Handing out hardware for the 2015-16 athletics season in Lake Country
I'm unabashedly stealing an idea from Travis Wilson and his bi-weekly 'State of Play' column at LakeCountryNow.com, in which he gives out some awards for the 2015-16 athletics season to the state's best in a number of categories. With an emphasis on Lake Country, here are some of the same awards:
Team of the Year
Arrowhead girls swimming.State titles are a frequent occurrence in Lake Country, and the Arrowhead swimming program certainly has had its share through time. But though we had numerous runners-up in 2016 (Mukwonago girls basketball, Arrowhead football, girls golf, boys soccer, girls cross country and baseball, Oconomowoc girls volleyball, Kettle Moraine boys track and boys volleyball), WIAA titles were more scarce in 2015-16. But it was never in doubt for the Arrowhead swimmers. AHS scored 301 points in the state final, well ahead of second place (211) and did so with only one event title (Kelly Jacob in the 50-yard freestyle). Arrowhead won multiple state titles outside the WIAA sphere (girls field hockey, boys and girls skiing, girls lacrosse), including some dominating performances, but the swimmers were perhaps the greatest powerhouse of them all.
Coach of the Year
John Kashian, Pewaukee cross country.After 32 years, the Pirates distance-running aficionado is going out on top. Kashian announced his retirement not long after leading both the Pewaukee boys and girls cross-country teams to the other area state titles from 2015-16. With the boys led by Robert Wagner, who didn't lose a cross-country race all season until taking fifth in the state meet, PHS scored 85 points and finished ahead of Wisconsin Lutheran (102) and Notre Dame (106). Nick Roberts took eighth and Kyle Turba 11th in an unstoppable 1-2-3 punch. The Pirates girls picked up a huge performance from freshman Zoe Goodmanson (17th) and junior Sophie Desidero (24th) to score 112 points and finish ahead of Shorewood (138).
Athlete of the Year (multi-sport)
Zach Clayton, Oconomowoc.Few athletes have as much success across three sports as Clayton, a first-team All Conference performer in football, basketball and baseball. As a junior, he was one of the state's most dominant receivers and a first-team All State selection, helping Oconomowoc become a passing-offense juggernaut that won its first 11 games before a tense Level 3 loss to Arrowhead. In basketball, he scored 19 points per game for a team that won a conference title outright for the first time since 2003-04. Baseball is the sport he's committed to play in college at Oregon State, and as a shortstop and pitcher, he helped OHS get to the sectional final and netted third-team All State. He also earned All-Conference accolades in all three sports as a sophomore.
Athlete of the Year (one sport)
Jacob Raschka, Pewaukee wrestling.Nobody could touch Raschka when he collected wins in all 54 of his matches this year, en route to his first state title in his junior season (195 pounds). With a rapidly growing resume of success both within the state and beyond, the University of Missouri recruit also became the first Pewaukee wrestler to win a title at the prestigious Cheesehead Invitational in January. His teammate, Blaze Beltran (53-2), wasn't so bad either, incurring his only losses of the year in that same nationally recognized invite, and both in triple overtime. Beltran also won his first state title, taking the Division 1 heavyweight crown, and both will be back for the powerhouse Pirates next year. The closest Raschka came to a loss: a tense battle with Oconomowoc big man Brett Samson, who took third at state at 220 pounds.
Game of the Year
Arrowhead in the state football championship.I'll let Travis Wilson's own words describe this obvious choice: I don't think there's a ton of debate on this one – it has to be the Division 1 football title game between Kimberly and Arrowhead. Coming off back-to-back state championships (D2 in 2013, D1 in 2014), Kimberly was the favorite once again. The Papermakers ran through the regular season undefeated and followed a familiar path to get to the state-title game. Their opponent was the same as 2014, state powerhouse Arrowhead. The first half of the D1 title game was exciting, and Arrowhead held a 27-21 at the break. It was just a teaser to what would become one of the most amazing second halves we've ever seen. Arrowhead would go up 42-21 with 5:42 left in the third quarter, as Kimberly's title run was very much in jeopardy. The team proved its mettle, reeling off 28 points over the final 14 minutes, capped by Blair Mulholland's 1-yard game-winning touchdown run with 11 seconds remaining as snow fell around Camp Randall. The snow-globe effect of the swirling flakes only added to the mystique and aura around Kimberly's 49-42 win, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest football games in state history.
Story of the Year
Three cheers?As Travis pointed out, southeastern conference realignment was big. But few stories were as hotly discussed as the 'Cheergate' fiasco that put the WIAA in the national spotlight, with the somewhat-incorrect perception that the organizing body of state athletics was banning certain cheers such as 'air ball.' The story originated from the Fox Valley and spread across the state, putting the microscope on high-school gyms.
I'd also give a runner-up nod to the Oconomowoc football team that went 1-8 in 2014 but 9-0 in 2015 before the playoffs, where it battled Arrowhead to the bitter end in a Level 3 loss. The success has aligned with Oconomowoc's continued ascension overall, including the hiring of Arrowhead athletics director Kevin Flegner to the same position at OHS to replace retiring Scott Raduka.
Graduating with honors
Some of the outstanding seniors to whom we bid adieu:
·Julio Perez of Kettle Moraine staged one of the year's surprises in winning the state discus title.
·Wagner also collected a pair of top-five finishes at the state track meet in addition to his incredible CC career.
· Bre Cera of Mukwonago capped a spectacular basketball career by leading MHS to the state championship game – her third trip to state during her time at MHS.
·With Cera injured early in the year, Morgan Glatczak emerged into a force and also netted first-team All State honors.
·Nathan Smith took second in state wrestling for Mukwonago after winning a state title last year.
·Leah Fenske (first team) and Heather Moutvic (second team) both merited All-State accolades in leading Oconomowoc to the state final in girls volleyball and a fifth-set loss to defending state champ Divine Savior Holy Angels. Both made the All-Tournament team.
·Arrowhead pitchers Ryan Schmitt and Nate Brown were both All-State selections as members of a team that was ranked No. 1 at points during the season before reaching the state championship. Schmitt never recorded a loss in his high-school career, and Brown was drafted by the New York Yankees.
·Blake Carr of Arrowhead set the career goals mark in AHS history – all in his lone year with the varsity – and led his team to the state final.
·Nick Davies became an All-State setter for the state runner-up Kettle Moraine boys.
·Davies' teammates, David Waltz and Alex Dallman, played a huge role in the state-final run and also qualified for state tennis as a doubles team three times.
·Taylor Klug (Sussex Hamilton) and Abby Gerrits (Pewaukee) capped off All-State seasons and four-year basketball careers as the all-time leading scorers for their respective programs.
·Taryn Sherman of Arrowhead won the gymnastics state title in the balance beam.
·Teagan Hipp won her third career individual state championship in downhill skiing for Arrowhead and also was the leader of a tennis team that returned to state after winning last year's team title. She was named Classic 8 Player of the Year.
·Caroline Tjarksen was named the state Player of the Year in girls lacrosse as Arrowhead Red won a third straight state title.
·Arrowhead quarterback Johnny Duranso started in three straight state-championship football games and also served as a key component of the state-finalist baseball team.
·Michigan recruit Ben Bredeson of Arrowhead has been hailed as one of the best recruits the state has boasted in years, and he was named Classic 8 Offensive Player of the Year.
·Kate Martin of Mukwonago finished third at the state golf meet and was named Classic 8 Player of the Year.
·Sammie Sabol of Lake Country Lutheran was the defensive Player of the Year in the Midwest Classic for the state-qualifying soccer team and also played a key role on the state-finalist girls volleyball team.
·Samson capped his career with a fourth straight trip to state after last year's state runner-up finish, and he helped Cooney wrestling share the league dual-meet title. He was also named Offensive Back of the Year in the Wisconsin Little Ten in football.
Pictured: Jacob Raschka dominates the 195-pound state championship match against Dalton Hahn on Feb. 27. Photo by Russ Pulvermacher