Lady Falcons receive first scare
By Dan Truttschel/Sports Correspondent
For the first time since a pair of nonconference losses to open the season, the Westosha Central softball team faced a little adversity last week.
But the Falcons were more than ready to take that challenge head on.
Central’s Julia Jester drove in sister Hailey with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning to lead the state’s top-ranked Division 1 team past host Burlington 4-2 last Thursday.
The win improved the Falcons to 10-2 overall and 6-0 in the SLC. Central traveled to Elkhorn Tuesday afternoon, but results were unavailable this week.
Central fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, but took the lead with two runs in the top of the third. The Demons knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame, and that’s how the scored stayed until the eighth.
Offensive leaders in the win included Kayla Konwent with four hits and a run scored, Larkin Langston with two hits, Julia Jester with two hits and an RBI and Kira Mickelson with two hits and a run scored. Hailey Jester finished with a hit, a run scored and two RBI.
Alyssa Hrncar picked up the complete-game win, as she allowed seven hits, two earned runs, three walks and struck out six.
Konwent was ejected for running over the Burlington catcher in the seventh inning.
The ejection means the star hitter had to sit out Central’s next game.
Central opened the week with a 9-2, 9-6 twin bill sweep last Tuesday at Delavan-Darien.
The Falcons scored three times in the top of the first inning of the opener and cruised from there. Delavan’s only two runs came in the sixth inning.
Konwent had two hits, two runs scored and three RBI, followed by Taylor Bergles with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI and Hrncar with two hits and two runs scored.
Liz Fonk added two runs scored, while Mickelson had two hits, a run scored and an RBI.
Hrncar allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out 11 in seven innings.
Delavan jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings and 6-3 after four, but the Falcons answered with four runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth to ice the win.
Bergles had two hits, while Olivia Klean had a hit and two RBI and Hrncar two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Mickelson added two runs scored, while Konwent drove in two and Hailey Jester had a hit, two runs scored and two RBI.
Klean and Hrncar each pitched three innings for the Falcons.
Following Tuesday’s game with the Elks, the Falcons host Wilmot in the third meeting this season between the nearby rivals. Central travels to the always challenging Poynette Invitational this weekend.
Girls first, boys second
The Westosha Central girls finished first with 185.5 points, while the boys were second with 132.5 points at last Friday’s Z Invitational at Westosha.
Racine Horlick was second in the girls’ standings with 126 points, followed by Kenosha Bradford with 84, Shoreland Lutheran with 82 and Burlington Catholic Central with 54.5.
Eight teams competed.
Finishing first for the Falcons were Melissa Capra in the 3,200 (11:56.97), Amanda Sabourin in the discus (96-10) and Phylicia Quiroz in the pole vault (9-0).
Second-place finishes were turned in by Maria Sabourin in the 800 (2:35.66) and the 1,600 (5:49.36), Danielle Tesar in the shot put (32-8), Olivia Simmons in the discus (96-4) and Jenna Trione in the high jump (5-0).
Racine Park won the boys’ title with 173 points, followed by Central, Kenosha Bradford with 109, Racine Horlick with 72 and Waterford with 60. Nine teams competed.
Glenn Karsten led the Falcons with a first-place finish in the discus (148-7), along with the 3,200-meter relay team of Shane McNealy, Andrew Allen, Jack Ray and Alexey Hufnagle (8:46.51).
Finishing second were McNealy in the 3,200 (10:41.72), Austin Feeney in the discus (146-8), R.J. Szweda in the high jump (5-8) and Jack Hauber in the triple jump (39-9).
Both Central track teams are back in action Friday when they compete at the Badger Invitational at 4 p.m.
Golfers fourth at invite
Central’s Jonah Arbet posted an 87 to lead the Falcons to a fourth-place finish at the 10-team Brightondale Invitational Saturday. Central had a team score of 362.
Waterford won the team title with a 344.
Following Arbet were Ray Walsh with a 91 and Zach Kramer and Sam Sekeney with 92s.
Earlier in the week, Central was fifth at an SLC mini-meet at Union Grove with a round of 360. Waterford won the title with a 318.
Leading the way was Arbet with an 81, followed by Kramer with an 86, Sekeney and Kevin Lourigan with 96s and Bailey Menarek with a 107.
Central competed at the Geneva National Invitational Monday and at Elkhorn Wednesday. The Falcons travel to the Janesville Parker Invitational Saturday.