Coach’s controversial comment, state wrestling title highlight top 10 stories of year

The top 10 sports stories of the year

 

Another year is done.

I’m approaching my mid-30s, and I’m starting to feel older.

Going out to the bars doesn’t have the same feel because everyone is 10 years younger than me.

My busy, curious and adorable daughter Coraline Rose is now 19 months and experiencing everything from gymnastics open gym at Lakes Area to swimming with grandma at the Lake Geneva YMCA.

You know you’re getting old when a highlight of your year was finally making a budget, thanks to my awesome brother-in-law Craig, and reigning in the copious amounts of debt accrued over the years, a rite of passage in this country.

In Burlington, 2015 was an eventful year for area sports.

There was a visiting football coach who played the race card and got into a mess of trouble, a state wrestling champion and a little league team that almost made history.

A famous Burlington High School grad returned to Wisconsin to face the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, and several Burlington High School athletes signed on the dotted line.

While I simply listed my favorite stories last year, I’m returning to my format of a numbered top 10.

Everyone loves lists, I hope you enjoy the following.

 

Top Sports Stories of 2015

 

1. Dangerous injury, coach’s racial comment inflict black eye on Burlington football victory

 

The biggest story of 2015 was a no-brainer.

In late August, during a high school football game, a white coach actually said the words “Would we have gotten that call if my safety was a Caucasian?” to a referee in reference to his black player, who was called for a penalty for an unsportsmanlike hit.

The coach, Racine Horlick’s Brian Fletcher, was immediately ejected and suspended for the next game. However, WIAA rules say that you’re automatically suspended for the next game if you get ejected, so Horlick pretty much dropped the ball and gave Fletcher a slap on the wrist.

What made the comment even worse was the face that Burlington’s Jake Weidert laid motionless on the field from the late hit, and the coach still thought his words were appropriate.

The original blog, posted Aug. 29 to myracinecounty.com, received 20,785 page views through Dec. 28, good for the No. 1 most-viewed story of the year by more than 5,000 views.

A whopping 39 comments appear at the bottom of the blog, with Racine residents appalled and calling for Fletcher’s job and other spectators saying there was a racist atmosphere in the stands.

Here’s an excerpt from the original blog:

““Would we have gotten that call if my safety was a Caucasian?”

After a helmet-to-helmet collision inside the Racine Horlick 5-yard line that left Burlington receiver Jake Weidert motionless on the sideline, trainers and coaches rushed to the east sideline of Don Dalton Stadium Friday night. An eerily silent crowd observed in shock as Weidert showed little sign of movement, maybe a clenched fist, before being carted away on a stretcher, his eyes closed.

Horlick was flagged for a personal foul, as the referee cited an illegal hit, but Horlick coach Brian Fletcher decided to verbalize his frustration with the aforementioned quote.

Down 33-18 with three minutes to play and his team about to lose, Fletcher’s gripe was aimed at the referee but heard by the entire sideline along with medical personnel and Burlington coaches attending Weidert a mere 20 feet away.

It was the coach’s second unsportsmanlike penalty of the game, and he was swiftly ejected.

After approximately 20 minutes, Weidert was experiencing increased movement on the stretcher, which was wheeled into a waiting ambulance.

The stunning injury combined with the shocking comment took away from a game that saw Burlington score 19 unanswered second-half points in a 39-24 victory.”

 

2. Josh Bird wins state wrestling title

   

Burlington senior Josh Bird is off to an 11-0 start to this season, but his first highlight of 2015 came in

March at the WIAA state wrestling tournament in Madison.

Bird battled Tres Leon of Kaukauna in the 132-pound title match. He overcame a 6-0 deficit and built a 12-10 lead with 20 seconds left and rode it out for his second state title in three years.

In November, Bird signed his national letter of intent to attend Division 2 Chadron State on a wrestling scholarship.

Bird’s hard work and lifelong dedication to wrestling once again paid off in Madison, and he is a favorite for a third state title in a couple months.

Here’s an excerpt from the story, which was posted March 1:

“Josh Bird put two fingers in the sky, representing his second state championship in three years. One year after exiting the Kohl Center gym with his head down in defeat, Bird beamed at the legion of cameras snapping his smile.

Bird walked off the mat like he had unfinished business. His original goal of four state titles gone, two of three was the next-best thing. In the hallway minutes after the match, Bird already referenced winning not only another title next year but four national titles at the next level.

A tireless worker who out-trains opponents, Bird believes he quite simply belongs in the winner’s circle.

“It’s probably one of the best feelings in the world knowing that no one in the state can touch you, and you’re the best out there,” Bird said. “I knew I had to go point by point and get as many as I could. I knew if I wrestled my style and didn’t let him control the match, I’d eventually win.””

 

3. Burlington Little League falls just shy of first World Series

 

Much like it does every year, the Burlington Little League 12U All-Stars zipped through state, district and regional competition in 2015.

In fact, the boys of summer became only the second Little League team in city history to advance to the regional title game in Indianapolis, one game away from advancing to the Little League World Series.

Here’s an excerpt from the Aug. 20 story:

“After a month of district, state and regional tournament action, it all came down to Saturday afternoon for a confident Burlington Little League 12U All-Star team.

And in a matter of minutes, the promise of the city’s – and state’s – first-ever trip to the Little League World Series was shattered with one swing of the bat.

Clearly unfazed from the beating Burlington handed them two days earlier, the Bowling Green, Kentucky team posted a second inning grand slam, totaled 11 hits and routed Burlington 13-0 in four innings.

It was a taste of its own medicine for Burlington, which won both its games in Indy by a margin of 10-0, including beating Bowling Green Aug. 13.

Burlington became only the second Little League team in state history to advance to the regional title game, but will still have to wait to make the elusive Little League World Series.

It took a bit for the kids to get over the loss, said Burlington coach Scott Safar, but he said it’s easy to focus on the fun journey and historic run the team enjoyed.

“The loss will sting for awhile, because we had a taste of Williamsport, but in the end, we will remember how far we went,” Safar said. “Being only the second Wisconsin team to make it to the championship in the history of our little league was huge. The success was more than I could have hoped for.””

 

4. Catholic Central football advances to state semifinal

The Catholic Central football team enjoyed one of its deepest postseason runs in 2015.

The Toppers won their first Metro Classic Conference championship since 2010 and earned a No. 2 seed in the Division 7 playoffs.

The dominant squad beat every opponent by double digits on its way to a 12-0 start, including a 40-0 dispatching of top seed Cambria-Friesland in their backyard in the sectional semifinal.

But eventual state champion Bangor ended Catholic Central’s season, 48-6.

Catholic Central senior quarterback Ben Heiligenthal, who was named the MCC offensive player of the year, spoke after the game.

“It’s tough,” he said. “I’m going to miss these guys. I love all of them. They’re like a family to me. Bangor is a great team, and they deserve the win. We never gave up. We left everything on this field.”

 

5. Cancer survivor honored at Blue Devils game

Southern Lakes Blue Devils team photographer Holly Barrett showed strength and courage in overcoming breast cancer.

The talented actor and photographer’s remarkable story proved it’s never too late to see the doctor if you think something’s wrong with your body.

Here’s an excerpt from the July 30 story:

“Imagine actually having cancer but your doctor insists you’re fine and all you need is a little less chocolate and caffeine.

Holly Barrett unfortunately had to live that hell and wait more than a year before learning her now-enormous tumor had tripled in size and indeed was cancer.

By January 2015, after a second mammogram revealed the 39-year-old had been stricken with ductal carcinoma in situ, Barrett had both breasts removed and began intense radiation that nearly caused her third-degree burns.

The active, athletic actress and stuntwoman is still in a fight for her life, though radiation ended in June.

“I was told I was fine,” she said Tuesday night via telephone. “But I had dense tissue and pain. I knew it was wrong.”

“Five months later, I went to the doctor and said this is hurting me so bad, you need to just cut it out.””

 

6. Tony Romo returns to take on Packers in playoffs

Burlington’s most famous athlete, 1998 Burlington High School graduate Tony Romo, returned to Wisconsin in January to battle the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in an NFL Divisional playoff game.

Local coaches, many of whom coached Romo in his high school days, said they were sticking with Tony in the matchup and turning against their hometown team.

Green Bay defeated Dallas, 26-21, to advance to the NFC Championship, and Romo fell victim to some bad luck, as his potential game-winning touchdown pass to receiver Dez Bryant was ruled incomplete after multiple replays.

I had the honor of being 10 feet behind the “catch” at the time, snapping away pictures of Bryant falling to the ground and reaching out for the end zone, only to have the ball pop out of his hands.

The crucial play prevented Dallas and Romo from a shot at Romo’s first Super Bowl.

At Romo’s annual football camp at BHS in June, he joked that it was a catch, and he thanked the area for its support in the biggest game of his career.

Romo broke his collarbone twice this fall, and the Dallas Cowboys aren’t going to make the playoffs.

Romo, 35, should bounce back in time for the 2016 season, and I’m sure the Cowboys will challenge for a Super Bowl in the future.

 

7. Benavides, Fitzpatrick win state titles

The two most accomplished gymnasts in area history finished their careers with a bang back in March.

Molly Benavides and Bailey Fitzpatrick, both 2015 BHS grads, won individual state championships at the 2015 WIAA state tournament in Wisconsin Rapids.

Benavides won the all-around in record fashion, and Fitzpatrick added two more titles.

“Decorated Burlington gymnast Molly Benavides had seemingly done it all on the high school level, with individual state titles and trips to team state.

But on Saturday, at the WIAA Division 1 Individual State meet, she out-shined all of her previous trips to Wisconsin Rapids combined.

Benavides put together the finest performance of her career, capturing the Division 1 state all-around title with the highest score ever recorded in state history, a 38.300. It was her sixth state title overall in her illustrious high school career.

Remarkably, Benavides didn’t win a single event, as second place on vault (9.533) was her highest finish.

Not far behind was fellow senior Bailey Fitzpatrick, who missed out on her third career state all-around title by a mere .450. Her 37.850 was second to Benavides.

Fitzpatrick, though, captured her fifth and sixth career state championships on vault (9.767) and beam (9.367).”

 

8. McCourt becomes first D1 college soccer player in BHS history

Back in February, Burlington’s Sydney McCourt signed a Division 1 scholarship to play college soccer at Cleveland State.

The historic signing was a first for the BHS soccer program.

Here’s an excerpt from the story:

“She isn’t the one scoring all the goals or stealing all the spotlight.

Burlington senior Sydney McCourt would much rather wait in the wings and break down her opponent before making her move.

The 17-year-old Brown’s Lake resident is a defender extraordinaire, and recently her soccer exploits have led to a college career.

McCourt made history by becoming the first Burlington girls soccer player to commit to a Division 1 college, Cleveland State University.

“She’s the fiercest of anybody on that entire field,” said Burlington coach Joel Molitor. “She wants it more than anyone else. Wherever I put her, she’s the best player on the field. It’s like having another coach on the field.””

 

9. Burlington volleyball’s strong run abruptly ends at state

 

A 42-4 record and No. 1 state ranking didn’t mean much when the Burlington girls volleyball team took the court Nov. 5.

With its players talking of a state championship with a host of experienced seniors hungry for a state crown, the Demons had to first get past Verona in a state quarterfinal.

Though Burlington jumped out to a 2-0 lead, it fell in a stunning 3-2 defeat.

Here’s some of the shocking story:

“This year’s state tournament, which concluded last weekend at the Resch Center in Green Bay, was going to be Burlington’s time to shine, as it has all year with a No. 1 state ranking and dominant 42-3 record.

An appetizer against Verona, a team ranked outside of the top 10, would be a mere formality, and another tune-up would lead Burlington to an epic state title clash with defending champion DSHA, a rubber match after the teams split a pair of matches this season.

On Nov. 5, around 8 p.m., Burlington cruised out to a 2-0 lead after 25-21 and 25-14 game victories, and surely it would win one of the next three games to advance to a state semifinal the next night.

But that’s when things broke down, and before the Demons knew it, the match was tied 2-2 and 15 points was all that stood between erasing last year’s loss and suffering the exact same fate.

In the fifth and final set, Burlington realized the urgency of the moment, grabbing a 6-0 lead and extending it to 8-4.

But out of nowhere, Burlington’s serve-receive game was out of whack, and it couldn’t set up its offense.

Spieker, who had 29 kills and a strong .375 hitting percentage, was neutralized by Verona’s strong setting and precise hitting.

Burlington held its last lead at 9-8, but the Wildcats stormed back with a 7-2 run to win, 21-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-11, and send the Demons home.”

 

10. Union Grove clinches first playoff berth since 2009, ends Burlington’s season

It was a historic night for Union Grove but a disappointing one for the Burlington football team.

After starting the season 2-0 and coming off a Southern Lakes Conference championship, the Demons saw their season end Oct. 17 at home.

Burlington led, 16-7, in the second quarter, but a collapse ensued that had coach Steve Tenhagen frustrated and wondering what might have been.

Here’s an excerpt from the original story:

“Burlington must watch the playoffs from home one year after winning its first conference championship in nearly 20 years. At 5-4, it was still a winning season, and the Demons had quality victories against playoff teams Racine Horlick and Delavan-Darien, but injuries and inconsistencies plagued the team in the final three games (1-2).

A somber, humbled Tenhagen couldn’t put his finger on what went wrong Friday night.

“It hurts, you know,” he said. “We were in a number of these games this year where we didn’t make plays when we had opportunities. We just didn’t get it done. It hurts bad.”

The fourth quarter was particularly back-breaking for the Demons. Union Grove converted on a 4th-and-19, and a 30-yard pass-interference call, which could’ve gone either way, set up Cadd’s go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth.”

 

Most-viewed sports stories of the year

www.myracinecounty.com

1. “Dangerous injury, coach’s racial comment inflict black eye,” 20, 785 views
2. “Bird, Fisher capture state wrestling titles,” 3,371
3. “Q&A with Tony Romo,” 2,081
4. “Win today, and Burlington Little League advances to World Series,” 1,755
5. “Family and friends remember Nate Maki,” 1,753
6. “Romo overcomes odds to make NFL,” 1,455
7. “Union Grove clinches 1^st playoff berth since 2009,” 1,420
8. “McCourt signs D1 soccer,” 1,301
9. “Furious comeback lifts Waterford to sectional final,” 1,217
10. “Burlington Little League returns to Indy,” 1,193