Intentional Talk

Local reporter returns home to work for neighboring county

By Jason Arndt Staff Writer
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

Upon returning to Southeast Wisconsin from an 18-month pilgrimage in Northeast Wisconsin, I had no idea what to expect out of the western Kenosha County sports scene.

If the first six months are any indication, it has been a warm welcome as a Racine native, and the Southern Lakes Conference has been quite the change of pace compared to the predominantly smaller Division 2 Bay Conference and a slew of Division 5 teams in the Marinette and Oconto Conference.

Additionally, throw in a mix of Division 4 and 5 schools in both the Central Wisconsin Conference-8 and CWC-10, which have schools in towns smaller than the total student enrollment at either Westosha Central or Wilmot Union high schools.

However, the student-athletes at Shawano Community, Bonduel, Oconto Falls, Gillett and Suring high schools reignited my passion for prep sports.

The kindness and generosity of the student-athletes in Northeast Wisconsin was an eye-opening experience, and the students and parents of Westosha Central and Wilmot Union High School intensified this passion to the highest level.

The passion started from the get-go, beginning with an approach by an entire girls volleyball team here in Kenosha County.

It is honestly the first time in my entire career a team came to me, instead of the other way around, especially at the start.

The kindness given to yours truly will never be forgotten.

There were several thrills in the fall sports season, which included the sectional title pursuits of both Westosha Central volleyball teams, led by an enthusiastic and fired-up group of juniors on the girls side.

For the boys, Drake Muhlenbeck and Connor Muff could be two to keep an eye on for next year.

Wilmot’s football team could be a force to be reckoned with next year thanks to the return of A.J. Frisby and a core of young runners.

The Wilmot boys volleyball team made a remarkable statement in its second year on the varsity level, courtesy of Sam Rovik and Alex Tenhagen to name a couple.

On the links, the Lady Panthers’ golf squad showed poise, while the Westosha Central team demonstrated youthful exuberance with a sign of greater things to come.

While the Lady Panthers bid farewell to seniors Ellie Turner and Tehya White, junior McKenna Stanek and a pair of freshman have potential.

For the Lady Falcons squad, the cliché goes “The Sky is Limit,” highlighted by Mallory Scheppa, Colleen Nolan, and Lexi Carlson.

A sharpshooting winter
Entering the winter sports season, I discovered interesting parallels between the teams in Northeast Wisconsin compared to Southeast Wisconsin.

In Bonduel, the girls basketball squad rattled off 19 straight wins, but dropped a heartbreaking loss at Wittenberg-Birnamwood with less than one second left in a conference rivalry game.

It felt the same way when the Lady Panthers were dealt a blow in the regional title game against visiting Milton.

Wilmot seniors Sam Kirk, Olivia Klahs, Teya Gaines and Turner will be missed.

The same could be said when No. 1-seeded Gillett High School lost to Green Bay NEW Lutheran at home in a WIAA Division 5 girls basketball regional title match, leaving five seniors weeping on the sidelines, knowing they played their last second as prep hoops players.

While there were high hopes for top-seeded Westosha Central High School’s boys basketball team against No. 4 Fort Atkinson, it was unfortunately not meant to be in their regional title match.

Playing witness to a team that consisted of senior Jordan Easthon, itching to return from a season-ending injury, and Ron Hall along with promising junior Tre Williams, was an ultimate experience.

Credit goes out to Southern Lakes Conference Player of the Year, Bobby Brenner of the Panthers, for waging in a shootout against Falcons’ Williams.

Never have I witnessed two top performers notch more than 30 points against one another in a single game.

Along with the shootout, the second game between the two squads was lights out, and students on both agreed it was an instant classic, courtesy of Hall’s triple-double, Brenner, Williams, Easthon, Latrell Glass and Christian Janssen.

However, there is one thing all of these teams have in common – hope for continued success beyond the court for all of the students.

While I have continued my desire to highlight hard-working student-athletes, on and off the court, I could rattle off more than two dozen that are doing great things.

One thing to note, is behind every student-athlete I have come to know, there is a sure bet they have strong and supportive parents, based on my early observations.

As the spring sports season approaches, all that can be said is, “Batter up, find the goal and hit the high hurdles!”


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