Article submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photo Credits: Peter Mischka, Tammy Tomomitsu, Shelly Hammond, Jaime Weigel, Tiffany Buehler

Legendary Hall of Fame North Central College Coach Al Carius’s program philosophy is, “Run for fun and personal bests.” The Whippets really put it together having some fun and ran some incredible personal bests when it was all on the line for the Rock Valley Conference Championships hosted by WHS on Thursday, April 22nd. The team has run on this home course three times this season, and 85% of the team race their personal best on this course, many dropping several minutes, rising to the challenge in the way that Whippets only know how to do: with guts and unwavering determination.

The girls’ varsity started things off, and Gwen Truesdale led the charge finishing in 28th with a time of 25:45. She dropped 36 seconds from her previous best on this course. Olive Coburn was 29th, dropping 1:15 from her previous best. Lauren Buehler dropped a minute from her best on this course to place 31st. Caelyn Caputo, Danielle DePorter, Sophie Walton, and Emma Weigel all came in successive places finishing 35-38. Caelyn dropped over 2:30, Danielle dropped nearly a minute, and Emma dropped over 2:00 from her previous best on this course. The girls’ team placed 8th overall in a tight finish with several other teams. Showing how tight it was, 13 points separated 6th – 8th. These were incredible efforts by these young women!

In the JV girls’ race, Jenny Villarreal stole the show for the Lady Whippets and placed 3rd overall. Jenny cut FIVE MINUTES off her previous best on this course, which also included 4:30 off from her season best on any course. In fact, her time of 25:51.5 put her as the second fastest Whippet female on the day! Izzy Dieter placed 13th with a 46 second time drop. Senior Nikole Pelot went out on her own terms, crushing her final race in a Whippet jersey to place 14th and dropped 1:38 from her previous best time on this course. Evie Troxel also placed 21st in a time of 33:28.

On the boys’ side, senior Trenten Zahn blitzed his way to another first team all-conference honor as he placed 4th overall, just missing out on breaking 18:00 as he stopped the clock in 18:03. Trenten is a pure guts kid. He is just so tough on race day. In his final conference race, Trenten earned his third first-team all-conference honor to go along with a second-team all-conference honor, totaling four all-conference honors in his career. CJ Tomomitsu and Cooper Hammond earned their first ever all-conference honors by placing 19th and 20th. This afforded them the honorable mention all-conference recognition. CJ dropped nearly a minute, and Cooper dropped 13 seconds. Senior Will Hofmann really displayed his grit as he battled lower leg injuries to place 33rd overall and still dropped 1:18 off his previous best WHS course time. Freshman Nate Holden really came to the party and executed wonderfully and placed 35th, dropping nearly two minutes off his previous best. Senior Evan Schepp completed his final conference race as a Whippet in 51st, and Andrew Rollette placed 52nd running varsity for the first time and dropped 2:30! The boys’ team finished in fourth place with 111 points.

In the JV race, Keith Cameron placed 20th with a three-minute time drop in 26:04. Sterling Truesdale placed 24th and finished in 29:08.

Next up for the Whippets will be home again on May 1st as Whitewater High School becomes the competition site once again for the Sectional Meet. Meet times are still yet to be determined by the WIAA and will be shared as they become available. The road to State will once again be coming through Whitewater!

Results: http://infocustiming.com/results.php

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

UW-Whitewater Softball Powers Way to Two Wins

Game 1 Box Score: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/softball/2021/uwspsb24.htm

Game 2 Box Score: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/softball/2021/uwspsb25.htm

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team scored late in the first game and early in the second game Tuesday, posting wins in both contests at UW-Stevens Point in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The Warhawks (15-7 overall, 5-3 WIAC) scored three runs in the top of the seventh for a 7-4 triumph in the opener, and tallied five runs in the top of the first in Game 2 for an 8-3 victory.

In Game 1, UW-Whitewater turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 advantage, then broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh on solo home runs by third baseman Meg Cohrs and right fielder Meghan Dunning, and a two-out, run-scoring double by second baseman Delaney Becker.

Becker led the offense with three hits, while Dunning finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. First baseman Kaleigh O’Brien socked a two-out, three-run homer to left in the fifth inning and added one walk and two runs scored.

Catcher Nikki Mikosz homered to lead off the top of the fourth inning and added one walk.

Pitcher Marissa Adams claimed her first win of the year, allowing only one run on one hit while striking out three over four innings in relief. Kate Cleveland started and tossed the first three frames.

In the nightcap, the Warhawks started fast on RBI hits by Mikosz and Dunning and a three-run homer by Kaleigh O’Brien in the opening frame.

From there, UW-W played even with UW-Stevens Point (15-10, 2-4), answering each of the Pointers’ first two runs with a run of their own in the ensuing inning.

Rhiann Dick improved to 5-3 on the season, striking out three over five innings. Marissa Adams pitched the sixth, and Annie Morelli pitched around a leadoff double for a scoreless seventh.

Cohrs reached base in all four of her plate appearances, collecting a run-scoring single in the second and a solo homer in the sixth while adding a pair of walks. Dunning finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and O’Brien recorded a pair of walks to go along with her home run.

Centerfielder Vera Pflugradt posted one hit, one walk and two runs scored, and left fielder Krista Sbarra reached base twice with one hit and one walk.

The Warhawks continue WIAC play Friday with a home doubleheader against UW-La Crosse. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at van Steenderen Softball Complex.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

No. 8 Warhawk Baseball Splits at UW-Stevens Point

Box Score Game 1: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/uwspb20.htm

Box Score Game 2: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/uwspb21.htm

The No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team remains in a tie atop the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings following a doubleheader split at UW-Stevens Point on Tuesday.

The Warhawks (18-3 overall, 12-2 WIAC) and Pointers (17-4, 12-2) share the conference lead at the midway point of the regular season after UW-Whitewater won the opener 11-1 in seven innings before dropping Game 2 by a 7-3 score.

In Game 1, the Warhawks tallied seven runs in the first and three in the second to back a strong outing from pitcher Westin Muir, who allowed one run on three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts over his complete-game performance. The right-hander improved to 5-0 on the year with the win.

Designated hitter Taylor White homered for the third straight game and finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Third baseman Tucker Criswell, shortstop Nick Santoro and right fielder Jacob DeMeyer also homered for UW-W. Criswell totaled two hits and two runs scored, Santoro collected three hits, including three-fourths of the cycle, three runs scored and three RBIs, and DeMeyer contributed three hits, one run scored and three RBIs.

Left fielder Matt Korman posted two hits and two runs scored, and second baseman Sam Vomhof hit a two-run single in the top of the first inning.

In the nightcap, the Warhawks out-hit the Pointers 11-9, but left nine runners on base, including six over the first three innings.

Criswell homered for the second straight game, and outfielder Zach Campbell knocked his second homer of the year with two outs in the ninth. Designated hitter Ben Wilkins reached base three times with one walk and two hits, including a run-scoring single in the top of the fifth.

Pticher Ben Muscatello took the loss for UW-Whitewater, dropping to 0-1 on the year. Connor Moroder and Max Huseboe were strong in relief, allowing only one run over the final five innings.

The Warhawks host the Pointers in another league doubleheader this Friday. First pitch at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.

Saturday, April 17, 2021

UW-Whitewater Softball Earns Road Sweep

Box Score, Game 1: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/softball/2021/april17a.htm

Box Score, Game 2: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/softball/2021/april17b.htm

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team used an offensive outburst in the first game and a late comeback in the second Saturday to come away with two wins at UW-Stout in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The Warhawks (13-7 overall, 3-3 WIAC) erupted for nine runs on 12 hits in the opener for a 9-0 triumph in six innings, and scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead in Game 2 for a 5-4 victory.

In Game 1, UW-Whitewater plated six runs over the final two innings to secure the win by run rule after six.

Kate Cleveland pitched a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits and one walk while striking out six. She improved to 5-3 on the season.

Third baseman Meg Cohrs registered three hits and drove in five runs to lead the offense. Left fielder/designated player Krista Sbarra finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, and centerfielder Vera Pflugradt collected two hits and two runs scored.

First baseman Kaleigh O’Brien hit a three-run double as part of the Warhawks’ four-run fifth inning. Outfielder Sam Lattner scored on a wild pitch and Cohrs hit a sacrifice fly to plate a run in the sixth.

In the nightcap, Cohrs knocked a two-out, two-run single to center to plate Pflugradt and shortstop Sophia Kinjerski for the go-ahead runs.

The Blue Devils (3-14, 0-7) put two on with one out, but relief pitcher Annie Morelli induced a double play lineout to end the game.

Morelli earned her second save of the year by pitching the bottom of the seventh. Rhiann Dick pitched the first six innings and bumped her record to 4-3 by allowing four runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks with a season-best nine strikeouts.

Cohrs posted two hits to go along with her two RBIs. O’Brien smashed a two-run homer to left field in the second and finished with two runs scored in the contest.

Pflugradt reached base twice on one hit and one walk and scored one run.

UW-Whitewater travels to UW-Stevens Point Tuesday for a league doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.