Article Submitted by Jason Bleck
Whitewater High School Head Football Coach
jbleck@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Whitewater ended their Alternative Football Season on Friday, April 23, with a 34-6 loss at McFarland. For the second consecutive game, the Whippets scored their touchdown as the first half was ending. This week it was a 29-yard catch and run from the new quarterback, senior Jacob Heritage, to senior Chase Conn to the 3-yard line with less than 30 seconds left in the half. Heritage ran the ball to the goal line, and junior Carter Friend punched it into the end zone before the half ended. The previous week Brock Grosinske and Conn combined for a 35-yard completion in the end zone as the first half time ran out.
Head Coach Jason Bleck and his coaching staff would like to thank the nine seniors on the team for their leadership and dedication to the Whippet Football program over the last four years and especially during this alternate season. Although the season did not end with the record they would have hoped for, the team is proud and grateful for the opportunity to play. Thank you also to the school administration, parents, and event workers for all they have done to support the football team. This season truly followed the team’s motto of, “We Over Me,” as there were many selfless people that contributed to the team being able to compete.
Monday, April 26, 2021
UW-Whitewater Softball Earns Non-Conference Sweep
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team extended its win streak in true road games to six on Monday afternoon with consecutive victories at UW-La Crosse in a non-conference doubleheader.
The Warhawks (18-8 overall) plated the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning for a 3-2 triumph in the opener in extra innings. In the second game, UW-Whitewater broke open a close game with six runs in the top of the seventh in an 11-5 win.
In Game 1, the Warhawks plated a run in the top of the seventh on a two-out, solo homer to left center by catcher Nikki Mikosz to force extra innings. UW-W loaded the bases but came away empty in the eighth before first baseman Kaleigh O’Brien came through in the ninth with a run-scoring single up the middle.
Pitcher Marissa Adams, who entered the game with two outs in the sixth inning, improved to 2-1 with the win. She allowed two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Kate Cleveland started the game and pitched 5 2/3 frames, surrendering two unearned runs on five hits.
O’Brien tallied four hits to lead UW-W, which out-hit the Eagles by a 14-7 margin, but left 14 runners on base in the contest. Mikosz and third baseman Meg Cohrs posted three hits apiece, and centerfielder Vera Pflugradt reached base twice with one hit and one walk.
In the nightcap, UW-Whitewater took advantage of five errors by UW-La Crosse (9-10), including four in the seventh inning, and totaled 11 hits.
After the Eagles took a 2-0 lead with two in the bottom of the first, the Warhawks responded in the top of the second as O’Brien and shortstop Meghan Dunning hit back-to-back homers.
Pflugradt hit a two-run triple to left in the fourth to give UW-Whitewater a 4-3 advantage, and after UW-La Crosse tied the game at 4-4, second baseman Delaney Becker put the Warhawks ahead for good with an RBI groundout.
Becker, Pflugradt, Mikosz and right fielder Taylor Briehl were each credited with RBIs during UW-W’s big seventh inning.
Pflugradt finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while Becker recorded two hits and two RBIs. Dunning collected three hits, three runs scored and one RBI, and O’Brien posted two hits, one run scored and one RBI.
Annie Morelli picked up her second win of the year, tossing one inning of relief. Rhiann Dick tossed the final three innings for her first career save, striking out four during her outing.
Morelli, Dick and starter Kathryn Kinsella combined to strand 11 Eagle runners on the base paths.
UW-Whitewater hosts UW-Oshkosh for another non-conference doubleheader Wednesday starting at 2 p.m. at van Steenderen Softball Complex.
Sunday, April 25, 2021
Warhawk Women’s Tennis Secures 14th Straight WIAC Title
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s tennis team claimed its 14th consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship Sunday by defeating UW-La Crosse 5-1 in the final of the conference tournament presented by Culver’s.
The Warhawks (12-5 overall) earned their 21st conference championship in program history and clinch the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. UW-W also extended its active winning streak against WIAC opponents in dual matches to 110.
UW-Whitewater started the dual with two doubles victories. Paige Nierman and Olivia Kraft topped Hannah Reigle and Kaitlyn Kalinka by an 8-4 score at the second position, and Molly Rueth and Courtney Day combined for an 8-4 triumph at the third position.
The Eagles (10-5) broke a 6-6 tie at No. 1 doubles by taking the last two games to draw within 2-1 heading into singles play.
The Warhawks struck first in singles as Sabrina Palavra posted a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 4. Nierman made it a 4-1 UW-W lead with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 2.
Rueth clinched the dual and the championship with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph at No. 5.
Kraft and Jessica Minkov led their matches at Nos. 3 and 6, respectively, when play was halted.
The NCAA Regionals are set for May 14-16 at sites around the country. The full NCAA Tournament field will be announced May 10 via press release on NCAA.com.
Saturday, April 24, 2021
Box Score, Game 1: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/uwspb24.htm
Box Score, Game 2: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/uwspb25.htm
The No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team used a potent offense Saturday to earn two victories at UW-Stevens Point in a non-conference doubleheader.
The Warhawks (21-4 overall) put together one big inning early in each contest, defeating the Pointers 12-5 in Game 1 before finishing the day with a 17-1 triumph in seven innings.
In the opener, UW-Whitewater collected seven runs in the top of the third inning and never trailed. Catcher Ian Drays and second baseman Sam Vomhof recorded run-scoring singles before right fielder Jacob DeMeyer drew a bases-loaded walk to give the team a 3-0 lead. After shortstop Nick Santoro hit a sacrifice fly to plate Vomhof, first baseman Connor Moroder knocked a two-run single to right field and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch.
Moroder kept the offense going in the top of the fifth with a two-run homer, his first of the year, out to right field. The Warhawks added three more in the top of the ninth on a two-run single by Santoro and an RBI double to right center by left fielder Matt Korman.
Moroder collected three hits, two runs scored and four runs batted in. Santoro finished 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs, designated hitter Taylor White registered two hits and one run scored, and third baseman Tucker Criswell reached base three times with one hit and two walks while adding two runs scored.
Pitcher Max Huseboe tossed 4 2/3 innings in relief to pick up his first win of the year. Ben Muscatello earned his first save, collecting the final out of the eighth inning with two on base and pitching around a two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth. Along with starter Jim Jarecki, UW-W pitchers combined to strand 15 Pointer baserunners.
In Game 2, UW-Whitewater plated seven runs on six hits in the first inning and didn’t look back, and three Warhawk pitchers combined to hold UW-Stevens Point (18-7) to two hits and two walks in the contest.
Pitcher Trey Bretl started the game and earned his first win, striking out three over four innings of work. Vomhof tossed a pair of shutout frames in relief, and Hayden Fox closed the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Criswell and Korman posted three hits apiece to pace a balanced Warhawk offense. Criswell scored two runs and knocked in two, while Korman homered, scored twice and plated three runs.
Vomhof tallied two hits and two runs scored, and Santoro totaled two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Drays hit a three-run homer as part of UW-W’s big first inning.
DeMeyer reached base twice with one hit and one walk and added one RBI, and centerfielder Zach Campbell walked twice and scored two runs.
The Warhawks host UW-Stout for a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.