Shawano Leader Sports Headlines
BABA Roundup
Tigerton 5, Aniwa 0
Eric Kroening’s seventh-inning, two-run home run capped Tigerton’s 5-1 win over Aniwa to advance to the Badger Amateur Baseball Association’s Grand Championship game, which will be played against Plover on Sunday in Tigerton.
Kroening was 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Paul Sellner earned the win on the mound and had triple. Eric Gendusa and Brandon Sivertson each added a hit.
Mike McCann led Aniwa with a pair of hits. Scott Greening, John Krueger and Jared Szews each added hits.
Plover 3, Clintonville 1
Plover rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to beat Clintonville 3-1 in the BABA semifinal Sunday in Plover.
Eric Fritz, who would earn the pitching win, hit an RBI single in the third to tie the game. After a walk and hit batsmen loaded the bases, Eric Flowerette hit a go-ahead, two-run double. Flowerette was 2 for 4. Howie Heinrich and Bill Held also had hits.
Dean Muthig led Clintonville with a pair of hits. John Dunlavy had a double. Jared Westphal was 1 for 4 with an RBI. Aaron Everts, Jesse Wiley and Jansen VanDaalwyk all added hits.
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Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bowler/Gresham quarterback Thomas Kazik (14) hands off to running back Cody Montez during Friday’s season opener at home against Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah. Bowler/Gresham lost, 32-28.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bowler/Gresham senior quarterback Thomas Kazik throws a pass during Friday’s season opener at home against Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah. Bowler/Gresham lost, 32-28.
The Bowler/Gresham high school football team needed just 9 yards and a few more seconds in a 32-28 loss Friday to Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah in Bowler.
Trailing 32-28 in the final minutes, the Cats moved from their own 15-yard line to the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah 9-yard line with five seconds left in the game.
Bowler/Gresham (0-1) took a stab at throwing, but senior quarterback Thomas Kazik missed tight end Chase Nueske in the corner of the end zone, leaving the team only two seconds for the final play.
Bowler/Gresham coach Ralph Smith hoped to catch the Resorters’ run defense by surprise by turning to running back Cody Montez, who led the Cats with 152 yards on 27 carries for the night. The right sweep was sniffed out by Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah defensive back Jared Shaw, who knifed in to make the tackle and secure the win.
“We just thought we could beat them to the corner,” Smith said. “The guys felt comfortable running that play. We just needed a little bit more time. I think if we had another 10 seconds, we could have got this ballgame.”
Bowler/Gresham took a 20-0 lead on touchdown runs by Montez and Kazik in the first quarter and a 3-yard dive by running back Zach Olson in the second.
Following Olson’s touchdown, Shaw returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to get the Resorters (1-0) on the board. Shaw added a 24-yard run for a score later in the quarter.
Bowler/Gresham nearly scored before halftime, but stalled on the Resorters’ 1-yard line as time ran out.
In the second half, Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah quarterback Elliot Van Oss took over, scoring on touchdown runs of 45 and 40 yards in the third quarter to give the Resorters a 26-20 lead.
Bowler/Gresham tied the game on Olson’s 9-yard run in the fourth quarter and took the lead on a dive by Montez to get the two-point conversion.
Van Oss wasn’t finished, however, gashing the Cats’ defense for big yards before punching it in from 10 yards out with 1:30 left to play.
Van Oss finished with 209 rushing yards on 22 carries. He was 5 of 14 passing the ball for 69 yards.
Kazik was 3 of 11 for 72 yards passing.
“It was just an awesome ballgame,” Smith said. “We left it on the field. They’re a classy bunch of guys. It’s what football should be all about.”
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Leader Staff
Shawano Community High School scored 28 points in the second quarter en route to a season opening 28-7 victory Friday at Lakeland Union High School in Minocqua.
The Hawks and Lakeland were deadlocked until an 8-yard touchdown run by senior Chase Henning early in the second quarter. Henning had 19 carries and contributed 60 of the team’s 97 rushing yards.
Senior defensive back Zack Sousek had a 66-yard interception return, one of six turnovers for the Shawano defense.
“He is always known as a good athlete on offense, defense and special teams,” Hawks’ coach Alan Tomow said.
Sousek also performed on the other side of the ball as the team’s leading receiver, catching four of Cole Huntington’s passes for 84 yards, including Shawano’s third touchdown of the second quarter.
Huntington, a senior, is in his second season as the Hawks’ starting quarterback and drew praise from Tomow for his 116-yard passing game.
“He has really come a long way in understanding our system,” said Tomow, who also praised Huntington’s ability to lead the team on the field.
The quarterback added the final touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half with a 1-yard sneak into the end zone.
Huntington also connected with junior Adam Bartz, who had 32 yards receiving on the night.
Shawano was able to hold on in the second half despite minor injuries, leading to offensive and defensive adjustments. Tomow does not anticipate any of the injured players will miss playing time in the home opener against New London next week.
“We had some guys play positions that they did not get much reps at during practice,” Tomow said. “The defense played an awesome game tonight.”
Shawano allowed the Thunderbirds’ sole touchdown in the final quarter.
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GIRLS TENNIS
Shawano goes 1-2 at Pulaski invite
Shawano received first-round victories from No. 2 singles player Isabelle Carroll, No. 3 Hannah Neumann and No. 4 Holly Schwecke to edge Ashwaubenon 4-3, but dropped the final two rounds in a triple dual match Friday.
The Hawks also received a first-round win from the No. 3 doubles team of Nicki Ainsworth and Louisa Kennan.
After being shutout against Bay Port 7-0 in the second round, Shawano lost to Pulaski 6-1. The doubles team of Ainsworth and Kennan captured the Hawks’ sole win against Pulaski.
BOYS SOCCER
Gibraltar 4
Gresham/Bowler 1
Senior forward Kalen Fischer scored Gresham/Bowler’s sole goal Friday evening against Gibraltar.
Gresham/Bowler (1-2) will play at Stevens Point Pacelli High School at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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Scott Owen, Leader Columnist
Only two nights remain on the Shawano Speedway schedule for the 2014 race season.
This marks a good time to honor this year’s Corny Awards.
If you remember back a year ago, I rolled out the first edition of the Corny Awards, named after longtime racer, flagman and race promoter Warren “Corny” Schmidt. (By the way, Corny is still not telling anyone how he got the nickname.)
Let’s get to the honors.
The Corny for Comeback Racer of the Year goes to IMCA Stock Car point leader Travis VanStraten.
It has been well documented that VanStraten made a return to racing this season after taking the past few seasons off. VanStraten has returned to the track with a vengeance, winning seven features thus far this season.
The Corny for Breakthrough Season goes to Brock Saunders.
The third generation racer from Hortonville has proven himself to me a real competitor in the IMCA Sport Mod class, winning his first-career feature a few weeks back.
Honorable mention for breakout season goes to Tanner Westphal. A second generation racer, son of Mel Westphal, he currently sits third in the Mighty Four point standings, only nine points out of first place.
The Corny Award for Best Pavement Racer Turned Dirt Racer goes to Late Model racer Tim Rothe.
For many years Rothe was one of the top guns in the pavement Super Late Model ranks in Wisconsin. In 2010 Rothe began dabbling in dirt late models.
Through hard work and determination Rothe made himself into a winner, riding into victory lane twice this season.
The Corny Award for the Racer Having the Most Fun goes to 73-year-old Jerry Muenster.
The 1998 IMCA Modified track champion and 2010 Shawano Speedway Hall Of Fame inductee has again been a very competitive racer all season and is currently sixth in points.
Muenster is quick with a smile and willing to talk to anyone. It is refreshing to see a racer with a huge grin on his face when he gets out of his race car.
The Corny for Mr. Consistency goes to IMCA Stock Car pilot Mike Schmidt.
Schmidt has only finished outside the top four once this season and is currently second in points behind VanStraten.
The Corny for best mustache goes to Late Model veteran Tom Naeyaert.
We’ve got two weeks to go. 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 yetEagles battle in season-opening loss
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Menominee Indian High School running back Alphonso Smith powers through Milwaukee HOPE Christian defenders Thursday game in Keshena. Menominee Indian lost, 20-14.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Menominee Indian High School tight end Dominic Caldwell catches a pass during Thursday’s game against Milwaukee HOPE Christian.
It was a rough start to the season opener for the Eagles.
The Menominee Indian High School football team fell behind 14-0 early against Milwaukee HOPE Christian Thursday in Keshena, rallied to tie the game at 14 midway through the third quarter and gave up a late touchdown in a 20-14 loss.
“We were on our heels pretty much from the beginning of the game,” Menominee Indian coach Chris Clache said. “Obviously, our offense is not designed to battle back and play from behind. We had some good individual efforts, but in the end we kind of gave this game to them.”
After giving up two early scores, it was the Eagles’ defense that erased the goose egg on the scoreboard. With HOPE Christian backed up on its own 5-yard line, Menominee Indian senior outside linebacker Dominic Caldwell, 6-foot-5, 219 pounds, managed to strip the ball from junior quarterback John Bell.
Caldwell, who would lead the defense with seven tackles, three for loss, fell on the rock in the end zone for the touchdown.
Menominee Indian flashed what Clache hopes will be a potent offense to open the second half. The Eagles engineered a methodical 80-yard drive that featured senior Alphonso Smith running through tackles.
“Everybody was connecting with their blocks and maintaining it,” Clache said. “We had preached it, we said at halftime, ‘Stay with your blocks until the play is over.’ That’s what happened.”
Smith, 6-2, 210 pounds, capped the 5-minute, 44-second drive with a 4-yard plunge through the heart of the HOPE Christian defense.
“Alphonso ran really good tonight,” Clache said. “I knew he was fast, but there were times he was just a bull today. I think we’ll use him a little bit more.”
The Eagles got the game-tying 2-point conversion on a swing pass from freshman quarterback Avery Corn to senior receiver Michael Pecore, who spun out of a tackle to find the end zone.
The defenses clamped down from there. Menominee Indian forced a turnover on downs and then a punt after junior nose tackle Anthony Allery, 6-2, 340 pounds, sacked Bell to force fourth-and-30 on the Eagles’ side of the field.
“For a big guy he can move,” Clache said. “He caught that kid from behind. He can move when he wants to.”
The Eagles’ offense couldn’t capitalize, though, turning the ball over twice. The second time was a fumble by Smith with 6:14 left in the fourth quarter that set HOPE Christian up for a 20-yard throw from Bell to sophomore receiver Nicolas Love for the go-ahead touchdown.
Smith finished the game with 19 carries for 148 yards. Brian Madosh added 44 yards on five carries. Corn was 6 of 20 for 41 yards. Pecore caught three balls for 29 yards.
HOPE Christian took the opening drive 68 yards for a touchdown. After snagging an interception on the Eagles’ first drive, the Hawks scored again. Both touchdowns were scored by running back Nick Walters. HOPE Christian scored on a 2-point conversion after the first touchdown, but failed to convert the second one.
Walters finished with 11 carries for 109 yards. Javontae Davis had 15 carries for 108 yards.
Clache couldn’t hide his disappointment in the outcome.
“We battled, even when we were behind, we came back and made it a game,” Clache said. “I think we should have won this game, easily.”
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Leader Staff
The defense pitched a shutout into the fourth quarter as Bonduel High School opened its football season Thursday with a dominant 41-13 win at Crivitz.
Hunter VanderLinden rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears.
The senior running back scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Colton Dobratz in the first quarter and punched in a 4-yard touchdown later in the quarter to put the Bears up 14-0.
“Our line did a really nice job getting off the ball,” Bonduel coach James Westrich said. “We ran hard.”
Dobratz found senior receiver Connor Rosin for a 25-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and again in the third for a 58-yard touchdown.
“We knew we had some good wide receivers. We just haven’t taken advantage of it.” Westrich said. “Colton gets better every year and he’s looked pretty sharp in practice. In scrimmage we had a lot of dropped passes, but the throws were on the money. We really focused on that in practice this week.”
VanderLinden scored from 26 yards out in the third, and Trevor Pedersen finished the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Blake Stoss added the 2-point conversion.
Crivitz was held scoreless until the fourth quarter when quarterback Colton Lange scored on a 1-yard run and a 4-yard pass.
“I’m excited. I’m really happy with how our defense plays,” Westrich said. “Our goal is to play physical, play downhill. I think we’re doing a real nice job of doing that.”
Dobratz was 7 of 11 for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Rosin had four catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior Dan Tauchen had eight carries for 75 yards for the Bears.
Crivitz was held to just 79 total yards rushing, led by Josh Spink, who had 32 yards on 11 carries.
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SHAWANO
Girls tennis
Coach: Tom Webster
Year Started: 2000
Assistant Coach: Bob Kurkiewitz
Last Season: 2-6
Key Returners: Courtney Ainsworth, senior; Isabelle Carroll, senior; Holly Schwecke, senior; Nicki Ainsworth, senior; Louisa Kennan, senior; Kaitlynn Springborn, senior; Sara Hockenstad, junior; Meghan Hoffman, junior; Kelly Mastey, junior; Kathryn Kugel, junior; Hannah Neumann, junior; Gabriella Tuma, sophomore; Alexis Wilbur, sophomore; Kennedy Erdmann, sophomore
Key Additions: Quincy Burr, senior; Cheyenne Knueppel, sophomore; Sydney Steinbach, freshman; Lydia Williams, freshman; Lina Liu, freshman; Rachel Hutchcraft, freshman; Cambria Marquardt, freshman
Coach’s Comment: “We have 14 players returning with at least some match experience, and we have a nice group of new players this season. Competition for the four varsity singles positions is going to be tough this season. I have five doubles teams vying for the three varsity spots. Our season has a pretty brutal beginning schedule, as we have a lot of matches in the first three weeks of the season, including three multi-team meets in four days. Menasha girls tennis joined the Bay Conference this year, and next year we will be adding four more teams. So we are looking forward to having a full conference schedule for the 2015 season. After just three outside practices so far, I am not sure how we will shape up this season, but I do see a lot of potential in this group of athletes.”
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GIRLS TENNIS
Shawano second at Chilton meet
Shawano finished second (20) at the Chilton Invitational on Wednesday.
The Hawks’ No. 2 singles player Isebelle Carroll and No. 3 Hannah Neumann each finished in second place. No. 4 singles player Holly Schwecke won the consolation championship.
The No. 3 doubles team of Nicki Ainsworth and Louisa Keenan took second place.
Kewaunee (22) took first. Marinette (19) was third.
GIRLS GOLF
Hawks tie for sixth at Oconto Falls
Shawano (231) finished tied with Luxemburg-Casco at a Bay Conference meet Thursday at River Island Golf Course in Oconto Falls.
Julia Beck shot a 48 to lead the Hawks, the eighth-best score of the meet. Also for Shawano, Brianna Zook shot 55, and Gabby Krueger and Sydney Schrieber both came in at 64.
Marinette and Denmark tied for first at 187. Denmark’s Leah Hansen was the medalist with a 44.
Bonduel, 225 Oconto 243
Led by Danielle Lautenbach’s 54, Bonduel beat Oconto 225-243 in a dual match Thursday at Irish Green Golf Club.
Lautenbach was the medalist. Teammate Taylor Diemel was a stroke back at 55, followed by Samantha Schaal at 57, Elizabeth Schaal 59 and Allissa Tilleson 64.
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Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Shawano Community High School boys cross-country team runs the high school course during practice Monday.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Shawano Community High School girls cross-country team does a warm-up lap Monday during practice at the school.
The Shawano Community High School cross-country teams could be in for a strong season after an active offseason.
Coach Steve Stomberg, though, knows not to make bold predictions.
“How are we going to compare? I don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse,” he said. “This is my 17th year of coaching; you never know. I hope my kids are going to be mentally and physically prepared to go out and do the job. That’s all I can ask.”
A lot of the Hawks’ varsity runners had an active offseason, running daily with the Shawano Running Club. The coach has already seen the benefits in practice.
“We had a lot of kids over the summer come to running club, parents, young kids, older kids,” Stomberg said. “It was great. It’s something that is going to continue.”
Three runners on the boys team — seniors Jake Klister and Austin Lhotka and sophomore Andrew Cardish — participated in the group and are expected to form the core of the boys team this year.
“These guys ran a lot over the summer,” Stomberg said. “They have built this bond with each other over the summer to see what we can do and push each other. That’s kind of what we’re focusing on, getting these kids to understand that if they work together they can accomplish a lot of great things.”
Klister led the team most of last year, but Stomberg expects the senior to have some company near the front this season.
“We have some kids that have put in a lot of time and effort into it,” Stomberg said. “It’s only going to make him stronger, and it’s going to make everyone else stronger. That’s what we need for those top spots. Jake is going to be right up there again. People know he’s coming back, but they don’t know some of these other kids coming up. It’ll be fun.”
The girls, too, have been active in the summer program, including junior Teagan Monfils, a state qualifier two seasons ago.
“She knows what it’s like to run at the state meet; she had that opportunity her freshman year,” Stomberg said. “She realized that if you don’t put a lot of time and effort into it in the offseason, you’re not going to be ready compared to these other kids that do put the time in. … She wants to make that trip back.”
Monfils and junior Kristy Kurtz could form a strong dual threat at the front of the pack for the Shawano girls.
“She’s going to be right up there with Kristy to take the lead on our girls team to, hopefully, one of the best finishes that we’ve had in our conference in a long time,” Stomberg said.
The duo will be joined by a strong group of sophomores.
“Some excellent returning sophomore girls — Hannah Williams, Savannah Johnson, Sophia Holstrom — are excellent girls that are coming back that ran on varsity last year,” Stomberg said. “I’m looking for our girls team to be improving this year and the next couple of years. They’re a strong team if they stick it out. We need to recruit a few more girls to come out and push some people.”
One of the biggest challenges for the girls will be running longer courses this season. The WIAA shifted from 4,000-meter courses for girls to 5,000, the same as the boys.
As the team prepares for its season opener Aug. 29 at Pierce Park in Appleton, it’s a change that will challenge some of the girls.
“They’ll have the base down,” Stomberg said. “They’ll be able to run the 5K no problem. Just the extra 1,000 meters, they’ll have to work on their kick at the end. They’re going to have to change it around a little bit. … I guarantee by the time we go to Appleton, they’ll be ready to go.”
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Tom Beschta, [email protected]
Leader Photo by Tom Beschta Shawano Community High School senior Casey Clark pursues a Pulaski player during a nonconference matchup Tuesday in Pulaski. The season opener was called at halftime due to rain, with Shawano trailing 4-0.
The season opener was a short one for the Shawano Community High School boys soccer team, which fell behind 4-0 to nonconference foe Pulaski on Tuesday before a downpour ended the match at halftime.
Shawano coach Bob Croschere said with the loss of 14 seniors from last year, the team must continue to grow as the season gets into full swing.
“We have got to kind of come together as a team,” Croschere said. “This kind of proves that we still have some work to do on that.”
Sloppy conditions did little to slow down Pulaski, which kept possession for most of the half.
Shawano goalie Sajen Knueppel had seven saves on the night, but the constant pressure led to a pair of goals each for Pulaski’s Ryan Hansen and Wesley Folk.
Hansen scored at the 14- and 44-minute marks, and Folk scored at the 26- and 27-minute marks.
The game was called off at halftime after rain left standing water on the field.
Croschere said he wished the Hawks could have gotten into the second half to make some adjustments.
“We could have maybe fixed a few of the things once we got a chance to talk about it,” Croschere said. “We’ll see what happens.”
Shawano will face Pulaski again on Saturday to open a tournament in Rhinelander.
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Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Members of the Belle Plaine Sportsman’s Club, Department of Natural Resources and Cloverleaf Lakes Protection Association survey sites on Grass Lake on Aug. 13. Participants included, from left, Connor Ford and Dan Stueck, of the Belle Plaine Sportsmen’s Club; Alan Niebur, DNR fish biologist, and Brenda Nordin, DNR lakes biologist; and, seated, Dennis Thornton and Dick Turow, of the Cloverleaf Lakes Protection Association.
Members of the newly formed Belle Plaine Sportsman’s Club spent Aug. 13 on Grass Lake with members of the Department of Natural Resources and Cloverleaf Lakes Protection Association doing survey work for a fish habitat project.
It was one of many projects the ambitious new group plans to take on in the coming months.
After selecting sites from pontoon boats last week, the group plans to return in the winter with bundles of tree branches and anchors. The branches will be placed and sink to the bottom of the lake when the ice thaws, providing habitat for fish.
Over the next few months the group will start a hunters safety program, develop an area beautification project, work on fish stocking and other outdoors youth projects.
“This is a youth orientated thing,” said Craig Ford, co-chair of the group. “Most of the membership is based in the Cloverleaf Lakes. We’re going to be doing some fish planting and mostly working with kids, youth hunt, fishing program stuff like that.”
The group was started when residents in Belle Plaine talked about the need for a focus on local habitat and quickly gained 36 members.
“A bunch of us got together,” Ford said. “Some of us are retired, to be honest, not all, and have some time to donate. Whatever we can do for the lakes. … Just to try and help with the area.”
The group held its first meeting June 1. Its first project was a highway cleanup June 5 along County Road Y. The group filled 11 bags with trash.
The club plans to hold monthly meetings every fourth Tuesday.
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GIRLS GOLF
Shawano sixth at Twin Oaks
Shawano had a team score of 253 to finish sixth at Monday’s Bay Conference meet at Twin Oaks Golf Course in Denmark.
The Hawks were led by Julia Beck’s 54. Gabby Krueger carded a 65, Sydney Schrieber 66 and Emily Smith 68.
Kayla Thielen, of Marinette, was medalist at 40.
Marinette (192) won the match, followed by Denmark (198) and West De Pere (203).
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Shawano 2, Hortonville 0
The Shawano Lobos advanced to the Dairyland League Grand Championship with a 2-0 win over Hortonville on Sunday.
Lobos pitcher Eric Stenson held Hortonville to just two hits. He struck out two and walked none.
Shawano went up 1-0 in the third inning when Ryan Coffey got a base hit to drive in Kurt Blythin, who led off with a double. In the fourth inning, Lucas Postl scored on a fielder’s choice when Stenson hit a ground ball to the second baseman.
The Lobos will play Hofa Park in the Grand Championship game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Hofa Park.
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EASTERN DIVISION
Clintonville 3, Marion 2
An RBI single by Ryan Ebert and a two-run double by John Dunlavy in the seventh inning gave Clintonville the edge in the BABA Eastern Division final.
Jake Westphal had a home run to lead Marion. Joey Green added a double.
Jansen VanDaalwyk earned the win. Chase Stenson took the loss.
WESTERN DIVISION
Tigerton 2, Leopolis 0
Tigerton scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on Eric Kroenig’s RBI single and an error.
Kroening was 2 for 4 with an RBI to lead Tigerton.
Hunter Hoffman was 2 for 3 to lead Leopolis at the plate and took the loss on the mound.
Paul Sellner earned the win.
Other divisions
Northern: Aniwa beat Elderon 7-5.
South-Central: Plover topped Waupaca 1-0 in 17 innings.
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The Associated Press
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano/Bonduel high school senior swimmer Ali Hanson does a backstroke exercise during practice Thursday at Shawano Community High School.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano/Bonduel high school junior swimmer Clare Martell does a breaststroke exercise at swim practice Thursday at the school.
The Shawano/Bonduel high school girls swim team will look to once again return to the top of the Bay Conference this season, after finishing second to Sturgeon Bay last season.
“Sturgeon Bay has been the main competition,” said Clare Martell, a Bonduel High School junior. “We beat them my sophomore year, but we did not beat them last year.”
Martell, a two-time state qualifier who took seventh in the 100-meter breaststroke at last year’s state meet, will play a major role in how the Hawks do this year, along with Shawano Community High School senior Ali Hanson, who was the Bay Conference swimmer of the Year and a state qualifier in in the 100 and 50 freestyle last season.
“We have a lot of really strong swimmers this year,” Hanson said. “Even the new swimmers on this team are very advanced.”
Martell, too, was optimistic as the team wrapped up its first week of practice.
“We have an older team this year,” she said. “A lot more seniors and juniors, fewer sophomores and freshmen. … We have a lot of people that I think could be really successful this year. It’s exciting.”
The duo have been trying to help their younger teammates.
“I’ve been helping with teaching strokes and technique, and making sure people are more familiar with strokes that maybe they weren’t good at last year or never done before,” Hanson said.
Malory Soper and Ailysh Tetting also qualified for state last season, joining Martell and Hanson on the 200 individual medley team.
The Hawks have set their sights on returning to Madison.
“My goal is to get back to state, get down to Madison. That would be exciting,” Martell said. “I’m hoping to go on another relay, too, with a new set of girls. We had one girl graduate.”
“I’m hoping to make sure we have a relay that goes and to make it to state in two individual events,” Hanson said. “I’m not sure what I feel like swimming in yet. I’ll figure it out as the season goes along.”
Hanson said the 50 freestyle is probably her strongest event, but last year she switched between the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle.
“It kind of depends on what I’m put in all season,” Hanson said.
Martell hopes to add another individual event to her resume after making it her freshman and sophomore years in the breaststroke.
“I only had one event individually this past year,” Martell said. “I really want to get a second event down to state. I want to try and make the 200 IM, which is a big goal for me this year.”
The Hawks open the season Aug. 23 at Marinette.
AT A GLANCE
Shawano/Bonduel high school girls swim schedule
Aug. 23 at Marinette Invitational
Sept. 4 at Sturgeon Bay Invitational
Sept. 6 at Appleton East
Sept. 9 at New London
Sept. 13 at Wauwatosa East Invitational
Sept. 18 vs. Sturgeon Bay
Sept. 20 at Appleton East Invitational
Sept. 23 at Seymour
Oct. 7 vs. Marinette
Oct. 11 at Watertown Invitational
Oct. 14 vs. Clintonville
Oct. 23 Shawano Invitational
Oct. 30 at Sturgeon Bay Invitational
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Scott Owen, Leader Columnist
Racing, like any other sport, is full of highs and lows.
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat is evident every Saturday night at the Shawano Speedway.
As the season nears its end, the highs and lows become much greater as the intensity ramps up in August. Last week at the historic half mile was a prime example. Jared Siefert pulled off an historic win in the IMCA Modified division.
Siefert elected to take “the challenge” and start last on the grid at the beginning of the feature race. After starting in 18th, Siefert rode into victory lane after the 20-lap feature and collected an extra $900 of bonus money in a big win for the three-time former track champion.
Siefert was the first Modified racer to win the challenge. It may well be the final Modified win at the track for Siefert, who has stated that he plans to move to the Late Model division next season.
Another racer on a high last week was IMCA Stock car driver Travis VanStraten, who extended his point lead after his seventh feature win and third win in a row.
Jasper Drengler also had a good week racing to victory lane in the Mighty Four class. Drengler has had many lows this season racing his Late Model car but won his second Mighty Four feature of the year.
Jordan Bartz’s night was certainly full of up and downs. The IMCA Sport Mod pilot was involved in two cautions during the night’s feature but was able to recover with a seventh-place finish.
Bartz lost some ground in the point standings to Lucas Lamberies, though. Lamberies finished the night on a high note, winning his third feature race of the summer and increasing his lead to 10 points over Bartz and 15 points over Jason Jach.
The night was undoubtedly a downer for Mighty Four racer Josh Slewinski. He entered the evening as the points leader, but got into the wall in the feature and was unable to finish.
Dalton Nelson and Tanner Westphal gained ground on Slewinski, who is now tied with Nelson for the points lead and ahead of Westphal by only nine points.
The Late Model division also saw a big swing in the point standings, as mechanical woes kept Troy Springborn out of the feature. Ron Berna took a one-point lead in the standings with a third-place finish. Springborn entered the night as the points leader.
With only three nights remaining this summer, every move becomes magnified. Emotions run high, tempers flare and wins become even bigger. See you at the Speedway.
Scott Owen is the Shawano Speedway track announcer.Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetCats aim for return to jamboree
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bowler/Gresham tight end Joe Serrano slides to make a catch during football practice Wednesday at Bowler High School. The Cats hope to return to the state jamboree after a successful first year in eight-player football.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bowler/Gresham senior halfback Cody Montez runs with the ball during practice Wednesday at Bowler High School.
Bowler/Gresham high schools’ successful first season playing eight-player football ended on a down note at the WIAA jamboree last season.
After giving up three fourth-quarter touchdowns to lose to Oakfield, 47-46, the Cats (6-4, 3-3 Great 8-North Conference) want another shot at the postseason.
“That’s our goal to get back there again to represent Bowler/Gresham,” coach Ralph Smith said. “That was our goal last year, to make it to the jamboree. We met our goal, and our guys want to go back again; they left one on the field there.”
Smith’s plan to get back is simple: stick with what worked.
“We’re staying with the old bread and butter stuff,” Smith said. “You know, power football. Nothing too fancy.”
Leading that charge, as they did a year ago for the Cats, will be senior running backs Zachary Olson and Cody Montez, who combined for over 2,000 yards a season ago.
“I’ve got all my running backs back,” Smith said. “Zach was one of the leading rushers in eight-player football last year. He had over 1,500 yards, over 20 touchdowns. Cody Montez is coming back. I think he had over 800 yards rushing. My backfield is solid.”
Olson was a first-team All-Great 8-North running back last season. Montez was an honorable mention.
Though first-team all-conference center Jay Onesti graduated, Smith is hoping there won’t be any dropoff going to junior center Cody Thiex, who played some center last season because of injuries.
Thiex will be flanked by fellow juniors Jared Rickert and Jarred Boswell.
“(They are) three guys that are just great, dependable, good kids. Good athletes that have done a really great job for me,” Smith said.
Also back is senior quarterback Thomas Kazik, senior tight end Joe Serrano and, eventually, senior tight end Chase Nueske, who will miss time early because of offseason surgery.
As a group, the upperclassmen have impressed their coach.
“We’re young yet. We have got some young guys coming in this year, but I’ve been really impressed with the seniors and juniors,” Smith said. “They haven’t missed a beat. They’re right on track. They left off right where we ended the season last year. I’m really impressed with them.”
On defense, the Cats are primarily concerned with replacing graduated senior defensive end Brandon Miller.
“We’re pretty solid,” Smith said of the group. “A few concerns at the defensive end. Losing Brandon Miller, he was a big key on the outside, taking away the outside run. I think we can find the right combination to fill his shoes.”
Bowler/Gresham was third in the Great 8-North Conference, which adds Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, playing its first year of eight-player football. Elkhart-Lake/Glenbeulah moves to the Great 8-South Conference this year.
“Hopefully we can stay healthy. That’s the main thing,” Smith said. “We don’t have a lot of depth right now. We have a lot of young kids learning the system. We need to stay healthy.”
AT A GLANCE
Bowler/Gresham high school football schedule
Aug. 22 vs. Elkhart Lake/Glenbeulah
Aug. 30 vs. Maranatha Baptist
Sept. 6 at Madison Abundant Life
Sept. 12 at Gibraltar
Sept. 19 vs. Oneida Nation
Sept. 26 at Three Lakes
Oct. 3 vs. Lena/STAA
Oct. 11 at Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran
Oct. 17 at Sevastopol
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetHawks’ soccer team looking to reload
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School soccer coach Bob Croschere talks to his team during a rainy practice Monday at the school.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School senior Braden Mueller moves the ball during soccer practice Monday at the school. Mueller is one of only three returning starters for the youthful Hawks this season.
Shawano Community High School boys soccer coach Bob Croschere is hoping his team can reload for this season.
The Hawks (15-5-1, 6-1 Bay Conference) lost a ton of talent to graduation, including a trio of first-team All-Bay Conference selections in Garret Schlise, Zach Dickmann and Sawyer Buck, as well as second-team all-conference selection Chance VanDyck and honorable mention goalie Michael Meisner.
Also gone is honorable mention defender Zack Sousek, a senior who chose to play football this year.
The 2013 group propelled Shawano to a second-place finish in the Bay Conference, finishing tied with Hortonville in the regular season before losing 3-0 to the Polar Bears in the Bay Conference tournament’s championship game.
“We have more youth than experience, I guess,” Croschere said. “I hate to call it a rebuilding year, but that’s what it’s kind of looking like after losing so much last year.”
With the clock ticking ahead of the Hawks’ season opener Tuesday at Pulaski, Croschere will have this week to find replacements from a group that saw the field a lot at the junior varsity level.
“With 14 seniors last year, there were a lot of underclassmen on junior varsity, getting experience,” Croschere said. “And hopefully that pays off this year. We’re going to get through at least Saturday, when we get to our scrimmage, to see how everybody performs. We’ll see what happens.”
More than just evaluating talent, Croschere will be looking for how the players fit together on the team.
“We’re basically looking to fit pieces in everywhere,” Croschere said. “See what happens when we play together. I know some of the players and what they did last year, but as far as together? No clue.”
Three players — senior Braden Mueller, sophomore Michael Teeter and senior Zachary Wolterman — played significant minutes on varsity last year and are likely to play expanded roles on the team this year.
How those players come together will also decide the style of play the Hawks will have this season. With so many new faces, the team has been testing new things in practice.
“A little different formation possibly,” Croschere said. “We’re trying out some different things. We’ll see how that goes.”
Croschere’s goal for the team is to remain competitive in the Bay Conference.
“I’m still thinking we will be at least in the middle of the pack of the conference,” Croschere said. “Fourth, maybe third if we can really push. Outside of conference we play some tough games. We’ll figure that out when we get there.”
While Hortonville is no longer an obstacle after exiting the Bay Conference this season, Croschere expects West De Pere to push for a Bay title this year.
“West De Pere is strong every year,” Croschere said. “They kind of set the bar for everything.”
AT A GLANCE
Shawano Community High School boys soccer schedule
Aug. 16 at Gresham/Bowler (scrimmage)
Aug. 19 at Pulaski
Aug. 23 at Rhinelander tournament
Aug. 26 vs. Ashwaubenon
Sept. 4 at Seymour
Sept. 9 vs. Denmark
Sept. 11 at Menasha
Sept. 16 vs. Luxemburg-Casco
Sept. 18 at Marinette
Sept. 23 vs. New London
Sept. 25 at West De Pere
Sept. 30 at Clintonville
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Shawano 11, Pulaski 2
The Shawano Lobos (24-7) scored 10 runs in the fourth inning Sunday.
TJ Arrowood was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to lead Shawano. Ben Bystol was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. Kurt Blythin had two hits.
Eric Stenson earned the win, pitching six innings and giving up two hits and striking out five. Matt Zacharius took the loss.
The Lobos will play Hortonville in the Dairyland League tournament semifinals at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Hortonville.
Other scores
Navarino beat Bonduel 4-2, Hortonville topped Cecil 3-1, and Hofa Park beat Nichols 19-1.
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