Posted: Nov. 3, 2009 |(0) Comments

Homestead girls cross country

There were highs and lows and midpoints in the Homestead girls cross country team's fourth place finish in the WIAA State Meet in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday.

But for first-year coach Victor Vilar, who guided the Highlanders to a stellar season in his brave attempt to take over for the late and beloved Andy Edington, the highest point was easy to find.

"The head coach of the Muskego team (C.J. Michaud) came up to me in the middle of the race and told me that it didn't matter anymore whether we finished first or 20th," Vilar said. "He said, 'The job you took on was very worthy. Now just sit back and enjoy the race.' It was very kind of him, and in fact, the girls did have fun. One race was not going to define their season."

The Highlanders finished with a 182-point total as Wausau East (75 points) surprised defending state champ Whitefish Bay (142), while Neenah was third (177). Homestead had been ranked as high as second in recent state polls.

As has been their wont all fall, the Highlanders earned their lofty place in the 20-school field with balance. Sarah Miller was 20th to lead the way in 15:37, while Kelsey Boyle was 29th (15:46), Caity Bobber 38th (15:54), Lauren Holtz 39th (15:56) and Andrea Dolsky 56th (16:06).

Vilar said the normally front-running Holtz just wore down a little bit as the season went along, but still had a tremendous campaign.

Other runners included Keali Bjork in 59th (16:07) and Dana Griepentrog, who was so nervous going into the race that she forgot to put on her computer chips and so was never officially scored. Vilar said she ran a time around 16:30.

Vilar was pleased for the girls on several fronts, first and foremost that were able to honor the memory of Edington, who passed away last spring. He was also happy that they competed with the very best the state had to offer.

"They rose above the level of the competition," he said "Almost every individual runner was better than the year before. You can't ask for anything more than that."

But now he has to take a deep breath, because out of the 52-person team, 26 were seniors, including all but Holtz and Bjork on the starting unit.

"It was a little sad on the way home," he said. "We had two vans, and they all wanted to ride together, but there weren't enough seat belts."

Shorewood girls cross country

Finishing as competitively as they could, the Greyhounds took fourth of 16 in the WIAA State Division 2 meet in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday.

Shorewood, behind the fifth-place finish of Emily Bachhuber, turned in a 147-point total as Woodland Conference champ Pewaukee dominated with 62. Wisconsin Lutheran was second (134) and Luxemburg-Casco was third (143).

Bachhuber was clocked 15:26 for her place. Freshman Haley Holan concluded a stellar first season by earning 14th (15:52). Other scoring runners included Laura Schroeder in 38th (16:34), Chloe Staub in 43rd (16:37) and Jenny Vrobel in 47th (16:38).

Also running were Morgan Baker in 77th (17:15) and Nora Waters in 82nd (17:29).

Seniors for the Greyhounds were Schroeder, Staub and Baker.

Homestead boys cross country

Last week, Highlander coach Dan Claussen predicted that if North Shore Conference individual champ Nate Routhier felt right, that he could finish in the top 15.

Well, Routhier made Claussen look like a prophet, as he took 13th on the wet and muddy Ridges Golf Course layout in Wisconsin Rapids with a time 16:28.5. There were a total of 190 runners in the field.

Sussex Hamilton's Marcus Paulson, coached by former Homestead all-stater Andy Bosley, won the individual title in 15:41.

Routhier, who was ill and struggled last week in the sectional race, is the fifth-best underclassmen returning to the field, all but one of whom lives in the greater metro area. The top six individuals were all seniors.

Brown Deer/University School girls swimming

Despite being short two key people, the Falcons still took a sound sixth of 13 teams in the Woodland Conference meet Saturday in Shorewood.

"Swimming has become much more competitive over the last five years and our athletes are holding up their end quite nicely," said co-coach John Douglass.

The Falcons look to be at full strength for the WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at Plymouth on Saturday. The winner of each event, plus all those whose performances are among the next 12 best statewide, will advance to the state meet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Natatorium.

Top swimmer Caroline Roos (funeral) and diver Lauren Isnard (injury) should be back to compete at the sectional.

Brown Deer/University School scored 211 points at the conference meet as Shorewood won its fourth straight league crown with 415.

The meet started awkwardly for the Falcons as Isnard landed badly in the water on her ninth dive and had to be withdrawn from the field by the athletic trainer.

Both Emily Melvin (fifth, 253.7) and Brooke Kwasny (sixth, 241.3) did well in the event for the Falcons.

Other good finishes by event for the Falcons included: 200 medley relay - Kim Zwicke, Dani Gross, Kim Surfus and Caroline Bridges, fifth (2:01.72); 200 individual medley - Dani Gross, ninth (2:30.65); 50 free - Bridges, sixth (25.82); 100 butterfly - Gross, seventh (1:08.1); 100 free - Bridges, fifth (57.35), Nicole Hornslein, ninth (1:00.63) and Kevlyn, 10th (1:00.8); 200 free relay - Bridges, Gross, Zwicke and Hornslein, fourth (1:48.99); 100 backstroke - Kevlyn Holmes, eighth (1:08.55); and 400 free relay - Holmes, Hornslein, Kristin Gosse and Zwicke, eighth (4:12.67).

Homestead girls tennis

There were so many bright little moments in the aftermath of the perfect season of the two-time state champion Highlanders.

There was a social at the home of state individual champ Aly Coran the night of the championship on Oct. 24 and the day after, as coach Jackie Egelhoff went to her club to work, there were flowers at the door to greet her.

She did have the large, shiny gold trophy in hand so everyone could see it.

Then there was the trip to her son's house so the grandsons could see it (they all wanted a part of it) and on that Oct. 26, there was get-together, her and the girls on the team at the little clubhouse next to the high school courts, where they had a celebratory dinner.

They then trundled off to the Mequon/Thiensville School Board meeting to accept proper congratulations.

Long-time assistant coach Rick Vetter, who shaved his long-held mustache last year after the team won the title for the first time, didn't quite do that this year, but Egelhoff said he did show the girls the can of shaving cream at the hotel, just in case.

"Last I heard, it was still safe," Egelhoff laughed.

As was the case last year, there will be some work to be done in doubles as captain Brittany Watchmaker (first doubles) and Kristin Swenson (second doubles) will graduate. Fourth singles player Megan Geschke, who had an excellent season, will also take her leave.

But for now, Egelhoff is not going to worry about all that. She is just going to enjoy things.

"It was a lovely way to finish," she said.

Bay boys cross country

Serving as an impetus for his teammates, most of whom were at the meet, Blue Duke junior Mike Camilleri finished the season on a fine note, taking 31st of 190 in the WIAA State Division I meet in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday.

"A great race, a really solid performance," said Blue Duke coach Mike Miller. "He ran relaxed and had a great experience. The other guys got a look at him and I hope it will plant a seed in them. We're all very happy for Mike."

Sussex Hamilton's Marcus Paulson claimed the individual title in 15:41 and Camilleri clocked in 16:45.

North Shore boys volleyball

All four area teams advanced in opening round WIAA tourney play.

In the Germantown sectional, top-seeded and returning state runner-up Nicolet had a first-round bye and advanced to take on Neenah in a sectional semifinal on Tuesday. In the bottom half of the bracket, Homestead defeated Germantown, 25-18, 25-11, 25-9, and took on second-seeded Arrowhead in a Tuesday semifinal.

The final is 7 tonight at Germantown.

In the Whitefish Bay sectional, the host Blue Dukes advanced with a 25-15, 25-20, 25-18 decision over Brookfield Central and took on top-seeded Wauwatosa East on Tuesday, while in the bottom half of the bracket, Shorewood outlasted Brookfield East, 27-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-16 and then took on second-seeded Wauwatosa West on Tuesday.

The sectional final at Bay on Thursday will get under way at 7 p.m.

Wisconsin Lutheran College will host the state tournament on Nov. 13 and 14.

Homestead girls volleyball

The Highlanders could not hold up to mighty second-ranked in state Watertown last week, ending the season with a disappointing 25-19, 25-17, 25-18 WIAA sectional semifinal loss.

"They're an excellent team and move very well," said Highlanders coach Sarah Wasmer. "They're such strong hitters, too. But we really struggled in ball control tonight. We can't get the ball up to Erika (all-state candidate outside hitter Reetz) without a good set. We'll always struggle if we don't get a good pass."

The loss was especially disappointing considering that the Highlanders took the veteran Goslings to a thrilling five games last season in another sectional semifinal.

The match was the last for a series of Highlander seniors, including Reetz, Natalie Goniu, Natalie Sperling, Andrea Voss and Lauren Kellaher.

Nicolet went on to upset Watertown in a five-game thriller of a sectional final Saturday.