School News

DSHA Fall 2021 Athletic Highlights

4/1/2022

Fall Semester 2021 of The Word Magazine

The Dashers were back in action this fall, competing in seasons similar to those experienced before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. DSHA had several athletes compete at the state level, with the DSHA Varsity Tennis Team and the DSHA Rugby A Team taking home the runner-up trophies at their respective state tournaments.

CROSS COUNTRY

The DSHA Varsity Cross Country team came in fourth at the Greater Metro Conference (GMC) meet on October 16. They placed sixth in the WIAA Sectional on October 22. Olivia Campbell, DSHA ’24, placed eighth individually at the sectional with a time of 19:34.6, qualifying for the WIAA State Cross Country meet on October 30. She finished 63rd out of 186 runners with a time of 20:27.3.

GMC Conference Place: 4th

Notable Recognitions:

• 1st Team All-Conference: Olivia Campbell, DSHA ’24

• 2nd Team All-Conference: Haddon Russell, DSHA ’23

Team Captains: Ximena Cardenas, DSHA ’22; Maggie Gavahan, DSHA ’23; Addie Grogan, DSHA ’22; Julia Miller, DSHA ’22

Coaches: English Faculty and Department Chair Andy Lelinski, English Faculty Peter Nurre, and School Counselor Therese Hayden, DSHA ’07

FIELD HOCKEY

The DSHA Varsity Field Hockey team was the #2 seed in the Wisconsin High School Field Hockey Association (WHSFHA) tournament in mid-October. After a first round bye, they fell to Arrowhead 2-3 in sudden death overtime play on October 13. The field hockey team played the most games in a season in school history, including games in two out-of-state tournaments, and a non-conference game against New Trier High School in Northfield, Illinois.

Record: 8-4 in WHSFHA; 13-10-1 overall

WHSFHA Conference Place: 2nd

Notable Recognitions:

• 1st Team All-Conference: Mack Doerr, DSHA ’23; Rachel Gauthier, DSHA ’22; Molly Guenther, DSHA ’22

• 2nd Team All-Conference: Anna Falci, DSHA ’23; Scanlon Mellowes, DSHA ’22; Sarah Winkler, DSHA ’22; Tamera Wright, DSHA ’23

• Honorable Mention All-Conference: Mia Kurth, DSHA ’24; Morgan Mackey, DSHA ’23; Shattera Richerson, DSHA ’22

Team Captains: Mack Doerr, DSHA ’23; Morgan Mackey, DSHA ’23; Sarah Winkler, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplain: Rachel Gauthier, DSHA ’22

Coaches: English Faculty and Instructional Technology Coordinator Quinn Loucks

and Susan Walline

GOLF

The DSHA Varsity Golf team competed in the GMC Championship on September 22 and came in sixth place. They finished seventh in the WIAA Regionals on October 30. Kate Krueger, DSHA ’24, came in 4th individually with an 82 at the WIAA Regionals. She came in second with a 79 at the WIAA Sectionals October 1, qualifying for the WIAA State Championship on October 11-12. She shot a two-day total of 163, 80 the first day, and 83 the second day, and tied for 25th place out of 78 golfers.

GMC Conference Place: 6th

Notable Recognitions:

• Honorable Mention All-State + 2nd Team All-Conference: Kate Krueger, DSHA ’24

Team Captain: Anne Naumann, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplain: KiKi Zincke, DSHA ’22

Coach: Phil Plautz

SWIM AND DIVE

The DSHA Varsity Swim and Dive team competed at the GMC Championship meet on October 30 and placed 5th overall. Divers Kathryn Kleczka, DSHA ’22; Blake Kayzar, DSHA ’24; and Allison Brennan, DSHA ’22, finished in the top 10. Swimmers Emily Brzezinski, DSHA ’23; Peyton Washington, DSHA ’25; Lauren Correa, DSHA ’24; and Scout Correa, DSHA ’22, also placed in the top 10. Based on their sectional performance, Kleczka qualified to compete in the WIAA State Diving Championships, and Lauren Correa qualified to swim the 100-yard breaststroke during the state swimming meet on November 13. Kleczka placed 14th out of 24 divers, and Lauren Correa finished 18th out of 25 swimmers in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07.02.

GMC Conference Place: 5th

Notable Recognitions:

• Honorable Mention All-Conference: Kathryn Kleczka, DSHA ’22

Team Captains: Scout Correa, DSHA ’22; Kathryn Kleczka, DSHA ’22; Kayla Vanderhoef, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplains: Lauren Correa, DSHA ’24; Maggie Johnson, DSHA ’24

Coaches: Anthony Klobus (swim) and Herman Acevedo (diving)

VOLLEYBALL

The DSHA Varsity Volleyball team was the #2 seed in the WIAA Regional, defeating Milwaukee Vincent 25-3, 25-5, 25-4 and Arrowhead 25-18, 25-26, 25-13 to win the WIAA Regional Championship on October 23. They faced #3 seed Sussex Hamilton in the WIAA Sectional Semi-Final, winning 25-23, 25-20, 29-31, 25-13, to advance to the WIAA Sectional on October 30. The team ended its season as the sectional runner-up after falling to Brookfield Central.

Record: 5-3 in GMC; 35-9 overall

GMC Conference Place: 4th

Notable Recognitions:

• 1st Team All-State + 1st Team All-Conference: Madison Quest, DSHA ’25

• Honorable Mention All-State + 1st Team All-Conference: Julia Wojciak, DSHA ’22

• Honorable Mention All-Conference: Kara Schmit, DSHA ’22

Team Captains: Bella Lipski, DSHA ’23; Julia Wojciak, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplains: Ava Kharitou, DSHA ’24; Sophia Wendlick, DSHA ’24

Coaches: Catie Ratkowski, DSHA ’02, and Amanda Dettmann, DSHA ’11

The DSHA JV Volleyball team served up a record-setting and unprecedented season: they went undefeated and 81-0 in sets, meaning they won every set of every game during their season.

TENNIS TEAMMATES SHINE AS SISTERS WHILE EARNING SECOND PLACE AT STATE

After claiming first place at the Greater Metro Conference tournament and the WIAA sectional, the DSHA Varsity Tennis Team advanced to the WIAA State Tennis Team Championship Tournament, placing second.

“Coming in as the runner-up at team state was such a refreshing and heart-warming feeling,” said Alex Moews, DSHA ’22, one of the captains on the team. “We had a very intense match in the semifinals that many expected we weren’t going to win, but we fought the hardest I’ve ever seen us do that day. We proved everyone wrong. It was the best feeling to end on such a high note.”

The GMC tournament at the end of September was bittersweet for the Dashers. They came in first for the fifth year in a row, but captain, key player, and Moews’ doubles partner Lailah Young, DSHA ’22, tore her ACL and was out for the season.

“We had a true heart-to-heart moment at the last practice before sub-sectionals,” said Moews. “No one wanted the season to end, so as motivation, we decided that on our road to state, we were ‘doing it for Lailah.’ Playing in the spirit of Lailah instantly boosted the motivation and drive to win for our teammate.”

At the WIAA sectional October 6, the team came in first, with Carolyn Schaefer, DSHA ’24; Grace Packee, DSHA ’22; and Madi Guillermo, DSHA ’24, placing first in all three singles positions. The doubles teams of Moews and Molly Jex, DSHA ’24; Kelly Coury, DSHA ’23, and Joan Barry, DSHA ’23; and Katie Buettner, DSHA ’23 and Joanna Blonski, DSHA ’22; placed first in their respective doubles positions.

Schaefer and the doubles team of Moews and Jex qualified for the WIAA State Tennis Individual Championship October 14-16. Schaefer placed seventh, and the team of Moews and Jex finished in 12th place.

In Madison at the WIAA State Tennis Team Championship Tournament October 22-23, the team was the #2 seed. They defeated Badger High School 6-1, and Franklin 4-3. In the state championship match, they fell to Neenah 3-4, and finished their fantastic season as the WIAA State runner-up.

“At DSHA, I think what makes us different from the other tennis teams in the state is our drive to win as a team,” Moews said. “While we, of course, all want to win individually, getting that team victory always takes number one priority.

“It’s more than just a tennis team; we truly become one big family. The DSHA Tennis Team is where teammates turn into sisters.”

GMC Conference Place: 1st

Notable Recognitions:

• 1st Team All-Conference: Joanna Blonski, DSHA ’22 (#3 doubles); Katie “KK” Buettner, DSHA ’23 (#3 doubles); Madi Guillermo, DSHA ’24 (#3 singles); Carolyn Schaefer, DSHA ’24 (#1 singles)

• 2nd Team All-Conference: Kelly Coury, DSHA ’23 (#2 doubles); Molly Jex, DSHA ’24 (#2 doubles);

Alex Moews, DSHA ’22 (#1 doubles); Grace Packee, DSHA ’22 (#2 singles); Laliah Young, DSHA ’22 (#1 doubles)

• Honorable Mention All-Conference: Ava Depies, DSHA ’22 (#4 singles)

• GMC Singles Player of the Year: Carolyn Schaefer, DSHA ’24

Team Captains: Alex Moews, DSHA ’22; Grace Packee, DSHA ’22; Laliah Young, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplain: Katie “KK” Buettner, DSHA ’23

Coaches: Melissa Gebhardt and Brooke Skemp

RUGBY A TEAM SEES RUNNER-UP TITLE AS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

The DSHA Rugby A Team played against opponent Catholic Memorial High School in the Wisconsin Girls’ Rugby State Championship Game October 31. After a close 17-21 game, their successful season ended, and they were named the state runner-up.

“I think we definitely needed a loss more than a win,” Beth Susek, DSHA ’22, one of the team captains, said. “It would have been awesome to be state champions of course, but there are a lot of things we need to fix both offensively and defensively that would have gone unnoticed if we had won.”

The DSHA Rugby A Team plays in the Jeff Noe Conference, which includes the Brookfield club team, the Green Bay co-op team, the Madison club team, and another club team from the Kettle Moraine area.

DSHA first faced the Brookfield Bruisers in mid-September, defeating them 27-5. They then won against the Madtown Furies 70-5. The Green Bay co-op team was then defeated by the Dashers 48-5. Finally, DSHA swept the Kettle Moraine Knightmares 70-0.

For Susek, one of the most important parts of the season happens before state at the team bonfire. “We say who we play for,” she said. “It helps remind us of why we play rugby and why we always give it our all.”

In the state championships, they faced Hamilton High School in the semi-finals which they defeated 22-17 before falling to Catholic Memorial in the championship game 17-21.

The DSHA Ruby A Team will have another chance to go for the Midwest and national titles during their spring season.

“Knowing that I still have another season in the spring has really helped me stay positive after our loss,” Susek said. “As soon as we lost that game, I told myself that I was going to start putting in the work for the next season. The way I felt after losing that game is an emotion I would hate to have to experience again, and I believe that all my teammates feel the same way. It is important for us to see this as an opportunity for growth.”

Above all, Susek has valued her time on the team because of the support from her teammates and coaches.

“Rugby is unlike any other sport I have played before,” she said. “It brings people from all different grades and all different friend groups together in a way that no other sport can. I love every one of my teammates, and value them greatly.”

Record: 4-0 in Jeff Noe Conference

Jeff Noe Conference Place: 1st

Notable Recognitions:

• All-State Recognition: Kathryn Becker, DSHA ’22; Evelyn Coffou, DSHA ’24; Meghan Finerty, DSHA ’24;

Lajess Jordan, DSHA ’23; Yesenia Morales, DSHA ’23; Flannery O’Keef, DSHA ’24; Elizabeth Susek, DSHA ’22; Madison Turcinovic, DSHA ’24; Maura Walsh, DSHA ’22; Meghan Walsh, DSHA ’24

Team Captains: Carly Nigro, DSHA ’22; Beth Susek, DSHA ’22; Maura Walsh, DSHA ’22

Team Chaplain: Carly Nigro, DSHA ’22

Coaches: John “Chin” Klein, Borus Turcinovic, and Joe Kloiber

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- Olivia Campbell, DSHA ’24, celebrates with her team and coaches at the WIAA State Cross Country Meet on October 30.
- Kate Krueger, DSHA ’24, participates in the WIAA Golf State Championship Meet on October 11-12.
- Kathryn Kleczka, DSHA ’22, poses with DSHA Diving Coach Herman Acevedo and teammates at the WIAA State Diving Championship on November 13.
- Lauren Correa, DSHA ’24, swims the breaststroke a the WIAA State Swimming Championship on November 13.
- DSHA Varsity Tennis Team
- The DSHA Rugby A Team captains Maura Walsh, DSHA ’22 (far left); Beth Susek, DSHA ’22 (middle); and Carly Nigro, DSHA ’22 (far right), celebrate the team’s runner-up finish.