournaments will stay the same.

One of the amendments that got shot down would have promoted schools to a higher division based on how successful the school had been over the past three years.

Another amendment that went belly-up would have applied an enrollment subtractor based on the number of students at the school receiving free or discounted lunches.

With both amendments failing by more than a 2-to-1 margin, it is clear that the majority of WIAA members feel that the bylaws in their present form aren’t broke and don’t need fixing.

In summarizing the results of the annual meeting, Todd Clark, the WIAA director of communications, made a couple of salient observations with regard to the winning-is-everything ethos pervading our culture.

“There is really no silver bullet to balance the playing field,” Clark said. “The discussion could be on where our priorities are with athletics.”

It’s doubtful that anyone could have foreseen the gargantuan leap in societal influence that sports has taken over the past 25 years. For proof, check out the proliferation of radio and television shows dedicated solely to the art of jaw-flapping about missed cutoff men, blown layups, bad contracts and all things sports.

Clark’s point was that too many athletic functions are structured for the benefit of the premier athletes, and that along the way a lot of others are marginalized.

“High school athletics isn’t about all of the elite kids,” Clark said. “Athletics are just as meaningful to the kid who’s the seventh or eighth one on the bench. There are top-level travel teams in baseball or softball, driving all over Wisconsin for games against other elite teams. There’s no end game to it. How many tournament championships are enough?

“The benefits kid get from athletics have been shown – it’s about self-confidence, a better self-image, which can lead to better attendance, better grades, those kinds of things. All kids should get the benefit of athletics, not just the top players.”

Equality in high school athletics has been a hot topic ever since someone noticed the coincidental number of good athletes who sought the disciplined instruction of a parochial school education where, coincidentally, other good athletes also attended.

Those eager to level the playing field will echo Clark’s sentiments, while reasonable defenders of the status quo say that the parity camp won’t be satisfied until every football, basketball and baseball team in Wisconsin finishes .500. Less reasonable defenders of the status quo are soon braying about entitlements and socialism.

In their purest form, sports can reflect that allegorical life parallel: You win some, you lose some, some days are better than others, but keep hustling and good stuff eventually happens. The defeats along the way make the wins sweeter.

No one gets through a lifetime unbeaten, untied and unscored upon. To that end, it is healthy to experience the full spectrum of outcomes in athletic competition.

It’s when defeat becomes routine and inevitable that inspiration dissolves and the psyche takes a pounding.

Those seeking to even out the playing field will likely revisit the issue in the future, hoping to come away with something other than a reminder that life ain’t fair.

Veteran sportswriter Gary Seymour’s column appears weekly in the Leader. To contact him, send email to [email protected] this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet