By Steven L. Tietz
May 28, 2010 11:08 p.m. | Between the pair, Germantown's Liz Wendt and Whitefish Bay's Megan Palmer are senior middle-distance runners who have enough credentials to demand statewide respect just by stepping on the track, and who have enough medals to crowd an overworked trophy case.
So, it was no surprise that at the end of a stellar 1,600 relay race at Homestead's WIAA track sectional on Thursday night, in the last event of the evening, the two took the batons to anchor their respective teams just millimeters apart.
And that's where the pair finished up, with the two-time state runner-up Wendt leading the Warhawks to victory in a school record 4:00.24 with the 2008 state 800 champ Palmer and Bay hardly a step behind her in 4:00.25. The two teams will be the second and third seeds, respectively in the WIAA State Meet next Friday and Saturday in La Crosse.
"I saw Bay coming and then I saw how close they were," said Wendt, who also won the open 800 in a state-best time and anchored the 3,200 relay team to a state berth too. "Then I saw Megan and that caught me a little by surprise."
But for Palmer, who also finished second in the open 1,600, it was no surprise, it was just a matter of finishing a job that fell a little short of completion last season. She remembered that 2009 Bay 1,600 relay anchored by all-time Bay sprint great Becca Schmidt that missed state by mere fractions of a second.
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By Steven L. Tietz
May 28, 2010 12:02 a.m. | The topic could not be brought up under any circumstances, no matter how often anyone thought about it in the camp of the Homestead boys track team.
No matter how wide the margin, no matter how many meets were won, it simply was not to be discussed.
It was just going to have to be like veteran coach Dan Benson said: "One meet, one practice at a time."
But after dominating their own WIAA sectional meet on Thursday, qualifying 10 individuals and two relays in the process for next week's WIAA State Meet in La Crosse, it can now be thought about it, envisioned and even possibly done.
"It" being a state team championship.
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May 27, 2010 7:42 a.m. | The Homestead girls soccer team put the finishing touches on its North Shore Conference title with a 2-0 victory over Germantown this week and we've just posted a photo gallery from the contest.
Olivia Tehan netted a pair of goals for the Highlanders in the second half to help send the Warhawks to their first home loss of the season. Homestead improved to 6-0-1 in the conference and 15-3-2 overall while Germantown dropped to 3-3-1 and 10-5-3.
Go to NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 26, 2010 11:05 p.m. | With a workmanlike 2-0 victory over border rival Germantown putting the final touches on his team's North Shore Conference champion Tuesday night, Homestead girls soccer coach Rich Dorn could reflect back on a sound regular season and look ahead to the WIAA tournament that begins next week.
"Brookfield East (Greater Metro champ) will likely be the first seed (in the sectional)," he said, "but we could be in a fight for second with (Brookfield) Central. All I know is that the sectional is very deep and that second round (regionals finals) is going to be just very tough."
Sectional seeding meetings are this week.
The Highlanders are a confident group, having finished up the regular season at 6-0-1 in league play and 15-3-2 overall. Germantown, which lost depite a game effort on its senior night, sits at 3-3-1 and 10-5-3.
"I still believe everything is starting to click," said first-year Warhawk co-coach Paul Sikinger. "The last couple of weeks have been very good to us (despite this loss) and our confidence is still high."
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By K. L. Klein
May 25, 2010 1:18 p.m. | School district officials are cautiously optimistic about finishing out this school year with a $240,000 budget surplus, but are facing increasing deficits in future years - including $750,000 for the 2011-12 school year.
While the target keeps shifting, officials have been looking at about $640,000 in cuts for the next school year. Cuts include one full-time equivalent teacher, some capital purchases, reducing aide time and restructuring some secretarial and supervisory positions.
Based on equalized values, district officials predict that an owner of a $250,000 home will owe about $60 more in school taxes for the 2010-11 school year. The total tax levy would increase 2.5 percent to $30.7 million.
The district might end up with a surplus this year because of budget-management efforts by the staff, an energy rebate, fewer teachers moving within the salary schedule and energy savings.
The School Board is expected to vote on the preliminary budget in June. Residents will vote on the tax levy in September at the annual meeting.
By K. L. Klein
May 25, 2010 1:12 p.m. | Imagination Theatre of Germantown, a nonprofit organization, will not use the gym at MacArthur Elementary School in August for a run of performances.
The School Board in April had approved the group's use of the school and was poised to vote Monday on a request to waive about $3,300 in fees, but the group withdrew its request because it found space in Brown Deer at no cost.
The group had missed the deadline to file for a fee waiver when the board approved the facility use in last month. Board members had urged the group to return with a fee waiver request.
By K. L. Klein
May 25, 2010 1:08 p.m. | A-Plus Driving School will use space at the high school this summer for drivers education.
The School Board on Monday approved the use of one of the school's classrooms and will charge about $380 for it.
The business will use the room Monday through Friday June 14 to July 2.
The board had previously approved use for a classroom for Just Drive, a drivers education business. The company will use a classroom at the high school after school Monday through Friday from Oct. 4 to 22. Just Drive will pay about the same.
The school district will not offer drivers eduction in fall.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 24, 2010 10:24 p.m. | The members of the Homestead girls softball team were justifiably happy Monday night following their 9-2 win over archrival Germantown, which clinched an unbeaten 14-0 North Shore Conference championship season and probably a number one seed in their WIAA sectional bracket.
But you got the sense that these Highlanders (18-0 overall) were not satisfied yet. This senior-dominated group had gone to state in 2007 and 2008 but had fallen both times in the quarterfinals. Now, with a dominant hitting team, lights-out pitching and a suffocating, technically sound defense, they want more, a lot more.
And they'll find out if their worthy of it starting on Thursday, when they visit Southeast Conference champion and potential state quarterfinal opponent Kenosha Bradford at 4:30 p.m. and then this Saturday, they'll head up to Stevens Point, to take on the two-time state champion Point squad as well as returning state runner-up Chippewa Falls.
"We want to challenge ourselves, we really want to see how we compare," said shortstop Michelle Zoeller.
"We're excited for what's coming next," said third baseman Britt Schlaeger.
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May 21, 2010 8:01 a.m. | Nicolet and Homestead high schools played host to the first day of the North Shore Conference tennis tournament yesterday and we've just posted a photo gallery with action from the courts at Nicolet.
The tournament is scheduled to conclude today with championship matches and third-place play at Nicolet and the consolation bracket at Homestead.
Go to NOW photojournalist C.T. Kruger's photo gallery.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 19, 2010 1:36 a.m. | In an off-hand conversation last year, Menomonee Falls boys assistant track coach Jim Geisthardt said that the Indians defending state 110-high hurdle champion Matt Widule could break the Holy Grail of 14 seconds flat on a good day.
On Tuesday, at the Greater Metro Conference Outdoor hosted by the Falls, Widule got that good day, destroying the conference record, setting a new state yearly best and sweeping past the 29-year old official state record of Jay Payton of Madison West with an astonishing 13.96 second clocking.
It is the first fully automatic timing of any Wisconsin prep athlete under the 14-second barrier ever in the high hurdles.
"I knew it was fast," Widule said. "It's just something you can feel at the end of a race. I knew I got out pretty well, but I also remember my 14.21 (from last season) felt pretty good too."
"Something like this is always in the back of your mind, but you can't obsess about it before a race. I just told myself I needed a clean race today, which I haven't had many of lately. I had a good breeze though not a great one behind me, but it did help."
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By Steven L. Tietz
May 19, 2010 12:04 a.m. | It was not a brilliant effort that allowed the Homestead boys track team to cruise to the North Shore Conference outdoor championship and its second consecutive league triple crown Tuesday afternoon.
But it was a thorough and fair one, and it was not without its highlights.
*Such as Justin Barber's new state best in the discus with a 179-11 effort.
*Nate Routhier's dramatic edging of teammate Doug Mueller by .01 in the 800 as Routhier completed an 800-1,600 sweep.
*Gabe Genovesi's gritty pull-away from Whitefish Bay's Davontae Johnson in the 400 with a 49.45 clocking.
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By Steven L. Tietz
May 18, 2010 10:40 p.m. | It was a MASH-list made of grit, sweat and tenacity for the Homestead 3,200-meter distance runners at the end of their race Tuesday night at the North Shore Conference Outdoor meet.
One was draped over the shoulder of head coach John Krueger, another was lying on her hip, trying to get up but her exhaustion glued her to the track, and another was flat on her back, tired beyond all measure.
The three (Kelsey Boyle, Dana Griepentrog and Sarah Miller) had claimed the fourth through sixth places, giving the Highlanders 12 valuable points in what was then still a tight meet.
"We did it together," said Miller, who earned sixth. "It was such an exceptional race, but we pulled together at the end. Knowing what we did for the team helps make the pain worthwhile."
Espeically after distance coach Victor Vilar came up to her and happily announced that Miller's time was a personal best.
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By K. L. Klein
May 18, 2010 2:14 p.m. | After almost two years of advocating for a safety lane along Donges Bay Road, residents will get what they wanted although some Village Board members Monday questioned the costs.
Typically, the village pays $1 for easements. In this case, the village could pay as much as $500 for a permanent limited easement on Alan Canales' property, N10378 Pilgrim Road. The safety lane will be placed along the south side of Donges Bay from Pilgrim Road to Preserve Parkway.
Board members hope to negotiate further, but capped the price at $500. In the future, the village likely will have to purchase property from the owner for a right of way before Donges Bay is reconstructed. The timeline on that project fluctuates from four to 10 years though.
The board also awarded the contract to low-bidder Payne and Dolan for about $50,000. However, Trustee Art Zabel said the intention was to have village staff create a temporary hard-packed surface since the area will be ripped up when road work is done.
"I think we went a little bit beyond that point," Zabel said.
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By K. L. Klein
May 18, 2010 11:42 a.m. | Recycling pickup might switch from weekly to biweekly, and Waste Management would provide 96-gallon carts for recyclables to residents.
The Village Board on Monday tabled action on a five-year contract extension with the waste hauler because trustees want to know the budget impact. The current contract for weekly trash and recycling pickup - in resident-owned containers - is $11.53 per unit, per month, plus fuel surcharges. Waste Management also provides a $75,000 annual recycling rebate.
Although the board is looking at three different options, trustees seemed to be leaning toward an option that would keep trash pickup - in resident-owned carts - weekly and switch recycling pickup to biweekly in carts provided by Waste Management. This option would cost $11.99 per unit per month. This option also includes the annual recycling rebate.
The status quo would cost $11.88 per unit per month.
Another option on the table, but one board members have shied away from is weekly trash and biweekly recycling pickup, both in Waste Management-owned carts. That option would cost $13.38 per unit per month.
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May 18, 2010 6:08 a.m. | Germantown residents got an early-morning wake-up call when the village's tornado sirens sounded just after 4 a.m.
A dispatcher at the Germantown Police Department said the system malfunctioned and went off unexpectedly. The sirens did do their job and got the attention of the residents, prompting many calls to the department, she said.
By
Tom Kertscher of the Journal Sentinel
May 13, 2010 11:44 a.m. | Germantown - The Village Board has chosen Jeffrey Hughes, owner of the Latitudes Coffee Shop in Germantown, to fill a vacant trustee position.
Hughes, who was selected Wednesday, was among five residents who applied for the appointment.
Hughes will fill the remainder of Dean Wolter's term, which ends next April. Wolter was elected village president last month.
The other applicants were Wyatt Wiehr, Michael Broetzmann, Dan Campbell and Steven Spittlemeister.
May 12, 2010 1:21 p.m. | The weather conditions were less than ideal, but that didn't stop local track-and-field competitors from giving it their all yesterday at the Menomonee Falls Invitational, as seen in this photo gallery.
The host Indians won the girls portion of the meet while Brookfield East was victorious in the boys competition.
Go to NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 11, 2010 11:27 p.m. | The Menomonee Falls girls track team picked up just three firsts but used balance and depth to win its own second annual Indian Invitational on a cool and drippy Tuesday afternoon.
Falls scored 142.5 points to beat Burlington (108) and Sussex Hamilton (103) in the seven-team field. It was the first major meet victory of the season for the Indians.
The Indians went one-two in the 300 low hurdles and the 200 dash to lead the way, as Kelly Koier turned in a personal best and a meet record time of 48.07 seconds in winning the 300 lows while teammate Becca Fuchs earned second (49.64).
In the 200, Becca Davis claimed victory and broke her own meet mark in 27.17 while Mikayla Robertson was second (27.62).
The only other first for the Indians came from the 1,600 relay team of Davis, Koier, Katie Smalley and Robertson (4:14.85).
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By K. L. Klein
May 11, 2010 2:04 p.m. | The School Board on Monday approved the start of a federally funded breakfast program at Kennedy Middle School this fall.
The high school has had a breakfast program for six years and one started at MacArthur Elementary School last fall.
Breakfast will be served from 7:20 to 7:45 a.m. daily at Kennedy. The school day starts with homeroom at 7:50 a.m.
The cost is $1.25 for students and $1.75 for staff. It is free for students approved for free and reduced-fee meals at lunch.
The district is hoping to see a reduction in the number of students who visit the health room before 9:30 a.m. with symptoms that could reflect lack of nutrition or eating habits prior to coming to school.
By K. L. Klein
May 11, 2010 2:00 p.m. | The School Board is allowing Life Church to use the high school, including the cafeteria, for an anniversary worship service, and will charge about $1,900 for it.
Church officials had asked the board to waive the fee as it has made several contributions to the district and youth of the village. But administrators recommended the board charge the fee for use of all three gyms and the cafeteria at the high school Sept. 11 and 12.
The board had tabled this issue at a previous meeting after questions arose about waiving fees for a religious entity.
Before moving to N11325 Squire Drive, the church started 10 years ago at the high school.
The board had determined that the high school cafeteria should not be for general public use, but allowed it in this case with board members Bruce Warnimont and Erin Jex opposed.
By K. L. Klein
May 11, 2010 1:10 p.m. | Viewed by some as progress, the School Board on Monday approved a staffing plan for next school year that could have four elementary grades with classes sizes beyond the district's policy.
Parents have been campaigning for relief, some even down to the wire Monday night.
The board didn't get any feedback about the two sections of kindergarten at Rockfield expected to have 27 students in each class - the most projected for an elementary school class and beyond the district's policy - but continued to hear from parents about first grade at MacArthur - the two sections could have 25 students each, which also is beyond the district's policy.
The other two grades expected to be beyond the district's policy are second grade at Amy Belle and kindergarten at County Line.
"This is an issue at every school," board member Lester Spies said.
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By K. L. Klein
May 11, 2010 10:24 a.m. | The Village Board will interview five residents who applied to fill Seat 4, left open with the election of Dean Wolter as village president.
Monday was the deadline to apply for the trustee position.
The applicants are Wyatt Wiehr, W16850 Wildrose Lane; Michael Broetzmann, N9696 Navajo Court; Dan Campbell, N10162 Indianwood Drive; Steven Spittlemeister, W16799 Navajo Drive; and Jeffrey Hughes, N9859 Butternut Road.
The board will interview the candidates starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday and appoint a new trustee May 17.
Trustees earn $5,500 a year and serve three-year terms. Wolter's term expires April 18.
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By Steven L. Tietz
May 10, 2010 10:43 p.m. | Whitefish Bay girls softball coach Jeff Trask knows that his team goes in with a competitive disadvantage everytime he faces the likes of Homestead, Germantown, Cedarburg and Grafton in the powerful North Shore Conference.
Players in those communities have been raised on high-level youth and Little League programs for years and come into high school with knowledge, experience and skill, something Trask's players, many of whom just learned the sport as freshmen, just don't have.
The Blue Dukes youth program is still only in its second year but it is 60 players strong and will help the third-year Trask and his staff soon. Trask knows he will need that program running well if the Blue Dukes are to be competitive in the area.
Until that time, he will rely on seniors like pitcher Jo Ruppa, Meredith Ludwig, Rachel Whaley and Hilary Stein and juniors such as catcher Leslie Fuda ("If she does not get some all-conference recognition I will be very upset," he said) and Sarah Schwei.
Several of those players showed the competitive fire, if not the experience and skill needed to hold the fort Monday night, when the Blue Dukes could not overcome a five-run first in an 8-4 loss to defending league champion Germantown.
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May 10, 2010 9:09 a.m. | The kindergarten students in Mrs. Fricano's class at County Line School welcomed their moms to a special Mother's Day celebration, and we've just posted a photo gallery from the event.
Kids read books they had written about their moms, presented paper flowers and more.
Go to NOW photojournalist C.T. Kruger's photo gallery.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 05, 2010 11:57 p.m. | Mike Collins said that earlier in the week when he and other members of the potentially ground-breaking Homestead boys 1,600-meter relay team got the word they were going to get a chance at running together in an important meet like the North Shore Conference Relays on Wednesday they could hardly contain themselves.
"We all jumped up when we got the text message," he said, "and we were texting each other all day at school. Not that we would do that during class (laughs). Honestly, we'd been waiting for this. Everyone had been working so hard in practice."
And that anticipation turned into scorching results, as the unit that included Collins, Andrew Holtorf, Doug Mueller and Gabe Genovesi took down an important 20-year old meet record in putting the final touches on an impressive team title for the Highlanders.
The unit's crazy fast 3:19.79 was not only a school and a NSC relays record as well as new state best, but it also put them on track to possibly take down the state mark in June, as the relays standard (3:21.0) they broke was none other than that set by the same state mark holding Nicolet crew of 1990.
"I was starting to feel it in the final 20 meters," said Genovesi, who anchored the crew's effort with a blistering 47-second plus 400 clocking, "but I was looking at the clock and I didn't care what I was feeling. I just had to finish it."
» Read Full Article
By Steven L. Tietz
May 05, 2010 10:08 p.m. | For the Homestead girls track team to win the North Shore Conference relays on Wednesday at Cedarburg, assistant coach Victor Vilar knew that his deep distance unit would have to perform extremely well.
And the group did that emphatically, as it crushed meet records in the distance medley, and the 6,400 and the 3,200-meter races in leading the Highlanders to a come-from-behind victory in the hotly-contested meet that saw six records fall on the day.
"These girls said they felt tired, but they still ran close to PRs," said Vilar, "and then after the races they said 'We can do even better'. I didn't care about the times today. I just wanted to see them compete well."
"I wanted to see them put the hammer down."
The effort was music to Highlander coach John Krueger's ears, as the Highlanders are now two-thirds of the way towards a league triple crown after outscoring Milwaukee Lutheran, 95-83, for the title after being down 70-60 with 10 events scored.
» Read Full Article
By
Amy Hetzner of the Journal Sentinel
May 05, 2010 11:43 a.m. | The Germantown School District announced Wednesday that an elementary school principal from the Muskego-Norway School District would become its next superintendent.
Susan Borden, principal of Mill Valley Elementary School in Muskego, is slated to take over from current Germantown Superintendent Kenneth Rogers on July 1.
Salary information was not immediately available.
May 05, 2010 11:10 a.m. | Homestead defeated visiting rival Germantown, 10-0, in a North Shore Conference softball game Tuesday afternoon and we've just posted a photo gallery from the contest.
The Highlanders improved to 10-0 overall and 7-0 in the conference with the victory. Senior pitcher Bekah Rennicke allowed only one hit while adding two hits and three RBIs of her own.
Germantown, the defending NSC champs, fell to 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the conference.
Go to NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.
By Steven L. Tietz
May 04, 2010 8:02 p.m. | Germantown softball coach Rich Anderson had called this year's edition of Homestead, "a machine" in pre-season discussions.
And unfortunately for the Warhawks, the machine was finely-tuned and humming on a Tuesday afternoon in Thiensville, as the Highlanders kept their iron-grip on the North Shore race by turning this first-place showdown into something as interesting as doing a load of laundry.
That's because senior pitcher Bekah Rennicke allowed only one hit, trusted her defense and then for good measure added two hits and three RBI as the Highlanders improved to 7-0 in league play and 10-0 overall by folding, spindling and then carefully putting away the Warhawks with a 10-0 rout that gave them the undisputed lead in the NSC race.
"We're hitting on all cylinders right now," said Rennicke. "The defense is just special. I just have so much confidence with them behind me."
Veteran Homestead coach Dave Keel agreed.
» Read Full Article
By
Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel
May 04, 2010 2:12 p.m. | Four people were injured in a three-vehicle crash Tuesday morning in Germantown, police said.
The crash occurred just after 7 a.m. when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions on Mequon Road collided as one of the vehicles attempted to turn onto Pilgrim Road, police Lt. Brian Henning said.
One of the vehicles became airborne, rolled over and landed on a third vehicle, Henning said.
All four people were taken to hospitals and are expected to survive, Henning said.
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