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Today is Friday, November 29, 2024
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The Whitewater Whippets traveled to Evansville Monday night for a girls basketball game. We played a very strong 1st half. Our defense was tough both inside and out. The key was our communication, which helped us protect the hoop and close out on the shooters on the perimeter. Offensively, we attacked the rim and shot confidently from outside. We went into half up 25-23.
In the second half, Evansville adjusted their defense giving them an opportunity to go on a scoring run by getting steals and connecting on fast breaks. That created a 24-point scoring deficit quickly. We fought back tirelessly, putting pressure on them defensively and working our offense by getting the ball inside. We closed the gap but came up short 51-57.
Calli Grosinske led the Whippets with 14 points, 5 assists, and 7 steals. Mayte Navejas added 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 steals. Cali Kopecky scored 9 points and had 6 rebounds. Danielle DePorter also added 9 points and 4 rebounds.
The Whippets take on Clinton at home for Senior Night on Thursday, February 16.
Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Three current and one former Whitewater High School student were recently honored by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) with the Aspirations in Computing award. Senior Jazmin Cederberg and former student Arsonic Webster-Barczak were named Wisconsin Winners, while Senior Dayna Carlson and Freshman Ace Hudec earned Wisconsin Honorable Mentions. All four have studied computer science extensively at WHS and are members of the Ferradermis FIRST Robotics Competition Team.
The students will be honored at an awards ceremony at the Milwaukee School of Engineering on May 7 that will feature college booths, many young IT professionals with whom students can network, and a keynote speaker. Students will receive a medal and a prize bag filled with goodies from local businesses and organizations that value each student’s accomplishments and applications.
NCWIT is a non-profit community of more than 1,400 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase the meaningful participation of girls and women in the world of computing. NCWIT helps organizations recruit, retain, and advance those who identify as women or non-binary from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers by providing community, evidence, and action. They do this by providing opportunities to awardees for networking, career development, and community-building.
Article and Photo Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Computer Science Teacher and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
The Whippet Boys Swim Team traveled to Sauk Prairie to compete in the WIAA Division 2 Sectional on Saturday, February 11th. They placed 8th overall as a team, and had many best times on the day!
Top 16 finishes:
200 Medley Relay: 2:01.19 (9th) – Tyler Arnett, Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, Andrew O’Toole
200 Freestyle: 1:59.90 (7th) – Tyler Arnett *Lifetime best time, puts him 6th overall on the Whippet Top 10 List!
200 Freestyle: 2:18.77 (13th) – Miles Nickelsburg
200 Freestyle: 2:21.22 (14th) – Myles Morse *This was an 18 second drop for Myles!
200 IM: 2:25.46 (10th) – Jack Hefty
500 Freestyle: 5:28.20 (7th) – Tyler Arnett *Best Time
500 Freestyle: 6:30.45 (10th) – Andrew O’Toole
200 Freestyle Relay: 1:59.87 (10th) – Myles Morse, David Enns, Xavier Zei, Miles Nickelsburg
100 Backstroke: 1:11.58 (12th) – Miles Nickelsburg *Best Time
100 Backstroke: 1:23.66 (13th) – Onyx Thompson *Best Time
400 Freestyle Relay: 3:54.77 (7th) – Cruz Aranda, Andrew O’Toole, Jack Hefty, Tyler Arnett
Additional Best Times:
-50 Freestyle crew all went best times: David Enns (30.02), Andrew O’Toole (27.67), Cruz Aranda (25.54)
-100 Freestylers: David Enns (1:09.26) dropped over 3 seconds, Onyx Thompson (1:14.72), Cruz Aranda (57.68).
-100 Breaststroke: Xavier Zei (1:26.98)
-Jack Hefty had a sensational split in the 400 Freestyle Relay going a 55.00!
Congratulations to the boys swim team on an amazing season. We can’t wait to see what they can accomplish next year!
Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Co-Head Boys’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org
On Saturday, February 11, the Whitewater Wrestling Team competed in the Regional Wrestling Tournament held in Jefferson. The tournament consisted of 13 teams, each attempting to achieve top two status to advance to the team sectional with the top four individuals to qualify for individual sectionals. After a grueling day of competition, the Whitewater team defended their title from a year ago, clinching the team title, outdistancing Martin Luther who took second place. As a team, Whitewater will travel to Evansville to compete in the team sectional against Belmont/Platteville, a team that came out of a very strong region.
Individually, Whitewater wrestled very well throughout the day. Traysen Thomason and Aaron Porras led the way for the Whippets, each of them winning their first individual Regional championships at 138 and 160 pounds. Traysen wrestled very well throughout the day winning a very exciting semi-final match 9-8 and then a championship match 8-4. Aaron Porras started his day with two pins and then a very tough match in the championship winning 6-5.
Coming in second for Whitewater were CJ Tomomitsu, Connor Friend, and Odair Porras. CJ and Connor each lost in the championship match against very tough competitors, putting up a good match but coming up short. Odair lost in the semi-finals, won his third-place match, and then had the opportunity to wrestle for true second. He wrestled very well in the 2nd place match to move up the podium.
Taking third place and also qualifying for sectionals were Jasen Porras, Victor Hernandez, and Payton Lyon. Jasen and Victor won their third-place match. Victor did not get a wrestle back as he had already wrestled the 2nd place person, and Jasen lost in the wrestle back so he held onto 3rd place. Payton had a very tough loss in the championship. He nearly pinned his opponent in the championship but ended up losing. It was tough to come back from the loss, and he ended in third place, yet still qualified for the sectional.
The individual qualifiers will compete on Saturday, also in Evansville.
Article and Photos Courtesy of John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Action Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Members of Ferradermis and representatives of the Lincoln FIRST Lego League Team hosted an open house on Saturday, February 11, at the high school. The team wishes to thank our community members, sponsors, and Senator Steve Nass for stopping by to check out the high school team’s progress on their 2023 robot and to learn about the robotics programs throughout the district.
Robotics Administrative subteam members gave tours which included hearing from members of the Competition Logistics, CAD, Programming, Electrical, and Mechanical subteams and a chance to hear about the team’s first ever Digital Animation submission.
Ferradermis will take the field with their newest robot at Sussex Hamilton High School on Sunday, February 19, for a scrimmage with teams from throughout southeast Wisconsin before heading to Duluth for the Northern Lights Regional on March 1.
Thank you to NBC’s Chicago Fire, the Wildermuth-Breitzman family, and the LaHaie family for donating prize baskets to the team. Congratulations to our basket winners Jeff and Peggy Lee, Linda Robinson, Tori Breisath, Susan Bellman, Amanda Genung, Mason Pautsch, and Nathan O’Shaughnessy!
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
The Whitewater Whippets Girls’ Basketball Team played a conference game against Brodhead Friday night, February 10. We knew Brodhead’s ability to score inside and around the perimeter was going to make it a tough game defensively.
In the first half, we played aggressive defense inside which gave Brodhead more looks from the 3-point range. This gave them the scoring edge 14-30 going into the half. We adjusted our defense and worked our outside game in the second half, hitting seven of our eight 3-pointers the second half, matching them in points with 26 apiece. But, that deficit from the first half gave them the win, 40-56.
Danielle DePorter led the Whippets with 17 points, followed by Mayte Navejas with 8 points. Calli Grosinske added 7 points and 6 steals.
The girls travel to Evansville Monday night, February 13.
Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
On Wednesday, February 8, five members of Ferradermis, Whitewater High School’s FIRST Robotics Competition Team, were accompanied by mentors Dilpreet Randhawa, Brienne Brown, and Laura Masbruch as they travelled to the state capitol to raise awareness for FIRST with their state representatives during FIRST Wisconsin Advocacy Day.
Seniors Daniel (Peter) Portwine and Jazmin Cederberg, Junior Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Sophomore Maddison LaHaie, and Freshman Margaret Brown spent the morning at Monona Terrace, hearing from the leadership of FIRST Wisconsin and members of other FIRST teams from middle and high schools around the state about advocacy. They also learned about SASA, the Student Association for STEM Advocacy.
Kevin Anderson from the Department of Public Instruction spoke with the students about the details of the Robotics League Participation Grant which was originally created by the state legislature in 2015 as part of Act 280. This grant is guaranteed to all Wisconsin robotics teams in grades 6-12 who apply and is meant to act as a $5000 matching grant to help offset the costs of competition. However, as the number of robotics teams in Wisconsin has grown, the pool of money allotted to the grant has not kept pace, despite an increase in a previous budget cycle. In the latest round of grant awards for the 2023 season, teams were awarded approximately $3800 each. A major goal of Advocacy Day was for students to ask their legislators to increase the pool of funds for this grant during the next budget cycle. Ferradermis has benefitted from this grant in each of their seven years of competition, so it is important to the team to see this funding continue and potentially increase.
During the morning session, students also heard from Dan Rossmiller, who is currently the Director of Government Relations for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Mr. Rossmiller helped the students understand the inner-workings of the state legislature and the budget process. The morning wrapped up with a mock meeting staged with Renee Becker-Blau, the new President of FIRST Wisconsin, and a group of students who had previously attended the National Advocacy Conference in Washington DC.
After lunch, the students headed to the State Capitol Building and held meetings with their various representatives. The crew from Ferradermis began with a joint meeting with Senator Steve Nass and Representative Ellen Schutt, who both represent the districts in which the students live. For this session, the students of Ferradermis led the nearly thirty-minute meeting but incorporated members of a FIRST LEGO League Team and a FIRST Tech Team from the Clinton and Beloit areas who are in the same districts.
The team then also joined or led separate meetings with Senator Chris Larson of Madison, Representative Francesca Hong from Madison, and Representative Kristina Shelton from Green Bay. Representatives Hong and Shelton are both members of the Assembly Committee on Education, and Senator Larson sits on the Senate Committee on Education, so the team felt it was important to help them learn about FIRST and the need for increased funding for the robotics grant.
Student reaction to the day was highly positive. The students felt the meetings went well, and they left feeling like they had successfully shared their passion for FIRST Robotics. As one student said as the crew was leaving the capitol, “this experience really humanized politics.”
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
At a press conference on February 9 in the Student Athletic Complex, Athletic Director Ryan Callahan officially introduced Jace Rindahl as the new head coach of the Warhawks football team, succeeding Kevin Bullis, who retired after eight years in the role.
Rindahl indicated that he is humbled and honored by the “great responsibility — I know that, I understand that, I’m excited about that. As an alum and a coach and a student athlete I feel what makes Whitewater special is the people.” He thanked Callahan for his faith and trust, and his wife Caroline and their children for their support, while also acknowledging the presence and influence of his parents and his sisters. He claimed he got his competitiveness from his sisters.
Rindahl said he has worked under three great coaches at Whitewater in his 16 years with the program, and he wants to take something from each of their approaches. Bob Berezowitz was the coach in his freshman and sophomore years. Lance Leipold, whom he described as a visionary, gave him his first opportunity to coach in 2009. “My first eight years out of high school were spent here as a student athlete and a coach, earning two degrees — for a young man who didn’t like school, it wasn’t easy for me. The people here and the coaches helped shape me and it’s my responsibility to give back.”
A player for UW-W from 2005-08, Rindahl was a three-year starter at linebacker and competed in four DIII championship games, winning in 2007. He was named 2008 Defensive Player of the Year by D3football.com, and finished his playing career with several All-America honors. Rindahl coached linebackers for UW-W during its run of three straight national championships from 2009-2011.
Jace left for the University of South Dakota for two years, where he served as running backs coach. His coach there had a motto, “It’s better to be prepared and not have an opportunity than to have an opportunity without being prepared.” It was there, Jace said, that he began thinking as a head coach. “I’m very fortunate,” he said, “there never was a plan B. Plan A was being a college coach.” The time away helped Rindahl to appreciate what we have here.
Rindahl described Kevin Bullis, who hired him back in 2015, as a great teacher. He was prepared when Bullis called him on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to say that he’d be announced as interim coach the next day.
“I’m 36 years young. I love challenges; I love being doubted, having my back against the wall. I love to compete — competing against the best is when you find out how good you are,” Jace continued.
“The program is in a great spot,” Rindahl claimed, as he said he didn’t foresee any major changes. He’ll be keeping the “Pound the Rock” mantra, though he also likes “Change your best; look in the mirror and realize you aren’t good enough.”
“The 2023 recruiting class is special because of our coaching staff….To the players, I’m excited – let’s go — let’s attack this thing one day at a time — it’s not about talking or tweeting — it’s about action, caring for others. We’ve got the right people here. I love you guys — go Hawks,” Rindahl concluded.
Obituaries
Becca Piper, 65, of Sedona, AZ died on November 21, 2024 as a result of complications of antibiotic toxicity. She was preceded in death by her beloved son Michael and her parents Reg and Maydean Nash. She is survived by her dear husband of almost 40 years, Ken Piper, along with her children Joe, ^^Michael^^, Selena and Larry, granddaughter Maelyn and Becca’s siblings David and Janet (Nash) Schenck. She is also survived by extraordinary friends, extended family and much loved colleagues. Being a mother was especially important to Becca. She and Ken adopted all of their 4 children. Becca’s life … Read more
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In Loving Memory of Will Daniel Ensslin Whitewater, WI – Will Daniel Ensslin, 77, passed away peacefully on 11-26-2024, surrounded by his loving family, after a brave and long battle with cancer. He was born on February 5, 1947 in West Allis, WI to Willy and Ellen Ensslin. Will was a devoted husband, proud and loving father, cherished brother, uncle, cousin and loyal friend to many. He was also a proud Vietnam veteran, serving his country with courage and honor as a Huey helicopter mechanic from 1966 – 1967 — a dedication to service that remained a cornerstone of his life. He married the love of his life and best friend, Susan Bilkovich, in 1971 in Milwaukee, WI. Shortly after their wedding, … Read more
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Richard Allen Splitter, age 80, of Blue Eye, Missouri, passed away November 12, 2024. He entered this life on June 16, 1944, the son of Edward and Berniece (Craig) Splitter in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Richard proudly served our country in the United States Navy for two terms. During his time in the service, he was able to get his master’s degree in engineering from California State University of Long Beach. During his working years, Richard was an engineer for different aerospace companies. He retired to Blue Eye, Missouri, and thoroughly enjoyed lake life. Richard appreciated the outdoors and loved hiking, fishing, … Read more
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Edward W. HamiltonApril 3,1941 – October 26, 2024 Edward “Edjo” Wickman Hamilton, 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at home. Ed was born in Evanston, Illinois and moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin with his family when he was eight years old. He attended Whitewater High School and then graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater with a bachelor of science degree. He also served two years in the army. He moved to Davenport, Iowa in 1971 and worked at John Deere Davenport Works until he retired in 2001. Then he followed a dream, moved back to Whitewater and … Read more
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Verne Paul Schrank was born on March 9, 1930 at home on the family farm in Lima Township, Rock County, to Arthur and Marie (Witte) Schrank. He attended the Sturtevant one room school which closed when he graduated in 1944. He attended Whitewater High School and graduated in 1948. Verne farmed with his parents until 1967 when he moved to Whitewater and worked for the Whitewater Unified School District as a custodian – courier for 27 years. Verne served on various boards at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, as well as playing on the dartball team for many years. Verne … Read more
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After a long full life, Janine Marie (Dickerson) Weiss was called home to the Lord. Janine was born on April Fool’s Day, 1930 in Milwaukee. She grew up enjoying Trolleys, dancing and school with her sisters, Donna Domagalski, Marcyl Howel, Karen Moczynski and her parents, Glenn and Lucille Dickerson. In 1950, she married Frederic Weiss in a little church in Three Lakes WI. Shortly after, the first of 5 kids was born with the next 2 shortly after. Denice Lucille (Edward DeGroot), David Arthur, and Dana Lynn (Stephen Lind). After a breather Debra Beth (Alyn Jones) and Donna Raye (Dale … Read more
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Raymond Miles, 96, Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at Our House Senior Living in Whitewater. Raymond was born on February 10, 1928, in Elkhorn, WI to Rueben and Norma Miles. He served in the US Army. On June 18, 1955, Raymond married Waverly Sutherland in Whitewater, WI. He enjoyed a long and successful career as a Livestock Dealer. In retirement, he cherished time spent with his family and remained informed on the farming community. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Waverly of Whitewater, sons Eddie of Madison and Todd (Barbara) Miles of Sarasota FL, … Read more
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Connie Jean Sukowski embarked on her next big adventure on the evening of Friday, November 8, 2024. Connie enjoyed decades of adventures with friends and family. She spent 36 years teaching 2nd and 3rd grade students in the Palmyra Eagle School District, working alongside many cherished colleagues and friends. Connie and her husband, Patrick Theodore Sukowski, shared 55 and a half years of marriage. Together they raised four children: Peter, Allan, Ann and Kevin Sukowski. She took great joy in watching her five grandchildren grow into amazing adults: Sonora Sukowski, Brianne Hebbe, Jared Gundrum-Sukowski, Nolan Causey, and Lore Lai Schimmel. … Read more
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Nancy Lou Hallock Cooper passed away November 8, 2024 due to complications of lungcancer. Nancy was born on April 20, 1936 in Springfield, MA to Howard and Barbara (Corliss) Hallock. As a child, Nancy spent every summer in her beloved Piermont, NH where she and her brothers “helped” the local farmer with his chores, including riding in the truck with the milk cans every morning. She enjoyed swimming in the local brooks, picking berries, going to the nearby library, visiting with cousins, and playing croquet every evening. As she grew older, she spent time as a camper and then a camp … Read more
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James Robert Trier (Jimbo), passed away on November 10, 2024, at the age of 89. Born on December 22, 1934, in New Holstein, WI, to George and Frances Trier. He spent his later years residing in Whitewater, WI. Jim began his teaching career as a high school mathematics teacher and then dedicated 55 years of his life to education as a mathematics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was the chairman of the faculty senate as well. He had a passion for math and an engaging teaching style, which made him a student favorite. He was known for telling … Read more
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