Dustin Reichwald

WHS Baseball falls to Jefferson in Regional Final

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Article by Nate Parrish

It is always hard to beat a good team three times in a season and that was the case on Thursday evening as Whitewater High School baseball team fell to Jefferson 7-0 in the Regional final. Jefferson was able to score three runs in the top of the first inning and Junior Pitcher Ryan Brost never let Whitewater get any momentum as the left-hander located his pitches all evening and the Whippets managed just 3 hits. Jefferson will move on to play in the sectional semifinal against Columbus on Tuesday, June 5th at 1 pm. Whitewater finished the season at 14-9 and 3rd place, 1 game behind Beloit Turner and Jefferson in the tough Rock Valley Conference. Coach Pease said ”this loss was a tough one, I feel for every one of our players and especially our Seniors that have meant a lot to me and the program. This group put a lot of hard work into the season and things just did not go our way tonight”. Although the Whippets did not meet some of their team goals, they still had a successful year and were within a few plays of getting at least a share of the Conference Title. With a successful year, they also had some players received some all-conference recognition.

1st Team All-Conference

  • Bryce Parrish- Utility
  • Jimmy DuVal- Outfield
  • Cooper Pease- Catcher

2nd Team- All-Conference

  • Dylan Pease- Infield
  • James Dedrick- Outfield

Honorable Mention – All-Conference

  • Jordan Curtis
  • Chris Dedrick

Bryce Parrish was also selected to the 2018 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Classic to be played in Oshkosh on June 29th-30th. Bryce had one of the best seasons that any player has had at Whitewater High School by hitting over .450 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 34 RBI’s, 31 runs scored while having a pitching record of 6-1, 2 saves, 55 strikeouts, 7 walks and a 0.881 ERA. Bryce will play for UW Whitewater next season.

Whippets take down Wisconsin Lutheran in WIAA Playoffs

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From Coach McCrea:

On Thursday, the Whitewater Whippet Soccer Team hosted and defeated Wisconsin Lutheran 6-1 in the first round of the 2018 WIAA soccer playoffs. The depth of the number seven seed Whippets, 5-4-3 overall, proved too much for the tenth seed visiting Vikings, 2-9-0.

However, the Whippets started slow and gave up a goal in the second minute of play scored by Zoe Buske. The Whippets Jaden Henneman quickly responded with a goal to tie the match. Ten minutes later Meikayla Korf found the back of the net to place the Whippets up 2-1 where the score remained until the second the half.

The Whippets came out strong in the second half with exceptional midfield play allowing the Whippets to maintain a press in the Vikings half of the field. Late in the second half, the Whippets were able to outpace the tiring Vikings and put up four additional goals to finish 6-1.

Crystal Chan scored on an assist by Kacie Carollo at the 72-minute mark. Quickly thereafter Jaden Henneman scored her second goal of the night on a shot that rebounded of a Viking defender. In the 81st minute Sierra Brunner scored by following Kacie Carollo’s shot that rebounded off the goal post, and then in the 83rd Sierra Brunner scored again on an assist by Carollo.

In addition to the strong midfield play was a solid performance by defenders Abby Center, Hannah O’Brien, Brianna Zimdars, Liz Rodriguez, and Melanie Reyes.

The Whippets will need a much faster start to the game when facing Grafton on Saturday when traveling to Concordia University for a 5:00 pm match.

Parker Closes Out HS Career at Sectionals

Senior Billie Jo Parker closed out her high school golf career Wednesday afternoon, competing in the WIAA Division II Sectional hosted by Kewaskum High School at Kettle Hills Golf Course. Parker entered the sectional as a fourth place individual qualifier and finished with a final round score of 82. Wednesday’s culminating competition for Parker marked the end of a successful four-year run on the Whippet golf team, a fact not lost on her. “I feel grateful that I have been able to be apart of a great golf team. I have met great friends through the team and I have been given many great opportunities,” Parker stated.

On the front nine, Parker got off to a slow start with a triple bogey on the third hole, leaving her to reflect, “I wish I could have taken back my tee shot that went into a bush area.”

Regardless, Parker persisted and fired a two-over par 38 to put herself in early contention, entering the back nine with high aspirations. “I wanted to be able to take that energy from the front nine to the back,” she stated.

Unfortunately, on the back nine, she found some of the early control from the front nine slip away. “Billie Jo is as steady as they come and although she didn’t have the pinpoint accuracy that she had on the front, she did enough to limit the damage and come in with a very solid back nine score”, Coach Wiegman said.

Parker finished the back nine with a 44. When asked what she was feeling as she potentially watched her last putt fall into the hole on the par five 18th, Parker stated, “It kind of hit me that it might be the last putt I make in competition for high school golf. But I also thought about all I have accomplished this year, and it felt great being able to end my season with a good score.”

After watching his senior leader finish her career, Coach Wiegman had some high praise for the four-year varsity player, saying that “Billie Jo continued to battle and persevere through some tough second shot positions. She never lets emotion get in the way of her next shot. I couldn’t be more proud her. Even though she didn’t qualify to play at U-Ridge, she ended the season on a high note, with a really great round.”

Lauren Hayes, Harpist & Whitewater Native, to perform June 9 at 7:00 pm

It was just 8 years ago that Lauren Hayes graduated from high school. Since then, the Whitewater native has performed twice at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, she has concertized across the United States and in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Brazil.

On Saturday, June 9, Lauren returns home to present a free one-hour recital at 7:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Whitewater. Lauren will be performing compositions on both her acoustic harp and her electric harp. The one-hour concert will range from classical solos to popular selections.

Through a national competitive audition, Lauren received a Fellowship to the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) for this summer. The Tanglewood Music Center Fellowship Program is the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer academy for advanced musical study. The TMC offers an intensive schedule of study and performance for emerging professional instrumentalists, singers, conductors, and composers. It would be impossible to list all the distinguished musicians who have studied at the Tanglewood Music Center. According to recent estimates, 20 percent of the members of American symphony orchestras, and 30 percent of all first-chair players studied at the TMC. Alumni of the Tanglewood Music Center play a vital role in the musical life of the nation as performers and composers. The Tanglewood Music Center maintains its commitment to the future as one of the world’s most important training grounds for the composers, conductors, instrumentalists, and vocalists of the future. Lauren will be performing in a variety of settings, from a famous duet for harp and tenor to several full symphony performances, including the closing concert with Yo-Yo Ma.

There is no admission charge for this concert. Freewill offerings will be graciously accepted.

Stuart Nagy named Studio 84 “Artist of the Month”

Stuart Nagy has been a student at Studio 84 for about a year. He has always had a love for art beginning in kindergarten and started working with clay in high school. He creates unique coffee mugs, canvas paintings and much more.

Stuart comes one day a week and spends the day, traveling from Hales Corners, WI. He works on his ceramic containers and other projects. Recently he worked with members of the Geneva Lake Women’s Association and designed a character named Ms. Flippy D’Lid for a special event they will be having in October. Two of Stuart’s unique cow paintings are in the private collection of the Coburn Company.

Stuart’s work has a beautiful earthy, naïve feel to it. With his ceramic, his glaze colors are exquisitely paired to create patterns he has carved into the clay during the process.

Stuart said, “When I walked into the door of Studio 84, I knew this was the place where all my dreams can come true.” One of Stuart’s goals is to open an art studio and have his own gallery and it is at Studio 84 he is learning about all it takes to do that. He has just entered into the Vocational Training in the Arts programing that Studio 84 has. He will be getting his own website and business cards and learn about social media to market his work. You will find him at his booth every other week at the Whitewater City Market on Tuesdays afternoons from 4-7.

You can meet Stuart and many of our other artists during the annual Gala event on Saturday, June 23 from 6-8 pm.

Studio 84 in Whitewater is a non-profit art studio that provides experiences in the arts for the community. They specialize in the creative and vocational development of people with disabilities, including those with Autism, physical disabilities, cognitive limitations, and mental illness. The studio is open to all ages and all abilities.

For more information visit studio84inc.org.

WHS Seniors take victory lap through WUSD schools, recognized in awards ceremony

 

On Tuesday, May 29 Class of 2018 Graduating Seniors paraded through the elementary schools and middle school. It was a day filled with emotions and memories as students shared high-fives, hugs, and lots of smiles.

Each elementary school had something special for its alumni from time capsules, to personalized signs, to a special performance but ALL the schools caused seniors to reminisce about simpler, care-free days as they prepare to embark on their next adventure.

The smaller Whippets asked for autographs and got a glimpse into their own futures as they cheered wildly as our Senior Whippets passed by. It was a beautiful day for a parade.

 

Whitewater High School seniors garner awards

Members of the Class of 2018 were recognized Friday for achievements in academics, arts, athletics and other areas during Whitewater High School’s annual senior awards ceremony.

For the complete article from Chris Welch at the Daily Union,