Sports Point & Counterpoint

I know optimism is reigning supreme for the 2008 Milwaukee Brewers, but I have an uneasy feeling on how this year will play out.  The Brewers blew an eight and one-half game lead over the Cubs last year.  
   They managed to finish 83-79 and stay in the race until the final weekend.  That’s called a lost opportunity.  Why? Because I believe, the Brewers can win 90 games this year and STILL not make the playoffs.   Here is how I see it playing out. 
   Nick Freimuth says the National League Central is “still a weak division”.  I see it differently.  The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals have the experienced heavy hitters and starting pitching to match, if not better the back end of the Brewers young rotation. 
   Mr. Freimuth also says that the Brewers don’t have to worry about a closer, since “they will be up by eight runs in the eighth inning”.  This is very dangerous thinking since the Brewers lost a record amount of games last year, when leading by four or more runs.  Last year the Brewers couldn’t get to the ninth inning to close out many games with a dependable Francisco Cordero. 
   This year they might get to the ninth, but unfortunately, Eric Gagne is no Cordero.  Any expectations for a World Series in Milwaukee should be tempered til’ next year.  You have to be able to crawl before you can run and 90 wins, even without making the playoffs, is a good brisk walk. 
   Look for the Mets and Phillies to both win over 90 games.  As far as the Central division, it will be a great race with the Cubs prevailing late again.  I hope I’m wrong, but at least the future Mrs. Freimuth will be happy anyway, right Nick?

Sevastopol softball coaches Tim Newton and Brooke Tanck joined me last night on the Sports Page on 96.7 FM WBDK. The defending state champions have started the season with an (0-2) record with losses to New London and Southern Door. The Pioneers will look to get back on track against Algoma tonight. The squad will play Manitowoc tomorrow and Menasha St. Mary's on Saturday.
   Coach Newton said this is an important stretch of games for the starting sophomores to gain invaluable experience. The team consists of just three seniors. All three have been named captains and Newton said he will look to them to lead this year's team.
   The Sports Page is held every Wednesday at the Ladder House in downtown Sturgeon Bay from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The first half and hour of the broadcast features collegiate and professional sports talk with Joe Witt and me. The final hour is devoted to local and regional sports. Next week Sevastopol senior Cam Fuller will be our local sports guest.

Sevastopol Senior Cam Fuller signed his collegiate letter of intent today in front of his peers, family and the media. Fuller earned a scholarship to the University of Green Bay. Last year as a junior, Fuller finished 11th in the state. Sevastopol golf coach Jeff Campbell said there is no reason why he should not be number one in the state this year.
(Audio Here)
Fuller said UWGB has a great golf team and knows the coaches will help him become a better golfer. The golf season will be much less stressful now that he has signed with UWGB. Fuller said he will be able to focus more on his game and less about what coach may be at the course watching him this season.
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Cam Fuller won the Packerland Conference Player of the Year Award the last two years. He intends to win the award for the third time this spring. His other goals include putting together a complete 36 holes at state and win a state title. He would also like the Pioneers to contend for a title this season.
Coach Jeff Campbell said what sets Fuller apart from other high school golfers is his hatred for losing. While the weather has not allowed the golf team to compete in a match yet this spring, Fuller and the Pioneer squad is primed to win a conference championship.

Sports Point & Counterpoint

The Milwaukee Brewers could be on the fast track to an appearance in the World Series. During the Brewers' 24-10 start of the 2007 season, I disputed a fellow DoorCountyDailyNews.com sports writer in saying that the Brewers were not ready to contend. What a difference a year makes. Last year I said, "This team's upside is phenomenal, but they are too green to win it all this soon."
I expressed concerns about their young core that could not keep up to the expectations for an entire season. I also said, "The starting rotation will start to waiver and the lack of a dominant lefty in the bullpen will prove costly down the stretch."
This year's Milwaukee baseball team is ready to seriously contend for a spot in the World Series. The NL Central is still a weak division, so they should have no problem earning their way into the playoffs. All of their success hinges on the overall health of the team, however.
If Ben Sheets, Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks and the rest of the players tagged with the "injury prone status" can stay off the disabled list, Milwaukee will win the division. There are still some concerns with the pitching staff. The closer situation is nowhere as good as it was a year ago. However, with an eight-run lead in the ninth, the Brew Crew will not need complete dominance in that position.
This is the best batting order Milwaukee has put on the lineup card in over two decades. I am excited to watch the progression that the Milwaukee Brewers will continue to make in 2008.

Wrightstown topped Luxemburg-Casco 4-2 in high school girl’s soccer last night. The teams played through the rain and soupy field conditions. The Tigers received goals from the Micke sisters. Karissa Renard scored both goals for the hosting L-C Spartans. Luxemburg-Casco fell to (0-2) with the loss.

In boys baseball action yesterday, Algoma shut out Kewaunee 4-0. Wolves pitcher Jake LaBotte had an amazing game. He threw a no-hitter and struck out 16 batters. LaBotte also went 2x3 and had 2 RBIs. Kewaunee pitcher Alex Delebreau also had an impressive day from the mound. He struck out 11.

The bats were hot for Sturgeon Bay yesterday. They beat Gibraltar 18-8. 2 homeruns were hit in yesterday's game. Clippers Patrick Larsen knocked one out in the 4th. Gibraltar's Nick Weborg hit a homer as well. Sturgeon Bay baseball coach Matt Propsom talked about the key to Sturgeon Bay's victory.
(Audio Here)
Troy Jorgenson pitched for the Clippers yesterday. Nate Anschutz came in for the save in the fifth. Marshal Larsen threw for the Vikings.

Southern Door defeated Sevastopol 11-4. Heavy hitting by the Eagles put 5 runs on the board in the first inning and 3 in the second. Runs trickled in again in the fifth and another in the seventh. Leading hitters for Southern Door were Cory Delarwelle who was 2x3 and Aaron LaCrosse who went 2x4. For Sevastopol, Eric Bley was 2x3. Matt Petersilka and Riley Spetz both went 2x4. Southern Door's Michael Blizel was the strikeout leader. He fanned 7 batters.

In a close game yesterday, the Gibraltar softball team defeated Sturgeon Bay 12-10. The Clippers got on the board early, scoring 2 runs in the first and a couple more in the following inning. A big third inning put the Vikings on the board with 7 runs. Scoring was consistent throughout the game
and the score was tied in the 7th 10-10. Gibraltar pulled through in the end scoring 2 runs for the win. Leading the way on offense for Gibraltar was Amanda Harris and pitcher Allison Pfeifer who were both 2x5. Elli Opitz was 2x3 with an RBI. For Sturgeon Bay, Jenny LaLazerne and Sarah McCaulley were both 2x3. The strike out leader was Clipper Amy Ziegelbauer with 11 K's.

The bats were hot for Algoma yesterday. They beat Kewaunee 12-4. Kewaunee got on the board first but the Wolves answered back with 7 runs in the fourth. Leading hitters for Algoma were Erin Haasch who was 3x3, Shana Vandertie and Kayla Major both 2x4 and Lyndsay Swoboda who was 2x5. For Kewaunee, Cassie Zimmerman went 2x3. Kewaunee pitcher Heather Bloniarz was the strikeout leader with 8, Algoma's Swoboda had 5.

In Brussels yesterday, Southern Door beat Sevastopol 3-1. The Eagles scored a couple runs to start. The Pioneers lone run came in the sixth inning. Winning pitcher Courtney Wautier recorded 9 strikeouts.

                         
Carlee Vandertie tagging Crystal Burke                                                 Dakota Cordier

                          
Lacey Webber                                                    First base player Lacey Weber

Eagle pitcher Courtney Wautier

Sturgeon Bay senior Kyle Trelka returned from the YMCA Short Course Nationals this weekend with four of his best individual swim times. He spent an entire week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kyle called it the best trip he has ever made to Nationals.
He finished with the eighth best time in the nation (1:53.35) in the 200 backstroke. Trelka said after he touched the wall and looked up at his time he nearly jumped out of the pool with excitement.
A 46.6 second 100 freestyle earned him a twelfth place finish, 52.97 in the 100 backstroke was good enough for 27th place and 52.47 in the 100 fly placed him at 31st. The times at nationals were by far his best ever.
Trelka attributed his success to the long distance workouts assigned to him by Appleton YMCA swim coach Eric Hirsbrunner. The workouts tapered off to almost nothing just before the national event.
Trelka also swam in five relays with mixed results. A 26th place finish in the 400 medley was the highlight of the relay races. He also swam the 200 medley, 400, 200 and 800 freestyle relays.
Fort Lauderdale concluded Trelka's winter swim season. He will take two weeks off and begin training for the YMCA Long Course Nationals at the end of July. The event will be at the University of Maryland.
Coaches from UW Milwaukee and other possible colleges of interest for Trelka were at the meet. He talked with coaches from the University of Kentucky and has a visit planned for later in the spring.