Fall Sports Column

As the regular season for West’s fall sports wraps up, many Wildcats will take on the postseason, hungry for accolades to bring back to the trophy case.  

The girls tennis team, led by coaches Andrew Schaller and Nicole Bouzek, finished third in the WIAA Sectional team Tournament, and second in the FVA. One could attribute their success to the brand new tennis courts, but it probably has far more to do with the veteran lineup of nine returning varsity starters.

The Wildcats also prospered in the individual facet, sending an astounding five athletes to compete in Madison at the state competition. Junior Hannah Chung played at one singles, but she made an unfortunately early exit after round one. Senior Ella Nguyen and sophomore Keagan Potter battled through round one before suffering a loss in the second round of the doubles tournament. Lastly, seniors Courtney Carpenter and Samantha Lightner capped off their final season with a departure after round one of the two doubles competition. 

On the other side of the fence, the football team battled intp a playoff position for the first time since 2016. Landing a decent draw, the Wildcats traveled to Wisconsin Rapids to challenge the Red Raiders. Sadly, the offense wasn’t able to find the end zone resulting in a devastating 35-0 loss. However, with sudden administration turnover and loss of eligibility due to sickness, the Wildcat’s rally towards hardware emphasized their ability to face and overcome adversity.

Meanwhile, varsity soccer reaches deep in their bag of tricks to pull off a favorable playoff run. In level one, coach Matt Callahan’s Wildcats succeeded in defeating the Menomonee Falls Phoenixes. The West Wildcats dug in to upset number third-ranked Brookfield East Spartans to compete for a trophy. 

However, the men’s soccer team is a young, developing team. Juniors John Munson and Carson Gerlach show an aggressive front, leading the team in goals. Supported by Sophomores Iban Heredia, Michael Voulgaris and Isaac Palomaki, the future is bright for Wildcats soccer. 

Overall, fall sport athletes were hopeful for a sense of normalcy following the alternate 2021 spring season. Most restrictions on fans had been lifted, contributing to a return to the normal game day atmosphere that the athletes dream of. But, no matter the challenge or setback, nothing will break the competitive nature of the Wildcats.

By John Vanden Heuvel

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 2

November 1st, 2021