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The Whitewater Varsity Squad (6-1 conference, and 17-6 overall) hosted Jefferson for Senior Night on Tuesday, September 27, and swept the Eagles 25-12, 25-19, 25-20. The Whippets continued their win streak, and swept the Evansville Blue Devils in 3 straight sets on Thursday, September 29. The entire squad shared playing time in the victory.
“I cannot be prouder of the way this team is playing as one unit, selflessly putting it all out on the floor for each other, and working hard day in and day out. This is a group of athletes that emulate what it means to be a team. They support one another, they lean in to whatever the team needs, and they simply are finding success because of their mindset. They are a fun team to coach!”
Statistical leaders on the night included Kindyl Kilar hitting a .405 with 31 kills, 18 digs, and 2 aces in the three sets, Caleigh Yang with 5 aces, and Calli Grosinske with 34 assists.
The Whippets will be in action at home on Tuesday, October 4th, for the Annual Play for Trey, in honor of Treyton Kilar who was killed in 2010 by a drunk driver on his way home from watching his sister play volleyball. Treyton is the brother of Whippet athlete Kindyl Kilar and JV1 coach Rosie Jaskolski, and son to head coach, Mary Kilar.
“This event is truly special. For the high school athletes to continue to honor Trey by bringing awareness of destructive decisions touches our hearts. The message of making good choices will never get old. Treyton was killed by one destructive decision in 2010. We hope this event continues to keep at the forefront that making a good choice will never be the wrong choice. I thank our whole community for their support. We hope to see you in the gym!”
Statistical leaders for Evansville included Rachel Klitzman with 8 kills, Taija Louis with 5 aces, and Skye McDermott with 16 assists.
Article Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
It’s time once again for #flashbackfriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
Today’s photo is an aerial view of primarily downtown Whitewater taken around 1960.
At the center is the old City Hall and just northeast is the Old Stone Mill, both demolished about 10 years later. Also, along Whitewater Street is the old Winchester and Partridge Manufacturing Company. Around this time, part of it housed the Coburn Company and it burned in the 1960s.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3729P, Whitewater Historical Society)
Tuesday night, September 27, the Whippet Swim Team took on Badger Co-Op at home. Despite going against tough competition, the Whippets still showed up to compete as many went best times!
These best times include:
In the 200 Freestyle:
✔Atreya Wilson went a 3:29.23 with a drop in time of 18 seconds.
✔Georgia Esch went a time of 3:21.53.
✔Karime Velazquez went a time of 2:46.75.
In the 200 IM:
✔Makayla Bazeley went a time of 2:17.30. She also earned herself a new spot on the Top 10 list at #5!
✔Charlotte Hajewski went a time of 2:54.14
In the 50 Freestyle:
✔Lucy Davis went a time of 38.41.
✔Brooke Bazeley went a time of 27.97.
In the 100 Butterfly:
✔Karime Velazquez went a time of 1:25.50 with a drop in time of 5 seconds!
✔Makayla Bazeley went a time of 1:01.44.
In the 100 Freestyle:
✔Sanibel Fox-Simes had an impressive race where she dropped 5 seconds.
✔Michelle Abarca went a time of 1:26.06.
✔Grace Foucault went a time of 57.25.
In the 500 Freestyle:
✔Brooke Bazeley went a time of 6:00.52 with a 7 second drop in time from last week!
In the 100 Backstroke:
✔Lucy Davis had an impressive race where she dropped 3 seconds!
✔Grace Foucault had an impressive 1st place finish with a time of 1:01.74.
We are incredibly proud of all our Whippet swimmers! We will be competing at Edgerton/Evansville next Tuesday (10/4) at 5:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!
Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org
The Whitewater Varsity Volleyball Squad (5-1 conference, and 16-6 overall) hosted Jefferson for Senior Night and swept the Eagles 25-17, 25-9, 25-4.
The Whippets highlighted seniors Sierrah Allen, Cristal Verduzco (Manager), Caroline Skindingsrude, Jenna Pope, CC Alexander, Cali Kopecky, Caleigh Yang, and Kindyl Kilar.
Coach Kilar kicked off the night by honoring the Jefferson seniors and presenting them with a small gift saying, “Please accept this small token of our appreciation to the dedication of the seniors on the Jefferson team, and know that the Whippets wish you the best of luck in your future!”
Turning attention to the Whippet seniors, Kilar continued, “I wanted to share how much this group has meant to me. Taking over as head coach came as a bit of surprise. But as I reflect on how the season has gone so far, that surprise has quickly turned into such a blessing.
I’ve gotten to experience growing with this crew, helping them develop into awesome volleyball players, but most importantly, I have been able to watch in awe of what great humans they are. This senior class has led by example in the classroom, on the court, and in the community. They have shared their love of the game with each one of us in the gym.
It’s been great being able to watch them grow as an assistant coach over the years, and it has been a true honor to become their head coach in their final season. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that each one of these young women will go on and do great things after they graduate from Whitewater High School. Seniors, we wish you the absolute best as you complete your final high school year, and we thank you for leaving this volleyball program better, because you have been part of it!”
The Whippets then took to the court and ran off three straight set wins against the Eagles. All the seniors led the way with their play on the court, and statistical leaders included Kindyl Kilar with a double-double of 14 kills and 10 aces, Calli Grosinske with 12 assists, and Caleigh Yang with 8 digs.
This is simply a great TEAM. They are all in for each other and it shows every night as they leave it all on the court!
Article and Photos Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
Join First Citizens State Bank for our annual community shred event hosted at three of our four locations.
The Whitewater Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team cruised to an away win at Jefferson High School last Thursday evening, September 22. A small bench meant that our starters would have to play close to a full game each against a physically strong Jefferson team.
Whitewater managed to control the pace of the game from the opening moments and allowed Jefferson little time on the ball. A great bit of attacking play led to a corner, and with the help from some chaos in the box, Victor Hernandez managed to put one away for the Whippets. Many other chances were created but not converted, but overall, Whitewater looked stronger in the attack than they have in weeks.
Henry Mortimer managed to keep a clean sheet with the help of strong defensive performances from Chris Cortez, Emmanuel Mbifi, and Emerson Ellenwood.
The team has a week off before they face the always competitive McFarland on Thursday the 29th.
Article Submitted by Sam Burns
Whitewater High School Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach
dburns@wwusd.org
Photo courtesy of Bob Mischka
What a day for the Whippet CC Teams! In what were nearly perfect race conditions, the Whippet CC Teams were back in action to participate in the 84th Annual Janesville Midwest Invitational hosted at Blackhawk Golf Course on Saturday, September 24. The event boasts 50 teams that are all extremely high caliber and is more than a meet; it is an event. They were tasked by the coaching staff to try some new things today in the races and see if they could produce a result that would be not otherwise attainable. Whitewater didn’t disappoint and walked away with some new personal bests and experiences that will last a lifetime.
The girls’ varsity was first to compete in this hotly contested event with 109 girls running under 21:00 for 5000m. These girls weren’t deterred and were motivated by the “slay” writing on the course. Every girl PR’d for the season and had an average time drop as a group of 67 seconds. Mady Hefty paced the Whippets with a massive PR of 21:24. From top to bottom they stayed committed to each other and the power of the team to achieve new personal bests. The collective efforts afforded them an overall place of 37th out of 50 teams in this incredible meet. The JV team picked up where the varsity left off and even brought some medals home. Isabella Aranda placed 25th and Jackie Franco debuted in her first race to take the final medal in 30th. As a collective group, several runners dropped minutes off their personal bests from before! The JV squad took 10th place overall.
The boys’ varsity race featured some outstanding times as well. In this hotly contested race, 106 boys ran under 17:30 which shows how deep the field was today on their end. Jack Hefty earned the final medal by placing 30th with a time of 16:34.5. The five runners in this event all improved by an average of 30 seconds and finished 34th out of 50 teams. The JV boys stayed gritty as well and just crushed their races. Sterling Truesdale was electric on the course to pace the Whippet JV team with a new PR of 21:38. The team all improved by an average of 1:17! The JV team finished 34th out of 50 teams.
Full Results: https://wi.milesplit.com/meets/496172-midwest-invitational-2022/results#.Yy-6h3bMK3B
The Whippets will compete in their final regular season event on Saturday, October 1st in Platteville for the Dick McKitchan Invite. Races begin at 9:00 am.
Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Jeff Hefty
The JV Volleyball Teams played some good ball, but fell to the Tide in 3 sets at Edgerton on Thursday, September 22. The coaches are proud of the growth they are seeing. While the end result may not be a victory, the victories are in the improvements we are seeing in each athlete. We are excited for the program growth as a whole this season!
The Whitewater Varsity Squad (3-1 conference, and 15-6 overall) traveled to Edgerton during Edgerton’s Homecoming week and took care of business in 4 sets. Edgerton came out playing well in a loud gym in set one. The Whippets started out slowly and while they continued to keep it close, lost the first set 24-26.
That was the only loss, as this is a team that perseveres, and they never wavered, going 3 straight set wins to take the match 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 25-14.
Edgerton played tough, but the Whippets are strong both offensively and defensively. We served tough and we stayed focused on defense. Offensively, we continued to run a faster tempo offense. Our serving was tough all night, and so we were able to get Edgerton out of system quite a bit. We capitalized on every opportunity we were given!
The team had to travel twice this week with Beloit and Edgerton. Traveling can be tough, but this varsity squad is laser focused on their goals. They continue to support one another, and they simply have fun playing the game they love!
Statistical leaders included Kindyl Kilar with another double-double, garnering 31 kills, 14 digs, and 2 blocks. Calli Grosinske also captured a double-double with 35 assists and 14 digs. Jenna Pope was blocking strong at the net with 4 blocks on the night. Finally, Caleigh Yang tallied 14 digs in the match.
Ella Spear ended the last set with a dominating ace, and the Whippets now are 3-1 in conference and 15-6 overall. Next up we are at home for Senior Night on Tuesday, September 27 against Jefferson, and on the road at Evansville on Thursday, September 29. We are hoping to continue the high level of play! Hope to see you in the gym!
Article and Photos Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
Obituaries
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
Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at his home. Leo was born on April 15, 1961 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Cyril and Shirley (McNeil) Wurzer. He grew up between Pleasant Prairie and Antigo, spending his childhood summers on his uncle’s farm where he discovered his love for all things tractors. Although he never had a farm of his own, he was able to partially fulfill his dream by working as a driver for Robin’s Trucking in Whitewater, WI in his last days and collecting miniature Tonka toys. He began his career … Read more
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
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