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Carter Friend entered his senior year with a goal of improving on his 2021 state placement finish by finishing in the top 3 at his weight class in the state of Wisconsin. Saturday afternoon, mission accomplished. Friend ended a stellar high school wrestling career by going 3-1 in the WIAA state wrestling tournament, putting him in 3rd place at the 160-pound weight class.
Carter Friend 
Carter Friend
Carter wrestled an outstanding tournament having extremely tough matches as to be expected at that level. He started off Friday morning with a very well wrestled match, winning 5-2 to put him into the state semi-finals. On Friday evening, Carter had a tough hill to climb as he was competing against a young man who is the two-time defending champion and is ranked number 4 in the country. Carter did not back down, and although he lost, he gave the young man a full match, which has not happened often to him the last two years, and he scored a takedown on the young man, a feat that only one other wrestler can claim they did this year. It is disappointing to lose in the state semi-finals, but Carter came back strong against two more very strong opponents on Saturday morning. He won his first match in a very tight match in overtime 4-2 to put himself into the 3rd place match. Again, Carter had a tough, hard-fought match as it was knotted up the entire match. Carter was able to hit an outstanding counter shot with 15 seconds left to secure a takedown and the 5-2 win, thus reaching his goal coming into the season by placing 3rd in the tournament. Carter ended his season with a 42-6 record, with three of his losses coming against state champions! Carter ended his high school career with an impressive 124 wins, placing him second all-time in Whitewater History.
Mason DePorter also had the opportunity to compete at the state tournament this weekend. Mason came out very strong in his first match, securing a takedown to his Lodi opponent’s back. Unfortunately, things did not continue to go Mason’s way in that match, and he came up short. This opponent went on to win his next couple of matches to finish as a state runner-up. Mason had a great senior campaign with 36 wins, 29 of which were by pin, breaking a school record that has held since 2010.
Mason DePorter
Congratulations to both of these young men on not only an outstanding season but an outstanding career.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Action Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the ADRC of Rock County.
The Whitewater Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Saint Thomas More for the first regional game of the WIAA Tournament on Wednesday, February 23.
It was a fast-paced and physical game. Saint Thomas More’s speed took the Whippets out of their game at the beginning of the first half. We were down 5-21 with six and half minutes left in the first half when Cali Kopecky hit a 3, giving us a spark to fight back to get within 10.
To start the second half, senior Lexi Juoni hit a 3 to put us within 7. The Cavaliers tightened up their defense, making it difficult for us to connect offensively. The Whippets fell short and finished their season, losing 39-57.
Danielle DePorter led the Whippets with 11 points and 2 rebounds. Junior, Cali Kopecky followed with 10 points (2 for 2 from the free throw line), and 8 rebounds. Senior Gwen Truesdale added 5 points and ripped down 9 rebounds. Josie Treder contributed 4 points and 4 rebounds. Senior Lexi Juoni scored 3 points and had 2 rebounds. Kindyl Kilar had 2 points and 5 rebounds. Mayte Navejas and Calli Grosinske both added 2 points.
Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
The Whitewater High School Gymnastics Team had their conference meet on Friday, February 18, in Elkhorn. We had some amazing routines and a lot of personal best scores. The Varsity team had their highest team Beam score of the season with a combined 6 out of 8 no-fall Beam routines! Their hard work on Beam has really paid off. The Varsity team also had their highest overall team score of the season – upping last week’s team best score to 110.875.
Brooklyn Griswold (Courtesy Bob Mischka)
Nola Coburn had one of her best performances of the season with her highest Vault, Beam, and All-Around scores. Nola had a no-fall Beam routine and increased that score by almost ½ point. She increased her all time high All-Around score to 25.325.
Makayla Bazeley also had a great showing with an all-time best Beam score with a 7.75 and a no-fall Beam routine. She also tied her highest Vault score of the season and was close to her best All-Around score.
Halee Peters had a beautiful no-fall Beam routine where she almost tied her high score. She tied her personal best on Bars and tied her All-Around score of 32.4.
Brooke Bazeley had a no-fall Beam routine. Congrats to Brooke for a no-fall Beam season!
Miyu Takeda had a season best score on her Floor routine.
Myia Cobbs tied her season best score on the Vault and had no-falls on Beam.
Estefany Reyes-Saldana also had a no-fall Beam routine.
The girls take on sectionals Friday, February 25th, in Elkhorn. We know they are going to rock their routines and improve their best scores!
Article Submitted by Shawnda Peters
Whitewater High School Head Gymnastics Coach
speters@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka and Coach Peters
On Saturday, February 19, seven Whitewater Wrestlers traveled to Richland Center to participate in the WIAA Sectional Wrestling Tournament. This is a very competitive tournament with eight wrestlers per weight class, all with the plan to place in the top three to advance to the state tournament.
Whitewater wrestled well on the day, with them all wrestling their hearts out and leaving it on the mat. In the end, the Whippets will have two young men participating at the Kohl Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Carter Friend wrestled very well all day, with three wins on his way to the Sectional Championship. He started the day with a 13-4 major decision, followed by a pin, and then a very competitive match in the finals, coming out on top 5-3. This will be Carter’s third trip to the state tournament.
Mason DePorter continued to have a great senior season by reaching the championship match by defeating his first two opponents by pin. Mason then had a tough match in the finals and then had to wrestle again 45 minutes later, and wrestled very well, coming out aggressive, but ended up on the short end, therefore taking 3rd place. This will be Mason’s first trip to the state tournament.
Jarvis Porcaro started the day off in a very positive way by pinning his first opponent. He then dropped his next two matches against two young men who will be in the state tournament.
Traysen Thomason started his day against the number one ranked wrestler in the state and almost got the first takedown. He ended up losing both of his matches.
Leo Ortiz had tough draw as he dropped both of his matches against two guys that placed first and second in his weight class.
Rounding out the Whippet Wrestlers were Aaron Porras and Marcus DePorter who had tough first round losses and unfortunately did not get another match as their guy then lost their next match.
The coaches are very happy with the performance of the seven guys on Saturday. There was disappointment in the results, as of course we wanted all seven to advance, but we are not disappointed in their effort. They wrestled hard, left it on the mat, and can look themselves in the mirror and be proud of their season’s accomplishments.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The Whitewater Fire Department, like volunteer fire departments all around the state, is struggling with recruiting and paying for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and a newly announced state plan might be available to help cover some of the costs.
EMTs, the well-trained medical people who respond with an ambulance to medical emergencies, are in short supply and small communities like Whitewater, which have traditionally relied on paid on-call volunteer EMTs, have been experiencing serious staffing problems.
WI Governor Tony Ever’s State of the State address this week featured a plan to use $27.4 million of federal money to help cover increasing community expenses to provide emergency medical services. This comes as the City of Whitewater and the Whitewater Fire Department Inc. (WFD) are negotiating an agreement to integrate fire and EMT services as a City of Whitewater Department.
According to a February 17 press release, the Whitewater Fire Department, Inc. (WFD) “is in discussions with the City of Whitewater to become a city department in hopes to better service the city and surrounding townships.” Staffing concerns, particularly for the Rescue Squad, prompted discussions beginning in late 2021 of the possibility of a merger. On January 6 the members of WFD authorized the board of directors to move forward with efforts to become a city operation. (See the Banner report dated January 7.) This week’s press release indicates that a Memorandum of Understanding is currently being developed, with the transfer of the Rescue Squad personnel and operations expected to be the first phase. The merger “..is for the citizens,” said WFD Board of Directors President and Fire Captain Christ Christon. “We need to provide the best service we can to our community and the surrounding townships.”
According to the WI EMS Association, “In Wisconsin, we rely on nearly 800 emergency medical service providers — more than half are either operated exclusively by volunteers or through a combination of volunteers and paid staff.” Whitewater’s volunteer fire department is one of those 800 providers and has been experiencing problems in recruiting and maintaining paid on-call volunteers or even paid on-premise EMTs.
Incorporating WFD operations as a City of Whitewater function is likely to create an additional financial obligation for City of Whitewater taxpayers. The current roughly $1 million WFD operation is funded by an annual city contribution averaging roughly $250,000 along with revenue from contracts with surrounding townships and WFD fundraising activities. Earlier this year the city’s proposed borrowing plan included $700,000 (to be combined with $350,000 allocated in 2021) to go toward the replacement of a fire truck.
The Governor’s plan includes pumping $8 million into a sparsely funded and lightly used state Emergency Medical Services Funding Assistance Program in the 2023 state budget along with $12 million in “EMS One Time Flexible Grants.” The state EMS Association reports that the source of the funding in reaction to the shortage of EMTs is the American Rescue Plan Act enacted in response to the COVID pandemic.
“We are thankful and appreciative that the Governor recognized the challenges that emergency medical services are facing in Wisconsin,” said the EMS Association’s Alan Young. “This funding will help ease some of the major challenges and will help EMS departments breathe a little easier as they support our local communities across Wisconsin.”
The nonpartisan WI Policy Forum (WPF), which labeled its recent analysis of the state’s EMS situation as “IN NEED OF RESUSCITATION,” recommends short term solutions like the one-time program announced by the Governor along with carefully thought-out EMS regional service plans and “… adjustments to financial constraints on local governments.”
The WPF analysis was critical of outdated spending limits under the state “Shared Revenue” program. The long-standing program of the state distribution of sales tax and other revenues to municipalities does not recognize increasing EMS and fire expenses due to changes in the ability of volunteer fire departments like Whitewater’s to maintain basic public safety services.
The WPF analysis indicates that the portion of municipal funding dedicated to EMS services is “trending down” while costs are trending upward rapidly.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Dr. Dan Sable.
The Walworth County Lakes Association has scheduled a business meeting for Saturday, February 19, 9:00 a.m. at the Starin Park Community Building, 504 W. Starin Road.
A program, titled “Drawdowns, Dredging and Dam Takedowns,” beginning at approximately 10 a.m., features Eric Boettcher, City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Director, and Steve Roskowski, a member of the Walworth County and East Troy Lakes Associations. Boettcher will provide an update on Whitewater’s drawdown and dredging of Trippe and Cravath Lakes, with Roskowski speaking on East Troy’s experience with a drawdown of their lake in 2015.
The public is welcome to attend both sessions.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area
The League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area is hosting a program on Thursday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. Our speaker, State Senator Janis A. Ringhand, Assistant Minority Leader, Senate District 15, will provide an overview of the most recent activities in the Wisconsin State Legislature and an update on the redistricting case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This program is free and open to the public.
This event will be virtual. To attend live, please join the webinar by using this link.
Or, join us by telephone: (312) 626-6799, Webinar ID: 856 9970 4462, Passcode: 878437
The event will be live-streamed on Facebook and a recording will be made available to the public afterwards.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!
Obituaries
SHIRLEY A. KNUTESON, age 85, of Whitewater, died Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Glenwood at Mulberry Campus in Whitewater. She was born to Hugo and Helen (Wilson) Ferge of Elkhorn, WI. She attended school in Walworth High School, graduating in 1956. Shirley worked at Sterlingworth in Elkhorn and then Fairhaven Nursing Home prior to retirement. As a young woman, she loved roller skating, had a love for animals, especially her dogs and horses on the farm. She was a loyal Brewer and Packer fan. Her diverse family was her pride and joy. Shirley is survived by her six children Jerry … Read more
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A celebration of life for Dave Triebold will be held July 27 at Triebold Farms, with festivities beginning around 11:30 am. A rememberance service will take place at 12:30 pm. A pig roast will follow, and the pool will be open. The family encourages you to stay through the evening for a bonfire as well. Contact Kris (262)949-5474 or Kath (414)412-4385 with questions.
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James Paul Fisher, 86, known by friends as JP or Jay, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at UW Hospital, Madison, with his immediate family by his side. His body finally surrendered to a heart attack after battling heart and kidney ailments for many years. Born in Fond du lac, Wisconsin, on October 25, 1937, to Lorraine and James Fisher, JP was a resident of Elkhorn and then Whitewater, Wisconsin. At age 2 JP was diagnosed with polio. Through daily therapy administered by his mother and grandmother, he overcame this life threatening virus, and with a prognosis of limited … Read more
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Shirley M. Messier, 86, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on July 8, 2024. Shirley was born to Erwin and Leona Reese on May 20, 1938, in Farmington, Wisconsin. Shirley (“Shirttail”) attended the local country school, then set out on her own, taking a job doing factory work. On August 24, 1957, she married Blaine Messier in Jefferson, Wisconsin. They had three daughters, Michele (Shelly), Terry, and Karen. Shirley spent many years being a working wife and mother, finally retiring from Polymer Technologies / MacLean Fogg in Whitewater. Shirley loved country music and spent her retirement years going to George Jones … Read more
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Patricia Ann ParrBorn 7/20/42Departed to Heaven 5/10/23 About herself, Patricia often said “I love life, I love God, He always has taken care of me, and He always will”. Patricia died peacefully at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, after a long and courageously fought season of declining health. Patricia was born in Beaver Dam, to a lovely family, which included her older brother Dennis and not too long after, her lifetime best friend and little sister Mary. They grew up on an idyllic “Gentlemen’s Farm” outside of Jefferson, with horses and many animals. Her parents, Floyd and Kathryn owned the … Read more
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Marjorie Alice “GG” Roloff, 89, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Golden Years in Lake Geneva, WI. She was born July 31, 1934, to Fred and Martha (Arndt) Papcke, in Whitewater, WI, the fifth of eleven children. GG attended South Heart Prairie School, across the road from the family’s home farm. She is a Whitewater High School graduate. On April 19, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Eric. She worked a variety of jobs over the years. Her most memorable of those being the local canning factory and as a crossing guard. After retiring, she and Eric would … Read more
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Marilyn Mae Fuerstenberg, 81 of Whitewater, WI., passed away on June 27, 2024, at Agrace Hospice in Janesville, WI. Marilyn was born May 27, 1943, in Geneva Township, to Raymond and Doris Kilpin. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her two younger brothers, Mike and Donny Kilpin. Marilyn married William (Bill) Fuerstenberg on September 21, 1963. Bill and Marilyn lived in Whitewater. Together they raised three children, taking the family on yearly vacations and camping trips throughout the years. Marilyn worked for Walworth County Health and Social Services as a Child Protection Social Worker. She dedicated 25 years … Read more
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Jerome Francis Burke, age 76, of Whitewater, WI, passed away unexpectedly following a brief illness on June 27, 2024. Jerry was born in Evanston, IL on May 13, 1948 to Stephen and Catherine Burke. He grew up in Glenview, IL, where he graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School and then Loyola Academy (Wilmette). Those early days spawned treasured, lifelong friendships. He went on to graduate from St. Joseph’s College (IN) with a BA in Economics, and it was there thathe met his beloved wife, Eileen. They married shortly after graduation and were blessed to share their lives … Read more
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Angelica E. Vicente Santa Cruz passed away Sunday, June 30th in home beside family and friends in Milford, Delaware from a long battle with cancer. Angelica E. Vicente Santa Cruz was born on February 24, 1965. She was the daughter of Doña Carmen Santa Cruz Valdez and Don Luis Vicente León, who allowed her to share a life of family union with her four brothers: Braulio, Carmen Rosa, Edgar and Juan. She was born in Lima-Peru and grew up in the Ventanilla district of the constitutional province of Callao of Peru. She completed her primary studies at the La Merced … Read more
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Lowell V. Youngs, 87, of Whitewater passed away on Monday, June 24, 2024 in Madison. Lowell was born on September 4, 1936 in Wyoming to Isaac and Violet (Doble) Youngs. He grew up in the very small town of Veteran, Wyoming, where he was one of nine students in his graduating class. After graduating, Lowell attended the University of Colorado, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 1958. Lowell was drafted into the US Army in 1960 and selected to be in the Army Band, where he gladly carried a clarinet instead of a gun. He was … Read more
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