JEFFERSON – The Cinderella run continued for the Wilmot softball team Tuesday night.
But the Panthers aren’t relying on any magic like your average fairy tale.
That’s because the Wilmot softball program is one of the best in the area, and just because they’re slightly above .500 this year, a move from Division 1 to the Division 2 bracket this spring is the exact kind of boost that could get Wilmot back to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.
In fact, the Panthers have fought and advanced all the way to the Goodman Diamond on the UW-Madison campus for the state tournament five times since 2010, so honestly Tuesday’s upset wasn’t even that surprising.
Seventh-seeded Wilmot, fresh off a home playoff-opening win against East Troy last week, traveled an hour or so to favored #2 seed Jefferson (No. 5 in D2 in the latest Wissports.net state poll) and put together one of its best games of the season.
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Keghan Pye and Kathryn Bubel each had three hits, Kam Poepping and Katie Beagle combined to keep the Eagle offense in check, and Wilmot found a way to escape with a 4-3 victory and capture its first WIAA regional championship since 2021.
“This was Wilmot’s most complete team win of the season,” said Wilmot assistant coach Josh Pye. “We played good defense behind good pitching and even when we were struggling to put the ball in play, we managed to come up with key hits when we needed them.”
Wilmot (14-11) got off to a quick start in the first when Keghan Pye singled up the middle and stole second. Bubel singled into left field to score Pye and took second on the throw. With two outs, Kelsey Smyk walked and Macy Platts reached on an error by the shortstop to allow Bubel to score.
After Jefferson tied it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Wilmot answered in the top of the fifth as Kylie Lynn doubled into the right-center gap.
Pye singled on a ground ball to shortstop and Bubel followed with a single up the middle.
With the bases loaded, Lynn was able to score the only run that inning on a passed ball.
Going into the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead, Bubel singled on a ground ball to center field with one out and stole second. Beagle doubled into the right center gap to score Bubel to make it 4-2.
Jefferson answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Kam Poepping started this game on the mound, going 3 innings with three strikeouts, a walk and only four hits allowed.
Katie Beagle finished the remainder of the game and really shut the door, tossing four innings with only one earned run, the homer, and scattering five hits with three strikeouts.
The Panther pitchers threw to contact and relied on their defense, and the rest of the girls didn’t let them down.
Wilmot travels to Lake Mills, the state’s ninth-ranked team in Division 2, on Thursday. Lake Mills is the No. 3 seed.
WESTOSHA CENTRAL 7, RACINE CASE 1: Meghan Lampos keeps proving why she’s one of the state’s best pitchers Tuesday in a WIAA Division 1 playoff opener in Paddock Lake.
A four-run fourth inning and a typically dominant performance from Lampos led the Falcons to a 7-1 victory.
Lampos, a sophomore, earned the win, allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out 14.
The offense was led by Emma Smith (3 hits, 2 runs), Lampos (3 hits, and an RBI), and Laney Koltanowski (2 RBI).
The Eagles took the lead in the 1st inning.
Singles by Kendal Wales and Nova Zuberbyehier loaded the bases and a walk to Stasia Valdez plated a run. The Falcons came back in their half of the first.
Smith led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sam Erber. Then, Westosha Central took the lead in the third and never looked back.
Smith led off with a single, took second on a Lampos single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex McKinney.
In the fourth Rubie Steinmetz led off with a single. Mia Kodak walked, and Koltanowski singled in Steinmetz.
Grace Kitterman doubled in both runs and later scored on a single by Lampos. Another sacrifice fly by Koltanowski plated Steinmetz with the final run of the game in the fifth.
After that, Lampos and Kitterman (IP, 2K) shut down the Eagle offense to secure the win.
“We took advantage of our opportunities today,” Falcons coach Tom Lampe said. “We know we have to continue to play solid ball to keep moving on.”
Westosha (14-10) will now compete for the regional title Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at No. 3 Muskego (16-7).
INDIAN TRAIL 14, RACINE HORLICK 0 (5 innings): The Hawks opened the 2023 WIAA postseason in style Tuesday afternoon at Indian Trail High School.
The offensive attack started in the first when seniors Kaia Mismash and Addison Johnson started the game with back-to-back, inside-the-park home runs over the left fielder’s head.
The Hawks added six in the second with a deep blast over the left field wall by catcher Alona Boydston.
The Hawks added two more in the third and another pair in the fourth.
Freshman Madi Mismash went the distance for the win, striking out eight.
“We talk all year about one step at a time and the girls were focused today,” Indian Trail head coach Matt Bradley said. “Madi was very strong in the circle and our seniors Kaia and Addison got us off to a good start. The heart of our order came through, highlighted by Alona’s big home run. We are going to work hard tomorrow, and we will be ready for the regional final Thursday.”
Addison Johnson finished 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs and three RBIs, Kaia Mismash and Alona Boydston each added two hits and a home run. Boydston also tallied a triple and had three RBIs.
Morgan Calhoun and Bella Swift both had two hits as well.
SOUTH MILWAUKEE 7, TREMPER 6: The Trojans suffered some season-ending heartbreak Tuesday in a playoff opener in South Milwaukee.
Tremper’s season ends with a record of 10-11.
The Trojans jumped out to an early lead, but South Milwaukee took over in the second half of the game, according to Tremper coach Emma Dummer.
“We came out hot and ready, but they just took over in the fourth,” Dummer said. “I am proud of our team for not quitting when it got tough, and they kept pushing forward. It’s sad to see the seniors go, but they are on to bigger and better things. I can only hope for the best with all of them.”
Boys golf
Golfers from Indian Trail, Bradford, Tremper advance to sectionals
There weren’t a ton of teams at Tuesday’s Racine St. Catherine’s Division 1 WIAA boys golf regional tournament.
Kenosha Bradford, Indian Trail and Tremper represented Kenosha County at the five-team event at Ives Grove Golf Course, so that meant more kids would get through to sectionals than they would have at your standard eight-team WIAA regional.
Whereas a larger event may have seen plenty more individual and team seasons end, it worked out quite nice for the Trojans, Hawks and Red Devils.
Tremper and Indian Trail finished second (337) and third (380) respectively, and Bradford had two sectional qualifiers.
Union Grove won the St. Cat’s regional with a low score of 320, but Tremper was only 17 strokes behind.
Union Grove senior Jacob Brown, whose father is a golf professional at Geneva National in Lake Geneva, had a day to remember. He took individual medalist honors with a stunning round of 68, one that included just one double bogey and five birdies.
Kenosha County’s top performance came from Tremper senior Blake Callahan, who shot a 79.
Tremper’s Owen DeRousse took fourth overall with an 81, and Tremper freshman Conner O’Reilly was sixth with an 86.
Indian Trail’s top performance came from junior Caden Jeffson, who fired an 87.
The top four finishers from teams that weren’t in the top four also advance to sectionals, along with the entire lineups from the top four teams.
Those individuals Tuesday included Kenosha Bradford/Reuther’s Louis Canady (96) and Bradford’s Caden Pamen (101).
Tremper and Indian Trail along with Canady and Pamen will compete Tuesday at the Marquette Sectional at Brown Deer Park Golf Course.
Westosha, Turner, Cole advance to sectionals
Tuesday’s WIAA Division 1 Waterford Regional saw the home Wolverines win it with a 325, but Westosha Central and Wilmot both made their marks and will move golfers on to Tuesday’s WIAA Sectional at Brighton Dale Links in Brighton.
Westosha Central shot a 332, good for second place, so they’re one of four teams to move their entire rosters to the next level.
Since the remaining top four individuals join the top four teams at sectionals, two Wilmot Panthers will be joining the Falcons.
Junior Dane Turner shot an 82 to tie for fifth place overall, and junior Adam Cole fired an 86, so both Panthers move on.
Dylan Bruni and Evan Pelli led the Falcons with 82s, while Connor L’Esperance and Matthew Martin added 84s.
Bennett Gatto’s 85 rounded out the Central scoring.
Baseball
ST. JOSEPH 13, BROOKFIELD CENTRAL 3 (6 innings): St. Joe’s secured its third win of the season over a Division 1 opponent Tuesday at Carthage College, this time because the bats were out in full force.
The Lancers banged out 15 hits, six for extra bases by six different hitters.
Eight St. Joe’s hitters drove in runs and scored. Seven Lancers had two hits. And four Lancers drove in multiple runs.
Eric Kenesie, Brady Davidson, Dominic Santarelli and Jack McTernan each had two hits and two RBI.
Tommy Santarelli had another perfect day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.
Dominic Santarelli went three innings on the hill, allowing allowing two earned runs. Peter Visconti struck out five in three innings.
The Lancers improved to 18-5.
They take on Southern Lakes Conference leaders and state-ranked Union Grove (19-2, #2 in Division 1, WBCA state rankings) Thursday in their final regular season game at 4:15 at Nash Park.
OAK CREEK 12, TREMPER 4: The Trojans dropped to 15-8 and 13-6 in the Southeast Conference after a crucial conference loss in Oak Creek Tuesday.
The teams combined for 23 hits, but Tremper couldn’t overcome a 6-1 deficit. The Trojans cut the lead to 6-4 with a three-run third inning, but it was all Knights after that.
“We had a lot of good at-bats and hard hit balls against very good pitching,” Tremper head coach John Matera said. “That is encouraging as we prepare for the playoffs. Oak Creek is a really good hitting team, and they were able to bunch some good at-bats together, and drive in runs.”
Ethan Bauerschmidt and Cam Prickett each had two hits to lead the Trojans.