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