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The Whippet Swimmers took on Beloit Memorial for their last dual meet of the season on Thursday, January 25th! They swam fast on the night, registering 19 of 25 best times and many sitting right on their season bests.
These times include:
The 200 Medley Relay (Wyatt Esch, David Enns, Miles Nickelsburg, and Onyx Thompson) with a time of 2:15.26.
200 Freestyle:
David Enns competed in this event for the first time this season and went a time of 2:45.96.
Myles Morse dropped 5 seconds going a time of 2:08.26
200 IM:
Cruz Aranda dropped 7 seconds by going a time of 2:15.62. He is now 7th on the Whippet Top 10 List!
Miles Nickelsburg also dropped 7 seconds by going a time of 2:37.01
50 Freestyle:
Langdon Coburn went a time of 25.56
Wyatt Esch went a time of 27.40
Isaac Straight went a time of 41.62
100 Butterfly:
Jack Hefty dropped over 3 seconds by going a time of 1:04.19
100 Freestyle:
Cruz Aranda went a 55.20
Angel Kilar went a 1:18.13
500 Freestyle:
Myles Morse went a time of 5:43.06
Wyatt Esch dropped 15 seconds by going a time of 6:42.08
Shout out to the 200 Freestyle Relay (Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, Myles Morse, and Langdon Coburn) who placed first overall!
100 Backstroke:
Miles Nickelsburg dropped 4 seconds by going a time of 1:10.33
Angel Kilar dropped 5 seconds by going a time of 1:42.59
400 Freestyle Relay:
Cruz Aranda, Langdon Coburn, Myles Morse, and Jack Hefty went a time of 3:52.49
The Whippets are ready for Championship season as we host Conference on Saturday, February 3. We hope to see the pool packed with Whippet fans!
Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org
By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Informatin
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s track and field team finished second of eleven teams in the annual Leonard “Squig” Converse Invitational in Whitewater Friday. Shelvin Garrett II led the Warhawks with a program record in the triple jump – a mark that is also the best in Division III so far this season.
The meet is split into two days of competition with the men competing Friday and the women on Saturday. UW-La Crosse won the men’s meet with a total of 180 followed by UWW with 119. UW-Stevens Point captured third with a score of 76.5 followed by MSOE (69), Carthage (56), St. Norbert (30.5), Wisconsin Lutheran (20), Elmhurst (15, Augustana (6), Concordia Wisconsin (6) and North Central (5).
Garrett II registered a career-best to win the triple jump Friday. His mark of 15.41 meters (50-6.75) broke the over 10-year-old program record by over two inches and is the best mark in Division III so far this season. Garrett II added a second-place finish in the long jump. He tallied another career-best with a mark of 7.15 meters (23-5.50).
Myles Anderson claimed gold in the fastest event of the evening – the 60-meter dash. He edged the competition with a career-best 6.85 while teammate Issac Stanger finished seventh with a clocking of 7.11. Kobe Chandler added first place points to the team total with a time of 50.16 to lead a three-Warhawk contingent in the top eight in the event.
Gunner Schlender posted a five-second career-best to win the 3,000 with a time of 8:13.59. Christian Patzka was less than a tenth of a second back for silver.
Marlon Cystrunk and Tamir Thomas finished back-to-back in the 60-meter hurdles with times of 8.39 and 8.43 respectively. Chandler and Anderson followed suit in the 200 with matching times of 22.54. Chandler got the nod for third place by just .002.
In the final event of the day, UWW’s Drew Davey, Colin Lewandowski, Rhett Reuter and Justin Krause combined for a time of 3:32.88 – good for fourth in the 4×400 meter relay.
After the first four events of the men’s heptathlon, Jack McGinn holds second with 2442 points. Ben Bunton is fourth with a total of 2420. The heptathlon will conclude with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1000-meter Saturday.
Additional Top 8 Finishers: Ben Bojar (6th – 200); Chris Kalies (7th – 200, 5th – 400); Andy VanZile (8th – 200); Brad Heller (6th – 400); Reuter (4th – 800); Krause (5th – 800); Dan Anderson (8th – 3000); Josh Krystosek (4th – high jump); Jared Sudbrink (6th – high jump); Spencer Steffen (7th – high jump); Brady Schaller (6th – pole vault)
Wisconsin Singers at the Young Auditorium – Friday, February 2 @ 7:30 p.m. – All seats are $25.
Wisconsin Singers got a standing ovation for their concert last year at the Young Auditorium, and word of mouth should certainly bring out a larger audience for their return engagement, featuring all new music.
Wisconsin Singers presents When Opposites Attract for its 56 season! This exhilarating pop music revue explores the variation in the world around us, and the unexpected greatness of bringing opposites and difference together. Audiences will enjoy music from legendary artists such as Tina Turner, Queen, Dolly Parton, and Michael Bublé; showstopping numbers from Hamilton, Wicked, Some Like It Hot, and other award-winning musicals; and even favorite tunes from beloved movie soundtracks like High School Musical, A Goofy Movie, and The Breakfast Club. Performed by UW-Maidson’s nationally renowned dancers, singers, and instrumentalists, Wisconsin Singers will ignite the stage with more than 50 songs in their newest original show. The Singers and their ever-contagious Badger spirit are an unforgettable entertainment experience for every age and musical taste!
Tickets may be purchased here.
The fall semester Dean’s List at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls has been released by Registrar Kelly Browning. It honors 1,656 students.
To be named to the Dean’s List, a full-time undergraduate must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a scale of 4.0, or midway between an “A” and “B” average. Area students are listed below by name, hometown and major.
Whitewater, WI
Owen Kramer, Animal Science
Gwen Truesdale, Agricultural Engineering
About UW-River Falls:
UWRF is a student-centered institution that provides excellent accessible academic programs serving the needs of our region, the state and beyond.
“What Happens Later”
Tuesday, January 30, 1 p.m.
(Romance/Comedy) Rated R (Language)
1 hour, 43 minutes (2023)
Two ex-lovers see each other for the first time in years when they are both snowed in at an airport overnight. Starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
ELKHORN, WI – Nearly half of the tickets have already sold for the second annual ‘Casino Night Benefit’ being held on Saturday, February 10th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Geneva Tap House, located at 252 Broad Street in scenic downtown Lake Geneva. Funds raised will be used to support VIP Services and their ongoing community programs and essential services for adults with disabilities.
Tickets for this unforgettable event are only $50 each and include entrance, playing chips, snacks, and a wide selection of beverages including wines, seltzers, and many varieties of beer. Guests will have the opportunity to play blackjack, roulette, craps and Texas hold’em. The top three chip holders at the end of the night will get to pick from the prize table.
Craig Poshepny, Executive Director of VIP Services, sees the benefit as a chance to educate the public about VIP’s many services and create new connections in the community.
“This is such a unique event, and it is also a great forum for talking about those we support in their efforts to overcome challenges and barriers to find employment and other opportunities to become involved in the community,” Poshepny said during a promotional announcement at VIP. “Moving the benefit to Geneva Tap House creates an opportunity to reach a wider audience here in Walworth County, form new partnerships, and hold an even bigger event than we did last year.”
Poshepny said the additional space at Geneva Tap House will make it possible to have additional gaming tables and host more than 150 guests. Those interested in buying or reserving tickets are encouraged to call VIP Services at 262.723.4043 or visit the organization’s offices at 811 Geneva Street in Elkhorn.
Sheriff Fell is pleased to announce that the Rock County Sheriff’s Office will offer our second and final 2024 ATV Safety Education Course on February 6, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and February 17, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the Rock County
Fairgrounds – Craig Center, 1301 Craig Ave, Janesville, WI 53545. Students will need to attend both sessions to graduate.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, is required to complete an ATV Safety Education Course in order to legally operate an ATV or UTV in areas open to the public within the State of Wisconsin. It is recommended that participants are at least 12 years of
age or turn 12 shortly after the class.
ATV Safety Education Course
Session 1: Tues., February 6, from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. @ Rock Co. Fairgrounds – Craig Center
Session 2: Sat., February 17, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. @ Rock Co. Fairgrounds – Craig Center
Registration is now open. Complete the online enrollment form to reserve a seat.
https://www.co.rock.wi.us/departments/sheriff-s-office/recreational-patrol/atv-education
Class size is limited to thirty (30) students. Upon submission of the registration form, the submitter will see an onscreen confirmation message with course information.
The course fee of $10 per student will be collected at the first session. If the student is under 18 years old, a parent/guardian will need to attend the first session with the student. Students will receive course materials at the first session. Please direct any
questions to Deputy Trevor Lund at trevor.lund@co.rock.wi.us.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Rock County Sheriff’s Department.
On Saturday morning, January 20, the varsity wrestlers traveled to Monroe to participate in the Monroe Invitational. This year the event featured 15 teams as some teams joined after having their tournament canceled from last weekend’s snow storm. The added teams were some very strong teams, one featuring three returning state champions and another that is going to be in a battle for a regional title in a strong regional in southwest Wisconsin. This was an outstanding test for the Whippet Wrestlers to help analyze where they are as we are three weeks from the tournament series.
The tournament was a tale of contrasting rounds for the team. They started out extremely strong losing only one match, followed by round two where the team only won two of its matches as they ran into some extremely tough opponents in the quarter finals. After a tough round, the coaching staff was concerned on how the team would respond, but they did great, winning all but two of the matches again. One of those wins put Sebastian Cuellar (165) into the finals after a big pin in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, based on the format of the brackets, the only way a wrestler can place in the top 4 is by making the semi-finals. Besides Cuellar, those that won in the 3rd round all put themselves into the 5th place match.
The final round was another tough round for the Whippets. Cuellar lost a tough match to a young man from Belleville who is having a very strong year, putting Cuellar as runner up at 165 pounds. Junior (Vicente) Soto at heavyweight wrestled extremely well all day finishing with the bronze medal. On the 5th place mat, the Whippets saw Jasen Porras (113), Jarvis Porcaro (120), and Traysen Thomason (144) all secure victories and reach the podium. Cuellar, Soto, Porras, Porcaro, and Thomason all finished the day an impressive 4-1. Finishing the day 3-2 and in 6th place were Connor Friend (132), Odair Porras (150), JJ Gonzalez (157), Jesus Barajas (175), and Payton Lyon (190).
The team race was very close with the top two teams; Janesville Parker edged Belleville by one point! Whitewater finished in 6th place with 143 points. The two teams immediately ahead of Whitewater had 144 points. Looking back on the day, had the Whippets picked up just one more win they would have finished in 4th place. Of course, as a coach it hurts to be so close to the top four as a team. However, based on the quality of competition of the tournament, the coaching staff is happy with the performance of the team.
The Whippets are next in action on Thursday, January 25th, when they travel to compete against a strong Oregon team.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Obituaries
Marion Jauch Burrows (Feb. 2, 1930 – June 5, 2026) Her sparkling eyes, warm laugh, and generous ways were gifts Marion brought into this world, touching family members and friends alike over the ninety-six years of her life. She was born and raised in Lombard, IL, and in the course of her life lived with her husband and growing family in Abilene, TX, St. David’s, PA, Arkadelphia, AR, Ada, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO, before settling in Whitewater, WI, in 1965. Generosity of heart, compassion toward those in need in and beyond her community, and an unwavering commitment to fairness … Read more
Patricia “Pat” Lynn Bailey, age 70, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026 with her daughter by her side. Pat was born February 21, 1956 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to John and Ruth (Hudock) Prentice. After a brief time in Ann Arbor, the Prentice family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Pat grew up as part of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater community, where her father served as University Registrar. Pat attended the University School and later graduated from UW Whitewater with a degree in Elementary Education. Although she did not pursue teaching, she built a meaningful career in Human … Read more
Gemelino Paris Esperante, 83, long time resident of Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, June 4th, 2026. He was born on January 10, 1943, to his late father and mother, Evaristo and Carmen in Spain. In 1973 he moved to the United States as a sheep herder. On August 21, 1981, he was united in marriage to Cyndie Esperante in Colorado. Gemelino also worked in Mining and construction for many years. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, raising sheep and growing things in his garden, and flowers. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife … Read more
Mary Ann Warner died peacefully on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Crestridge Assisted Living in Dodgeville. Her physical heart failed, but her actual, loving heart never did. Ann was born June 28, 1939 to Mary and Charles Kearns in Iowa. She moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin and graduated with many dear friends in the class of 1957. Ann married John Warner on September 19, 1959. They lived in Whitewater, Sturgis Michigan, and finally settled in Janesville where they built a beautiful life and raised their family. Together, they ran a business, traveled, played cards, and enjoyed their lives. When they became … Read more
Patricia Ann Jacobson (Bureau), age 81, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI. Born on September 2, 1944, in Marquette, MI, to the late Donald and Margaret Bureau, Pat grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She graduated from Graveraet High School, attended Michigan State University, and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. Pat dedicated her professional life to shaping young minds, working as an elementary and junior high school teacher in both Flint, MI, and Whitewater, WI. At the heart of Pat’s life was a beautiful, … Read more
In loving memory of Lois Lauritzen, age 92, who passed away on June 1, 2026 at Lakewood Memory Care in Brookfield. Lois led an active life full of devotion to family and friends. Born July 14th, 1933 in Silvis, IL, daughter of Harry and Elsie Wilson, she grew up in the Quad Cities with older brother Harry Wilson Jr. Lois graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a degree in physical education. She met her husband Paul Lauritzen on the college tennis team. Their marriage on June 12th, 1955 lasted 59 years until Paul’s death on September 26th, … Read more
Donald Walter Triebold passed on to his eternal home on May 21, 2026. Don was born on April 23, 1935, in Evanston, IL, to the late Frederick W. and Mildred (nee Stecher) Triebold. Through his teen years, Don lived and worked on the family’s dairy farm, where he developed a life-long work ethic. His first eight years of education were in a one-room country schoolhouse, in which all eight grades were taught by one teacher. He graduated from Whitewater City High School in 1953 and then graduated from UW Whitewater in 1958 with a degree in Business Education. He continued his education, and earned a Master’s … Read more
William Kincaid Davis, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, May 19 at Agrace Hospice Center in Fitchburg. He was born on November 1, 1941, in Madison, Indiana, the second son of Salvation Army Officers Agnes (Dixon) and William C. Davis. He attended several schools in Indiana and Illinois, including University of Illinois Experimental High School (Champaign), and graduated from Galesburg High School in 1958. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in 1964 and his master’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 1972. He had an expansive career in education, beginning as an English teacher in Whitehall, Thornton Township (IL) and … Read more
Magdalene “Maggie” Stetter (nee Fritz), 79, of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed from this life onto the next on Monday, May 4, 2026. She was born on January 16, 1947, to the late John and Mary (Presser) Fritz in St. Stefan, Austria. Maggie immigrated from Austria with her parents and brother, became a US citizen, and grew up and attended school in West Allis, WI and then graduated with a teaching degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Maggie served as a substitute, English, and German language teacher in the Whitewater, Elkhorn, Delavan, and Palmyra schools and at Divine Word Seminary. Maggie … Read more
Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, a proud Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2026. Larry was born June 7th, 1949, to Levon and Charles Hartung in Chicago, IL. Larry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1968 and served 3 consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. During this time, he became pen pals with his future wife, Candy, via a connection through his father. In 1970, he came home on leave to marry Candy. They celebrated 55 years of marriage on October 31st, 2025. During … Read more
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