Shawano Leader Sports Headlines

Webster gives final speech as girls tennis coachBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Tennis players, from left, Isabelle Carroll, Hannah Neumann, Sara Hokenstad and Meghan Hoffman show received awards Monday at The Gathering in Shawano during the Shawano Community High School fall athletic banquet.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Boys cross-country runners, from left, Andrew Cardish, Jake Klister, Austin Lhotka and Chase Lhotka received awards at the Shawano Community High School fall athletic banquet Monday at The Gathering in Shawano.

Tom Webster has been a part of many Shawano Community High School athletic banquets, a biannual event for the coach of the girls and boys tennis teams.

As the Shawano Athletic Booster Club held its fall banquet Monday at The Gathering, Webster was attending one of his last. The coach has announced that he’ll step aside as both the girls and boys coach next year.

“The booster club does a wonderful job putting on this event three times a year,” Webster said. “It’s very well attended, the community is very supportive, as they are. I’m really thankful, as I say in my speeches every year, that the booster club supports all of the sports in Shawano.”

His first banquet, Webster remembers, was held at the school.

“I was so green and so nervous. I didn’t know what it was about,” Webster said. “As time went on, I tried to interject humor into my speeches, mainly for me. Sometimes it’s easy because so many strange things happen during a season.”

Webster got to brag about his girls tennis team in his second-to-last banquet speech.

“It was really nice to go out winning the Bay Conference title my last year,” Webster said.

The No. 1 doubles team of juniors Sara Hokenstad and Meghan Hoffman were named the team’s Most Valuable Players. No. 3 singles player junior Hannah Neumann was named most improved. No. 2 singles senior player Isabelle Carroll was named most dedicated.

The girls gave their coach a hand-tied blanket that they helped make.

“That was very touching that they all had a part in putting that together,” Webster said.

Football

Senior Zack Sousek, who made plays for the Hawks on offense, defense and special teams all season, was named the football team’s Most Valuable Player. Fellow senior Dylan Hintz was named the defensive MVP. Senior Chase Henning was named the offensive MVP. Junior Drake Feriancek was named most improved player. Senior Grant Wainio was the rookie of the year.

Volleyball

Junior setter Annelies Young was named the volleyball team’s Most Valuable Player. Junior Erika Dunnam was the team’s top offensive player. Senior Madison McBride was named most improved player. Senior Tori Wiskow earned the team leadership award. Senior Courtney Vomastic earned the Coach’s Choice award.

Cross-country

Junior Kristy Kurtz was named the girls cross-country team’s Most Valuable Runner. Junior Teagan Monfils was named most dedicated. Sophomore Mackenzie Boyles was named most improved. Senior Kiahna Johnson earned the Coach’s Award.

Senior Jake Klister was named MVP for the boys. Junior Austin Lhotka was named most dedicated. Freshman Chase Lhotka was named most improved. Sophomore Andrew Cardish earned the Coach’s Award.

Boys soccer

Senior Braden Mueller was named the boys soccer team’s Most Valuable Player. Senior Dan Boivin was named the offensive MVP, while senior Zach Wolterman was the defensive MVP.

Girls swimming

The Shawano/Bonduel high school girls swimming team named two Most Valuable Swimmers, one for each of the co-op schools. Senior Ali Hanson was named the SCHS MVP. Junior Clare Martell was named the Bonduel High School MVP. Charlee Hietpas was named most outstanding. Sophomore Emme Quandt was named most dedicated. Junior Hayleigh Kroll earned the Coach’s Award.

Girls golf

Junior Julia Beck was named the girls golf team’s Most Valuable Player. Freshman Brianna Zook was named most improved.

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By: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

WEEK AHEAD

FOOTBALL

WHAT: WIAA Division 5 Level 3 Playoff, No. 2 Bonduel at No. 1 Amherst

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Amherst High School

WHY IT MATTERS: To continue its postseason journey, the Bears will need to get past Central Wisconsin Conference-8 rival Amherst, the top-seeded team in the bracket. Bonduel, the No. 2 seed, lost earlier this season in Amherst, 54-19. The Bears’ only two losses this season have come against CWC-8 foes. While Bonduel is on a four-game winning streak, Amherst has yet to lose this season. In two playoff games, the Falcons have outscored their opponents 90-6.

WEEK THAT WAS

Stat of the Week

212

Yards rushing by Bonduel High School senior running back Hunter VanDerLinden, raising his school career rushing record to 4,142

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Greene-Gretzinger takes Division 3 raceBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Marion High School sophomore Delaney Greene-Gretzinger runs the last stretch of the WIAA Division 3 girls state cross-country race Saturday at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Greene-Gretzinger took first with a time of 19:05.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Clintonville High School senior Allison Johnson, left, outpaces Appleton Xavier’s Audrey Miller near the finish line of the WIAA Division 2 girls state cross-country race Saturday at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Johnson finished 16th.

Delaney Greene-Gretzinger didn’t think she could do it.

Then she changed her mind.

The Marion High School sophomore could feel the pressure of staying in the lead in the last leg of Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 girls state cross-country race.

“At the 2-mile, I was thinking I could just let them pass me,” Greene-Gretzinger said. “I just felt like I could change my mind. My mind wants me to stay back, but I could break over that barrier.”

Greene-Gretzinger broke the barrier, finishing the race in 19 minutes, 5 seconds, outpacing second-place finisher Jennifer Foley of La Crosse Aquinas by six seconds for the state championship.

“I’m just really happy,” Greene-Gretzinger said. “I didn’t think this could happen to me. I guess hard work really pays off. Don’t give up, because I didn’t even make state last year, and I was so upset. There’s those days where you don’t want to do it anymore, you just feel like giving up. You’ve just got to keep going.”

Greene-Gretzinger is the first state champion for the Marion cross-country team.

“It’s really, really special,” Marion coach John Krueger said. “She’s a girl who works all year round. She’s not just a seasonal runner. She knows nutrition, knows what to eat and everything. She’s just a phenomenal runner. We’re very blessed to have her.”

In the girls Division 2 race, Clintonville seniors Allison Johnson and Jessica Petruzates took 16th and 28th, respectively.

Johnson, a three-time state qualifier, said the extra distance — the WIAA increased girls cross-country from 4,000 to 5,000 meters — made this year’s race tougher.

“It was a lot harder than it used to be,” Johnson said.

Johnson said running with Petruzates, both of whom were part of Clintonville’s state-qualifying team last year, has been special this year.

“I’ve ran with her since I was 13. We’re together every race and it’s always been us,” Johnson said. “We didn’t have a full team most of the year. We’ve been doing a lot of individual. We’ve grown a lot together this year. It’s really been a lot of fun running with her this year. She’s my best friend.”

Division 2 Results

Girls

Team Scoring: 1. Green Bay Notre Dame 91, 2. McFarland 99, 3. Shorewood 104, 4. Two Rivers 118, 5. Wisconsin Lutheran 130, 6. Dodgeville/Mineral Point 133, 7. Freedom 222, 8. Winneconne 234, 9. Cedar Grove-Belgium 256, 10. Pewaukee 270, 11. Deerfield/Cambridge 272, 12. Ashland 309, 13. Fox Valley Lutheran 314, 14. Northwestern 315, 15. Mauston 352, 16. Wisconsin Dells 359

Clintonville: 16. Allison Johnson, 19:31; 28. Jessica Petruzates, 19:55

Division 3 Results

Girls

Team Scoring: 1. Oshkosh Lourdes Academy 68, 2. Westby 90, 3. Poynette 127, 4. Aquinas 147, 5. Phillips 173, 6. Rosholt 205, 7. Brookfield Academy 227, 8. Boscobel 229, 9. Kenosha St. Joseph Academy 238, 10. Chequamegon 242, 11. St. Mary’s Springs 256, 12. Glenwood City 256, 13. Howards Grove 271, 14. Fall Creek 309, 15. Cameron 339, 16. Stratford 342

Marion: 1. Delaney Greene-Gretzinger, 19:05

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Watry coaches final cross-country raceBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School junior Austin Lhotka runs the WIAA Division 1 state cross-country race Saturday at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Lhotka finished 173rd.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Sam Falck runs the WIAA Division 3 race Saturday at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Falck finished 35th.

Bonduel High School senior Sam Falck finished 35th in his final high school cross-country race Saturday at the WIAA State Cross-Country Championships at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

Shawano Community High School junior Austin Lhotka, meanwhile, gained valuable experience for next year, finishing 173rd in the Division 1 race.

“It was really fast,” Lhotka said. “Seeing all those runners going out at that pace, I was put in the back right away. I told myself, ‘Just stay with them, do your best, just have fun today.’”

Shawano coach Steve Stomberg said the experience of going to state for Lhotka and the rest of the SCHS runners will be important in the future.

“The guys that I brought down here, they’re already talking about wouldn’t it be nice t0 whatever,” Stomberg said. “They’re planning on it. We’ve got guys that want to come down here.”

Stomberg said that as a junior state qualifier, it’ll be on Lhotka next year to lead his teammates to the state meet.

“You have to use your leadership to get people involved to get down here because it’s possible,” Stomberg said. “It’s possible.”

Lhotka is definitely planning on another trip.

“Hopefully next year, I feel more experienced with it, take it more seriously and do a lot better,” Lhotka said.

Though Falck had competed at state in Division 3 twice before, an hour delay due to frost on the course hampered his performance.

“We had the delay where we weren’t able to get on the course for an hour and a half,” Bonduel coach Jim Watry said. “We’d eaten based on when we thought we were going to run and all that. He had gone a while without eating, and it was cold, but I was happy with his performance.

“He was 35th out of a 150 best runners in the state, and he was the first runner from our conference to finish. I thought he had a decent day.”

Falck also was happy with his performance.

“It was definitely good for the last race,” Falck said. “Glad I was able to finish my career at state. … Good cross-country career. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it any other way.”

It wasn’t just Falck who was finishing up his high school cross-country career Saturday. It was the last race for Watry as the BHS coach.

“Great coach,” Falck said. “Fantastic coach. I’m sad to see him go. I’m glad I could spend my years in cross-country with him.”

Division 1

Boys

Team Scoring: 1. Madison West 77, 2. Stevens Point 157, 3. Arrowhead 178, 4. Madison La Follette 179, 5. Kimberly 193, 6. Middleton 213, 7. Muskego 218, 8. Marquette University 228, 9. Green Bay Preble 232, 10. West Bend West 235, 11. Janesville Craig 289, 12. Port Washington 289, 13. La Crosse Logan 293, 14. Wauwatosa East 317, 15. South Milwaukee 326, 16. Kenosha Bradford 346, 17. Westosha Central 361, 18. New Richmond 409, 19. Manitowoc Lincoln 445, 20. Wausau West 529

Shawano: 173. Austin Lhotka, 18:13

Division 3

Boys

Team Scoring: 1. Darlington 54, 2. Chequamegon 90, 3. Albany 90, 4. Aquinas 146, 5. Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 203, 6. Sheboygan Area Lutheran 207, 7. Brookwood 224, 8. McDonell Central 225, 9. Marathon 233, 10. Brillion 242, 11. Brookfield Academy 255, 12. Assumption 269, 13. Rosholt 280, 14. Columbus Catholic 305, 15. Webster 315, 16. Racine Saint Catherine 330

Bonduel: 35. Sam Falck, 17:23

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By: 

Leader Staff

Bonduel High School honored athletes for their accomplishments in the fall sports season with a banquet and awards program Monday at the school.

Jen Dowden, the Central Wisconsin Conference-8 player of the year, was named the volleyball team’s Most Valuable Player. She, senior Lexi Reinke and junior Taylor Weier also were honored as the team captains. Junior Cathryn Siolka earned the Coach’s Award.

Football

Senior Hunter VanDerLinden, who broke the school’s career rushing record with 4,142 yards and counting, was named the football team’s Most Valuable Player. The defensive player award went to senior linebacker Dan Tauchen. Senior Race McClone was named lineman of the year. Junior running back/linebacker Blake Stoss and junior offensive/defensive lineman Bennett Gunderson shared the Most Improved Player award. Senior Hunter Berry was named special teams player of the year. Freshman Elijah Mastey was named the scout team player of the year.

Cross-country

Senior Sam Falck and sophomore Anna Palmer were named the Most Valuable Runner for the boys and girls cross-country teams, respectively. Sophomore Austin Kurey and junior Kaylee Rynish were named the Most Improved Runners. Palmer and senior Travis Wollenberg were the teams’ captains.

Girls golf

Senior Elizabeth Schaal was the Most Valuable Player of the girls golf team. Senior Samantha Schaal was named Most Improved Player. Senior Taylor Diemel and junior Danielle Lautenbach were the team’s captains.

Girls swimming

Junior Clare Martell was named the Shawano/Bonduel girls swim team’s Most Valuable Player. The team selects an MVP from both Bonduel and Shawano. Shawano Community High School senior Ali Hanson was the SCHS MVP.

Dance

Mikayla Maroszek was named Most Valuable Dancer, and Tamara Rottier earned the Best Showmanship Award. Kayla Beyersdorf was the team’s captain.

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Bonduel to face CWC-8 foe AmherstBy: 

Gerrard Diaz [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School running back Hunter VanDerLinden carries the ball during Friday’s game against Iola-Scandinavia in the WIAA Division 5 Level 2 playoffs. Bonduel won, 33-20.

Senior Hunter VanDerLinden went over 200 yards rushing; Hunter Berry had three touchdowns and an interception, one of five turnovers forced by the Bears’ defense; and the Bonduel High School football team advanced to Level 3 of the WIAA playoffs for the third time in school history with a 33-20 win Iola-Scandinavia Friday in Bonduel.

The win over the CWC-8 foe in the WIAA Division 5 playoffs sets up another CWC-8 rematch on the road next Friday against CWC-8 champion and top-seeded Amherst (11-0, 7-0 CWC-8), who beat Stratford 41-6 Friday.

“I was happy with the way our kids came out and played tonight,” Bonduel coach James Westrich said. “They had a chip on their shoulder a little bit.”

Bonduel’s players felt slighted by CWC-8 all-conference picks earlier this week.

After Bonduel’s defense forced a Thunderbird punt on the first possession of the game, VanDerLinden set a tone with a 48-yard run on the Bears’ first offensive play of the game. That run set up fellow senior running back Hunter Berry for a 2-yard run.

Iola-Scandinavia (6-4, 4-3 CWC-8) answered, scoring on a short-yardage run by quarterback Holdyn Mast to take a 7-6 lead.

Berry got the lead back for Bonduel, rushing 22 yards on a reverse and beating a defensive back to the corner of the end zone.

Mast was able to tie the game 13-13 on a 1-yard quarterback-keeper on fourth-and-goal early in the second quarter.

Berry put Bonduel ahead for good with a 3-yard run for a touchdown just before halftime.

The Bears (9-2, 5-2 CWC-8) stalled on the opening drive of the second half, and Iola-Scandinavia wasted no time getting deep into Bonduel territory on their first possession of the second half.

The Thunderbirds were denied, though, when Berry, playing safety, was able to pick off Mast in the end zone.

“They were driving down the field; they could run on us, pass on us,” Berry said. “I read my key and picked it off.”

It was the first of four Iola-Scandinavia turnovers that limited any chance for the upset.

Later in the third quarter, Mast would fumble away another ball to set the Bears’ up on the Iola-Scandinavia 16-yard line. That drive ended in a 2-yard plunge by senior running back Dan Tauchen.

Early in the fourth, Mast was picked off by Connor Rosin. That set up a 45-yard run for a touchdown by VanDerLinden, who would end up with 212 yards and upping his school career rushing record to 4,142.

“He had a great game,” Westrich said. “Iola-Scandinavia is a great team. They play extremely hard.”

Despite a relentless Bonduel defense, including two sacks from defensive tackle Isaiah Griesbach, Iola-Scandinavia managed to score on a 1-yard quarterback-keeper by Mast that cut Bonduel’s lead to 33-20.

With 5:56 left in the game, and Bonduel trying to kill the clock, Iola-Scandinavia managed to force two punts, but both late drives ended with turnovers, another Mast interception by Rosin, and a fumble forced by Berry that gave the ball back to the Bears with 1:36 left to play.

“I went down and tackled him; I saw the ball,” Berry said. “I knew it was over then.”

“That’s huge,” Westrich said. “When our defense can do stuff like that, and our offense can take care of the ball, it’s a good thing.”

Berry finished with six carries for 33 yards and three touchdowns. Tauchen had nine carries for 36 yards.

Bonduel quarterback Colton Dobratz finished 2 of 4 for 54 yards and an interception. Mast was 10 for 18 for 132 yards and three interceptions. He rushed 29 times for 146 yards.

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Saturday will end era for Bonduel cross-countryBy: 

Gerrard Diaz [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Bonduel High School varsity boys cross-country team starts the WIAA Division 3 sectional race Saturday at Standing Rocks Park in Amherst.

Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 state boys cross-country race will be an end of an era for the Bonduel High School cross-country program.

It’ll be the last race for senior Sam Falck, a three-time state qualifier. It will also be the last cross-country race coached by Jim Watry, who decided before the season started that this will be his last year coaching both cross-country and track and field.

Watry has coached cross-country at Bonduel for the last seven years. He had conference championship teams in 2008 and 2013, and had state-qualifying teams in 2012 and 2013. Bonduel has had at least one state qualifier every year under Watry.

Watry wasn’t getting nostalgic yet with Falck still preparing for the last race.

“I don’t really think that kind of stuff sinks in until after it’s over,” Watry said. “Probably next fall, when things would start to kick back up, that’s when you notice you miss things.”

Falck and his coach, as they have the prior two seasons, are focused on a race that will pit Falck against the state’s best high school runners at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

“We kind of know what to expect,” Watry said. “We’ve been there three years in a row. We’re kind of in a routine. We’re trying to stick to our routine and hopefully it pays off.”

The two will leave Bonduel at 10:30 a.m. Friday, stop for lunch in Stevens Point, get set up at their hotel, then go for a run. They’ll pick up shirts for the meet at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School, where there will also be a dinner held.

“We’ll try to get a good night’s sleep, and then we’re up and at ‘em early in the morning,” Watry said.

The Division 3 boys race is the first of the day at 11:30 a.m.

“Conditions are going to be cold, which he tends to like colder weather,” Watry said. “We’re hoping things work out in our favor there.”

Falck finished 69th overall in the race his sophomore year. He improved to 21st last year, finishing with a personal best time of 17:05.

Watry hopes Falck can make another jump this year.

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Shawano/Bonduel wins Bay meetBy: 

Leader Staff

The Shawano/Bonduel high school girls swimming team won the Bay Conference meet Thursday in Sturgeon Bay, scoring 430 points to finish ahead of Seymour (391), and Ali Hanson was named the Bay Conference swimmer of the year.

Hanson won the 50-yard freestyle event, with a time of 24.80. She also won the 100 freestyle with a time of 55.85.

Clare Martell won two events for Shawano/Bonduel. She finished the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.95 and the 100 butterfly stroke in 1:03.75.

Shawano/Bonduel’s 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay also won their events.

Clintonville (373) took third, led by Gabby Goerlinger, who won the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle events.

Local Results

Team Scoring: 1. Shawano/Bonduel 430, 2. Seymour 391, 3. Clintonville 373, 4. Marinette 324.5, 5. Sturgeon Bay 300.5, 6. New London 270

100 backstroke: 1. Gabby Goerlinger, Clintonville, 1:02.20; 3. Carlie Hinnefeld, Shawano/Bonduel, 1:08.84

100 breaststroke: 1. Clare Martell, Shawano/Bonduel, 1:08.95; 2. Dakota Sears, Clintonville, 1:16.87; 3. Alyssa Anker, Shawano/Bonduel, 1:17.59

100 butterfly: 1. Clare Martell, Shawano/Bonduel, 1:03.75; 3. Emme Quandt, Shawano/Bonduel, 1:07.36

100 freestyle: 1. Ali Hanson, Shawano/Bonduel, 55.85; 2. Taylor Davies, Clintonville, 1:01.22

200 freestyle relay: 1. Shawano/Bonduel (Clare Martell, Carlie Hinnefeld, Alyssa Anker, Ali Hanson), 1:46.89

400 freestyle: 2. Clintonville (Taylor Davies, Emily Graper, Dakota Sears, Gabby Goerlinger), 4:01.64

200 medley relay: 1. Shawano/Bonduel (Ailysh Tetting, Clare Martell, Ali Hanson, Carlie Hinnefeld), 1:59.81; 2. Clintonville (Gabby Goerlinger, Dakota Sears, Kaitlyn Durkey, Rayne Ruch), 2:01.37

200 freestyle: 1. Gabby Goerlinger, Clintonville, 2:01.77

200 individual medley: 2. Dakota Sears, Clintonville, 2:28.59; 3. Emme Quandt, Shawano/Bonduel, 2:29.43

50 freestyle: 1. Ali Hanson, Shawano/Bonduel, 24.80; 3. Taylor Davies, Clintonville, 27.86

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WEEK AHEAD

FOOTBALL

WHAT: WIAA Division 5 Level 2 Playoff, No. 2 Bonduel vs. No. 6 Iola-Scandinavia

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Bonduel High School, 400 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel

WHY IT MATTERS: Even in the postseason, Bonduel’s biggest obstacle is still the Central Wisconsin Conference-8. The second-seeded Bears face No. 6 Iola-Scandinavia for a chance to advance to Level 3 of the WIAA Division 5 playoffs, which will likely be against top-seeded Amherst. Bonduel won its regular season game against Iola-Scandinavia 44-29. The Thunderbirds had some big plays against Bonduel, including a first-quarter 83-yard pass from Cameron Gruenewald to Evan Fuhs. The Bears’ senior running back trio of Hunter VanDerLinden, Dan Tauchen and Hunter Berry combined for 319 yards rushing.

CROSS-COUNTRY

WHAT: WIAA State Cross-Country Championships

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. Saturday

WHERE: Ridges Golf Course, 2311 Griffith Ave., Wisconsin Rapids

WHY IT MATTERS: Five area runners will go up against the top runners in the state Saturday at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Shawano Community High School will be represented by junior Austin Lhotka, who took 11th in the WIAA Division 1 Stevens Point sectional to nab an individual qualifying spot. Bonduel senior Sam Falck will make his third trip to the state meet, but the first without his team. Falck took third in the Division 3 Amherst sectional. Marion’s Delaney Greene-Gretzinger placed second in the Division 3 girls race to qualify for the state meet. In the Division 2 Tomahawk sectional, Clintonville’s Allison Johnson and Jessica Petruzates finished fourth and sixth, respectively, to qualify.

WEEK THAT WAS

Stat Leaders

3,930

Yards rushing by Hunter VanDerLinden, Bonduel High School senior running back, for a school career rushing record after his 191 carries and 1,336 yards this season

Tweet of the Week

“Also s/o to Teagan Monfils for getting DQ’d in the best way #family”

@FansShawano after Shawano Community High School junior runner Teagan Monfils was disqualified for helping a fallen runner in the WIAA Division 1 sectional race Saturday at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point

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Lhotka qualifies for state meet; Monfils assists fallen runnerBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School junior Teagan Monfils, right, helps Jordan Ostrowski of D.C. Everest finish Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 sectional race at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point. Monfils and Ostrowski were both disqualified. Ostrowski needed treatment by trainers after crossing the finish line.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School junior Austin Lhotka runs the WIAA Division 1 sectional boys race Saturday at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point. Lhotka qualified for the state meet, which will be held Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids.

Shawano Community High School cross-country coach Steve Stomberg had plenty to be proud of in his teams’ showing at Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 sectional.

Junior Austin Lhotka’s 11th-place finish in the boys race at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point qualified him for Saturday’s state cross-country meet.

Fellow junior Teagan Monfils’ disqualification in the girls race was also a source of pride.

Monfils, who was a state-qualifier her freshman year, stopped to pick up D.C. Everest’s Jordan Ostrowski in the final stretch of the race. Ostrowski had fallen from exhaustion. Monfils struggled to get Ostrowski up and moving.

When it became clear Ostrowski could barely stand, Monfils committed to getting the distressed runner the final 60 yards of the race, at times dragging Ostrowski forward.

“She wasn’t looking too stable on her feet,” Monfils said. “I saw her fall ahead of me, and I know if it were me I’d want somebody to help me across. … It’s the last meet of our season; she just deserved to finish.”

Monfils, who missed time this season with an injury, could see the clock at the finish line and knew she wouldn’t have finished with a personal best time or have a chance to qualify for the state meet.

“Me taking a little bit of time out of my race wasn’t going to hurt me,” Monfils said.

Ostrowski received emergency assistance from trainers after crossing the finish line and was able to recover. Both runners were disqualified per WIAA rules against assisting a runner during a race.

Monfils’ coach could not have been more proud.

“That’s sportsmanship,” Stomberg said. “Yeah, you were disqualified, but that humanitarian part of you, that wonderful person that you are, came out. She wanted to help another person, and that’s what I like. It’s a credit to her.”

Stomberg also was impressed by Lhotka’s determination Saturday.

“Austin is one of those that came out and ran the race he needed to run,” Stomberg said. “To get that spot, to qualify for the state meet is absolutely incredible.”

Lhotka knew going in he’d have to push himself to get a qualifying spot.

“All I was thinking about was the conference race,” Lhotka said, “how I did good for the first mile, but I pretty much just stayed at that pace. Today, after the second mile, I told myself, ‘Just go.’”

That internal voice was the difference, according to Stomberg.

“He’s not this tall kid with long legs that is your ideal running body style,” Stomberg said, “but he just makes up for it with heart and determination.”

This is Lhotka’s first trip to state, but he did go watch the race when Monfils qualified two years ago.

“I went to cheer her on. It’s a really big meet,” Lhotka said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Shawano boys finished fifth at the sectional, won by Stevens Point. The SCHS girls placed 11th. Stevens Point also won the girls race.

Division 1 Results

Stevens Point Sectional

Boys

Team Scoring: 1. Stevens Point 20, 2. Wausau West 89, 3. D.C. Everest 111, 4. Merrill 112, 5. Shawano 125, 6. Wausau East 162, 7. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 182, 8. Hortonville 193, 9. Marshfield 270, 10. Pulaski 272, 11. Superior 273, 12. Rhinelander 328

Shawano: 11. Austin Lhotka, 17:25; 13. Jake Klister, 17:30; 29. Andrew Cardish, 18:12; 34. Chase Lhotka, 18:25; 38. Brandon Pagel, 18:36

Girls

Team Scoring: 1. Stevens Point 51, 2. Pulaski 52, 3. Wausau East 102, 4. Hortonville 114, 5. Wausau West 132, 6. D.C. Everest 136, 7. Superior 170, 8. Marshfield 179, 9. Rhinelander 254, 10. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 309, 11. Shawano 333, 12. Merrill 345

Shawano: 52. Kristy Kurtz, 22:51; 64. Savannah Johnson, 23:38; 67. Sophia Holstrum, 24:00; 73. Mackenzie Boyles, 25:10; 77. Hannah Williams, 25:49

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Bonduel falls in tiebreakerBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Jen Dowden reacts to Oconto winning a WIAA Division 3 regional championship Saturday in Bonduel. No. 3 Oconto upset No. 1 Bonduel, 3-2.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Lexi Reinke tips a ball through the Oconto defense during Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 regional final in Bonduel. No. 3 Oconto upset No. 1 Bonduel, 3-2.

The top-seeded Bonduel High School volleyball team pushed its WIAA Division 3 regional final to a fifth-game tiebreaker Saturday before falling to No. 3 Oconto in Bonduel.

Though Bonduel (18-13) had the top seed and experienced players in 6-foot senior middle hitter Jen Dowden and 5-10 senior outside hitter Lexi Reinke, the Blue Devils came in confident, knowing they beat the Bears 3-2 Oct. 16 and won a regional championship a year ago.

“They make a play on every ball,” Bonduel coach Kim Bodoh said. “They place the ball well when they use their tips, and they try to attack on every ball. They don’t send over many free balls.”

Oconto (21-14) showed that experience with a solid start in the first game. After pulling ahead 20-17 late, the Blue Devils won 25-20.

“They came out flat,” Bodoh said of her team. “Our passing wasn’t great. In turn, we weren’t getting many attacks on the ball.”

The Bears continued to trail in the second game until tying it at 13-13. Bonduel went on to pull ahead 19-17 and won 25-21 on an ace by junior Taylor Weier.

Bonduel cruised in the third game, taking a 6-1 lead early. Oconto pulled to within 15-11, but the Bears finished off the game, 25-16, getting nine service points from Weier, who finished with a team-high 24 service points.

“I was afraid that they were going to roll over,” Bodoh said. “They didn’t do it. They fought back. They really did a good job of staying mentally tough.”

Bonduel may have pressed too hard in pulling ahead, though, as Oconto maintained a small lead throughout the fourth game. Bonduel managed to tie it at 22, but Oconto scored the next three points to win 25-22 and force the tie-breaker.

“This is a very emotional team,” Bodoh said. “They live and die by the momentum swings in the game. So when the momentum is going their way, they’re on top of their game, and when the momentum starts to swing the other way, they struggle.”

Oconto was solid in the tiebreaker, pulling ahead 9-4 before going on to win the game, 15-10.

For Dowden and Reinke, the team’s only seniors and four-year varsity players, it was a tough ending.

“They were my captains from the beginning,” second-year coach Bodoh said. “They did everything I asked of them. So this was a hard one for me.”

Dowden, who was selected as the Central Wisconsin Conference-8 player of the year, led the team with 18 kills and nine blocks. Reinke had eight kills and 19 digs.

Bodoh was proud of the way the two seniors played.

“There’s no doubt in my mind they left every ounce of energy out there tonight,” Bodoh said. “They need to hold their heads high and be happy with their performance.”

Oconto will play No. 1 Oshkosh Lourdes Academy in a sectional semifinal Thursday in Oconto.

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Falck qualifies as individualBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Sam Falck, center, runs the home stretch of the WIAA Division 3 sectional boys race Saturday at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Bonduel High School varsity boys cross-country team starts the WIAA Division 3 sectional race Saturday at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point.

The Bonduel High School boys cross-country team finished one point away from a WIAA Division 3 sectional championship Saturday, instead finishing third and qualifying only one runner for the state meet—senior Sam Falck.

“We had four seniors on the team this year, and it’s my last year coaching,” Bonduel coach Jim Watry said. “We kind of hoped to end on a real high note. Things happen. They have nothing to hang their heads about.”

Running at Standing Rocks Park in Stevens Point, Bonduel finished with a team score of 89, behind sectional champion Rosholt (88) and tied with Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (89).

Bonduel lost out on second place to Assumption based on the sixth runner tiebreaker. Assumption’s Nick Carolfi finished 40th; Bonduel’s John Shest finished 43rd.

“It’s as close as it can get,” Watry said. “Had we passed one more person, we would have tied with Rosholt for first, and if the tie-breaker rules were applied, we’d be sectional champions. Instead we have to go home.”

Had Bonduel tied with Rosholt, the Bears would have taken the championship because Rosholt had no sixth runner.

“It’s tough,” Watry said. “It’s tough on the kids. We had a couple of guys a little bit off today, and we still almost got in.”

Falck, who was on the Bears’ state-qualifying teams the last two years, will make his third trip to state after getting an individual qualifying spot with a third-place finish.

Falck finished 21st at state last year.

“Based on how he’s run this year, I think he’s got a shot at being top 15 this year,” Watry said. “We’ll just have to see. Every day is an adventure in cross-country.”

The BHS girls finished fifth, led by Anna Palmer’s 20th-place finish.

“Our girls team ran pretty well,” Watry said. “We got fifth. We thought we’d get sixth coming in. We had a couple of people there run a little off, too.”

The girls team only loses one senior, Aneta Rohloff.

Marion will be represented at the state meet Saturday by Delaney Greene-Gretzinger, who finished second in 19:18.

The state meet will be held at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

WIAA Division 3 Results

Amherst Sectional

Boys

Team Scoring: 1. Rosholt 88, 2. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption 89, 3. Bonduel 89, 4. Lourdes Academy 111, 5. Green Lake/Princeton 140, 6. Amherst 160, 7. St. Mary Central 186, 8. Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran 189, 9. Oconto 196, 10. Valley Christian 208, 11. Iola-Scandinavia 290, 12. Stevens Point Pacelli 315, 13. Coleman 318

Bonduel: 3. Sam Falck, 17:32; 13. Travis Wollenberg, 18:31; 15. Austin Marcks, 18:46; 26. Austin Kurey, 19:16; 32. Josh Schill, 19:29; 43. John Shest, 19:48

Girls

Team Scoring: 1. Lourdes Academy 31, 2. Rosholt 83, 3. Amherst 99, 4. Iola-Scandinavia 119, 5. Bonduel 123, 6. Stevens Point Pacelli 152, 7. Marion, 8. St. Mary Central 180, 9. Manawa 257, 10. Valley Christian 264

Bonduel: 20. Anna Palmer, 21:59; 23. Ashlyn Schnell, 22:20; 28. Abigail Palmer, 23:13; 29. Laney Richmond, 23:14; 36. Aneta Rohloff, 24:13

Marion: 2. Delaney Greene-Gretzinger, 19:18; 25. Hannah Greene-Gretzinger, 22:48; 30. Paige Polzin, 23:37

Athens Sectional

Boys

Team Scoring: 1. Marathon 42, 2. Columbus Catholic 87, 3. Stratford 107, 4. Prentice/Rib Lake 128, 5. Phillips 150, 6. Wabeno/Laona 179, 7. Athens 200, 8. Crandon 226, 9. Neillsville 231, 10. Edgar 259, 11. Pittsville 287, 12. Auburndale 296, 13. Spencer 300, 14. Florence 351, 15. Phelps 364

Menominee Indian: 80. Austin Bubholtz, 21:17; 94. Dante Kaquatosh, 22:15

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Sousek selected at 3 positionsBy: 

Leader Staff

Shawano Community High School junior Erika Dunnam and senior Zack Sousek led the Hawks’ in Bay Conference honors announced this week.

Dunnam, a middle hitter, earned a first-team all-conference selection.

Senior middle hitter Tori Wiskow and junior setter Annelies Young earned honorable mentions.

Luxemburg-Casco senior Maggie Liebeck was named player of the year.

Sousek led the football selections for Shawano, getting a second-team nod at linebacker and honorable mentions at receiver and punter.

Senior defensive lineman Dylan Hintz earned a second-team selection. Hintz was also an honorable mention at guard. Senior running back Chase Henning, junior receiver Adam Bartz and senior kicker Braden Mueller also earned honorable mentions.

Seymour’s Jon Dietzen was named offensive lineman of the year. Menasha’s Tyler Johnson was named offensive player of the year. Menasha’s Austin Behm was named defensive lineman of the year and player of the year.

Freshman Jacob Dickmann led the Hawks’ boys soccer team, getting a first-team selection. Seniors Adam Haarth, Braden Mueller, Dan Boivin and Zach Wolterman earned honorable mentions.

Luxemburg-Casco’s Austin Nellis was named the boys soccer player of the year.

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Several BHS football players honoredBy: 

Leader Staff

Bonduel High School senior middle hitter Jen Dowden led the list of Central Wisconsin Conference honorees announced this week, making the first team unanimously and being selected as the CWC-8 player of the year.

Dowden was joined on the all-conference volleyball team by fellow senior Lexi Reinke, who was a second-team selection. Junior setter Miranda Schmidt was an honorable mention.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood sophomore Taylor Nier was also an all-CWC-8 first-team selection. Senior libero MiKayla King and sophomore setter Madison Bushman were named to the second team.

Bowler senior Ashlynn Brisk led the area’s CWC-10 all-conference selections, getting a first-team nod. Teammate and senior hitter Kristina Koenig was named to the second team. Senior Cassi Brei was an honorable mention.

Tigerton junior Katie Watters earned a second-team selection. Junior Erin Buch was an honorable mention.

Gresham senior Brianna Stehberger and sophomore Sydney Jensen, Menominee Indian senior Sasha Peters and junior Taylor Mahkimetas, and Marion junior Maddy Pamperin were honorable mentions.

Tri-County senior Isabella Weekly was named player of the year.

Football

Bonduel led CWC-8 football selections with players earning recognition at 13 spots, including senior Isaiah Greisbach’s first-team selections for guard and nose tackle.

Greisbach was joined on the first team by senior linebacker Hunter VanDerLinden, who also earned a second-team selection at running back.

Senior Connor Rosin earned second team selections at receiver and kicker. Senior guard Jordan Richter also earned a second-team selection.

Senior running backs Dan Tauchen and Hunter Berry, senior quarterback Colton Dobratz and senior tackle Race McClone were honorable mentions. Tauchen and McClone also earned honorable mentions at linebacker and defensive tackle, respectively.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood senior safety Brian Szutkowski, senior defensive lineman Dylan Wieland and senior linebacker Keegan Miller earned honorable mentions.

Amherst junior quarterback Garrett Groshek was named the conference’s offensive player of the year, while teammate junior linebacker Tyler Biadasz was named defensive player of the year.

Tigerton/Marion earned five spots on the CWC-10 all-conference teams, led by junior defensive back Hayden Harris, senior linebacker Donald Beechy and senior defensive lineman Brian Knight, who were all second-team selections. Senior offensive linemen Cassidy Detert and Jasper Block were honorable mentions.

Rosholt senior running back Jarod Kurtzweil was named offensive player of the year, while teammate senior defensive lineman Spencer Bembenek was named defensive player of the year.

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VOLLEYBALL

Suring 3

Bowler 0

Second-seeded Bowler hung close to top-seeded Suring through the first two games of Saturday’s WIAA Division 4 regional final in Suring before getting swept (25-23, 25-20, 25-12).

“We played tough in first two games and then struggled in the third game,” Bowler coach Brad Brei said. “I am very proud of our team, and the girls had a great season.”

Nicole Waters led the Bowler with 11 points, four aces and six assists. Kristina Koenig had nine kills. Ashlynn Brisk and Brooke Breitrick each had eight kills. Cassi Brei had 15 assists.

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Senior RB trio combine for 400 yardsBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior running back Hunter Berry stiff-arms a Colby defender during Friday’s WIAA Division 5 Level 1 playoff game in Bonduel. Bonduel won, 26-7.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior running back Hunter VanDerLinden runs over a Colby defender during Friday’s WIAA Division 5 Level 1 playoff game in Bonduel. VanDerLinden broke the school’s all-time career rushing record, and the Bears won, 26-7.

Senior Hunter VanDerLinden broke the school’s rushing record, fellow senior running backs Hunter Berry and Dan Tauchen eclipsed 100 yards, and the Bonduel High School football team punched its ticket to the Level 2 playoffs for the second year in a row Friday with a 26-7 win over Colby in Bonduel.

Bonduel, the No. 2 seed in its WIAA Division 5 bracket, had plenty of offense. VanDerLinden (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) led the way with 161 yards rushing, Tauchen finished with 150, and Berry added 100.

“When one back gets going, the defense keys off them, and then we can give it to another back,” VanDerLinden said. “It’s just our offense. Danny, he can do everything. Berry, he’s a fast little guy. He can hit the hole whenever he wants. I guess I just do what I can.”

After Bonduel (8-2, 5-2 Central Wisconsin Conference-8) stalled on its first drive of the game, Tauchen (6-2, 165 pounds) was the one to give the Bears an early lead with a 49-yard touchdown run.

“They all over-pursued, and I just saw a cutback lane,” Tauchen said.

Colton Dobratz, a 6-foot, 160-pound senior quarterback, expanded the lead to 12-0 in the second quarter with throw to 6-foot-2 senior tight end Connor Rosin, who ran for the 61-yard touchdown.

Red zone miscues, though, kept the score close.

While the Bears’ defense stymied the Colby offense, forcing four first-half punts and a 34-yard field goal attempt that was wide, the Bonduel offense started to struggle.

“They weren’t beating us; we were beating ourselves,” Tauchen said.

Bonduel punted on its next possession. Dobratz, who finished with eight completions on 11 attempts for 106 yards and the touchdown, threw an interception to end another Bears drive.

“Our defense played well all game,” VanDerLinden said. “We just made mistakes on offense. That killed us on some drives. We stuck to it and pulled it out.

After halftime, the Bears took the opening possession of the second half into the red zone, but Rosin missed a 30-yard field goal attempt.

“You can’t make mistakes inside the red zone line like that,” Bonduel coach James Westrich said. “That kind of hurt us, kept it closer than it needed to be. Our kids are resilient. Our kids are tough. I’m really happy with the way they finished the game.”

Colby (4-6, 4-4 Cloverbelt Conference) threatened to make a game of it when senior running back McCoy Soppa scored on a 16-yard run.

Bonduel once again drove deep into Colby territory, but turned the ball over on downs on the Colby 20-yard line.

Berry, playing cornerback on defense, turned the tide when he picked off Colby quarterback Nolan Derrico on the ensuing drive early in the fourth quarter.

Bonduel then began to assert its will, as the toll of defending the trio of running backs added up. VanDerLinden broke the Bonduel rushing record when he crossed the 3,309 mark on a 1-yard touchdown run.

Berry added another score on a 2-yard dive that put the Bears’ up 26-7.

“I had to end the game with nothing left in my tank,” Berry said. “I knew it was going to physical and hard. I knew I had to do stuff to help our team.”

VanDerLinden has 3,930 total yards — 191 carries for 1,336 and 16 touchdown this season — in his career.

“It feels good,” VanDerLinden said of breaking the record held by Zach Reinke. “There’s a lot of backs that have a lot of yards in this school. I’m pretty proud of myself and the linemen I’ve had through the years.”

VanDerLinden will get a chance to add to that mark Friday when the Bears host CWC-8 foe Iola-Scandinavia (7-3, 4-3 CWC-8), which as a No. 6 seed upset No. 3 Kewaunee, 28-21.

Bonduel beat Iola-Scandinavia 44-29 Sept. 19 in Bonduel.

The CWC-8 has three teams still in the bracket, with top-seeded Amherst (10-0, 7-0 CWC-8) cruising to a 49-0 win over No. 8 Niagara/Goodman/Pembine.

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Team honors trio killed in car crashBy: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Bonduel High School volleyball team, wearing bows to honor their classmate and two Shawano Community High School students lost in a car crash Tuesday, huddle during Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 regional game against Crivitz in Bonduel.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Jen Dowden hits a ball during Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal against Crivitz. Bonduel, the No. 1 seed, beat fifth-seeded Crivitz 3-0.

The Bonduel High School volleyball team made short work of No. 5 Crivitz in a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal game Thursday in Bonduel.

The top-seeded Bears beat No. 5 Crivitz in three games, rarely trailing along the way, and will host No. 3 Oconto, which upset No. 2 Wabeno/Laona 3-1, in the regional final Saturday in Bonduel.

Not bad for a difficult week for the team, the school and the community.

Still in mourning after a Tuesday night car crash claimed the lives of three area students, including BHS sophomore Paige Brunette, the volleyball team hoped to express their grief in a positive way.

The entire team — six of whom learned of the crash during a scouting trip to Coleman on Tuesday — wore blue hairbows that had “Paige” and “Crew 22” written on them. Down the middle was a red and white strip, the colors of Shawano Community High School, and the first initials of two SCHS students (Cody Borsche and Tyler Welch) who also died in the accident and a third (Ryan Swadner) who is in critical condition.

Crivitz players presented the team with yellow roses to express their condolences, and a moment of silence was held before the match.

“There was a lot of letting them talk it out and talk about how they were feeling,” Bonduel coach Kim Bodoh said. “I really tried to keep practice light and positive, keep them pumped up. But I really think the teachers, the community, the administration, even Crivitz, that nice gesture … it just helped the girls with the healing process.

“This is just such a positive way for them to start to move on and heal from the tragedy that they’re dealing with this week.”

The girls came up with the idea for the bows this week and made them themselves.

Bonduel (18-12) set a tone early once the match got started. Jen Dowden, Bonduel’s senior 6-foot middle hitter, scored the first two points on block kills.

“I think our height was an advantage,” Bodoh said. “It seemed like if Crivitz could get its offense going, it really got them going. I told my girls we really need to shut them down with our defense right away.”

Dowden would finish the match with eight block kills and eight attack kills.

“Eight blocks in a three-game match is phenomenal,” Bodoh said.

Hayley Pues, a 5-10 junior middle hitter, added seven kills.

“When they can pass the ball well, and attack consistently, they sweep the floor with teams,” Bodoh said. “Then when they get into tipping more, they struggle. We just encouraged them to attack every ball that is up in the air.”

Bonduel won the first game 25-15 and took the second 25-18. Crivitz (5-6-1) built a 17-13 lead in the third game, but Bonduel rallied to tie it at 18. Tied at 20-20, Bonduel scored the last five points to complete the sweep.

Bonduel junior setter Miranda Schmidt had 19 assists and 12 digs.

Outside hitter Victoria Neuman led Crivitz with nine kills and 14 aces. Rachel Nelson had 10 digs. Jenifer Kempka had 19 assists.

The Bears lost in the regional final at Coleman last season. Getting a chance to host the game will be a big advantage this year, Bodoh said.

“I think home court advantage, especially with this group of girls, is huge,” Bodoh said. “Not only do they not have to get on the bus and take a long ride somewhere, their aunts, uncles, cousins and parents are here, the student body, the pep band playing. It really becomes a community event.”

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Coaches proud of team’s play after tragic weekBy: 

Leader Staff

The fourth-seeded Shawano Community High School volleyball team saw its season come to an end at the hands of top-ranked Green Bay Notre Dame in the WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal Thursday in Green Bay.

Notre Dame won all three sets (25-19, 25-14, 25-16).

Erika Dunnam led Shawano (14-16) offensively with seven kills and two blocks. Tori Wiskow and Miranda Washinawatok each added four kills. Annelies Young had 19 assists, three digs and two blocks.

“They played really well tonight. And they played with heart,” Shawano coach Jessica Cumberland said. “With the circumstances of this week, they pulled it together. We as a coaching staff were very proud of the way they played.”

Two SCHS students, Cody Borsche and Tyler Welch, and a Bonduel High School student, Paige Brunette, died in a car crash Tuesday night. Another SCHS student, Ryan Swadner, is in critical condition.

A moment of silence was held before the match, and Notre Dame presented Shawano with a dozen roses.

“We lost to Notre Dame, but we played against Notre Dame, too,” Cumberland said. “We played hard.”

Notre Dame will host No. 2 Seymour in the regional final Saturday.

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VOLLEYBALL

Bowler 3

Gresham 2

No. 3 Gresham pushed No. 2 Bowler to a tiebreaker before giving way Thursday in the WIAA Division 4 regional Thursday in Bowler.

After giving up the first game 25-14, Gresham (18-12) rallied to win the next two, 25-22, 25-22. Bowler (4-7-1) won the fourth 25-15 and the tiebreaker 15-9.

“We came in as the underdog,” Gresham coach Tim Wild said. “We fell behind in the first set, but I was really proud of the girls for the way they played. … We fought until the end.”

Nande Carroll led Gresham with 11 assists. Taylor Hoffman had 11 points and 10 assists. Sydney Jensen had 12 kills.

Bowler will face top-seeded Suring on Saturday.

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By: 

Gerrard Diaz, [email protected]

WEEK AHEAD

VOLLEYBALL

WHAT: WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal: No. 1 Bonduel vs. No. 5 Crivitz

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday

WHERE: Bonduel High School

WHY IT MATTERS: Bonduel will open the regional after getting a No. 1 seed and sitting out regional action Tuesday with a bye. Crivitz pulled off a tie-breaker upset over No. 4 Coleman (14-25, 25-21, 18-25, 27-25, 16-14) to open regional play Tuesday. The Bears will have to guard against the upset, especially after coming out flat in the Central Wisconsin Conference-8 tournament last week.

FOOTBALL

WHAT: WIAA Division 5 playoffs: No. 2 Bonduel vs. No. 7 Colby

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Bonduel High School

WHY IT MATTERS: The Bears (7-2, 5-2 Central Wisconsin Conference-8) open the playoffs at home against No. 7 Colby (4-5, 4-4 Cloverbelt) after winning its last two games of the season. Both of Bonduel’s losses came at the hands of CWC-8 foes Amherst, the No. 1 seed ahead of Bonduel in their Division 5 bracket, and Shiocton, a No. 2 seed in Division 6. Colby is also riding a two-game winning streak, beating Osseo-Fairchild 35-34 two weeks ago and Neillsville 14-0 last week to qualify for a playoff spot.

WEEK THAT WAS

496

Passing yards by Damon Lorge, Clintonville High School junior quarterback, who was 18 of 42 with six touchdowns and two interceptions in a 55-21 win over Random Lake

4

Touchdowns scored by Hunter Berry, Bonduel High School senior running back, in a 49-13 win over Manawa

TWEET OF THE WEEK

“Even though we may not act like it, Shawano and Bonduel are just one big family. #Prayersforcrew22”

JEN DOWDEN, Bonduel High School senior volleyball player, after the Tuesday night crash that claimed the lives of three students from the two communities

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