Today is Monday, July 29, 2024
On Wednesday night, June 1, the Whitewater High School Athletic Department hosted its first ever Whippet ESPY night. ESPY stands for Excellence in Sports Performances Yearly. The night was devoted to recognizing all of the athletic accomplishments throughout the course of the 2021-22 school year.
Individual sport MVP’s, All-Conference athletes, scholarship winners, state qualifiers, and multi-sport athletes were all recognized during the ceremony. Several coaches, teachers, and community members were on hand to present the awards to the athletes in attendance. The department also recognized longtime athletic trainer Danielle Koran who is serving in her final year as the school’s trainer. Danielle has served as the school’s athletic trainer for over a decade. Also in attendance and recognized was longtime photographer and friend of the program Bob Mischka. Bob has provided the school and families high quality pictures of sporting events for years!
This year Whitewater High School had 450 individuals sign up for at least one sport, which accounts for almost 80% of the overall student body. After the awards ceremony, the athletes, coaches, and parents mingled in the lobby where refreshments were served and “selfie booths” were provided. It was a great night for all in attendance and a great night to be a Whippet! #1Family #TheStandard
Article and Photos Submitted by Justin Crandall
Whitewater HS/MS Athletic Director
jcrandall@wwusd.org
By Chris Lindeke, UW-W
Rebekah Schumacher, a native of Whitewater, and student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is one of six Warhawks who have been named All-Americans by the National Strength and Conditioning Association for their commitment to strength and conditioning and athletic accomplishments during the 2021-22 academic year.
David Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) of the men’s cross country and track and field teams, baseball’s Eric Hughes (Janesville, Wis./Craig), golf’s Jessica LaBerge (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel), football’s Ryan Ponick (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd), women’s basketball’s Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and softball’s Hannah Wusterbarth (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) garnered the NSCA All-America accolades.
Fassbender has earned three All-America medals so far in 2021-22, finishing sixth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and placing among the top five in both the 3,000-meter run and 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He will compete this Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 10,000-meter run, an event he broke the school record in earlier this spring.
Hughes has appeared in 13 games for the baseball team, which won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and the NCAA Whitewater Regional. The team will compete in the NCAA Whitewater Super Regional this weekend.
LaBerge played in 13 rounds during the 2021-22 season, averaging a score of 96.7 per 18-hole round. She recorded her best score of the season (91) in two rounds at the WIAC Championship. LaBerge helped the Warhawks claim their fifth straight conference team title and reach the NCAA Championship.
Ponick was named first team All-WIAC for special teams and served as a captain for the football team in 2021, helping UW-Whitewater win the WIAC championship and reach the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. As a running back, he totaled 18 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
Schumacher helped the Warhawk women’s basketball team win the WIAC regular season championship and reach the 2022 Final Four, where the team finished as national runner-up. She averaged 8.8 points per game and led the team with 58 made 3-pointers and added 52 steals on the other end. Schumacher was one of three UW-W players to start all 33 games.
Wusterbarth appeared in 10 games for the softball team primarily as a pinch hitter. She helped the Warhawks post the program’s 16th consecutive 20-win season and reach the WIAC Tournament.
By Chris Lindeke, Asst. Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding, UW-W
Saturday, May 28, 2022
No. 9 Baseball Drops NCAA Super Regional Finale
The No. 9 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team wrapped up its 2022 campaign in the NCAA Super Regional round Saturday, falling 11-7 against No. 12 UW-Stevens Point in Game 2 of the best-of-three series at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
The Warhawks conclude the season with a 36-11 record, the program’s fifth straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and the NCAA Whitewater Regional title. The team was making its 14th straight appearance in the national tournament.
UW-Whitewater put the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but UW-Stevens Point (40-8) escaped the jam to take the series in two games.
Third baseman Matt Korman, who led the Warhawks with three hits, two runs scored and four runs batted in, tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning with a three-run homer, his second of the game.
The Pointers took the lead for good with five runs in the top of the eighth inning.
UW-W got one back in the bottom of the eighth and put three on base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but came up just short in its comeback attempt.
Second baseman Sam Vomhof homered and tallied three RBIs. Left fielder Matt Scolan, first baseman Nick Paget and centerfielder Zach Campbell each totaled two hits and one run scored, while right fielder Jacob DeMeyer registered three hits.
Six different Warhawks saw action on the mound in the contest. Trey Bretl took the loss to drop to 0-2 on the year.
Thursday night, May 26, the Whitewater Track and Field Team traveled across the state to Prairie Du Chien to compete in the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Meet. The long bus ride didn’t hinder the Whippets on the track, as it was a banner day across the board for Whitewater athletes. With opportunities to qualify for the State Meet on the line, the Whippets supported one another to some incredible finishes.
The meet was kicked off by a stellar State-qualifying performance from Maddie Buehler in the 100-Meter Dash, who cruised to a 3rd place finish in a time of 12.41. That time catapulted her to 2nd place all-time in Whitewater history, as she knocked 3 tenths off her previous personal best. Buehler then teamed up with Olive Coburn, Emma Weigel, and Kindyl Kilar in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, which both placed second. Those relays sprinted across the finish line in times of 50.95 and 1:47.46 respectively, so they too will be running in La Crosse next weekend. Kindyl Kilar capped off a phenomenal day for the short sprinters, as she blazed to a 2nd place finish in the 200-Meter Dash final in 26.27. Her time of 26.13 in the preliminary round solidified her place as the 3rd fastest in program history. In the field events, Evie Troxel cleared two PR bars in the Pole Vault, earning her a 3rd place finish and a chance to compete in La Crosse next weekend. Evie vaulted over 9’6” with ease, and then on her third attempt made it over a personal best height of 9’9”. Her mark vaulted her to a tie for the 8th highest vault in program history. Other competitors included Grace Villarreal and Calli Grosinske in the 400-Meter Dash, and they finished 14th and 15th in a loaded field. Carley Boudreau capped off an incredible freshman season finishing 15th in the 300-Meter Hurdles. She was one of five freshmen competing in the event. The Girls’ 4×400 Relay of Grosinske, Villarreal, Nola Coburn, and Gwen Truesdale finished in 14th place, although 2 seconds ahead of their Sectional-qualifying seed time, in 4:33.40. Izzy Dieter went up against a loaded field in the Discus Throw, as she finished in 12th place with a toss of 92’11”, but vaulted to a personal best in the Pole Vault, finishing 10th, with a height of 8’6”. Gwen Truesdale also competed in the High Jump, but would have had to clear a personal best bar for opening height.
On the boys’ side, Ethan Dugan ran a gutsy race in the 400-Meter Dash. In the final 100 meters, Ethan kicked past several competitors to cross the finish line in 4th place, marking the boys’ first state qualifier of the evening. His time of 51.93 was a personal best. Jack Hefty competed in the 3200-Meter Run, and stuck with the pack for the first mile and a half. Heading into the final 800 meters, a strong runner from Sugar River started to separate himself from the rest of the field. Jack began his kick with a lap and a half left and never looked back, separating himself from the 3rd and 4th place runners. Hefty, a freshman, crossed the line in 2nd place, and his time of 9:47.92 moved him up to #7 all-time in Whitewater history, while simultaneously securing a spot to run in La Crosse. Other competitors included senior Connor Sharlow in the 400-Meter Dash, whose time of 53.72 placed 12th. The boys’ 4×100 Relay of Traysen Thomason, Quincy Boudreau, Nate Black, and Noah Coleman finished in 13th place. This relay team consists of three sophomores and a freshman, so the team is poised to return faster in 2023. In the Pole Vault, CJ Tomomitsu placed 7th, tying his season’s best of 12’0”. In the throws, Connor Raupp and Jake Kuhlow competed in the Discus. Jake placed 10th with a toss of 122’11, and Connor had a tough time keeping the disc within the sector, and was unable to register a mark. Jake Kuhlow also competed in the Shot Put, and threw a mark of 39’5” to place 15th. Both athletes will return in 2023 after breakout seasons in 2022.
Overall, the Whippets will be taking a total of five girls in three individual events and two relays up to La Crosse, while the boys notched two state qualifying individual events. Those athletes will travel to La Crosse to compete on Friday and Saturday against the best Track & Field athletes in the state of Wisconsin.
Final results: http://milesplit.live/meets/485694
Article Submitted by Matt Green
Whitewater High School Head Track Coach
mgreen@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Coach Green and Bob Mischka
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