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The Varsity Gymnastics Team competed in their second meet of the season at the Janesville Craig Invite on Saturday, December 10th. The girls continue to impress with their personal bests, new skills performed, and eagerness to compete in new rotations.
Halee Peters led the way with a season best on the balance beam with a 7.95. She followed that up with a lifetime best score on the floor with an 8.35 and then a medal worthy performance on vault, taking 5th. In her last rotation, she had a season best score of 7.65 on the uneven bars, which also ties her lifetime best score.
Brooke Bazeley was able to perform her floor and her beam routines for the first time this season. She accepted the challenge with a no fall beam routine picking up where she left off last season! She is excited to add some new skills to both routines for future meets.
Makayla Bazeley scored close to her season best on the balance beam with a 7.05 and followed that up with a fun to watch floor routine where she did her best 720 pirouette. Her routine on the uneven bars scored her a season best that tied with her lifetime best score of 7.30. She added a double cut catch to her routine and nailed it.
Nola Coburn had a great day on the floor where she had a season best score of 6.65. She went on to have a season best score on the vault with a 7.35 which is getting close to her lifetime best score.
Stephanie Walters competed for the first time this season on the balance beam, and her score contributed to the team score. It was great to see her trying new skills and hope to add more to her mix in the upcoming meets.
Alexa Wildenberg continues to impress with her floor routine, earning a season best score. She also has been working hard to be able to compete on the vault, and her score contributed to the team score for that rotation!
The girls have a little break in competitions until January 3rd when they have a home meet against Elkhorn. Hope to see you there!
Article and Photos Submitted by Shawnda Peters
Whitewater High School Head Gymnastics Coach
speters@wwusd.org
This week, the Whippet Wrestlers had a busy couple of days being in action on Thursday night, December 8, and again on Saturday, December 10.
On Thursday night, the Whippets traveled to East Troy to participate in a dual meet with Clinton and East Troy, our first two dual meets of the season. The team wrestled very well in both duals coming out on top 60-12 against Clinton and 47-36 against East Troy. Clinton had been down over the years number wise, but the new coach is doing a very nice job getting students out, and they had many competitive matches. The Whippets wrestled well in all the matches to seal wins in many of them. Clinton also provided our JV members with some good matches as well. Whitewater has 44 student-athletes on the team, so it can be difficult getting good matches for all the students. Many had the opportunity on Thursday and performed well.
In the next dual meet against East Troy, it was typical East Troy vs Whitewater fashion. Three of the last four times these two teams have met it has come down to criteria after it finished in a tie. This year could very easily have been the same; however, Whitewater was able to wrestle with grit and win the swing matches. The coaches were proud of the performance of the team after one of their teammates went down with an injury. They did not know what was wrong but were concerned for their teammate. They kept wrestling hard to finish it out. One of the key swing matches came at 126 when CJ Tomomitsu battled back after losing the majority of the match but was able to secure a pin in the 3rd period which created a huge change in events for the dual meet.
On Saturday, the team hosted a 12-team invitational. This year was the most competitive it has been in the 9 years Whitewater has hosted it. There were many very competitive matches throughout the day, and in the end, Burlington won the tournament with Riverdale coming in second place. Whitewater wrestled well during the day and finished in 4th place. The coaching staff was happy with this finish. We were shorthanded in a couple of weight classes to take care of injuries as the focus is the big picture, not a one-day event.
Unfortunately, the team did not have any finalist this year, but they did have four finish in 3rd place. Jason Villegas, CJ Tomomitsu, Connor Friend, and Payton Lyon all had one loss on the day, but each finished 4-1 to claim 3rd place. Each of the losses were to extremely tough competitors but they all did well in the loss. It is difficult to come back from a loss, but each of them did so to win their last match of the day.
Alongside the boys’ competition there were also brackets set up for the girls to compete in. The women’s wrestling team has some very nice numbers with some new additions in the last week as well. Whitewater had three competing on Saturday. Khloe Meyer has not found success in the win column; however, she is showing much improvement each time she competes. Lauren Buehler wrestled well, pinning her first opponent then losing in the championship in a well wrestled match where she got out of position and took the loss. Lauren finished in 2nd place.
Ashly Xochipa had a great day going 4-0 and bringing home the gold. She pinned all four of her opponents. In one, she was behind in a close match but got a big reversal to the girl’s back for the pin. Ashly improved her record to 9-1 on the year with the wins on Saturday.
Against East Troy and Clinton the ladies also had some very good competition. Coming away with wins for the girls were Lauren Buehler, Stephanie Wence, and Ashly Xochipa who had 3 wins on the night. This was a great performance for the ladies’ team.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
The Dance Factory and Lake Geneva Symphony present Tchaikovsky’s popular ballet, The Nutcracker, written in 1892, on Saturday, December 17 at 1:00 p.m. Tickets ($30-35) are available here.
EMMANUEL RAMIREZ. Born and raised in Mexico, Emmanuel is a dance teacher, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Dance from Universidad de Guadalajara and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Drama from Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico. Emmanuel has danced for various professional companies throughout Mexico, such as Compañía de Danza Clasica y Neoclasica de Jalisco, Compañía de Danza Clásica de Quintana Roo, Danza UNAM, Atelier Ballet Teatro Contemporaneo and Guadalajara en Movimiento, where he danced choreography pieces of Mark Godden, Nazira Yakubova, Katia Garza, Rosario Murillo, Dalirys Valladares, Sergio Vicencio, Arcadio Carbonell, Diego Vazquez, Raul Fernandez, among others. Emmanuel moved to Chicago in 2016 where he’s performed annually in both Ballet Legere’s and Ruth Page’s Nutcracker and danced as a company member of Elements Contemporary Ballet. As a Teacher, he has worked for Maywood Fine Arts, Ballet Legere, Dance On Broadway, The Rooted Space, Kenwood Ballet School, and Chicago Public Schools. As an actor he played the role Iago from Othelo for Repertorio Latino Theater Company, Sharks’ ensemble in West Side Story at Marriott Theater, and Ramon in Zorro the Musical at Musical Theater Works. He recently earned his Pilates Certification through Kinetic Axis studying under Steven Winterstein and is certified nationally through the Pilates Method Alliance.
NICOLE VOLPE. A Chicagoland local, Nicole has had an eclectic performance career. After graduating from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in 2016 with a degree in Psychology, she returned home to Chicagoland to study at Lou Conte Dance Studio’s Scholarship Program. Before launching her career as a freelance dancer, she also trained at Ruth Page, Hubbard Street Professional Program, and ABT Summer Intensives, among others. In Chicago, she had the opportunity to dance as a season soloist with Mandala South Asian Arts, Ballerina #1 on FOX’s Empire, with Alma Dance School in their productions of Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, and as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Tina Hansen’s Nutcracker in 2019. Most recently, she had the opportunity to perform in the ensemble and Mistress alternate in Drury Lane Theater’s production of Evita. She is now living in Boston, MA with her husband and three cats, where she runs Nicole Marie Photography. She continues to dance in Boston, and is excited to be dancing with City Ballet of Boston, collaborating with Harvard Ballet Company, and exploring her own choreographic work with the thriving Boston dance community. She is thrilled to be returning to dance with The Dance Factory’s Nutcracker!
Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on December 9.
Deans Hayes, Goza to retire in 2023
Eileen M. Hayes, dean of the College of Arts and Communication, and Franklin Goza, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, will retire from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next year, they announced.
“It has been an honor to work with Dean Hayes and Dean Goza. Their commitment to the university and our mission of transforming lives is something I have been able to observe on a daily basis,” said Robin Fox, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Over the years, I’ve seen their strong support of their colleges, administrative teams, faculty and staff, their commitment to shared governance and their focus on students through offering high-quality, rigorous programs. Their retirements are well deserved and I wish them the very best. On a personal note, I will miss their thoughtful counsel, which I have often turned to for guidance.”
Hayes joined the Warhawk family in August of 2017.
“Dean Hayes, a noted scholar of Black music and LGBTQ community formation, has an impressive vitae. Of special note is her role in the College Music Society, which is the largest professional music society for the multi-disciplines,” Fox said. “She is the immediate past-president of the organization. This level of leadership is significant and helps to continue to elevate UW-Whitewater and the College of Arts and Communication on a national level.”
In a message to the college, Hayes remarked, “As I have said on numerous occasions, it is a pleasure to join you in furthering the education of our students. We have a marvelous faculty, academic staff, and university staff; the list of accomplishments of Music, Art and Design, Communication, Theatre/Dance, and Media Arts and Game Development is long. Daily, I marvel at my good fortune at having had the opportunity to work with you.”
Goza began his leadership role at UW-Whitewater as associate dean in August of 2013, and was hired as dean in June of 2019.
“Dean Goza’s work at UW-Whitewater has resulted in new majors, minors, certificates and emphases,” Fox said. “I would also draw attention to his support for the development of two new departments under his leadership — Computer Science and World Languages and Cultures. This type of support for the members of the college is just one example of Dean Goza’s strong and responsive leadership.”
In a message to the college, Goza remarked, “I want to thank all of you for everything that you do to make this a great college. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with you and to serve as one of the college leaders during the past 10 years. It is truly a bittersweet moment for me as I thoroughly enjoy what I do, especially being able to interact on a regular basis with such dedicated and inspirational individuals like you.”
Hayes’ retirement is effective March 13, and Goza will retire June 30.
The national search for the College of Letters and Sciences dean has already begun and the national search for the dean of the College of Arts and Communication will be launched early in the spring semester.
Many caregivers have mixed feelings about holidays. They may have happy memories of the past, but they also may worry about the extra demands that holidays make on their time and energy.
Here are some ways to balance holiday-related activities while taking care of yourself and a loved one with dementia:
- Safety first. Be sure holiday decorations are secured, cords are not loose and traffic areas are clear.
- Simplify, simplify, simplify! Your everyday life requires much time and energy. Don’t add a lot of stress. Think of simple pleasures like taking a walk or taking a drive to view decorations. Prepare a special food together but keep it simple.
- Take care of yourself. As difficult as it is to find time for rest, regular meals and exercise, try your best. Enlist friends to sit with your loved one.
- Set your own limits. You do not have to live up to the expectations of friends or relatives. Your situation is different now.
- Involve the person with Alzheimer’s in simple holiday preparations, or have him or her observe your preparations. Participating may give the person the pleasure of helping and the fun of anticipating and reminiscing.
- Simplify meals and decorating. You don’t have to do everything you used to do. Find one tradition that is not too demanding and emphasize its connection with the past.
- If visitors are desired, limit them and find a time when your loved one is at his or her best.
- If your person with dementia gets upset or overstimulated, have some quiet distractions in your playbook, such as looking at photos or going for a walk.
- Make sure there is a quiet space where the person can rest and have time to recharge.
- Try to maintain your daily routine as much as possible and avoid noise, loud conversations, loud music, lighting that is too bright or too dark, and having too much rich food or drink (especially alcohol).
- If you receive invitations to events that your loved one cannot attend, consider going yourself. Ask a friend or family member to spend time with the person while you’re out.
Happy Holidays to all!
This article is submitted by Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, a program of Whitewater Seniors in the Park.
https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/273/Seniors-In-the-Park
More Holiday resources for caregivers and their loved ones:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/holiday-hints-alzheimers-caregivers
The Whitewater Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Jefferson for a conference game Friday night. Teamwork, solid defense, and confidence were all contributors to the win for the Whippets.
It was a battle all the way though the game. We were able to pull away, knocking down clutch free throws at the end. With just over a minute remaining, Cali Kopecky missed a free throw but got her own rebound and knocked down a 2-pointer to put us up by 6. Ashlyn Enke answered back with a 3 pointer, putting the score 36-33. Clutch free throws were scored by Kilar (2), Grosinske (1), and Amundson (1) to solidify the win.
Cali Kopecky led the Whippets with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Cali Grosinske finished with 11 points and 7 steals. Kindyl Kilar added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Final score: 43-36
Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
All photos are courtesy of Tom Ganser, in no particular order. The Parade of Lights on December 2 was powered by Generac.
“Christmas Oranges”
Tuesday, December 13, 1 p.m.
(Drama/Family) rated PG; 1 hour, 41 minutes (2012)
Share a slice of Christmas sweetened with family and friendship in a poignant story based on a classic holiday tale. Starring Edward Herrmann and Nancy Stafford.
Obituaries
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
Carol Ann Seebruch, 88 of Whitewater passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 3, 2026. Carol was born July 12, 1937 in Chicago IL to William and Ann Borovec. She married Marvin Seebruch on June 9, 1984. Carol and Marvin enjoyed traveling the United States making it to 48 of the 50 states. She also enjoyed her time with the Red Hat Ladies. She loved taking pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Carol is survived by her three children; Bill Anderson of Fort Atkinson, WI, Terri Laban of Whitewater, WI, and Donna (Mike) Jones of Crivitz, WI. She … Read more
Entered God’s Kingdom on Friday, April 3, 2026, age 65. Donna is survived by her cousins, other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents James and Lois (Michels) Lyons. Donna was raised in the Church of Nazarene, with her father being the assistant pastor. Religion was very important to Donna. Donna enjoyed working with the students of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, where she resided. Donna also loved to travel, visiting France, Italy, and all around the United States. She also loved to paint, cross-stitch, knit, and crochet. She also loved collecting recipes and trying … Read more
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