wisconsin interscholastic athletic association

More complaints about Janesville Hockey
The Janesville High School Hockey program may face more sanctions. School District Athletic Director Kevin Porter tells WCLO's Stan Milam show he recently had a phone conversion with the head of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association about additional complaints. Porter says the WIAA says if there's any unwillingness on the part of the Janesville School District to address the complaint, the program could be barred from the hockey tournament series. Janesville's Bluebird Hockey program is already on probation for two years on accusation of violating the WIAA's no-cut policy of student athletes.
( Copyright 2007 Bliss Communications Inc. All rights reserved. It may not be published, broadcast, re-distributed or re-written.) In these cash-strapped times booster clubs are always looking for a way to make more money.

Neuqua Valley Athletic Boosters fundraising chairperson Cathy Ferrel hit on a novel idea of a fashion show featuring Wildcats athletes and coaches strutting their chic stuff.

"Wildcats on the Catwalk," to be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the school gym, will offer Neuqua Nation the opportunity to see girls volleyball star Paige Stevens, boys basketball player Danny Pawelski, boys soccer player Bret Hruby and coaches Spike Grosshuesch, Michelle Schmidt and Robin Renner, among many others, wearing contemporary fashions or their school sports uniforms.

"We are also having coaches' kids model," Ferrel wrote in an e-mail. "Very cute."

In all, 56 Neuqua athletes covering all walks of sporting life -- even color guard member Amanda Marshalak is mentioned -- were listed in the roster Ferrel sent.

"I think it's really exciting," said Stevens, who will be modeling both by herself and in a pairing with boys volleyball player Jake Blackman.

"It's different, it's never been done before and I think it's a good way to have parents see what varsity athletes are all about, see that there's another side to them rather than sports and sweating," said Stevens, soon bound for Iowa on a full athletic scholarship.

Ferrel's own daughter, Kelly, will be modeling her volleyball uniform, while the brother-sister act of swimmer Atlantis and football player Anton Wilkins will walk the runway in their uniforms.

Here's the chance to glimpse 6-foot-7, 280-pound Northwestern-bound football player Jeff Radek in something a little more comfortable than shoulder pads and dirt- and blood-stained lycra.

"When I went for my fitting I saw one of my friends, and he's a big, buff football player," Stevens said. "I wouldn't expect that at all.

"It's just really neat to see people in a different personality, a different perspective."

Stevens revealed her fashion selection: peach dress, black leggings, beret.

"It's out of the box for all of us," she said.

Within sniffing distance

In York's 35-7 win last week over Willowbrook, the Dukes scored three times using the same play. They sent 5-foot-8, 180-pound Spencer Ingle running the football behind pulling tackle Neal Deiters, who goes 6-8, 320.

"We've got our littlest guy behind our biggest guy," commented York coach Bill Lech. "It's kind of like that big dog-little dog commercial for Kibbles and Bits."

Back-to-back Bock

Duplicating her output from the previous week with 4 goals and 1 assist in Notre Dame wins over Georgetown and Villanova, former Neuqua Valley soccer star Brittany Bock earned national and Big East player of the week honors a second straight week.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Top Drawer Soccer each named Bock as their national player of the week for Oct. 1-7. Soccer America gave her the honor for her efforts from Oct. 8-14.

Bock joins only two other players in Notre Dame's 13 years in the Big East to be named the conference's player of the week in successive weeks.

As of Wednesday her total of 10 goals ranked 15th in the country.

Like a perch on steroids

At the Illinois High School Association Board meeting on Oct. 9, discussions were held regarding the implementation of an interscholastic bass fishing tournament.

Also, the board heard a presentation regarding the IHSA's Drug Testing Initiative.

No word on whether participants in the bass fishing tournament would be randomly tested for elevated levels of Omega-3.

It's a small, oval-shaped world

Kevin Doherty is in his first year as head football coach at Lakeland College (Wis.).

He's led the Muskies to a perfect 4-0 Illinois-Badger Football Conference record entering this week's game against Concordia -- a Wisconsin rivalry known, naturally, as the Cheese Bowl.

Doherty is a 1991 graduate of the old St. Charles High School, before the split.

Doherty's quarterback at Lakeland is two-year starter Brad Wilk.

In 2003 Wilk quarterbacked the Lake Park team that reached the state semifinals.

Lake Park quarterbacks coach, then and now, is Chris Roll.

Out of the Class of '91, Roll played quarterback for the Lancers.

His main rival? Kevin Doherty.

Old news is good news

Glenbard West graduate Ryan Anetsberger, a 2007 draft pick of the Florida Marlins, finished with a .266 average, 11 doubles, 7 home runs and 29 RBI for the Jamestown (N.Y.) Jammers in Class A ball. He played in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game.

Anetsberger's Illinois State teammate, Dan Frega (Willowbrook) played with a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. He went 6-2 in 10 starts with 43 strikeouts and a 3.49 ERA. One week he was named NYPL pitcher of the week.

Former Hinsdale Central football player Brian Slackert ended his career and studies at Elmhurst College by winning its Senior of the Year award for the Class of 2007.

Slackert, a double-major in finance and economics who started every Elmhurst game for four years at left tackle, graduated magna cum laude. After the 2006 football season he was given the team's Langhorst Award for leadership, grades and attitude.

What's up…

(Picture here)

Annette Eichenberger

Sophomore, West Chicago cross country. Two days after improving her time at the Kaneland invitational (pictured above) by 45 seconds, she tore an ankle ligament in practice. She recovered to place 25th at the DuPage Valley Conference championships.

Best thing about crutches: "You get to take the elevator."

Frustration with her injury: "It was probably the most frustrating thing of my life, because I did my summer running and got to my goal of 300 miles."

Bigger Chicago Cubs choke job, 2003 or 2007: "Probably this year, because we were out so early."

Favorite movie concessions: "I usually get Reese's Pieces, and I get those 'Icees.' "

Running shoe: Asics.

Most enjoyable school subject: "Probably biology, because I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up."

Favorite breakfast cereal: "Cinnamon Toast Crunch."

Cross country or track: "I'd have to say track because it's more diverse and, personally, I think I'm better at track. And I think it's more fun, too. In cross country you can't do any cross training. You just run."

Looking forward to graduation, or apprehensive? "I kind of look forward to it because I want to move on. I want to have the experience of, hopefully, college sports."


Oshkosh North (7-2) used a gritty team effort to take some momentum into the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs with a 12-6 win over Fox Valley Association opponent Neenah on a drizzly Wednesday night.


North drew first blood at the end of the first quarter with a 64-yard touchdown pass from Nate Wara to Eric Huybers. A tough Rockets defense would hold the Spartans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter, where Wara would hook up with John Flanigan on a 5-yard strike. The Spartans had to rely on a defense that has been riddled by nagging injuries to keep them in the game.


"I'm proud of the kids," North coach Chris Kujawa said. "Defensively they stepped up tonight, it was tough for us to move the ball but we did enough to get the 'W.'"


Wara finished the game as North's leader in rushing with 72 yards on 21 attempts and passing with 129 yards on eight completions.


"Whenever I get a performance like that out of my QB," Kujawa said, "that is pretty impressive."


Kujawa did tout the Neenah defense by saying that Neenah's movement upfront did make the offense's job difficult, but the North defense showed they can shut a team down.


The Spartans extinguished the Rockets, allowing just 134 yards of net offense, splitting up the damage by giving up a mere 58 yards rushing and 76 yards passing. A key element to that success is outside linebacker Cory Towns, who has played the position for just two weeks, but has made is presence felt; both by the coaching staff and the opponents' running backs and receivers.


"(Towns) just played phenomenal," Kujawa said. "He's all over the field. He has learned the position better than any young man I've coached. He just played phenomenal."


North still does not know who it will be facing in the first round of the playoffs next week. But a number of teams still must play tonight, some of those games potentially with postseason implications.


"You never know where the WIAA is going to send us, we've been out of the playoffs for four years," Kujawa said. "It's a crap shoot, we'll be happy to take who ever they give us."


Oshkosh North 12, Neenah 6

HEBRON � Alden-Hebron wants to follow its best football season in school history with another deep run into the IHSA Class 1A playoffs, but it will take considerable improvement.

The Giants head into the playoffs having lost twice in the last three games after falling to Wayland Academy (Wis.), 30-14, in their Indian Trails Conference contest Thursday afternoon.

The Big Red returned two interceptions off Zach Engelbrecht passes for touchdowns in the second half to qualify for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association football playoffs for the first time in the school's 117-year history.

"We didn't have the heart and desire," A-H fullback and linebacker Patrick Denker said. "We don't seem to get fired up enough until we're down. It's a team effort. Everybody's to blame. Hopefully we can come together and get focused for the playoffs."

A-H (7-2 overall, 5-2 ITC) will be in the 1A playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, but the loss will cost the Giants a higher seed. The Giants finished 10-2 last season and advanced to the 1A playoff quarterfinals.

"I think we'll still get a home game, but it will be tougher than it should be," Giants coach John Lalor said. "They played us tough and they were big on the line, but we're playing terrible. We're playing like a very young team that's unsure of what's going on."

Wayland (4-4, 4-3) never trailed Thursday, pounding out 224 yards on the ground while not completing a single pass. A-H converted 13 first downs in the second half to the Big Red's three, but interception returns by Scott Fitzgerald and Adam Bunkoske provided Wayland all it would need.

"We got some breaks today," Wayland coach Craig Hill said. "Those defensive touchdowns, we usually don't get those. John Lalor's done a great job here, being able to come out and compete with this team is tremendous for our program."

Hill said Fitzgerald and Bunkoske both learned from plays earlier in the game to intercept screen passes.

The Giants drove inside the 5 with 8:26 remaining, but could not score. They got the ball back with 4:26 to go on the 50, but Bunkoske's interception put Wayland ahead, 22-8. A-H scored quickly on Engelbrecht's 18-yard pass to Chris Radloff and added a two-point conversion to make it 22-14.

Wayland recovered the onside kick and sealed the game on fullback Brennan Fitzgerald's 53-yard run.

"We need to get the offense together and start scoring some points again," A-H center and defensive tackle Sam Walter said. "We're not working real well together on offense. The line isn't holding their blocks and the backs aren't hitting the holes."
Oshkosh North 6 0 0 6 ?#009;12


Neenah 0 0 6 0 ?#009;6


ON ?Eric Huybers 64 pass from Nate Wara (kick failed), 2:46


NEE ?David Goodman 40 pass from Dan Burkett (kick failed), 3:52.


ON ?John Flanigan 5 pass from Wara (kick failed), 9:08