By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Southern Lakes Conference recognized its best spring sports athletes with its all-conference teams last week. Two Lake Geneva Badger athletes were recognized as athletes of the year in their sports.
Blake Wisdom was named athlete of the year for golf. Wisdom led the Badgers to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state golf meet June 5 at University Ridge in Madison. The Badgers finished 12th with a team score of 317. Milwaukee Marquette won the state title with a 299.
Wisdom finished tied for seventh with a two-day score of 148 to lead the Badgers. Carter Parent shot 165, Ben Rademaker shot 167, and Luke Abram shot 170.
Coach David DeShambo said the team struggled on the first day of the two-day event in very windy conditions. The highlight of the first day was Wisdom’s 75, which could have been better if he had not double bogeyed the final two holes.
DeShambo said the team rebounded nicely on the second day shooting 317, right at their season average. That moved the Badgers up from 14th to 12th.
“It was a lower finish than we hoped for, but I was proud of the guys for their effort on Day 2,” DeShambo said.
On the season, Wisdom set two school records on his way to being named SLC athlete of the year for golf. He had the lowest round in Badger history with a 68 and the lowest scoring average with a 72.83.
“Blake dominated the conference season shooting an average score more than four shots better than any other player in the conference,” DeShambo said.
Senior Connor Duggan finished the SLC season as the runner up to conference player of the year for the third straight year. He was named second-team all-SLC as a freshman and first-team every other year.
Wisdom and Duggan were named first-team all-SLC this year. Rademaker was named honorable mention. The Badgers were also conference and regional champions. DeShambo said the team has much to build on with four returning players having shot 82 or better on the final day of the state tournament.
Wisdom was named MVP for the Badgers. Duggan was named most dedicated, Parent was named most improved, and Rademaker was named varsity newcomer of the year.
Mason Snitynski was also honored as athlete of the year for tennis. Sniatynski led the Badgers to a SLC and sectional title and made it to the WIAA state individual tennis meet. The Badgers also qualified for the WIAA state team meet and fell to Milwaukee Marquette 7-0 on Friday in Madison.
Sniatynski was 9-0 during the SLC season and 22-2 overall. He was the No. 1 singles SLC and sectional champion and finished in the top 16 at state.
“Experience, year-round training and hard work have given him great confidence,” Coach Paul Lauterbach said.
Sniatynski and Jordan Lauer were named first-team all-SLC as individuals. Peter Merry and Wyatt VanDyke were named first team as a doubles team. Charles Giese and Graham Bartal were named honorable mention as a doubles team.
Dawson Vance led the Badger baseball team as a first-team selection as an outfielder. Colton Surges was named to the second team as an infielder. Catcher Tanner Fields, pitcher Addison Hochevar and outfielder Brett Adams were named honorable mention.
Brady Fields was named MVP of the team. Tanner Fields was named defensive player of the year for the Badgers. Vance earned offensive player of the year. Cade Carpenter was named most improved.
Seneca Peterson led the softball team as a second team selection. Madison Hunt earned honorable mention as a catcher. Peterson was named offensive player of the year by the Badgers. Hunt was defensive player of the year, and Taylor Garrels and Marissa Nurnberg earned the team leadership awards.
Forward Brittany Gestrich, midfielder Lucy Reed and defender Nichole Ritzman all earned second-team recognition in soccer. Midfielder Reese Mikrut and defender Kelsey Reece were named honorable mention. For the Badgers, Ritzman earned defensive player of the year and most dedicated. Greta Fleer was named offensive player of the year, and Maddy Krien was named most improved.
Hope Ayres-Schulz earned honorable mention for girls track. She also shared MVP honors with Courtney Oomens, Mari Trent and Karissa Cullen for the Badgers.
Colin Jackson was named all-around MVP and Gustavo Gordillo was named MVP for boys track. Alex Evans won the coaches’ award, and Connor Spiewack was named most improved.
