Susanna Hundt took sixth place at the state girls tennis meet as a freshman at Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee. (Photo by Larry Hanson)

After finishing sixth in singles at the WIAA Division 2 State Tennis Tournament, Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee freshman Susanna Hundt knew exactly where she stood in relation to the five girls who finished ahead of her.

State champion Angela Wang, a sophomore at University School of Milwaukee, will be moving up to Division 1 next season. The other four are seniors.

“It’s definitely more pressure, but I won’t worry about that too much,” said Hundt, who travels from her family’s home in Elm Grove to the school in Menomonee Falls.

More miles were added during the fall season because she was only the player from Chesterton on her co-op team with St. Joan Antida, Milwaukee.

Jeff Mrochinski is the athletic director at St. Joan Antida and serves as the girls tennis coach for the Jaguars. Chesterton Athletic Director Tammy Streitmatter approached Mrochinski, indicating she had a freshman who was interested in tennis and wondering if he would be interested in a co-op arrangement.

“The Hundts were excited about the opportunity from the start and actually saw the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of our program as a positive opportunity for Susanna,” Mrochinski said. “Peter and Ashley Hundt, Susanna’s parents, were incredibly supportive through the whole season. It was startling how smooth the transition was from a social perspective with Susanna and her SJA teammates. I honestly believe our shared Catholic faith and Christian values allowed our players, coaches and families to become a uniquely bonded team.”

She said the St. Joan players accepted her from the start.

“It was honestly really fun,” Hundt said. “They’re very different, but they’re very fun and loud. They’re going to say whatever they think, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“I was slightly worried about being accepted, but it wasn’t a problem at all,” Hundt said.

“I have been blessed as a coach in that Susanna has utilized her God-given talents to model and teach her teammates tennis tactics and skills in order to improve their games too,” Mrochinski said. “The way Susanna has bonded with her teammates has been awesome, and it has worked out as well as me and the rest of the coaching staff could have imagined. One of the most rewarding aspects of the season was to hear Susanna’s teammates screaming and cheering for her at the state tournament to the point they were hoarse at the end of the day.”

Hundt said the atmosphere was so different at the state tournament, with all the cheering and screaming, that it took a full match to get used to it.

Mrochinski has coached high school tennis for 23 years, winning state team titles at Catholic Memorial High School for boys (2021) and girls (2019); he also served as an assistant coach for 10 years at Marquette University High School while the Hilltoppers were collecting seven team championships.

Because Hundt wasn’t a regular on the USTA youth circuit in recent years, she kind of flew under the radar, but Mrochinski had spoken with Scott Carson, the Director of Tennis at Western Racquet Club, last spring. Carson said she was a strong player, so Mrochinski got on the phone, trying to line up opponents that would test Hundt and prepare her for the state tournament.

In her first match of the season, Hundt defeated a two-time state qualifier 6-0, 6-0.

“In one of the last matches of the season, Susanna defeated a 2022 state medalist 6-3, 6-1, which made us all believe she could do something special if she qualified for the state tournament,” Mrochinski said.

Hundt finished the season 23-3, winning three of her five matches at the state tournament.

“Susanna surprised everyone all season since she was not well-known in the high school tennis scene,” Mrochinski said. “I told her now she is ‘on the map,’ and people will start sharing notes on how to play against her. I know Susanna will handle being known very well. Susanna’s toughest match at state was actually her first match, since she was playing in a situation that was new to her with the crowds and the expectations. Susanna played better and stronger with each match after that first-round win, and her confidence grew each day. I think Susanna likes the expectations that will be on her. This may sound funny, but I think it makes it more interesting for her and motivates her to prepare and improve in the off-season.”

Sophomore running back Tommy Novotny had 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns on 38 carries Nov. 17 as Marquette defeated Franklin, 27-10, in the WIAA Division 1 State Football championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. (Photo courtesy of Glen Barkow)

The day before Marquette University High School defeated Franklin, 27-10, to win the WIAA Division 1 state football championship, Fr. Ross Pribyl, S.J., celebrated the school’s Thursday liturgy and gave a homily about dealing with pressure.

However, the following evening, the Hilltoppers played with a fearlessness, physicality and reckless abandon that suggested they didn’t even realize there was any pressure.

To be fair, Marquette (12-2) became just the fourth team in state history to win Division 1 with two or more defeats, using a stout defense, an impressive running game and just enough big plays to cruise to victory past the previously unbeaten Sabers (13-1) on Friday, Nov. 17, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

“In the week prior, nobody was giving us any credit whatsoever, so we just kept to ourselves,” MUHS Coach Keith Klestinski said. “We kept working. We knew all year we had played a physical brand of football and we felt we were going to give them a type of game they hadn’t seen. I don’t think anyone pressured them the way we pressured them, and nobody shut down their all-state running back who was the player of the year like we did.”

Klestinski cited Fr. Pribyl’s homily as one of the major highlights of the week leading up to the game, saying it really fired up his team.

“He really set the tone for us,” Klestinski said, noting the Mass wasn’t mandatory, but every one of his players was in attendance. Fr. Pribyl is Associate Director of Campus Ministry and a teacher at MUHS.

The championship was Marquette’s second as a member of the WIAA and first since 2009.

“It’s just a great group of kids,” Klestinski said. “The senior class this year is just a great group of leaders. They get it. They’re good kids. They do things the right way. They put in the work, and they’re just a great model for the rest of the kids in our program.”

One of the Hilltoppers’ two losses during the season was a 50-21 defeat at the hands of Greater Metro Conference rival Sussex Hamilton. After giving up those 50 points, Marquette pitched three shutouts in a row and gave up just 39 total points over the final eight games.

“If you can answer that question (of how they gave up 50), I want the answer,” Klestinski said. “I think what it did was it really took our kids and focused them, and took them to a new level, just understanding you can’t just walk in and win a game. Even though we have a good team, we’re going to have to work for everything we get this year.”

After going into halftime tied at 10-10, Marquette’s defense left its stamp on the game. The Hilltoppers held Franklin to just 50 yards of total offense after the break.

For the game, Marquette limited Franklin’s Terrance Shelton, the state’s big-school offensive player of the year, to just 24 yards on nine carries while forcing the Sabres to pass an uncharacteristic 37 times.

“I think they wanted to run on us, but I think they found out really early that we were going to be the more physical team,” Klestinski said. “We wanted to win the line of scrimmage. All year our kids have put in the time in the weight room.”

Klestinski noted the team’s dedication to the weight room began in the summer, when his players lifted two hours a day, four days a week and continued through the season, culminating in the team’s last hard lifting session just two days before the championship game.

The Hilltoppers put Franklin quarterback Joey Kallay under extreme pressure the entire game, sacking him six times and recording seven tackles for loss. Mitchell Nigro led the defense with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks.

In addition, senior defensive back Murphy Monreal had four pass breakups and an interception in the second half.

Offensively, Marquette was extremely balanced, rushing for 153 yards and passing for 155.

The offense leaned heavily on sophomore running back Tommy Novotny who, at 5-foot-9, 169 pounds, carried the ball a staggering 38 times for 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns. Novotny’s scores came from 1 (with 3:26 left in the third quarter) and 2 yards (with 10:54 left in the game) away. He also caught two passes for 40 yards.

“He’s got a really strong frame, and he’s just a tough kid,” Klestinski said. “He’s made such a big jump from freshman year to sophomore year. This year, his field vision has just gone off the charts.”

Senior quarterback Peter McDevitt went 11-for-19 passing for 155 yards and opened the scoring with 2:04 left in the first quarter when he hit a streaking Cam Russell in stride down the left sideline for a 44-yard score. Russell had 64 yards on three catches to lead the Hilltoppers, while Thad Hoffman and Peyton Roby-Brown also had three catches.

Members of DSHA’s girls golf team pose with the state championship trophy, the first in school history. (Submitted photo)

When Dave Himm was hired as the girls golf coach at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Athletic Director Peggy Seegers-Braun gave him a tour of the school.

When they stopped in the gymnasium, Himm looked around at all the state championship banners hanging on the wall.

“She said that golf never had one, then she pointed to one empty spot on the wall and said that would be a good place for the first,” Himm said.

On Oct. 10, Himm’s Dashers squad completed their mission to fill that blank space, edging Waunakee by two strokes to win the school’s first state championship at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.

That was part of an impressive fall season by DSHA, which won four state championships (girls golf, volleyball, rugby and tennis doubles), had a runner-up (field hockey) and sent individuals to state in cross country and swimming and diving. All seven of the school’s programs were represented at the state tournaments.

While individually, those teams have had success at one point or another, Seegers-Braun said she can’t remember a season when it all came together for every program in her department at the same time.

“I think DSHA has always been blessed with great student-athletes, and we have a great coaching staff who are able to form meaningful relationships and get the best out of our student-athletes,” Seegers-Braun said. “You can have talented athletes, but unless they are willing to play together and for each other, have everyone on the team embrace their role, and all pull in the same direction, you may not experience the success they are capable of.  We have been working really hard the last few years on the concept of ‘great teams have great teammates’ and what that looks like, as well as ‘Success is a Choice,’ and we are choosing to be successful in all the things that lead to success.”

Girls Golf: Breaking through

In just his second season, Himm took a team that had finished sixth of seven teams in the Greater Metro Conference in 2021 and brought th

After the first day of the state tournament, DSHA and Waunakee were tied for second place at 325 strokes, one stroke behind Westosha Central.

Ava Roesch, who led the Dashers with a two-day total of 76-75—151, finished birdie-par-birdie, going 2-under par for the final three holes.

Rounding out DSHA’s lineup were Zoe Gryniewicz (79-80—159), Kate Krueger (82-80—162), Hannah Strachota (88-81—169) and Emma Bruckman (103-96—199).

“It’s still like a dream,” Himm said. “It’s a fantastic feeling. I told the girls afterwards that they will forever be linked together because of that.”

In 2022, the Dashers had made it to state, but Himm said he thought they were happy to be there after being the first DSHA team to qualify in 11 years.

“We have a group of fantastic girls, and they are incredibly talented,” Himm said. “They work very hard, and they were hungry for more than just being second and getting to state.”

Volleyball: Twice as nice

In the state championship match against Oconomowoc, the Dashers found themselves trailing two sets to one, their hopes of repeating as state champions hanging by a thread.

DSHA took the fourth set and opened up a nice cushion early in the fifth set to claim their second consecutive, defeating the Raccoons 25-14, 20-25, 25-27, 25-22, 15-8. The win left the Dashers with a 48-1 mark for the season, including four wins over Oconomowoc for the year.

“We were able to learn their tendencies and recall strengths of their players to help us prepare for playing them in the state finals,” DSHA Coac

h Caitie Ratkowski said.

The only loss came to Mother McAuley of Chicago, which has won the last two state titles in Illinois, at the Asics Challenge Tournament in Chicago. The Dashers did bounce back in that event to beat eventual Kentucky state champions Assumption in two straight sets.

“I would say our strength was in our experience,” Ratkowski said. “We returned 10 players to our roster from the 2022 state championship team, and seven seniors that led the team this year. We had our strong core of Sophia Wendlick, Madison Quest, Jordan Czajkowski and Olivia Durst return as our starters, and they were our impact players in last year’s state tournament. To have that core of on-court players return, in addition to the experienced senior class returning, that combined for our team’s strength this season.”

Wendlick, a senior who will play at Creighton University next season, was named first-team all-state along with juniors Quest and Czajkowski. Durst, a junior, was second-team all-state.

Quest has committed to play at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Czajkowski at Belmont University and Durst at Michigan State. But first, those three will be looking for a third straight championship in 2024.

Girls Tennis: Complete domination

When senior Molly Jex and sophomore Lizzie Stuckslager won the WIAA Division 1 Girls Tennis doubles championship in 2022, they made

em to the top of the mountain.

it clear they wanted to come back and defend their crown.

At the time, DSHA Coach Melissa Gebhardt said she would have to wait and figure out what was best for the team.

In the end, Jex and Stuckslager easily defended their title, going 22-0, dominating the state tournament and winning the championship match in just 47 minutes, defeating Middleton 6-1, 6-2. In five matches, they lost a total of seven games and had two 6-0, 6-0 victories.

The closest they came all season to losing a set was a 7-6, 6-0 dual meet victory over Brookfield East.

“Lizzie and Molly handled the pressure of being the No. 1 seed and defending their title like the two champions they are,” Gebhardt said. “They went into the tournament confident, and took the experience and knowledge they gained from 2022 and carried it with them into 2023. They were focused and had the ‘eye on the prize.’ They played their game and never let down, and with each round became more and more confident, and raised their level of play so they could achieve their goal of becoming back-to-back state champions.”

Jex, who is looking to play hockey in college, was invited to play in the Junior Admirals program this fall, allowing Stuckslager to occasionally work on her singles game, which is where she might end up playing the next two seasons.

Rugby: Stingy defense

It wasn’t until the state championship that DSHA’s rugby team even allowed a point. However, it wasn’t enough to derail the Dashers’ pursuit of their second consecutive title or 20th in program history, defeating Catholic Memorial 38-7 to finish undefeated at 6-0.

“We have traditionally played good defense; it’s part of our success,” Coach John Klein said. “Our success comes down to our fitness, our hard work, just the way we go about conducting our business on a daily basis.”

The Dashers had a group of eight seniors who were in their third year as starters and another who was in her second.

“The key to our success was our family atmosphere and the experience of our seniors,” Klein said. “We were ready to go right from the start.”

The group’s success may continue in the future, if Klein has assessed his underclassmen correctly, noting he also has a strong corps of sophomores and juniors ready to pick up the torch.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to regroup, and we don’t typically allow ourselves to have a down year,” he said. “The expectation is always to be the best that we can be as a team, and hopefully that’s good enough to reach incredible goals.”

State qualifiers

The Dashers’ field hockey team lost to Arrowhead 3-2 in the state championship match Oct. 21 to finish the season 9-1-1. DSHA had allowed just six goals all season heading into the state tournament, including a 4-3 overtime win over Arrowhead late in the regular season.

In the state cross country meet, sophomore Ava Johnsen finished 23rd with a time of 19:17 over 5 kilometers.

In the swimming and diving state meet, sophomore Kendall Rummel finished sixth in 1-meter diving and senior teammate Allison Brennan was one spot behind. The Dashers’ 200 medley relay team of freshman Jane Johnson, senior Lauren Correa, senior Rose Kachelski and sophomore Maggie Brzezinski was 15th. Johnson finished 19th in the 200 freestyle, 15th in the 500 freestyle. Correa was 15th in the 100 breaststroke. In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Correa, freshman Katie Dean, Johnson and Brzezinski was 17th.

Sometimes all of that success has a snowball effect.

“I also believe that success breeds success and when teams are successful it helps other teams believe they can be successful as well,” Seegers-Braun said. “It is part of our culture and is one of our core values to strive for athletic excellence.  I believe we achieved athletic excellence this fall.”

Players from St. Mary, Hales Corners, celebrate winning the girls Division 1 championship at the Seton Volleyball Tournament. (Photos Courtesy of Glen Barkow)

St. Mary, Hales Corners, defeated St. Charles, Hartland, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18, in the girls Division 1 championship match.

Bruce-Guadalupe/Acosta defeated the co-op team of St. Leonard, Muskego/St. Joseph, Big Bend, by a count of25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23, in the girls Division 2 title match.

St. Dominic defeated its Brookfield neighbors, St. John Vianney, 25-14, 25-20, 25-20, in the boys championship match.

Katlyn Putney and Fr. Maxwell Klug, O.F.M., a fellow St. Thomas More graduate, at his ordination in May. Putney is the new athletic director at St. Thomas More High School. (Submitted photo)

Hurdles was one of the events Notre Dame University’s Jadin O’Brien excelled in when she won the NCAA championship in the five-event pentathlon in March in Albuquerque, New Mexico. O’Brien is a graduate of Divine Savior Holy Angels. (Submitted photos)

Competition has always fueled Jadin O’Brien’s family.

Her father, Kevin O’Brien, played professional football for the Barcelona Dragons of the World League of American Football and the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League and went to training camp with the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots in the 1990s. That followed a standout career at Bowling Green State University.

Her mother, Leslie O’Brien, competed in track and field at Bowling Green in Ohio.

The competitive fires even spilled over to the O’Brien kitchen in Pewaukee on Sunday mornings after Mass at St. Charles Parish, Hartland.

“My favorite memories from my church experience growing up would be going to Mass with my whole family, and taking up the whole pew because of how big my family is (seven kids),” Jadin said. “After Mass, we would go home and make a wonderful brunch. My family, being as competitive as we are, split into two teams. Dad and the girls (my sister and I) switch off who makes the brunch each Sunday with my mom and the boys. It’s a fun, light-hearted but competitive activity my family and I did every Sunday.”

The competitive mindset that has been instilled in Jadin, a member of the track and field team at Notre Dame University after a fantastic career at Divine Savior Holy Angels, paid off big time in March when she won the NCAA indoor track and field championship in the five-event pentathlon (60-meter hurdles, shot put, long jump, high jump and 800 meters).

“There have been so many wonderful memories throughout by college career, but I would say winning nationals has definitely been one of my favorites,” Jadin said. “I went into the national meet determined to give my best effort to glorify God, and whatever happens, happens. That kept me calm during the whole competition, allowing me to set personal records in three out of the five events, setting a new personal record, a new school record and then a score that put me in the top 10 in U.S. history for the pentathlon (eighth in the world this year). My family is my rock, so having my mom and my brother PJ there to experience it with me was a huge bonus. There is a viral video of my mom’s reaction to me winning nationals.”

The Instagram video, which has more than 15 million views, shows Leslie O’Brien racing through the stands during her daughter’s final event and then the two sharing a moment after Jadin had clinched the national championship.

Buoyed by that success and following a lifelong dream, Jadin’s sights over the next nine months will be on training to qualify for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics in the heptathlon. The heptathlon is two-day competition in seven events (100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin and 800-meter run). The first four events occur on one day and the other three on the next.

“After competing in the Olympic Trials my freshman year, it really fueled my fire for making the Olympics this year and more times in the future,” Jadin said. “Becoming an Olympian has been my driving force since elementary school. Growing up, I loved hearing my dad tell stories about his time in the NFL and CFL. I made a promise to myself at a young age after hearing these stories that I was going to be great one day, and for me, that meant glorifying God through my athletic career and becoming an Olympian.”

After healing her body from a grueling track season that ran from January through August, Jadin will start working on the training plan that she and her coach have established. In addition, there will be mental training, an area where her strong Catholic faith will come in handy.

“My faith plays a big part in that, specifically when it comes to trusting God,” Jadin said. “I’m aware of the talented individuals I will be competing against to make the team, but I view it as a challenge I’m ready to accept. (God) gave me the talent to do it, now I just need to let him work.”

That sounds almost like a paraphrasing of her favorite Scripture verse, Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jadin said her faith has been essential in keeping her focused on her “why” when it comes to athletic competition, especially when dealing with the daily pain, fatigue and physical strain that comes with being a world-class athlete.

“My faith is what keeps me calm before and during big meets,” Jadin said. “Athletics has helped build my faith by putting me in situations where I can put what I believe into practice. Before every track meet, I take some holy water on my thumb and I make the sign of the cross on each location where I will be competing. Athletics has made my faith stronger because I rely on it so much before and while I compete.”

As a championship-caliber athlete who is a devout Catholic, Notre Dame seemed like a natural landing spot for Jadin.

“Coming to Notre Dame has been one of the best decisions of my life,” Jadin said. “I have a special connection to our Blessed Mother, so going to ‘Our Lady’s University’ was very fitting for me. I truly cannot say enough positive things about this university. Not only has it pushed me academically, but athletically and spiritually as well. There is a 6:45 a.m. daily Mass, there is daily confession, numerous prayer groups and faith clubs, a very active Respect Life club (which I am part of), and so many more opportunities to grow in my faith. Notre Dame is proud to be Catholic, and does live by the motto ‘God, Country, Notre Dame.’”

She represents all three with a full heart.

Peter McDevitt is the starting quarterback for Marquette University High School’s football team, which is off to a 2-1 start in his senior season. (Submitted photo)

The annual Padre Serra Tournament for eighth-grade girls and boys basketball teams in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will tip off March 9 (boys) and March 11 (girls) at St. Thomas More High School. The championship games will be Sunday, March 26. (File photo)

All games at St. Thomas More High School

BOYS

Thursday, March 9

Game 1: 5 p.m.: Messmer-St. Mary (Milwaukee) vs. St. Matthias (Milwaukee)

Game 2: 6 p.m.: St. Sebastian (Milwaukee) vs. St. Lucy (Racine)

Game 3: 7:15 p.m.: St. John XXIII (Port Washington) vs. Blessed Savior (Milwaukee)

Game 4: 8:15 p.m.: Burlington Catholic vs. Our Lady of Grace (Racine)

Saturday, March 11

Game 5: 11 a.m.: St. Alphonsus (Greendale) vs. Waukesha Catholic

Game 6: Noon: Brookfield Academy vs. St. Robert (Shorewood)

Thursday, March 16

Game 19: 5 p.m.: St. Dominic (Brookfield) vs. Catholic East (Milwaukee)

Game 20: 6 p.m.: St. Charles (Hartland) vs. Seton North (Milwaukee)

Game 21: 7:15 p.m.: St. Boniface (Germantown) vs. St. Leonard (Muskego)

Game 22: 8:15 p.m.: Holy Apostles (New Berlin) vs. Christ King (Wauwatosa)

Saturday, March 18

Game 23: 11 a.m.: St. Anthony on the Lake (Pewaukee) vs. St. John Vianney (Brookfield)

Game 24: Noon: St. Rita (Racine) vs. St. Monica (Whitefish Bay)

Game 25: 1:15 p.m.: St. Joseph (Kenosha) vs. Winner 1

Game 26: 2:15 p.m.: Winner 2 vs. Winner 4

Game 27: 3 p.m.: St. Jude (Wauwatosa) vs. Winner 5

Sunday, March 19

Game 28: Noon: St. Matthew (Oak Creek) vs. Winner 6

Game 29: 1 p.m.: Winner 3 vs. Winner 19

Game 30: 2:15 p.m.: Winner 20 vs. Winner 21

Game 31: 3:15 p.m.: St. Mary (Menomonee Falls) vs. Winner 22

Game 32: 4:30 p.m.: Winner 23 vs. Winner 24

Tuesday, March 21

Game 33: 4 p.m.: Winner 27 vs. Winner 32

Game 34: 6 p.m.: Winner 25 vs. Winner 26

Game 35: 7:15 p.m.: Winner 28 vs. Winner 29

Game 36: 8:15 p.m.: Winner 30 vs. Winner 31

Thursday, March 23

Semifinals

Game 43: 7:15 p.m.: Winner 33 vs. Winner 34

Game 44: 8:15 p.m.: Winner 35 vs. Winner 36

Sunday, March 26

Third-Place Game: 4 p.m.: Loser 43 vs. Loser 44

Championship Game, 5:30 p.m.: Winner 43 vs. Winner 44

GIRLS

Saturday, March 11

Game 7: 1:15 p.m.: Burlington Catholic vs. St. Joseph (Racine)

Game 8: 2:15 p.m.: Brookfield Academy vs. St. John the Baptist (Plymouth)

Game 9: 3:30 p.m.: St. Alphonsus/St. Matthew (Greendale/Oak Creek) vs. St. Monica (Whitefish Bay)

Sunday, March 12

Game 10: Noon: Holy Apostles (New Berlin) vs. St. Sebastian (Milwaukee)

Game 11: 1 p.m.: St. Mary (Menomonee Falls) vs. Lumen Christi (Mequon)

Game 12: 2:15 p.m.: St. Rita (Racine) vs. St. Jude (Wauwatosa)

Game 13: 3:15 p.m.: St. Jerome/St. Bruno (Oconomowoc/Dousman) vs. St. Dominic (Brookfield)

Game 14: 4:30 p.m.: St. Joseph (Kenosha) vs. St. John Vianney (Brookfield)

Wednesday, March 15

Game 15: 5 p.m.: Holy Family (Whitefish Bay) vs. Winner 13

Game 16: 6 p.m.: Christ King (Wauwatosa) vs. Winner 14

Game 17: 7:15 p.m.: St. Leonard/St. Mary (Muskego/Hales Corners) vs. Winner 8

Game 18: 8:15 p.m.: Messmer-St. Rose (Milwaukee) vs. Winner 7

Wednesday, March 22

Game 37: 5 p.m.: Winner 9 vs. Winner 17

Game 38: 6 p.m.: Winner 10 vs. Winner 18

Game 39: 7:15 p.m.: Winner 11 vs. Winner 16

Game 40: 8:15 p.m.: Winner 12 vs. Winner 15

Thursday, March 23

Semifinals

Game 41: 5 p.m.: Winner 37 vs. Winner 38

Game 42: 6 p.m.: Winer 39 vs. Winner 40

Sunday, March 26

Third Place Game: 1 p.m.: Loser 41 vs. Loser 42

Championship Game: 2:30 p.m.: Winner 41 vs. Winner 42

More information available at thepadreserra.org

DSHA defeated Oconomowoc, 3-2, on Nov. 5 to win the WIAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball state championship. (Submitted photos)

Two teams playing in a state championship match couldn’t have been more evenly matched or familiar with each other than Divine Savior Holy Angels and Oconomowoc in the WIAA Division 1 Girls Volleyball finals Nov. 5 at Green Bay’s Resch Center.

So, it was fitting the Dashers claimed their first state championship since 2015 by the slimmest possible margin, 3-2 (25-16, 25-16, 18-25, 18-25, 15-13).

When DSHA’s Madison Quest put down a kill off an assist from Jordan Czajkowski, it ended a tense, back-and-forth match that was the teams’ fourth meeting of the season.

“It helped to have played them a few times; we were able to learn about their strengths and tendencies so that we could figure out how to best match our strengths against theirs,” DSHA coach Caitie Ratkowski said.

DSHA (43-16), which came into the state tournament seeded second behind Oconomowoc, had defeated the Raccoons in the season-opening Joust Tournament, but had lost to them in the championship matches of the Charger Challenge and the West Bend Sprawl in the interim.

After DSHA had won the first two sets to reach the cusp of winning the title, they led 12-9 early in the third set. However, Oconomowoc rallied to take that set and stay alive. In the fourth set, Oconomowoc never trailed after falling behind 3-2.

“Oconomowoc played really well in games three and four, and we needed to focus on making some adjustments to come back from losing those two sets,” Ratkowski said. “I think our team stayed really composed, and the coaching staff discussed what we needed to do to bounce back in the fifth set. The players were very focused and did what they needed to do to adjust and come back.”

The fifth set was as close as the two teams had been all season, with neither team leading by more than two points throughout. The last time the Dashers trailed was at 10-9, but they then rattled off three straight points off two Oconomowoc attacking errors and a service ace by DSHA’s Olivia Durst.

“The fifth set was pretty close the entire time, and we did not think it was over until that 15th point was scored,” said Ratkowski, who was in her first season as DSHA head coach in 2015 when the Dashers won their previous state title. “We had good moments where we scored points in a row to come back, but knew we would have to battle until the final point.”

The Joust championship for the Dashers might have sealed in the players’ minds what Ratkowski was thinking to herself. The first tournament of the season usually draws all of the top teams in the state.

“We knew we had a very talented group at the beginning of the season, and after winning the Joust, I think they all started to believe in their potential and how great this group really was,” Ratkowski said. “Winning state was definitely a team goal for the season; the players worked hard in practices and during games all season long, and continued to keep getting better. I think that prepared us for how well we did in the post-season.”

Quest, who was a first-team all-state and all-conference selection for the Dashers, had 25 kills and 18 digs in the championship. Sophia Wendlick (first-team all-conference and second-team all-state) added kills and four block assists.

Earlier in the state tournament, DSHA had defeated Middleton 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-18) on Nov. 3 and Appleton North 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-14) on Nov. 4.

Other members of the DSHA squad who were all-conference selections included Bella Lipski (second-team all-conference, honorable mention all-state), Olivia de Guzman (second-team all-conference), Jordan Czajkowski (honorable mention all-conference and honorable mention all-state), and Durst (honorable mention all-conference).

Cristo Rey Jesuit claimed the school’s first state championship in any sport with a 2-0 victory over Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran on Nov. 5 in the WIAA Division 4 state soccer tournament. (Submitted photo)

What took years to build took just 38 seconds to seal.

Cristo Rey Jesuit scored back-to-back goals in the 30th minute of the WIAA Division 4 boys soccer state championship match Saturday, Nov. 5, and made them hold up the rest of the way for a 2-0 victory over Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran.

It was the first state championship for Cristo Rey — in existence since 2015 — in any sport.

The enthusiasm for the Trailblazers’ first foray onto the statewide stage was palpable throughout the school and the neighboring southside community. The entire school was allowed to attend the semifinal game — a 3-1 victory the day before over La Crosse Aquinas.

“The school really did a good job to get behind it and make it very meaningful, not just for the players but for the whole school,” sad Cristo Rey coach Rich Dorn, completing his third season. “Honestly, when it’s your first rodeo, you’re not quite sure how you deal with this. For the donors to step up and the organizational magnitude of mobilizing an entire school, getting tickets for them and getting them to the game (was great). It just generated a lot of enthusiasm and excitement for everybody. That was really quite cool.”

Jonathan Monreal scored his team-high 21st goal of the season on a penalty kick to get the Trailblazers on the board with 29:05 elapsed in the championship match. At the 29:43 mark, Nathan Monreal added his ninth goal of the season from outside the 18-yard box to give CRJ what turned out to be an insurmountable advantage.

“To get that second one gives you some breathing room,” Dorn said. “The thing for us was to make sure we still connected passes (as the game went on). When you’re down 2-0, it adds to the tension.”

Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran had six shots total in the game, but Cristo Rey goalkeeper Brayan Valdivieso didn’t officially record a save as none of them were on goal.

Cristo Rey took 10 shots total in the match, including eight in the first half with a strong, steady wind at their backs.

In the semifinals, the match was halted for more than an hour just five minutes into play for a lightning/weather delay. Those first few minutes of play gave Dorn and his players a glimpse of what Aquinas’ strategy was going to be, allowing them to prepare for how they would attack after the delay.

Ten minutes after play resumed, Cristo Rey took the lead when Victor Sandoval scored his 14th goal of the season at the 15:31 mark. Elvis Esparza assisted on Sandoval’s goal, which came from inside the box on a shot to the far post.

After Aquinas tied the match in the 22nd minute, the Trailblazers took the lead for good when Jonathan Monreal scored on a long-distance blast at the 29:55 mark. Sandoval added his second goal of the game and some valuable insurance for the Trailblazers when he scored off a rebound with 57:02 elapsed.

For the game, the Trailblazers outshot Aquinas by a staggering 28-6.

“We were relentless offensively, and, to be candid, there was a semblance of (being) relentless defensively,” Dorn said.

The Trailblazers finished the season 23-1-1; the loss came to perennial state powerhouse Whitefish Bay, which lost in the Division 2 championship game the same day, and the tie came against St. Thomas More.

Dorn said the seeds for the championship were planted long before the school ever came into existence, noting the top players on his team started their soccer journeys as part of elite club teams as youngsters.

“The ones that are really good have been playing soccer at a competitive level and sustained that effort in some club-type seasons,” Dorn said. “We had enough of those types of players who were committed and competitive. The leaders … are the ones that frankly set a standard of their own.”