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| Gov. Tony Evers ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022, in honor of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day, as required by state statute, during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9 through Oct. 15, 2022. “Wisconsin firefighters exemplify the best our state has to offer, putting their health and safety on the line to take care of their neighbors and serve their communities,” said Gov. Evers. “From fire prevention education to emergency response, we are grateful for their service. On Saturday, we honor and remember the fallen heroes who are no longer with us and share our deepest condolences with their families, friends, colleagues, and loved ones. The legacy of their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” Fire Prevention Week is observed annually to recognize firefighters’ efforts to keep families and communities safe and to encourage Wisconsinites to take personal steps to have a planned and practiced home fire escape plan. The week will feature observances, ceremonies, exercises, and activities related to fire safety education and prevention. During Fire Prevention Week, the state of Wisconsin also recognizes Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day to honor the firefighters of this state who have made the ultimate sacrifice in performance of their duties over the course of the year. A copy of the governor’s Fire Prevention Week proclamation is available here. Previously, Gov. Evers ordered the flags to be flown at half-staff on Oct. 1, 2022, coinciding with the Final Alarm Ceremony and Silent Procession at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids, which is hosted by Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial Inc. in recognition of Firefighter Memorial Day. Executive Order #176 will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022, and is available here. |
The Whitewater Volleyball Program hosted Johnson Creek at our Dig Pink home finish on Thursday, October 13. It was an incredibly emotional night as Cali Kopecky and Kindyl Kilar began, “During our Dig Pink event last year, we had the honor of celebrating three of our moms who were breast cancer survivors. One of our moms, Angelica Verduzco, had JUST finished her final chemotherapy treatment and rang the celebratory bell in front of our Whippet Volleyball community. Little did we know that her battle wasn’t over yet. Over the last year, Angelica continued to fight the cancer with radiation, chemotherapy, and multiple surgeries. Her grit, tenacity, and positivity never dwindled as she battled day in and day out. Sadly, Angelica lost her battle to cancer in September of this year. Her beaming smile and love will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.” Peyton Clark gave a tribute to her grandmother who is a breast cancer survivor, and Aidyn Amundson and Calli Grosinske gave a heartfelt tribute to their moms, also breast cancer survivors.
The Whippets concluded with highlighting all in the stands who have been impacted by breast cancer and presented them a pink carnation and hugs.
This team, this program, understands that there is more to volleyball than the win-loss column. We are supporting each other through the toughest of times; we are playing for causes and people whom we hold dear to our hearts. Athletics brings people together, and this team understands the impact we have. They are a true team!
The Whippet Varsity squad (8-1 conference, and 20-6 overall) then took to the court and continued their win streak against the visiting Johnson Creek Blue Jays and swept them 25-14, 25-11, 25-16.
The Whippets controlled their side of the net and were able to stay in system most of the night. “Controlling the ball to stay in system is key to running a fast offense. I felt we ran the middle well tonight, with Jenna Pope and Aidyn Amundson getting some nice swings. CC Alexander also had a solid night on the right side and had some key blocks for us. Kindyl Kilar and Cali Kopecky had great nights on the outside, and both Calli Grosinske and Marina Linos set consistently for us. Caleigh Yang continued to be a force defensively in the libero position. Everyone got some playing time, and it was great to see Caroline Skindingsrude get some key serves and digs, and Cara Yang, our lone freshman, came in hot and played some great defense!”
We are now heading into our conference tournament on Saturday. Following, we begin the playoff run seeded fourth in our regional. We will host Monroe on Tuesday, October 18th at 7:00 p.m. We hope we can pack the gym with fan support!
We have been so thankful to our fans this season. They have come and supported us and created an awesome playing atmosphere!
Statistical leaders on the night included Ella Spear with 6 digs, Cali Kopecky with 6 digs and 5 aces, Calli Grosinske dished out 20 assists, and Kindyl Kilar had 21 kills and hit an outstanding .875 on the night.
Hope to see you Tuesday in the gym!
Article and Photos Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
The Whippet CC teams absolutely crushed their races on Thursday, October 13, in cold, windy, and sometimes rainy conditions at the Rock Valley Conference Meet at UW-Whitewater. It was certainly memorable as so many athletes showed such poise and grit throughout their 5000m races to achieve incredible results. All levels and genders finished 3rd or higher across the board.
To kick things off, the girls’ varsity was first and set the tone for what would amount to be a thunderous day. Mady Hefty went for it and put herself into position early with the front runners and showed no fear. It was inspirational to see Mady do her thing as soon Sophomore Athena Soto ran the race of her life and caught her teammate in the last moment to finish 9th and 10th overall and earn 2nd team all-conference honors. This was Athena’s first time assuming the number one spot, and she did so with a new lifetime best of 22:05. Mady finished a few ticks behind in 22:08. Nola Coburn had an incredible day herself and was seconds behind the top two girls placing 13th to also earn second-team all-conference honors. Nola’s time was 22:19. Senior Caelyn Caputo battled a cold throughout the week and poured her heart into the race to come home in 34th with a time of 24:37. Great pack running from junior Lauren Buehler, Sophomore Jackie Franco and Senior Emma Weigel proved to be very helpful all throughout the course as they finished 37th, 38th, and 39th with times of 24:51, 24:52, and 24:54. It was with this group of runners’ collective efforts that they catapulted themselves to 3rd place overall as a team, a significant improvement from the program’s 6th place finish one year ago.
The boys were on the docket next, and they created some fireworks of their own. Sophomore Jack Hefty rubbed elbows with the leaders for half the race before the eventual winner gapped him a bit. McFarland’s Spencer Alf set a new course and conference record with a time of 16:23. Hefty cruised to a solid runner-up finish with a time of 17:11. Meanwhile Junior Nate Holden was writing his own history as he absolutely slaughtered what he thought was possible and finished 5th overall with a time of 17:50. Both of these guys earned 1st team all-conference honors for finishing in the top 8 overall. Sophomore Miles Nickelsburg wasn’t going to let his two teammates gather all the honors as he flourished in his own right to take 20th and earn honorable mention all-conference honors with a time of 19:22. Senior CJ Tomomitsu missed some school early this week due to a tough cold but he didn’t let it hold him back from reppin’ the W one last time and giving it his all to finish as the team’s 4th runner position in 40th with a time of 21:01. Sophomore Andrew O’Toole nearly ran his lifetime best on this grueling course to be the team’s 5th runner and place 43rd with a time of 21:39. Sophomores Onyx Thompson and Xavier Zei gutted their way around the course to finish in 47th and 59th with times of 21:53 and 22:51. It was with their collective efforts that the varsity team claimed 3rd overall, also a significant improvement from last year when the team finished 7th overall.
In the JV girls’ race, the girls repeated as JV Conference champs as they bested Jefferson by 5 points, even with Sami Van Daele, finishing as the team’s 2nd runner, not counting in the results due to a timing bib issue. Isabella Aranda was the top finisher in 3rd place overall, Sami in 4th, Danielle DePorter in 7th, Silvia Harris 12th, Lucy Troxel in 13th, Adalynn Frye in 15th, Elisa Albertini in 17th, Stephanie Wence in 20th, Payton Brautigam in 22nd, Evie Troxel in 24th, and Taiya Kolb in 26th. This is the second straight RVC JV title for the girls’ program!
The boys’ JV team also did very well with this group taking 3rd overall, just like their varsity teammates. Ben McCulloch took the top spot for the Whippets in 12th overall, Yovanni Rojas-Reyes finished in 14th, Gavin LaFlash ran in 16th with a near full minute personal best, Sterling Truesdale placed 20th, Quinton O’Toole finished 35th, Payton Lyon, who also ran his personal best, placed in 37th, Keith Cameron came in 40th, Alex Clarksen with a huge personal best took 44th, and Sam Nickelsburg placed 47th.
Overall the teams all finished in 3rd place or higher on all levels, and earned 6 all-conference awards and memories that will last a lifetime. It was a great day!
The team will now look toward the WIAA Sectional CC meet next Saturday, October 22nd at UW-Parkside where the top two teams will earn a trip to the state meet, and the top five individuals not on those qualifying teams will earn a spot as well.
FULL RESULTS: https://my.raceresult.com/222789/
Article and Photos Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
The WHS Players will kick off their season with ”Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” Join Belle, Beast, Mrs Potts, and the rest of the beloved characters as this Broadway classic comes to life at the Whitewater High School auditorium on November 17-20. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
This “tale as old as time” tells the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
In addition to the regular performances, there will be a very special “Be our Guest “ Tea Party on November 19th at 12:30 p.m. Come dressed as your favorite Disney character, enjoy some sweets and treats in the enchanted castle, get your picture taken with some of the cast, and take home a souvenir tea cup. Tickets are $10 per child. Adult chaperones are free. Seating is limited, and reservations for this event are required.
Performances of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” will be held on November 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. and November 19-20 at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets for all of the shows and tea party are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 262-472-8178 or in person at the Book Teller in downtown Whitewater.
Under the Direction of Jim McCulloch and Liz Elliott, members of the cast include Skylar Staebler, Ben McCulloch, Payton Bunger, Matt Zingsheim, Alex Clarksen, Anderson Waelchli, Alex Sullivan, Brooke Mason, A’lani Rogers, Anders Clarksen, Xavier Zei, Josh Kirley, Ayden Clark, Marina Linos, Belle Cohen, Zel Scherer, Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Willow Vogelzang, Georgia Esch, Mel Prince, Adalynn Frye, Deven Wheeler-Bawden, Elora Wildermuth-Breitzman, Nina Heim, Taylor Speerbrecher, Alex Breisath, Sam Nickelsburg, Lauren Rolette, Haley Keltesch, Cain Gonzales. Ava Van Daele, Jimmy Kinson, Esteban Diaz-Gallegos, and Hayleigh Pond. The backstage crew is made up of Gabby Kirley, Sami Van Daele, Emma Weigel, Angela Hudec, Ava Nygren, Karime Velazquez, London Altreuter, Evie Troxel, Miles Nickelsberg, Jazmin Cederberg, Ian Long, Kara Long, Alexandra Cansino-Pena, Alejandra Diaz-Gallegos, Claire Tourdot, Abby Olson, and Ellie Green.
Article and Photo Submitted by Jim McCulloch
WUSD Theatre Director
jmcculloch@wwusd.org
Editor’s Note: The following was providing by the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.
The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club is selling red poinsettia plants, in 6-inch pots with plants for $15 and 8-inch pots with plants for $30, and the beautiful red blossoms will be available for distribution after November 18. Anyone interested in ordering the plants should contact Jerry Grant at 262-473-2214 or any Kiwanian. Plants can be picked up starting at 9 a.m. on November 18 at Wisconsin Dairy Supply on 440 W, Ann Street in Whitewater.
Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club President Patrick Taylor said, “We are delighted to be able to sell poinsettias this year, with the funds helping children in our community and the world as well as brightening your holidays.”
Whitewater Kiwanis is a group of dedicated volunteers who help both children of the Whitewater community and the world. Over the past five years the club raised funds to make possible the recent installation of the city’s first piece of inclusive playground equipment, a We-Go-Round, in Starin Park. Annual donations are also made to provide shoes and winter clothes for students, as well as support for organizations such as the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, The Community Space, and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.
If you have an interest in helping youth in Whitewater, you can check out Whitewater Kiwanis on Facebook and join our Club by contacting Patrick Taylor at Petaylor.law@gmail.com.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
The Whippet Swim Team competed against the Delavan-Darien Comets Tuesday night, October 11, and we celebrated our Seniors at their last home meet with a win!
Here’s our senior highlights of the night:
☀Brooke Bazeley had a spectacular senior night with two new personal best times – in the 50 Freestyle going a time of 27.58 and the 500 Freestyle by breaking that 6-minute mark with a time of 5:57.19!
☀Grace Foucault had an extravagant senior night with two great swims and 1st place finishes in the 100 Butterfly and the 100 Backstroke!
☀Josie Treder had a tremendous senior night with a 2nd place finish in the 200 IM and a best time in the 100 Freestyle with a time of 1:10.58!
☀Karime Velazquez had a marvelous senior night with a 2nd place finish in the 100 Butterfly and a best time in the 50 Freestyle with a time of 33.62!
☀Ashly Xochipa had a stupendous senior night with a best time in the 50 Freestyle with a time of 30.11 and a strong performance in the 100 Backstroke!
Some other sensational swims of the night include:
✔Lucy Davis had best times in the 50 and the 100 Freestyle. She dropped 11 seconds in the 100 Freestyle.
✔Emerson Dunham had a best time in the 100 Breaststroke where she dropped 5 seconds.
✔Atreya Wilson had a best time in the 200 Freestyle with a time of 3:04.16. That is a 25 second drop from her previous 200 Freestyle time!
✔Sanibel Fox-Simes had a best time in the 50 and 100 Freestyle. She dropped 4 seconds in both events.
✔Andrea Alcala had a best time in the 100 Freestyle with a 24 second drop in time!
✔Lucy Troxel competed in the 100 Breaststroke for the first time!
We are so proud of our Whippet athletes, and we still have a lot of our season left! The Whippets are back in the pool on Tuesday (10/18) against Jefferson/Cambridge at 5:30 p.m. for the last dual meet of the season.
Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org
On a cold, rainy, and some would say miserable night, your Whitewater Varsity Boys’ Soccer team lost 1-0 to Jefferson on Tuesday, October 11.
Once again plagued by absences of varsity starters, our team played a tough game of soccer where almost nothing went right. A game that was dominated (possessionally) by the Whippets saw a missed penalty kick, two goal line clearances, three free kicks sailing over the crossbar, and numerous saves from the Jefferson keeper. A decent free kick early in the second half saw Jefferson score the game’s only goal.
Overall, it must be said that although there was a poor performance in all aspects of the game, Chris Cortes did a wonderful job reading balls and marking players in the 25 MPH wind.
Our last game before regionals will be on Thursday (10/13) at Big Foot.
Article Submitted by Sam Burns
Whitewater High School Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach
dburns@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
In recognition of the outstanding support that the community of Whitewater provides to the school, each year the WHS Student Council selects two community members to serve as Grandma & Grandpa Whippet. Grandma and Grandpa Whippet exhibit the kind of support for academics, athletics, and arts that Whitewater High School is known for. This year’s Grandma and Grandpa Whippet are Eileen Jaskolski (also known as Grandma J) and Mike Stutzman.
Grandma J spent so much time in Whitewater that she decided to move here three years ago. In that short amount of time, she has already made such an impact on the Whitewater community! Grandma J worked as a registered nurse and went on to become the Vice President of mission services for Columbia St. Mary’s in Milwaukee. Grandma J has volunteered many hours at Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital, at her church in Milwaukee, and, now, at St. Patrick’s in Whitewater. She also volunteers her time for all of the Play for Trey events. Grandma J is also known for her yummy, sweet treats that she makes for the students in Whitewater. And, she is Triple A proud. You can find her at athletic, arts, and academic events. Grandma J is appreciated throughout the Whitewater Community. She exemplifies the #TheWhippetWay.
Mike Stutzman could be considered a Lifelong Whippet. He was a Whitewater Unified School District employee for over 35 years, spending all of his years at Whitewater High School and Whitewater Middle School as a Computer Science teacher and then moving on to teach 7th grade science. He was the driving force that started the 8th grade trip to Disney World and was a big part of the 7th grade Washington DC trips. Mike has over 30 years of coaching experience in volleyball and was also the Athletic Director at the middle school. Mike’s colleagues said he is a team player, has a huge heart, and gives out great advice. He is also a huge supporter of the Academics, Arts, and Athletics of the Whitewater Community. He, too, is Triple A Proud and is 1Family. Congratulations Grandma J and Mike!
Article and Photo Submitted by Amy Houwers
Whitewater High School Student Council Advisor
ahouwers@wwusd.org
Obituaries
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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Juan Manuel “Manny” Rodriguez, 56, of Whitewater, WI, passed away on Oct 31, 2024. He was born in Fort Atkinson, WI, on November 14, 1967 to Ponciano and Blanca Rodriguez. He graduated from Whitewater High School and continued his education at Gateway, earning a degree in marketing. He had a love for helping people and worked in healthcare for over 30 years as a CNA. He enjoyed shooting darts with his lifelong friends: Robert Bramley, Brian Quass, and Todd Piper. To know Manny, you knew he had a love for his Washington Redskins, now known as the Commanders. He loved to play … Read more
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