By Robert Whitmire

The Wisconsin Valley Conference has announced its 2016 fall sports All-Conference teams for Boys and Girls Cross Country, Girls Tennis, Volleyball, Girls Swimming, and Boys Soccer and SPASH Athletics finds itself well represented across the board.

Leading the way is Girls Tennis with Emily Luetschwager, Sabrina Tang, and Kayla Stutesman being named to the first team singles.  Luetschwager, 2015 and 2016 WIAA state individual champion was named the Player of the Year. She finishes her four year career at SPASH with a 170-5 overall record including 70-0 over the past two seasons.

Suzy DeBot and Emily Meier were unanimous first team selections at #1 Doubles.  Madison DeBot and Taylor Konczal were named to the second team at #2 Doubles with Honorable Mention going to Freshman Leah Olsen at #4 Singles and Lillie James-Kaylee Bruneau at #3 Doubles.

Junior Ally Miklesh was named to the first team for Volleyball at Setter. Miklesh was second in the conference with 308 assists and a 7.51 Assist per Set average. Senior Madeleine Burch, Middle/Right Side Hitter was named to the second team with Sydney Salewske receiving Honorable Mention at Defensive Specialist. The Panthers finished the season in fifth place in the conference.

The Panther Girls Swim team finished first in the WVC with 12 dual meet points and 14 Wisconsin Valley Conference meet points.  

The 200 yd. Medley Relay team (Anna Vandehey, Kennedy Gilbertson, Casey Summers, Julia Stupar) gathered first team honors for SPASH as did Alex Raczek (200 yd. and 500 yd. Freestyle), Julia Stupar (100 yd. Freestyle), Anna Vandehey (100 yd. Backstroke), and the 400 yd. Freestyle Relay (Abbey Rosenthal, Alex Raczek, Sophie Emerson, Julia Stupar).

Second team honors went to Casey Summers (200 yd. Freestyle), Julia Stupar (100 yd. Butterfly),  Kennedy Gilbertson (200 yd. Individual Medley), Abbey Rosenthal (50 and 100 yd. Freestyle), and the 400 yd. Freestyle Relay (Casey Summers, Alli Scharbarth Gabby Sroda, and Kennedy Gilbertson). Gilbertson also was named Honorable Mention in the 100 yd. Breaststroke.

The Boys Soccer Team finished the conference season with a 9-1 record, good for second place.  Seniors Joey Dorgan and Pat Hefferan were unanimous first team selections with SPASH Goalkeeper Matt Altmann named the second team WVC Goalkeeper.  Also receiving second team honors were seniors Jarett Jones, McKenon Diekroeger, and Nate Napiwocki with Junior Keondre Porter and sophomore Brendan Leahy receiving Honorable Mention.

The SPASH Boys Cross Country Team ran away with the conference meet finishing with 22 points, well ahead of second place Marshfield (81 pts.).

Picking up first team honors for the Panthers were Derek Franz, individual winner of the conference meet with a time of 16:26.3.  Ricky Perez, Monty Flatoff, Liam Belson, Chad Franz and Ben Brogan all brought home first team honors for SPASH

Likewise, the Girls Cross Country team easily outdistanced second place Wausau West with 27 points.  The Warriors finished the meet with 62 points.

Freshman Madeline Hyland took second place crossing the finish line at 19.51.1 to earn her place on the WVC first team. Mya Zajakowski finished third; Grace Belson fifth, Carly Olsen, eighth; and Kaylee Newland ninth. The group also garnered first team honors.

“Our talented student-athletes continue to shine in the classroom and in competition,” said SPASH Athletic Director Mike Blair.  “These post season honors are a great recognition of the hard work, time and dedication these kids put in to be successful.”