Sports

With the return of seven letterwinners, expectations are high this season for the Oconto Falls High School volleyball team.

The players have adopted the motto, “One team, one dream.”

“I think I know what that dream is, but yet we’re not going to discuss that too soon,” Panthers coach Dawn Larsen said.

That dream could be a trip to the state tournament. The Panthers fell a couple of steps short last season, finishing 25-9 and losing to Notre Dame in a WIAA regional final.

The Oconto Falls players are confident and feeling improved from where they left off last year.

“They can feel it on the court and sometimes as the coach you can see it,” Larsen said.

Oconto Falls opened the season by going 4-1 in the Battle of the Valley at Neenah on Aug. 27. The Panthers were a perfect 3-0 in pool play and then lost 2-1 to Xavier before winning the third-place match 2-1 over Kimberly.

The Gillett Secondary School football team lost 43-29 to Tigerton/Marion in Marion on Thursday.

Gillett fell behind 14-0 but rallied to tie the game by the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers (1-1, 0-0 Marinette & Oconto Conference) took a brief 22-20 lead in the third quarter on a Monte Noffke 3-yard touchdown run but could not keep pace the rest of the way.

“I was proud of the way we battled back the entire night,” Gillett coach Rick Kamps said. “Once again, though, we couldn’t hold the lead.”

Gillett gave up 520 yards rushing to the Thundercatz, with Justin Miller racking up 346 yards on 22 carries.

As Tigerton/Marion (1-1, 0-0 Central Wisconsin Conference-10) was grinding it out on the ground, Gillett took to the air.

Suring falls to Crandon

The Suring High School football team lost to Crandon 36-8 Friday in Crandon. The Eagles (1-1, 0-0 Marinette & Oconto Conference) were shut out until Creo VanBellinger scored on a 50-yard run in the fourth quarter. Crandon (2-0, 0-0 Northern Lakes) had two running backs, Morgan Krueger and Trevor Tupper, rush for more than 100 yards each as the team piled up 216 yards on the ground.

Lena/STAA swamped by St. Mary Central

Lena/STAA lost 60-14 to St. Mary Central on the road Friday. Lena/STAA (0-2, 0-0 M&O) got two scores from Kiefer Powers, on a 6-yard run in the second quarter and an 11-yard run in the fourth. Besides that, it was all St. Mary Central (1-1, 0-0 Olympian/Packerland-Small), which led 39-8 by halftime. Powers finished with 13 carries for 50 yards. Lena/STAA quarterback Blaik Fisher was three for six for 61 yards and three interceptions.

Monte Noffke picked up right where he left off last season and the Gillett Secondary School football team earned a 35-0 win over nonconference foe White Lake/Elcho on Friday in Gillett.

Noffke ran for 163 yards on 23 touches to go along with two touchdowns in the season-opening game.

Senior Dylan Roberts started the scoring in the first quarter with a 42-yard punt return, which was opened up by fellow senior Korey Badeau.

Sophomore quarterback Alex Zeitler went 8 for 16 for 98 yards.

As a team, Gillett put together 344 yards of offense on 51 plays, 246 coming on the ground. The Tiger’s defense, meanwhile, was stingy, holding White Lake/Elcho to just 114 yards total on 33 plays.

The defense also created four turnovers, including Matt Peterson’s 12-yard interception return for a touchdown. Peterson also had a 9-yard touchdown run.

Gillett hosts Marion/Tigerton in a nonconference game Thursday.

The Oconto Falls High School football team lost its season opener 40-0 to Denmark on Friday in Denmark.

While the Panthers offense sputtered in Jeff Trochil’s debut as coach, Denmark’s Devon Oswald scored twice in the first half: a 58-yard run in the first quarter and a 5-yard run in the second quarter that put the Vikings ahead 14-0.

In the third quarter Denmark’s Jon Deprey connected with Alex Loberger for a 55-yard touchdown. Marcus Whipp added a 1-yard touchdown run and Oswald ran 28 yards for another touchdown.

Denmark added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to wrap up the scoring.

Oconto Falls’ Connor Sefcik was held to just 15 yards on seven carries. Michael Manns went two for two passing for 53 yards. Zach Brye caught two balls for 48 yards.

Oswald finished with eight carries for 129 yards. Deprey was two for three for 72 yards.

The Gillett volleyball team had a difficult 2012 season, finishing 8-17-1 overall and 7-9 in the Marinette and Oconto Conference.

Things don’t get any easier this year after losing a solid group of seniors.

“When you lose nine girls, four of them being starters, it really puts you in a tough place,” Tigers head coach Dawn Nelson said. “You have to rely on the younger kids to pick up. There were a lot of losses last year that we know we could have pulled out, and I think those girls will work that much harder to come away with a win.”

Among the seniors gone are Kelsey Hischke (first team all-conference) and Melissa Meunier (all-conference honorable mention).

“They were in very important positions of libero and setter, so some big shoes to fill there,” Nelson said.

Complacent isn’t a word associated with Bailey Wolf.

One year removed from making her mark as one of the top-10 girls’ cross-country runners in Oconto Falls High School history, Wolf is trying to get even better as she enters her sophomore season.

Wolf trained hard during the offseason. She dedicated herself to the sport.

“She went out last summer and just kind of ran and ran, but I think this year she had more of a purpose to her running,” Oconto Falls cross-country coach Lon Ludemann said.

That purpose is to constantly improve.

“I think I’ve known since I was little I’ve been a good athlete, but now it’s getting to the point where if I want to be better than everyone else I need to really work during the offseason and put in the time,” Wolf said.

The Oconto Falls High School girls golf team took fourth place at its home Bay Conference match Thursday at River Island Golf Course in Oconto Falls.

The Panthers had a team score of 221. Denmark (194) won, followed by Marinette (200) and Hortonville (203).

While none of the Panthers golfers broke the top 10 at the match, Julie Moore led the team with a 53. Liz Coopman came in at 54, Bridget Gorman 55, Brittany Russell 59 and Amanda Blazer 73.

The match medalist was Denmark’s Meaghan Carney, who shot a 42.

Suring defeats Wabeno/Laona

The Suring High School football team jumped out to a 18-0 halftime score and held on to win 18-14 after Wabeno/Laona scored two touchdowns in the third quarter of a nonconference game Friday in Suring.

Suring quarterback Creo VanBellinger completed 5 of 10 attempts for 92 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 21 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams were nearly even in total offense, Suring finishing with 189 yards to Wabeno/Laona’s 184.

Lena/STAA falls to Mosinee

Lena/STAA fell behind early and never recovered in a 54-6 nonconference loss to Mosinee on Friday in Marinette.

The Titans trailed 28-0 after the first quarter and wouldn’t break the shutout until a score in the fourth quarter.

Mosinee racked up 422 yards of total offense. Mosinee also had 256 yards rushing.

Suring defeats Wabeno/Laona

The Suring High School football team jumped out to a 18-0 halftime score and held on to win 18-14 after Wabeno/Laona scored two touchdowns in the third quarter of a nonconference game Friday in Suring.

Suring quarterback Creo VanBellinger completed 5 of 10 attempts for 92 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 21 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams were nearly even in total offense, Suring finishing with 189 yards to Wabeno/Laona’s 184.

Lena/STAA falls to Mosinee

Lena/STAA fell behind early and never recovered in a 54-6 nonconference loss to Mosinee on Friday in Marinette.

The Titans trailed 28-0 after the first quarter and wouldn’t break the shut out until a score in the fourth quarter.

Mosinee racked up 422 yards of total offense. Mosinee also had 256 yards rushing.

No other stats were available from this game.