Falcon Five perseveres

Well-rounded seniors stuck together during appeal

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

While seven Westosha Central High School varsity volleyball players have another shot to achieve the dream of reaching the state championship, the five seniors were deprived of the opportunity last week, when the team was disqualified from the playoffs.

In spite of the devastating week, seniors Sarah Blair, Julianna Ellerbrock, Abi Marcquenski, Kaeley Mueller and Nikki Stratton leaned on each other and the community for support.

According to Laurie Marcquenski, mother of Abi, the parents and student-athletes who worked diligently to perfect their games while balancing extra-curricular activities, the news shook the seniors.

“Of course there were many tears from not only the girls, but the parents,” said Laurie Marcquenski, who came away impressed with their strengths when they stated their case before the WIAA Board of Control, the Westosha Central School Board and in an interview with a television station.

“But boy, they surely showed their strengths and class when they presented themselves to the WIAA board, the school board and television news interview.”

Overcoming the week with class and dignity was something Blair, a co-captain, had in mind when she confided in her other co-captain, Mueller.

“Over this last week, me and Kaeley agreed that the best way to get through this was class,” said Blair, who balances the sport with her enthusiastic involvement in school organization Students Against Destructive Decisions, stating helping others is rewarding.

“Adding more drama would just make the situation much worse and harder to get through.”

But, Blair acknowledged it was difficult not only for the team, but their parents, recalling a moment with her mother, Margie.

“My mom said, ‘You don’t really understand pain until you see your kid treated unfairly,” Blair said. “I could see that is how many of the parents felt.”

While Blair admitted the disqualification was frustrating, she counted on Mueller to keep her spirits up.

“I admire Kaeley for sticking to her beliefs, because when I was feeling so angry and frustrated at the injustice of the system, she helped bring me up,” Blair said.

Mueller, who entered the appeals process with hopes for reform, stated she is still absorbing the thought she already played her last game.

“To end the 2016 year, also my senior year, suddenly is difficult to comprehend,” said Mueller, who volunteers her time at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville, Ill. and donates winter gear she has sewn herself.

“We want the WIAA to revise the punishment for amount of tournament infractions, because the way it is set up now, players are the only ones being penalized,” Mueller said.

“We never want another team to ever feel this pain and loss like we have this week and weeks ahead.”
The pain, however, was lessened by the strong parental and underclassmen support, Blair said.

Blair credits the dozen parents for taking time out of their lives, including at least 12 total hours to and from Stevens Point to present the appeal on back-to-back days.

“I could not have wanted any other parents by our side this week,” Blair said. “I was reminded the reason that our teammates are so great is because our Falcon families are so awesome.”

“Putting our situation over their jobs and families at some point to help us was so incredible,” Blair added.

Along with Blair and Mueller is Stratton, who balanced her dedication to volleyball to earn membership to the school’s Spanish Honors Society, International Club in addition to raising animals at the Racine County Fair.

Like Blair and Mueller, Stratton also felt the sudden realization her high school career was taken away after the Southern Lakes Conference tournament in Burlington.

“Finding out the news was horrible because we were all expecting to go so far this year, knowing we had the talent,” Stratton said. “Our season was cut off and we didn’t even see it coming.”

Ellerbrock, who notched similar academic achievements as Stratton, agreed.

“What surprised me the most was how quickly our season was taken away from us and the realization that we played our last match without knowing it,” said Ellerbrock.

Stratton concurred, noting they were never given the opportunity to even lose the right way.

“At least during regionals or sectionals, you know that it could possibly be the last match of the season, or in my case, my career, but we had no clue,” Stratton said.

Abi Marcquenski reported the ban was one of the hardest obstacles she has overcome.

“This year we really had a chance and I think other teams were intimidated by that,” Abi Marcquenski said. “We were such a family-oriented, powerful, motivated, driven team and I know we would have accomplished all of our goals if it weren’t for the outcome.”
Diverse group

All five seniors agreed on another aspect, they bring different and unique qualities to the team, which Abi Marcquenski put it best when identifying the attributes of her fellow players.

“I love how each and every one of us have different personalities,” she said. “We all balance each other out.”

Marcquenski commended Blair’s awareness in difficult times, Mueller’s high enthusiasm, Ellerbrock’s unconditional support on and off the court, along with Stratton’s “lead by example” demeanor.

“Personally, (Nikki) motivated me to always get better because of how much her game has improved,” Abi Marcquenski said.

Furthermore, Marcquenski credits the seven underclassmen for offering support, and while they had a disappointing end, they became more than teammates.

“Although during it all, our team became closer than ever before, we became more motivated and more of a family,” Marcquenski said. “I love them all more now than ever. I give a lot of props to the underclassmen for being great supporters. I consider all of them my sisters.”

Stratton echoed Marcquenski’s statement, noting they often connect through club volleyball, which extends their dedication to the sport to nine months.

“Not only during volleyball are we close, but outside of the gym and outside of the season, we are sisters,” Stratton said. “I’ve played club with some of them and volleyball at Central for three to four years depending on the individual. We have so many amazing memories together, and I will never forget any of them.”

Ellerbrock agreed.

“All five of us have different personalities but they seem to mesh perfectly while together,” she said. “I would not have wanted to spend these last four years with any other girls.”

Dedicated and disciplined
The five seniors accomplishments on and off the court would not have been possible without structure and discipline, according to Laurie Marcquenski, who stated the five seniors often study on long team bus rides to finish coursework.

“The girls put in time all year round to be their best in volleyball. They practice five days a week during the school year season after school.”

“During the school year they need to stay disciplined and keep themselves on a strict schedule to make sure they have their homework studying time,” Marcquenski added.

But, in spite of the tournament cap that barred them from the playoffs, all they wanted to do was play the game they loved.

“If we didn’t love the sport we would not put as much effort or time into it,” Ellerbrock said.

While the WIAA and an undisclosed school that reported the violation took away their right to play one last game, the five seniors will continue to play the sport they love, participating on a variety of club volleyball teams.

Mueller, however, has taken it one step further, noting she wants to eventually coach the sport.

“I have been playing since I was 13,” Mueller said. “My goal is to play in college and then one day coach,” Mueller said.