Stevens Point Girls Curling Team Wins repeat Wisconsin State High School Curling Championship
For the City Times
STEVENS POINT — Three Steven Point Curling Club team competed in the 2018 State High School Curling Championship, held at the Wausau Curling Club on Feb. 16 and 17. Sixteen boys and girls teams, 32 in total, from around the state competed for the title of State Champions.
The Stevens Point boys’ teams, Stevens Point 1 and Stevens Point 2, coached by Lori Kawleski, played very well and finished 1-2 for the weekend. The boys team consisted of: Stevens Point Boys 1: Morgan O’Keefe (skip), Isko Ollech (3rd), Thomas Whelihan (2nd), Nathan Groshek (Lead), Ben Kroening (5th) and Stevens Point Boys 2: Simon Solin (skip), Carlos Perez ( 3rd), Allan Ollech (2nd), Cade Larson (lead), Alex Smetana (5th).
The Stevens Point girls team, coached by Patti Henning, earned a number 1 seed after winning the State Championship last year and winning the conference title undefeated. The girls won their pool with a 3-0 record by defeating teams from: Wausau East, Medford, and Poynette. The team which included seniors Suzanna Viau, Rachel Kawleski, Anissa Zaske, Elizabeth Rubenzer, Krista Domaszek won a hard fought semifinal game in an extra end against Lodi to earn a spot in the championship final against second seeded Portage. The championship game started with Stevens Point trailing after three ends but the Stevens Point team made key shots to win. The victory earned them title 2018 Wisconsin State High School Girls Curling Champions, a repeat of their 2017 performance.
The girls team started in the Little Rocks program over 7 years ago, and truly have developed a love of the sport. The girls have all curled in bonspiels as well as competitive events, and several girls have participated in National Events.
The Stevens Point Curling club offers curling experiences for youth and adults of all ages. Many of the Stevens Point high School curlers began curling as part of the Stevens Point Curling Clubs Little Rocks instructional program providing youth an opportunity to explore the sport of curling in a fun and safe environment.