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The Whitewater Boys’ Basketball Team successfully began their regional tournament, as they traveled to Saint Francis and upset the Mariners, 60-56, on Tuesday, March 1st. The game was excitingly close throughout, with the outcome only decided in the last minute and a half.
In the first half, the two teams went toe-to-toe, with neither team gaining an advantage until Saint Francis inched ahead 29-24 with two and a half minutes left. The Whippets quickly erased that lead with a 10-3 run to finish the half and go ahead 34-32.
It was more of the same in the second half, as the teams continued to go back and forth, until Whitewater started to pull away, taking a 49-43 lead with six minutes left. That didn’t last, however, as Saint Francis scrambled back to take a 53-51 lead. The Whippets began their final run as Sam Brown’s 3-pointer put them ahead 54-53 with a minute and a half left. Free throws by Ramon Wence(2), Wyatt Nickels(3), and Sam Brown(1) closed out the scoring as Whitewater’s defense stifled Saint Francis, holding them to 3 points, with the last two coming with five seconds left.
The Whippets played their most consistent offense of the season, shooting 50% from the field and handing out 19 assists, and their defense frustrated Saint Francis with deflections and steals (13) throughout the game. They were led by Jon Aron, who went 12 for 17 (70%) from the field for 25 points and played a harassing top of the 1-3-1 zone. Wyatt Nickels had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals to solidify the middle of the zone. Arno Crowley had 9 points and Ramon Wence had 7 points, and they each had three steals as they flew around on the wings on defense. And Sam Brown had 6 points and 4 rebounds, handling the point on offense while patrolling the baseline on defense.
Whitewater will next travel to Racine to take on Racine Saint Catherine’s on Friday, March 4th, at 7 p.m.
Article Submitted by Dwayne Lange
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Well, that’s a wrap for the Whitewater Gymnastics team season. The girls competed in their last meet at Sectionals Friday night, February 25, at Elkhorn High School. Every one of these girls improved tremendously since the beginning of the season. Friday night they gave it their all, and we are so proud of their accomplishments. One of the coolest moments of the night was watching all five girls compete on Beam with 0 falls! We finished our season with a no fall Beam team. This was a huge milestone for the team and they should be “Beaming” with pride.
Halee Peters was a shining star, bringing in the highest scores for our team and ending her night in 10th place for All-Around with a 32.2. She was part of the no fall Beam team and scored a career best score on Bars. She scored very close to her season best scores on the other 3 rotations. Her Floor routine was fast paced, high scoring, and so fun to watch. She has the biggest smile of the whole competition and has been a great leader and mentor for the team.
Makayla Bazeley had a strong performance and continues to improve her skills and has already set some high goals for next year. She, too, was part of the no fall Beam team and contributed to the team score in every event. She had a beautiful, fun Floor routine and a solid performance on the Beam. Although quiet, Makayla is a force and is a strong competitor with a drive that will take her far! We love that we have three more years to watch her gain momentum and watch her flourish in this sport. We look forward to seeing her break the 30 mark for her All-Around score as she is close with a 29.5.
Nola Coburn has continued to impress as she improves every week and pushes herself to keep learning. It was so awesome to see her work so hard on her Floor routine and add in a back tuck at the end of one of her tumbling passes, which she performed flawlessly. Even at the end of the season, she wanted to add new skills to her repertoire to increase her difficulty. Nola scored her highest of the season on Vault with a 7.6 and once again beat her own high All-Around score by increasing to 25.425. Nola is another girl we are excited to watch for the next three years!
Myia Cobbs is another hard worker in the gym. She started the season on JV with only a couple events and has turned it into competing all four events at Varsity Sectionals. Talk about success! Myia has been improving every week, and her scores show it. Not only was she a part of the no fall Beam team, she also had her highest score of the season on Floor and increased her difficulty in her routine by adding in two back handsprings. She also increased her All-Around score on the season to 24.05. We can’t wait to see what she learns and improves on in the next couple years.
Brooklyn Griswold, another awesome freshman, has been working hard to increase her skills. She was very close to tying her score on Floor and on Bars. She has been a very consistent competitor. She’s another one that smiles through her fun Floor routine. Brooklyn also was part of the no fall Beam team, and the smile on her face after she landed her dismount showed she was pleased with her solid performance.
Miyu Takeda has really stepped up as one of our Vaulters. She is such a quick learner and picks up new skills with ease. She brings so much joy to our team and will miss her immensely next season.
Thanks to all that have come out to watch and cheer on the girls. It has been a fun season and we know next year is going to be even better.
Article and Photos Submitted by Shawnda Peters
Whitewater High School Head Gymnastics Coach
speters@wwusd.org
The following information was provided by The Chapel.
The Chapel (formerly known as CrossPointe Community Church) is offering a workshop entitled Overcoming Anxiety on Sunday, March 6 at 1:00 p.m. at 445 Warner Rd., Whitewater. The workshop is free to the community, but registration is required. Registration can be found at https://chapel.org/events/overcoming-anxiety-workshop-at-the-chapel-libertyville-2/
Carter Friend entered his senior year with a goal of improving on his 2021 state placement finish by finishing in the top 3 at his weight class in the state of Wisconsin. Saturday afternoon, mission accomplished. Friend ended a stellar high school wrestling career by going 3-1 in the WIAA state wrestling tournament, putting him in 3rd place at the 160-pound weight class.
Carter Friend 
Carter Friend
Carter wrestled an outstanding tournament having extremely tough matches as to be expected at that level. He started off Friday morning with a very well wrestled match, winning 5-2 to put him into the state semi-finals. On Friday evening, Carter had a tough hill to climb as he was competing against a young man who is the two-time defending champion and is ranked number 4 in the country. Carter did not back down, and although he lost, he gave the young man a full match, which has not happened often to him the last two years, and he scored a takedown on the young man, a feat that only one other wrestler can claim they did this year. It is disappointing to lose in the state semi-finals, but Carter came back strong against two more very strong opponents on Saturday morning. He won his first match in a very tight match in overtime 4-2 to put himself into the 3rd place match. Again, Carter had a tough, hard-fought match as it was knotted up the entire match. Carter was able to hit an outstanding counter shot with 15 seconds left to secure a takedown and the 5-2 win, thus reaching his goal coming into the season by placing 3rd in the tournament. Carter ended his season with a 42-6 record, with three of his losses coming against state champions! Carter ended his high school career with an impressive 124 wins, placing him second all-time in Whitewater History.
Mason DePorter also had the opportunity to compete at the state tournament this weekend. Mason came out very strong in his first match, securing a takedown to his Lodi opponent’s back. Unfortunately, things did not continue to go Mason’s way in that match, and he came up short. This opponent went on to win his next couple of matches to finish as a state runner-up. Mason had a great senior campaign with 36 wins, 29 of which were by pin, breaking a school record that has held since 2010.
Mason DePorter
Congratulations to both of these young men on not only an outstanding season but an outstanding career.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Action Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the ADRC of Rock County.
The Whitewater Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Saint Thomas More for the first regional game of the WIAA Tournament on Wednesday, February 23.
It was a fast-paced and physical game. Saint Thomas More’s speed took the Whippets out of their game at the beginning of the first half. We were down 5-21 with six and half minutes left in the first half when Cali Kopecky hit a 3, giving us a spark to fight back to get within 10.
To start the second half, senior Lexi Juoni hit a 3 to put us within 7. The Cavaliers tightened up their defense, making it difficult for us to connect offensively. The Whippets fell short and finished their season, losing 39-57.
Danielle DePorter led the Whippets with 11 points and 2 rebounds. Junior, Cali Kopecky followed with 10 points (2 for 2 from the free throw line), and 8 rebounds. Senior Gwen Truesdale added 5 points and ripped down 9 rebounds. Josie Treder contributed 4 points and 4 rebounds. Senior Lexi Juoni scored 3 points and had 2 rebounds. Kindyl Kilar had 2 points and 5 rebounds. Mayte Navejas and Calli Grosinske both added 2 points.
Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
The Whitewater High School Gymnastics Team had their conference meet on Friday, February 18, in Elkhorn. We had some amazing routines and a lot of personal best scores. The Varsity team had their highest team Beam score of the season with a combined 6 out of 8 no-fall Beam routines! Their hard work on Beam has really paid off. The Varsity team also had their highest overall team score of the season – upping last week’s team best score to 110.875.
Brooklyn Griswold (Courtesy Bob Mischka)
Nola Coburn had one of her best performances of the season with her highest Vault, Beam, and All-Around scores. Nola had a no-fall Beam routine and increased that score by almost ½ point. She increased her all time high All-Around score to 25.325.
Makayla Bazeley also had a great showing with an all-time best Beam score with a 7.75 and a no-fall Beam routine. She also tied her highest Vault score of the season and was close to her best All-Around score.
Halee Peters had a beautiful no-fall Beam routine where she almost tied her high score. She tied her personal best on Bars and tied her All-Around score of 32.4.
Brooke Bazeley had a no-fall Beam routine. Congrats to Brooke for a no-fall Beam season!
Miyu Takeda had a season best score on her Floor routine.
Myia Cobbs tied her season best score on the Vault and had no-falls on Beam.
Estefany Reyes-Saldana also had a no-fall Beam routine.
The girls take on sectionals Friday, February 25th, in Elkhorn. We know they are going to rock their routines and improve their best scores!
Article Submitted by Shawnda Peters
Whitewater High School Head Gymnastics Coach
speters@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka and Coach Peters
On Saturday, February 19, seven Whitewater Wrestlers traveled to Richland Center to participate in the WIAA Sectional Wrestling Tournament. This is a very competitive tournament with eight wrestlers per weight class, all with the plan to place in the top three to advance to the state tournament.
Whitewater wrestled well on the day, with them all wrestling their hearts out and leaving it on the mat. In the end, the Whippets will have two young men participating at the Kohl Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Carter Friend wrestled very well all day, with three wins on his way to the Sectional Championship. He started the day with a 13-4 major decision, followed by a pin, and then a very competitive match in the finals, coming out on top 5-3. This will be Carter’s third trip to the state tournament.
Mason DePorter continued to have a great senior season by reaching the championship match by defeating his first two opponents by pin. Mason then had a tough match in the finals and then had to wrestle again 45 minutes later, and wrestled very well, coming out aggressive, but ended up on the short end, therefore taking 3rd place. This will be Mason’s first trip to the state tournament.
Jarvis Porcaro started the day off in a very positive way by pinning his first opponent. He then dropped his next two matches against two young men who will be in the state tournament.
Traysen Thomason started his day against the number one ranked wrestler in the state and almost got the first takedown. He ended up losing both of his matches.
Leo Ortiz had tough draw as he dropped both of his matches against two guys that placed first and second in his weight class.
Rounding out the Whippet Wrestlers were Aaron Porras and Marcus DePorter who had tough first round losses and unfortunately did not get another match as their guy then lost their next match.
The coaches are very happy with the performance of the seven guys on Saturday. There was disappointment in the results, as of course we wanted all seven to advance, but we are not disappointed in their effort. They wrestled hard, left it on the mat, and can look themselves in the mirror and be proud of their season’s accomplishments.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
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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