Spring Sports Preview 2017 - Advertiser Community Newsadvertisercommunitynews.com/.../2017/04/Spring-Sports-Preview-201… · SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW 2017. W P î r ^ ] ... Trevor Cornell

SUPPLEMENT TO THE ADVERTISER COMMUNITY NEWS • APRIL 10, 2017

A Preliminary Guide To Spring Sports In

Seymour • Shiocton • Freedom

SPRING SPORTS

PREVIEW2017

Thunder Girls Track: Front row, left to right: Chaselyn Parker, Mackenzie Ullmer, Laura Spaude, Makenzie Samson, Sabrina Leisgang and Samantha Eisch; Middle row: Kayla VandenHeuvel, Brianna Prilepp, Lauren Rottier, Natalie Maufort, Paige Cimino, Alisha Krueger, Katie Evenstad, Taylor Schmid and Brianna Elbe; Back row: Kelsey Mad-sen, Olivia DeBruin, Jenna Krause, Mia Charnon, Leena Albert, Morgan Seitz, Daphne Javoroski, Lindsey Scheurer, Erin Schuh and Helena Jefferson - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Thunder Boys Track: Front row, Josh Molle, Anthony Hernandez, Joey Coonen, Alex Skenandore, Cole Solem, Aaron Walters, Dyllan Zakrzewski, Riley Volkman, Jack Dudley, Jeremiah Baranczyk, Clay Ryan, Adam Smith and Jadin Schuettpelz; Middle row: Jacob Maass, Jaron Valley, Dillon Maass, Alec Weitermann, Dalton Lehrer, Dylan Deschler, Gavin Bunkelman, Max Olson, Zachary Gerhardt, Cody Roskom, Eli Oskey, Tavon Lecker and Jack Schuh; Back row: Nik Yaeger, Ty Witthuhn, Eric Herman, Will Rydzewski, Alex Girard, Devin VerVoort, Cayden Waller, Seth Swenson, Cole VandeHei, Miguel Hernandez and Aaron Geurts - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Seymour Thunder

Boys and girls track has potential Seymour boys and girls track coach Scott Schwantes, in his 31st year as coach, has no returning letter winners, but that does not deter him or his teams.He has some key players that can lead the team and perhaps pull off some surprises.Leading the way in the girls’ pole vault is Lauren Rottier. Rottier will also be a key component in the 4x200 relay team along with Olivia DeBruin and Jenny Krause.As for the boys, Schwantes likes Dalton Leher in the boys hurdles and Nik Yaeger in the boys 400 M.In the boys shot put, Schwantes like all three teammates, Will Rydzewski, Alex Girard and Eric Herman.Overall, Schwantes says his team can be a contender in the Bay.

Thunder Boys Baseball: Front row, left to right: Kendal Lecker, David Michaelson, Justin Krull, Zack Potter, Austin Marcks, Trevor Balthazor, Hunter Clark and Peyton Dorn; Back row: Coach Curt Jefson, Ryan Peterson, Bryce VerVoort, Trent Blake, Sam Blank, Philip Grelecki, Trevor Cornell and Coach Adam Smet - Photo by Keith Skenandore Looking to compete in the Bay Conference with young team

By Greg Bates, ACN & Times-Press sports correspondent

Last year’s senior class had a great deal of success on the diamond for the Seymour base-

ball team.

It produced seven starters: Seth Jefson, Clayton Van Lanen, Reed Blake, Sean Palubicki,

Trent LaCombe, Bennett Temple and Jerad Anderson. Those guys drove in 75 percent of the

runs last year and scored 76 percent of the runs. To say they will be missed is an understate-

ment. But as the Thunder move into a new season, fourth-year coach Curt Jefson knows he

has a good crop of young talent to lean on.

“We have a lot of question marks,” coach Jefson said. “That being said, I feel pretty good

about some of our young guys coming up and some of the guys that are seniors. I just haven’t

seen them play enough.

“We have some good pieces, it’s just a matter of seeing where they all fit in.”

The guys have played a lot of baseball, but the majority of them just don’t have much

varsity experience.

“Adam Smet and Dale Palubicki and all the coaches that have been with me since I started

here, we do things the same at every level and I think we feel a lot more comfortable with

some new kids coming in because they understand what’s expected of them at practice and

games and the terminology and the drills, all that stuff,” Jefson said. “We have an interesting

mix of seniors who have limited playing time and some juniors and sophomores. But overall,

I think we have some solid pitching; we have some good team speed. Hopefully we have a lot

more pop than we did last year. I’m optimistic, but I always am.”

Seymour started last season 3-7 before winning eight straight games and finished 13-12.

The Thunder placed fourth in the Bay Conference at 7-5 and lost in the regional championship

game to Oconto Falls.

Watching last year’s team have success should give the younger players a good gauge of

how to compete in the Seymour program.

“I think from the guys that graduated last year, their strength was they were tough kids,”

Jefson said. “They had a mental toughness to them where they knew how to grind through.

We had a tough stretch there and we rattled off a bunch of wins in a row. We had a lot of tough

games last year and I think that if there’s one attribute that they can take from that group it

would be the toughness they had.”

Seymour will rely on pitching this season with three of its top four throwers back. Reed

Blake, who is now pitching at UW-Milwaukee, will have to be replaced after going 4-3 with a

2.42 ERA. Austin Marcks had a great junior campaign, throwing in 11 games, starting seven,

and going 5-5 with a 1.74 ERA.

“He was incredibly effective in terms of not allowing free bases,” Jefson said. “He’s always

around the plate. He’s clearly our No. 1.”

Trent Blake, who is just a sophomore, went 3-1 with a 3.79 ERA in three starts. Justin Krull

mostly pitched in relief and finished 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA.

Jefson is looking for some pitchers to step up as third and fourth starters in his rotation. He

has a lot of young arms on his roster, including Caleb Derus, Phil Grelecki, Hunter Clark, Trevor

Balthazor, Trevor Cornell and Tavon Lecker.

Seymour will need a large number of capable pitchers after the WIAA implemented a

pitch count this season. Pitchers are only allowed to throw a maximum of 100 pitches per

outing. However, if a pitcher hits the century mark during an at-bat, they can finish out that

hitter. Pitchers have a certain amount of days they have to rest after throwing. A pitcher who

throws 1-30 pitches in a day doesn’t require any rest; 31-49 pitches requires one day of rest;

50-75 requires two days; and 76-100 requires three days.

“We’ve got to pound the zone, otherwise we really get stretched thin,” Jefson said. “Our

goal is 14 pitches an inning. If we hit that, we’re in good shape. But you get those innings

where you get 25 plus, you’re going to be straining.”

Seymour, which hit .261 as a team last season, has to replace seven of its top eight players

in batting average. Krull, a senior center fielder, was third on the team with a .292 average

and collected 21 hits, 15 RBI and scored 15 runs. Jefson knows how valuable his three-year

starter is, who will be the team’s leadoff hitter.

“Justin is not only experienced in baseball but he’s a state-qualifying wrestler, he’s started

football games at the varsity level at safety,” Jefson said. “He’s a kid that plays baseball with

reckless abandon. As a coach, you love that about him and sometimes it makes you cringe. But

that’s how you want to play the game.”

Zack Potter is the other starting position player back for the Thunder. He hit .152 last sea-

son. Potter was at third base as a junior and will shift over to shortstop to fill the void left by

three-year starter Seth Jefson.

“He’s done a lot of work in the offseason and I know he’s played a pretty good shortstop for

the Legion last year,” coach Jefson said.

Bryce VerVoort played in 23 games last season and had a .213 average at the plate; he

scored eight runs and drove in five. His role will expand this year as a junior out in right field.

Trent Blake, when he’s not pitching can play first and is a utility game, will be relied on

in the middle of the order. Sam Blank got in five varsity games late last year and will be the

team’s starting catcher. He’s a big kid who can swing the bat, noted his coach. Ryan Peterson

missed all of last season with a torn ACL and will get plenty of time, most likely at first base.

Jefson is looking at Balthazor to get some playing time, but where he ends up is yet to

be seen.

“In the offseason, he really committed himself to the weight room, he committed himself

to open gyms,” Jefson said. “He’s done a lot of good things to improve himself for the season.”

Cornell, another junior, is coming off a good season at the junior varsity level and provides

Seymour with a left-handed hitter. Peyton Dorn is also a left-handed hitting infielder. Senior

David Michaelson will also be in the mix in the outfield.

West De Pere is the reigning conference champions and it returns a solid core of players.

Green Bay United and Menasha will be tough again this season, Jefson noted.

“It’s such a good conference and it’s just a challenge every day,” Jefson said.

Jefson believes his team fits into the top half of the conference standings.

“I think we can compete with all those teams,” Jefson said. “If our pitching is where I think

it’s at, I think we can battle for the title. It’s weird to say because we’re replacing so many kids.

... I’ve seen a lot of these kids compete in not just baseball but in other arenas, and I feel pretty

good about our team.”

Thunder

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Thunder

Thunder Girls Soccer: Front row, left to right: Alyssa Wendorff, Emily Hanson, Shannen Moua, CassieBain, Megan Struble, Morgan Ness and Kennedy Peters; Middle row: Sophie Skenandore-Wheelock, Portia Fenske, Mikayla Pennings, Taylor Olson, Justine Meltz, Brianna Karweick, Hannah Schultz, Kyla Ryan and Mercede Heinke; Back row: Assistant Coach Sarah Kamke, Elli Ellis, Anna Froehlich, Morgan Pagel, Cierrah Huntington, Aubrey Buchholtz, McKendra Heinke, Rochelle Gueller, Joelly Lemens, Cecelia Stadler and Head Coach Todd Messner - Photo by Keith Skenandore

New golf coach looking for improvement

First year golf coach Jeff Wagner isn’t real familiar with his team at this time, however, from what he’s seen and knows what he’s got coming back from last year, he expects improvement.

That gives the Thunder golf team seven returning athletes and two starters.

The letter winners are Derek Dreschler, Adam Marquardt,Tyson Thompson, Justin VandenHeuvel and Jorey Wussow.

Other golfers expected to play key roles are Justin Maass, Wy-att Southard, Brandon Peltier, Brandon Muench, Tyler Tribaudeau, Henry VanEss, Josh Gribble, Braeden Prilepp, Tanner Schultz, Gabe Seidl, Mason Krabbe and Evan Schluenz.

“A nice combination of upper classmen and lower classmen -

-ence this year.

Soccer squad look to succeed even with injury bug

With three key starters gone from last year, the injury bug hasn’t helped out this year’s Thunder soccer squad as they prepare for confer-ence play.

who is in his 16th season at the helm. “We will keep improving and other girls will take on different roles.

of the teams will play a factor as a top team will stumble somewhere

He said Xavier and West De Pere will be the toughest competition this year.

said.

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Thunder

Thunder Girls Softball: Front row, left to right: Dinah King, Zoe Moehring, Joeley Bluma, Paige Weyer and Diahanna King; Back row: Savannah Thielbar, Ashley Thomas, Raven Vanden Langenberg, Kendra Johnson, Patricia Nieland and Deiondra Wussow - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Team has to execute to get the job done

By Greg Bates, ACN & Times-Press sports correspondent

The last time the Seymour softball team won a conference title, this year’s players were

either in diapers or not even born.

The year was 2000.

With eight returning starters from last year’s squad, the Thunder have aspirations of win-

ning the Bay Conference.

Seymour tied for third place in conference last year, and with some teams graduating

key players, it’s the Thunder’s time to earn big victories, said fifth-year Seymour coach Karri

Vanden Langenberg.

“There are teams in the Bay Conference that we need to work hard to beat this season,”

Vanden Langenberg said. “Having eight returning starters, the knowledge of these teams is

there, now we just need to execute.”

Seymour went 13-11 overall last season and was 8-6 in conference. New London was un-

defeated (14-0) and Shawano was runner-up (11-3). Seymour, Green Bay East and Menasha

finished in a three-way tie.

The only player gone from last year’s starting lineup is infielder Anna Schenk, who was

named all-conference honorable mention.

Raven Vanden Langenberg leads the way for the Thunder. She put up big numbers at

the plate last season as a sophomore and was named first-team all-conference. Outfielder

Zoe Moehring, second-team all-conference last season, and catcher Ashley Thomas provide

strong senior leadership. Joeley Bluma (pitcher/infielder, all-conference honorable mention),

Kendra Johnson (infielder), Savannah Thielbar (outfield, all-conference honorable mention)

and Deiondra Wussow (infielder/outfielder) round out a strong junior class. Pitcher/infielder

Paige Weyer is back after a good freshman campaign where she was a first-team all-confer-

ence selection as a utility player.

“In my years of coaching varsity, we have not had this strong of a returning team,” coach

Vanden Langenberg said. “We are looking to use this to our advantage for the next two sea-

sons.”

The returning players improved in the offseason by taking part in summer league and

attending open gyms in January.

“This team really pushes each other to be better every day,” Vanden Langenberg said.

“They work as a team to talk and teach each other to have quality practices.”

The Thunder put up 10 more runs in eight games last season and has plenty of pop in

their bats coming back. Vanden Langenberg is expecting more crooked numbers this year

on the scoreboard.

“We have added to our batting lineup and we are looking forward to watching the team

get on base this season,” Vanden Langenberg said. “The team has worked hard on hitting

mechanics.”

Seymour’s two pitchers from last season, Bluma and Weyer, are both back and earned

valuable experience last season in the circle.

“They have been working hard year-round to get ready for the season,” Vanden Langen-

berg said.

Vanden Langenberg is confident in her pitchers and defense, and they will be the team’s

“strong suit.”

The Thunder have a trio of underclassmen -- sophomore Patricia Nieland(catcher) and

freshmen twins Diahanna King (infielder/outfielder) and Dinah King (infielder/outfielder)

-- who will be relied on heavily.

“With only 11 players on the varsity team, they are going to have to learn quick and step

up,” Vanden Langenberg said. “These three athletes are experienced ball players, and this

will help win games. Vanden Langenberg knows her team is primed for a good season. She’s

preaching to her players to stay focused game in and game out.

“This team has the talent, ” Vanden Langenberg said. “We need to stay focused and ex-

ecute to win.”

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Seymour

Shiocton Chiefs Girls Softball: Row one, left to right: Jackie Korth, Leigha Young, Paige Scott and Trina Young; row two: Gabrielle Gunderson, Allison Erickson, Tina Ubl, Sydney Wilcox and Erica Gassner - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Underclassmen will have to learn quickly.

By Greg Bates, ACN & Times-Press sports correspondent

Last year’s dream season came up a bit short for the Shiocton softball

team.

The Chiefs fell 1-0 in a regional final to the eventual Division 3 state

champion, Laconia. Shiocton finished its year at 20-5 and was third in

the Central Wisconsin Conference 8 at 11-3.

The team lost just three seniors – two big bats in Hannah Guyette

and Corrie McCarthy, along with Missy Krause. With six starters back,

there’s a lot of optimism that the Chiefs could make another solid run

in the postseason.

“As I looked at my lineup after last year thinking, ‘Where is it going to

come from?’ -- all of a sudden this is pretty nice,” Shiocton coach Dave

Wilcox said. “The girls have been working hard, doing some hitting clin-

ics this winter, and I think because of the Florida trip that kind of amped

things up a little bit to be prepared. They hit the ground running, so I

like where we’re at.”

Shiocton has just one senior and four juniors. The underclassmen who

fill out the roster step into a program that has gone 77-20 the last four

seasons. The young players will have to learn the varsity game quickly.

“Being as young as we are, we do have a fair amount of experience,”

Wilcox said. “There are still questions we have, and that’s what I like

about our team, we’re very athletic. We have a lot of options. We have

girls that can play one, two, three positions. It might change depending

on who our opponent is, it might change depending on who’s pitching

for us. We’re just kind of putting different things out there.”

The Chiefs were able to get in some great early-season games when

the team headed down to play in a tournament at ESPN Wide World of

Sports Complex in Orlando in late March. Shiocton played five games

against teams from Tennessee, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and

went 2-3.

It was a great learning experience for all the players.

“It probably helps on the field more than off, ” Wilcox said. “We only

have 14 girls, so we don’t have a lot of numbers there. The girls were do-

ing some things during the offseason and building that team chemistry

before the season started. This only solidified and galvanized that.”

Shiocton will rely on its pitching tandem of senior Sydney Wilcox and

junior Gabby Gunderson. Wilcox, a unanimous first-team all-conference

selection who will play at Upper Iowa University next season, was 16-5

in the circle with a 1.12 ERA; she gave up just 67 hits in 124 innings of

work and struck out 177. Gabby Gunderson, who earned all-conference

honorable mention, was 4-0 in the circle.

“We know in this game when you have pitching, it can really take you

quite a ways,” coach Wilcox said.

Wilcox -- who likes his team’s athleticism and team speed -- feels

he has a solid infield with junior Tina Ubl moving from center field to

shortstop to fill the big void left by Guyette. She was first-team all-

conference, hitting .531 (.596 in conference games) and had team-

high 43 hits and 39 RBI. Whomever is not pitching between Wilcox and

Gunderson will play third base. Junior Jackie Korth is at second base and

sophomore Allison Erickson, who earned time last season, will be at first

base. Sophomore Leigha Young has been hampered early in the season

with arm problems, but Wilcox has her pegged to start at catcher for the

second straight year.

The outfield is where coach Wilcox is still trying to make final deci-

sions. While in Florida, Wilcox got a good look at the young players. He

is planning to have junior Trina Young in right field and sophomore Erica

Gassner in center field. Left field is still up for grabs.

“We played a lot of different combinations, ” Wilcox said. “We may

continue to do so based on how the girls are feeling and what works

best.”

Shiocton has some big bats returning in its lineup. The team tallied

7.84 runs per game a season ago and hit .346.

Leigha Young and Korth will start at the top of the order before giving

way to No. 3 hitter Wilcox. She hit .453 as a junior with a .640 on-base

percentage and 34 RBI. Ubl will hit cleanup after logging a .338 average

and 25 RBI. Coach Wilcox said his daughter and Ubl both hit around .500

in the tournament in Orlando. Gunderson is a solid No. 5 hitter, register-

ing a .302 batting average last season. Erickson and Gassner can also

provide some punch out of the 6 and 7 holes.

Wilcox said his freshmen will have a shot at showing they belong on

the diamond. Kellyn Van Straten was used as a courtesy runner during

the Florida trip and Cassidy Defferding had a chance to pitch a few in-

nings. Left-handed hitter Aly Durham and Carley Kriewaldt are in the

mix, too.

“There’s some opportunity, and that’s what we’re trying to sell to the

kids,” Wilcox said.

Because of the trip to Florida and getting in five games and two prac-

tices while in the Sunshine State, the Chiefs are way ahead of where

they were at this point last season. That can be advantageous, especially

since they are playing a tough nonconference schedule that includes

Laconia, Seymour and Oconto.

The Central Wisconsin Conference 8 race should go down to the wire

this season. Defending champion Pacelli (13-1) is stacked again and re-

turns virtually its entire team.

“I would have to put them slightly above the rest of us,” Wilcox said.

“But then after that I think it’s going to be a crapshoot with us, Wey-

auwega-Fremont, I heard Amherst had a nice freshman pitcher, Iola’s

always tough. I really think we should be in that battle for the next posi-

tion and maybe if things fall right and go really, really well, maybe we

can challenge for that. But my main focus is just to be peaking at the

end of the year.”

Y

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Shiocton Chiefs

Chiefs Boys Baseball: Front row, left to right: Cole Wilcox and Tyler Ace; middle row: Garret Oskey, Ethan Flannery, Deven Bedor, Sam VanStraten, Austin Duenas and Drew Schultz; back row: Reiley Tyler, Brandon Spencer, Sawyer Theobald, Nate Schmidt, Josh Lietzke, Mitch Dahlke, Ervin Stedgee and Auggie Hernandez

- Photo by Keith Skenandore

Looking to compete in every gameBy Greg Bates, ACN & Times-Press sports correspondent

Last season’s 8-17 record doesn’t look too good on paper.

However, the seven players who return to the Shiocton baseball team

after logging plenty of innings grew as a unit. That experience they earned

is invaluable as the Chiefs enter a new season.

“I like our team,” Shiocton coach Jude Backman said. “I like our team

way more than before we started getting into the gym, I just kind of had

concerns. But I’m feeling at ease with what we’ve got. I like our team. I like

what I see. I like our communication. I like how kids are talking to each

other.”

Shiocton will have to replace three key seniors from a season ago: three-

year starters Gage Kamp and Mason Gomm, as well as Cole Conradt.

The Chiefs have a roster full of guys who know how to win. Nate

Schmidt, Brandon Spencer and Josh Leitzke were key contributors in the

basketball team’s Central Wisconsin Conference 8 title, and Sam Van Straten

and Sawyer Theobald were all-state wrestlers.

Knowing how to win and getting guys to believe they can pull out a

victory is half the battle.

“I’ve just got to circle the wagons and staying positive and getting them

to believe in themselves,” Backman said.

Seniors: Schmidt (pitcher/infielder), Leitzke (first baseman), Austin

Duenas (center fielder) and Ervin Stedgee and juniors Spencer (pitcher/

possibly catcher), Van Straten (pitcher/possibly catcher) and Theobald

(pitcher/second base) all saw plenty of time on the diamond a season ago.

They will be relied on to provide leadership and experience in big situa-

tions.

The seven players learned a great deal last year as ballplayers. One big

lesson, how to let their mistakes go.

“You’ve got to have a quick turnaround and flush it right away,” Back-

man said. “Again, I don’t think we had too much fun last year, because it

started getting to us. Some of that is coaching and the leadership that I

presented. We’re trying to make it a little more relaxed, because we’re a

sleeper team. And hopefully we can catch some other teams sleeping.”

Juniors: Riley Tyler, who missed all of last season with a torn labrum,

and left-handed pitcher Mitch Dahlke will be key contributors. Sophomore

Tyler Ace earned a few at-bats last season and should get plenty of time.

The Chiefs have two solid pitchers back in Spencer and Schmidt. That 1-2

punch combined for 89 1/3 innings last season with an ERA of just over 4.0.

“Knowing I have two guys that can go up there and throw strikes and

they could go a whole game, that’s great,” Backman said.

Shiocton also has some other players who will be thrown into the pitch-

ing rotation: Theobald should be the team’s No. 3 after throwing 23 2/3

innings with a 2.66 ERA; Van Straten, who pitched a little late in the season;

Dahlke, who will work just an inning at a time to give the opponents a look

at a lefty; and Leitzke.

Backman will need all the arms he can get after the WIAA implemented

a pitch count this season. Pitchers are only allowed to throw a maximum of

100 pitches per outing. However, if a pitcher hits the century mark during

an at-bat, they can finish out that hitter. Pitchers have a certain amount of

days they have to rest after throwing. A pitcher who throws 1-30 pitches in

a day doesn’t require any rest; 31-49 pitches requires one day of rest; 50-75

requires two days; and 76-100 requires three days.

“We’ve got kids that can throw strikes,” Backman said. “I think with the

new pitch rule, it’s exactly what every team needs this year. I feel we have

seven guys that can pitch. Can they throw hard? No. But they can throw

strikes, and that’s all I’m asking from some of these younger guys.”

One big reason Shiocton lost 17 games last season was the guys couldn’t

get key hits at the plate when called upon. The Chiefs lost eight contests by

one or two runs, including their last five losses.

“We couldn’t execute when we needed to get down a bunt or even a

ground ball,” Backman said. “That was the issue. A ground ball would score

us runs, and we couldn’t even get that. We always ended up with a K or

a missed bunt, and those were the two issues that really haunted us last

year – just getting down a bunt or just putting the ball in play when we

had runners in scoring position. We’re really working on bunting this year.

We anticipate low-scoring games if we play good defense.”

The Shiocton offense will need to step it up after scoring 4 1/2 runs per

game last year. Theobald is the top hitter returning with a .298 average, 17

hits, 18 RBI and a .379 on-base percentage. Schmidt will be in the middle

of the order after hitting .291 with 16 hits and a team-high six doubles.

Duenas came through with 16 hits and a .258 clip. Spencer, who will be the

leadoff hitter, collected 17 hits and a .254 average.

After a few years of preaching playing small ball to his players, Backman

is changing his philosophy at the plate.

“We used to swing easy and put it in play; we’re going after it,” Backman

said. “We’re going to swing hard on a 0-2 count and just try to hit it hard

and put it in play.”

Pacelli took home the conference title last season by going 13-1. Its only

CWC8 loss was at home to Shiocton, 2-1, in late April. Bonduel (11-3) was

runner-up, followed by Amherst (9-5) and Iola-Scandinavia (7-7). Shiocton

finished fifth, right where it’s predicted to place this season.

The Chiefs have a difficult nonconference schedule, including playing

defending Division 3 state champion, Saint Mary Catholic. But that noncon-

ference slate should get Shiocton ready for its conference matchups.

“I’d rather get beat by the good teams than go beat someone 15-1,”

Backman said.

A large chunk of the nonconference games will be played in late April.

That will give Backman a chance to reduce his rigorous practices, have his

players rest, watch film and get ready for the meat of the schedule.

“We want to compete in every game, but we want to try and get the W’s

against teams that we think we should get the W’s against.”

Chiefs

These area businesses are proud to back the Shiocton Chiefs:

Kakes by KorthShiocton

Lecker Septic Systems, Inc.

Shiocton

Mike & Sonja’s Bar & Grill

Shiocton

Nichols Paper ProductsNichols

Chiefs Track: Front Row, left to right: Samantha Scott, Haley Apple, Melanie Herb, Cloie Rose, Hailey Schroth, Jewel Brunner and Morgan Brux; middle row: Alex Portillo, Chris Peterson, Hunter Raeck, Matthew Peterson, Ben Weso and Riley Bellin; back row: James Ver Voort, Sam Block, Kaden Piechocki, Reis Stingle, Clayton Shears, Ryan Maki, Robin Tannen and Brady Volkman - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Chiefs

Pahlow Masonry, LLCShiocton

River RailRiverview Banquet Hall

Shiocton

RJM ConstructionBlack Creek

Rooster’s Pub & GrubNichols

Scott Marcks Truckingand Excavating

Black Creek

Shiocton Business LeagueShiocton

The Creeksat Ivy Acres

Shiocton

Timber Creek

Tree ServiceBlack Creek

Wolf River Chiropractic

Shiocton

Wolf River Seal CoatingShiocton

Wolf River TanneryShiocton

These local businesses are proud to support

the Shiocton Chiefs:

Chiefs Golf: Front row, left to right: Joshua Parker, Evan Durham, Wyatt Erickson ad Dashal Mentzel; back row: Joe Casper, Coach Cody Scott, Assistant Coach Jessica Rogers and Matthew Denis - Photo by Keith Skenandore

Chiefs

Second year for Shiocton golf coach will be a year of growthThere are a total of six golfers, including one senior and one new golfer.

-

Freedom Irish sports programs are happily sponsored by these area businesses:

Accurate Driving SchoolSeymour - Freedom - Shiocton

Advertiser Community NewsServing NE Outagamie County

Capital Credit UnionFreedom Office

Dairyland MobilFreedom

East Wisconsin Savings BankFreedom Office

Family Insurance Ctr.Seymour - Freedom

Eric DeBruin, Chad Van Camp, Darren Van Camp

Fox Valley Golf ClubGreat Golf, Great Times

South of Freedom

Freedom Feed MillFreedom

Freedom FoodsFreedom

Freedom Mini-MartShell

Freedom

Go Lamers.comFreedom • The Passenger Professionals®

Irish Waters Golf Cluband McMulligan’s Pub

Freedom

Murphy’s Skunk HillFreedom

Randerson Heating & Cooling

Freedom/Seymour

Freedom Irish

Freedom Irish Boys Baseball:Front row, left to right: Cordell Voeks, Jason Behle, Grant Bolwerk, Matt Verhasselt, Sam Erickson, Parker Rudie, Noah Taege, Dakota Brock-man; back row: Coach Doug Westemeier, Tanner Brockman, Brendon Miron, Charlie Jadin, Josh Kuntsman, Kyle Elias, Jakob Balthazor, Cole Evers, Coach Adam Fox - Photo by Linda Titel

Irish

Freedom Irish Girls Track: Front Row, left to right: Teagan Killam, Carly Peters, Rayna Stordahl, Lauren Vosters, Melissa Green, Sara Duffy, Kayla Mielke, and Leah Vosters; second row: Cassie Peters, Caitlyn Verhasselt, Jaci Hinz, Saralynn Delwiche, Alaina Schuh, Missy Hofacker, Meghan Peters, Kate Grabau, and August Bougie; third row: Erin Witt, Kayla Leurquin, Chloe Meulemans, Liz Murphy, Amber Tomazevic, Paige Van Veghel, Rachel Hofacker, Jamie Topp, Abby Senso, and Abby Murphy; fourth row: Alyssa Atchison, Bailee Vandenberg, Jada Helms, Asst. Coach Barnaby Tomazevic, Asst. Coach Dean Aerts, Asst. Coach Dean Timm, Head Coach James Finster, Asst. Coach Erin Hansel, Asst. Coach Jim Lardinois, Haley Haase, and Taylor Haase; not pictured: Jordan Mashlan, Kacey Topp, Sammy Garvey, Ashlyn Vosters, and Emilee Kimmes - Photo by Linda Titel

REMEMBER ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLEFOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE

~Gail Devers

Freedom Irish Boys Track: Front Row, left to right: Assistant Coach Jacob Brickner, Assistant Coach Dean Timm, Assistant Coach Barnaby Tomazevic, Head Coach Thain Jones, Assistant Coach James Finster, Assistant Coach Jim Lardinois, and Assistant Coach Isaac Gonnering; second row: Reese Marciniak, Dylan Kesler, Landin Mueller, Andy Nitke, and Devon Pynenberg; third row: Nathan Wolf, Cole Wautlet, Andy Edelburg, Sawyer Gonnering, Brandon Joly, Matthew School, Alex Leeder, and Juaquin Garcia Ba-

-maker, Bryce Vandenberg, Matt Killian, Jordan Cassiani, Reeve Lambrecht, Luke Vosters, Travis Westemeier, and Adam Brueckner; sixth row: Nick Paustian, Cole Lowney, Ca-den Hofacker, Brody Bazile, Dwight Green, Devin Baumgart, Alex Rohan, Alex Sheriff, and Grant Williamson; seventh row: Jacob Tomazevic, Mason Wiese, Luke Pingel, Travis Reiter, Parker Van Handel, Nathan Willer, Ty Brickner, and Hunter Wiese; not pictured athletes: Alex Landsverk and Isaac School; not pictured coaches: Assistant Coach Jim Bartels, Assistant Coach Tyler Schmidt, and Assistant Coach Eric Schommer - Photo by Linda Titel

Irish

Freedom Irish Girls Softball: Front row, left to right: Lizbeth Montanez-Solis, Lori Meyer, Morgan Witt, Chelsey Kortz, Paige Fuller, and Abby Cardew; back row: Coach Ebben, Grace Bolwerk, Alexa Gruber, Cali Brockman, Payton Dorn, Liz Thompson, Isabelle Pickens, Brooke Garrett, Jade Vosters, and Coach Vander Loop - Photo by Linda Titel

Reader Plumbing & Septic, Inc.

Freedom

Rico’s Family Restaurant

Freedom

Swinkles Trucking and

Excavating CorporationFreedom

Tidy View DairyNear Freedom

Tom’s CabinetsFreedom

Tryba Simply Country Barnand

Carrie’s FloralFreedom

These local businesses are proud to sponsor Freedom Irish athletics: