Classic kicks off in West Bend

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 20, 2015

Classic kicks off in West Bend

Junior Warhawks stay calm after early trouble

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

Faced with early adversity, Germantown U12 Junior Warhawks coach Steve Wagie kept his team calm.

The team delivered.

The Warhawks knocked off the West Bend Warriors, 7-4, in the first poolplay game of the West Bend Father’s Day Baseball Classic on Friday evening at West Bend Little League Complex.

“It’s real big; it’s real big to win the first game of any tournament,” Wagie said. “It gets you in the right frame of mind moving forward and it gives the kids a bunch of confidence.”

The Warriors (8-14) scored three runs in the top of the first inning off two errors by Germantown (16-9).

Matt Thill led off the game for West Bend with a double. Josh Sina followed and reached base on a dropped third strike and an error by the catcher that allowed Thill to score.

Sina later scored on an RBI single by Logan Smith to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

Germantown got out of the inning with a double play.

“I told them to keep their heads; keep fighting,” Wagie said. “I told them we can do this again; keep playing and keep playing hard.”

Germantown got a pair of hits in the bottom of the first, but didn’t score.

But in the Warhawks’ half of the second inning, they put the pressure on the Warriors, one of 61 teams trying to win the tournament which continues today and Sunday with 97 games.

Germantown got its first four batters of the inning on base, starting with a walk by Andrew Butler.

Back-to-back errors by West Bend allowed Nate Conrad and Brad Kohn to reach base, then Owen Meyer hit an RBI single. Matthew Fitzpatrick added an RBI single, as did Drew Van Fossen.

“I thought our team did a nice job of coming back; pecking away, putting some runs up, little at a time, not trying to do it all at once,” Wagie said. “The defense turned around and came up and made some nice plays.

“In the end pitching came through. I thought they did a nice job.”

By tournament rule, each pitcher is allowed six outs.

Once Germantown got out front, its defense and pitching took over.

West Bend had three hits in the first inning. It had three in the remaining five innings and they all came in the fourth inning when West Bend chipped at the lead to make it 5-4 in favor of Germantown.

In that inning, Michael Mollwitz had an RBI single to drive in Kaden Martin, who started the inning with a single.

Nick Ninmann pitched the first two innings for Germantown.

Van Fossen and Butler combined to allow one run on three hits in four innings, walked two and struck out eight.

Butler struck out five of the six batters he faced in the fifth and sixth innings.

“Our catchers were able to put a location down and our pitchers were able to hit it,” Wagie said.

Going into the tournament, Germantown had won each of its last two games. Plus, the team has had some players come back from injury, including some pitchers.

“We were playing pretty well and our defense was playing pretty well,” Wagie said. “Our pitching was starting to come around. I thought they were playing well.”

As U10 players, Germantown won this tournament. Wagie said seven of the players on this year’s U12 team were on the tournament that year.

The Warhawks beat the West Bend Thunder in the final.

“It meant a lot,” Wagie said of winning the tournament, adding the competition is good at the tournament, which adds to the difficulty to win it.

This season, the Warhawks have played in three tournaments. They took second in one and third in the others.

The Warriors have one tournament victory under their belt: the Main Street Classic in Jackson.

Thill, Tyler Young, Martin, Smith, Mollwitz and Jacob Princl had the six hits for West Bend.

Ethan Sawyer was 2 for 3 for Germantown with a run scored. Collin Thomey was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

US Open means millions to area

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 20, 2015 (A1)

US Open means millions to area

Economic impact estimated at more than $140 million

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

It’s two years away, but that doesn’t mean businesses and communities aren’t getting ready for the 117th U.S. Open men’s golf championship at Erin Hills, a tournament the USGA projects will generate more than $140 million between Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee counties.

“It’ll be a shot in the arm for our retail businesses and other venues, like the library and the Wisconsin Auto Museum,” Hartford Mayor Joe Dautermann said.

“If there is a serious infusion of money to local businesses, that could be a marvelous thing for growth in the downtown area.”

The U.S. Open at Erin Hills will be June 12-18, 2017. Practice rounds will be June 12-14.

It’ll be the third major USGA event Erin Hills has hosted since it opened in 2006. The course has previously hosted the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship and the 2011 U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship.

The 2017 U.S. Open will be the first to be held in Wisconsin. The championship was awarded to Erin Hills in 2008.

After this week’s U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, only the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania stands in the way of Erin Hills.

“It’s exciting,” West Bend Mayor Kraig Sadownikow said. “It’s right around the corner.”

The USGA, according to Elaine Motl, executive director for Visit Washington County, projected an economic impact to be between $140-$170 million.

That estimate is based on research of previous U.S. Open tournaments. The money would be generated from restaurants, gas stations, gift shops, tourist spots and hotels.

The municipalities will only get money from the tournament off the hotel tax, which can only be used for tourism.

If West Bend, for example, wanted to do a road construction project, it wouldn’t be able to use tax dollars from the U.S. Open.

The idea, Sadownikow said, is to entice people to come back once they’ve been to the area.

“Anybody who’s able to benefit financially by the U.S. Open being here and be good stewards of their money, they’ll put that money to grow,” Dautermann said. “It’s more than a temporary benefit, it’s a long-term benefit.”

Sales tax money from gas stations, restaurants, etc., is taken in by the county and the state, but for the same thing: tourism.

“This is something we’ll see as a bump for our retailers,” Sadownikow said.

On Monday, tickets for next year’s U.S. Open went on sale. The USGA capped single-day attendance at 30,000 per day. Tickets started at $50 for the practice rounds. According to Stubhub.com, single-day passes for the first round started at $190.

Ticket prices and singleday attendance capacity won’t be set until about this time next year.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for Washington County, but also the state of Wisconsin,” Motl said. “Two years will go by very quickly. We are excited.”

“It’s an exciting opportunity for the local communities and the state on the national spotlight,” said Danielle Johnson, public relations representative for the state’s Department of Tourism.

Johnson said the state got more than $18 billion for tourism in 2014. This year, with the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler and in 2017 with the U.S. Open, the tourism economic boom figures to be higher.

“We’re really excited to host these tournaments,” Johnson said. “It really provides an opportunity to show Wisconsin as a travel destination.”

If that happens, Dautermann and Sadownikow agree if more people come to Wisconsin and then come back, it only means good things for local businesses.

“People will be spending money and businesses that are here will stay here,” Dautermann said.

Jackson principal named West AD

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 19, 2015

Jackson principal named West AD

Brian Heimark takes over for Scott Stier

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

Brian Heimark has been named West Bend West athletic director, the school announced Thursday.

Heimark replaces Scott Stier, who accepted an assistant principal position at West Bend high schools June 10.

“It’s exciting,” Heimark said. “I’ve been with the West program in different capacities.

“It’s nice to get (the athletic director’s position) and continue to be an active part in West Bend athletics.”

Heimark spent the last seven years as principal at Jackson Elementary School. He will assume athletic director responsibilities Aug. 1.

“He’s very much been a part of West athletics,” West Bend Superintendent Ted Neitzke said. “He’s coached there for years and is a parent. He’s going to be a great asset.”

Neitzke added one of the intriguing characteristics for Stier was he graduated from West, so Spartans blue was something he cherished.

It’s similar for Heimark.

Heimark arrived in West Bend in 1991 as a student teacher. Then athletic director Jeff Steinbach, who later went on to be the athletic director at Arrowhead and has since retired, asked Heimark if he could assist with West’s girls track and field team.

Heimark has been involved in West athletics ever since, even before he became a fulltime teacher.

Steinbach was a mentor for Heimark.

Heimark coached track and field, crosscountry and wrestling at various levels throughout the district.

Heimark coached two-time WIAA state champion Megan Duwell in the 800-meter run (2003 and 2004), a two-time state runnerup in the 1,600 and 26 athletes at the state meet.

He’s also coached cross-country teams that won four Wisconsin Little Ten Conference championships and advanced to the state meet five times. Heimark was an assistant West wrestling coach as well.

“Athletics have played a large part in my life,” Heimark said.

He has a wife, Susan, and three daughters. Elena is at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. His middle daughter, Nicole, graduated from West this year and his youngest daughter, Jenna, will be a senior in the fall.

Jenna Heimark was the WLT Gymnast of the Year last season.

Brian Heimark hasn’t waited for the opportunity to be an athletic director, but admitted this opportunity was hard to pass up.

“It’s always difficult,” he said when asked if it was a tough decision to leave Jackson. “There’s great things happening at Jackson Elementary School.”

“It’s something I’ve always had in the back of my mind,” Brian added. “I’ve coached for a number of years. It’s something, an opportunity to take the lead and do my best and give it my best shot.”

Neitzke said the district has a succession planning option for its employees where they can indicate other jobs they might be interested in if and when they become available.

Heimark indicated being an athletic director was something he’d be interested in.

Stier did the same thing, but only indicating he wanted to be in some kind of school leadership role, which he got more than a week ago.

Neitzke said it was nice to have a plan like this in place, knowing the timing of Stier changing positions within the district.

“At this point in the game, we knew the pool would be pretty limited,” Neitzke said. “Brian had articulated interest (in being an athletic director). He’s a great leader; I have great faith in him.

“The pieces fell into place.”

He will lead West through a key moment in school history.

In 2013, Stier, along with then West Bend East Athletic Director Jeff Rondorf, told the WIAA its preference to leave the WLT in favor of the North Shore Conference full time.

East and West are members of the North Shore in summer baseball only.

Earlier this month, the WIAA emailed 45 schools in southeastern Wisconsin potential plans for conference realignment.

In addition, West’s varsity wrestling coach position is still vacant.

Brian said he will sit down with Stier to go over where he is at with those processes and then decide how to proceed.

“I want to keep it rolling,” Brian said.

A Father’s Day classic

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 18, 2015

A Father’s Day classic

Area teams aim for annual tournament title

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

When the youngsters of the West Bend Thunder U9 baseball team won the Father’s Day Classic in West Bend in 2010, coach Russ Schlosser called it one of the proudest days of his life.

“I had 12 kids show up for tryouts that year,” he said. “We didn’t know what we were going to do. To come battle all the way through the tournament and see them win the championship that first year and on Father’s Day, it was a special moment.”

It’s a moment Brad Geldnich, coach of the Thunder’s U12 team, wants to enjoy this year.

Geldnich’s team has lost in the championship game of the U10 and U11 brackets the last two seasons.

“We’re looking forward to it,” he said. “I hope we can finish it off this year.”

The three-day tournament, which is hosted by West Bend, will have 116 games played Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“As a coach and as a dad in West Bend, it’s a very special event,” Schlosser said. “They’re born and raised in our town. ... Winning this tournament showcases the talent of West Bend.”

Schlosser is the coach of the U14 Thunder. All of the players on his team will be high school freshmen in the fall.

Schlosser’s group has won this tournament four times in five years. They won it in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

In all, they’ve won 16 tournaments since 2010.

“They’re a special group of kids,” Schlosser said.

The tournament will feature three teams from West Bend: Thunder, Bulldogs and Warriors.

This year’s U11 Bulldogs won the tournament as U9 players in 2013.

It is the team’s fifth tournament of the season. They won their most recent tournament in Hartford two weeks ago.

Locally, there are also teams from Richfield, Germantown, Living Word Lutheran and the Washington County Kings.

The communities of Cedarburg, Mequon, Menomonee Falls, Grafton, Beaver Dam, Milwaukee, Plover, Kimberly, Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa, West Allis and Columbus are also represented.

“It’s some of the better teams around,” Geldnich said.

“The competition is tough,” Schlosser said.

For Schlosser’s team, it’s a shot at a fifth title, especially knowing it’s their last West Bend Father’s Day Classic.

“I want them to go out with a bang,” he said.

“There’s always good competition,” Schlosser added. “Once you get to U14, it’s usually the kids that are here for the long haul.”

After this tournament, the U14 Thunder will play in a 22-team tournament in Mauston — a tournament the team won last year.

“We’re proud of the tradition of baseball in West Bend,” Schlosser said.

Geldnich admitted the hometown tournament is not like other tournaments, no matter how hard they try to make it like all the others.

“The tension picks up,” he said. “Multiple West Bend teams are there and we might get a chance to play against them, play against their friends.

“When I coach I’m normally a little more nervous.”

This year, Geldnich’s team is 19-1. Its only loss was in the championship game at a tournament in Wind Lake.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of kids,” Geldnich said. “They’re very athletic and they listen very well.”

Geldnich’s team is 96-7 since they were at U10 — two of those losses came in the Father’s Day Classic championship game.

In 2013, the Thunder lost to Germantown, a team they beat in pool play.

In 2014, the Thunder lost to Whitefish Bay, a team that has the son of Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

The common thread in those two games is the Thunder suddenly being unable to swing the bat well — unlike during the rest of the tournament.

Winning the hometown tournament would be “very cool,” Geldnich said.

But the best part of winning this tournament is it’s on Father’s Day weekend.

“It’s about to getting play baseball and watch my kids on Father’s Day play baseball,” Geldnich said.

Young Bennett has high hopes

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: June 16, 2015

Young Bennett has high hopes

Driver has 2 Hall of Famers to look up to

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

Daily News

SLINGER — Braison Bennett had a choice and he explored his options.

Those choices didn’t stand much of a chance, though.

When he was 10 years old, Bennett got his first race car — a dragster — after he won a bet with Mom and Dad. He got A’s on his report card. It fulfilled an auto racing ambition that started when he was much younger.

“I’ve been going to the races since before I could walk,” Bennett said. “I thought it’d be awesome to try it.”

Bennett played baseball and soccer. His father, Lowell Bennett, knew those things weren’t for Braison.

“I never saw him put his heart into the other things than what he does for racing,” Lowell said. “I never wanted to be the dad that just because I raced that my son should race also, live my dreams through my son. It just happened that way.

“If he wanted to play baseball or golf, I would’ve been fine with that.”

Lowell is happy his son chose racing because it’s been a way of life for the Bennetts for more than half a century.

Braison, 19, is a thirdgeneration driver. In addition to his father, Lowell, Braison’s grandfather is Bob Bennett. Both are Hall of Fame short-track racers — legends.

Bob is a member of the Hall of Fame at Shawano and Oshkosh, while Lowell will be inducted into the Southeastern Wisconsin Short-Track Hall of Fame in Hartford in November.

Braison knows he has a lot to look up to and a lot to live up to.

He wouldn’t want it any other way, however.

“It’s a lot to look up to,” Braison said. “I’m hoping I can be that good someday.”

What is the positive for having two legends in his corner?

“Just being able to have someone to go to when I need help,” Braison said. “They’ve taught me everything I know.”

What is the downside?

“Knowing that I’ve got to follow that up,” he said.

That’s the last thing Lowell and Bob want.

“He is who he is,” Lowell said. “He’ll accomplish what he can. If he beats me, I’ll tell him I’m very proud of him and I won’t be at jealous.”

Braison knows he has that cloud over him.

“I think people have high expectations because of my dad,” he said.

The pressure he feels is what he puts on himself to someday be a successful race car driver.

Lowell has a laid-back approach as to how he helps Braison learn to be a successful race car driver. It’s a similar approach his father had with him.

Putting pressure on their son was only going to make it more difficult. The only difference is Lowell is admittedly more patient and more mellow than his father was toward him.

“I try to make him earn a lot himself,” Lowell said of Braison. “I don’t want him to be the spoiled rich kid that has everything handed to him. He works very hard. That’s the way my dad taught me.”

Braison has his race budget, separate from Dad’s.

Lowell doesn’t like to compare his accomplishments and/or abilities to his son. In actuality, the two may not have any differences.

They love to race and their fascination with cars started at an early age. For Lowell, it started when he was about 2 years old. By the time he was a teenager, Lowell was working in his dad’s shop and repairing cars in the shop. Lowell bought his first car — a 1972 Chevelle late model — in 1976. The car formerly belonged to his father.

“It won a lot of races,” Lowell said.

Bob made Lowell responsible for the parts, the upkeep, etc. In 1976, in his first career race, Lowell won the heat race.

When Braison learned that he was in awe.

Braison didn’t think he was capable of doing something like that. But in 2012, he accomplished a feat similar to that of his dad’s.

Braison won the limited late model feature at Slinger in his eighth career start. Later that season, he won the feature on Slinger Nationals night, a night that’s been kind to Lowell five times in his career.

“That was awesome,” Lowell said.

“It was my rookie season running the limited lates,” Braison said. “I couldn’t believe I was able to do that.”

Braison’s interest in racing started when he was 10 years old when he told his dad he wanted to get into racing a junior dragster at Wisconsin International Raceway.

Lowell was apprehensive, but not because he was afraid of the danger. He was racing and still is at least twice a week (Kaukauna and Slinger). He didn’t believe he had the time to put in the necessary effort to be there for his son.

Braison was adamant. So he turned to his mom, Sue. She told him that he could get a dragster if he got A’s on his report card. A few months later, Braison showed off a report card with A’s. Then not long after that, Braison and Lowell were in dad’s pick-up truck and getting a dragster.

Braison’s been a racer ever since, just like his grandpa and his father.

“I’m proud that he decided to follow me,” Lowell said, adding he’s blessed to have a wife — and the mother of his son — who is supportive the way she is.

But looking at the larger picture, it shouldn’t have been a surprise Braison chose the route he did.

Outside of having a grandpa and father in racing, his mom’s dad was Lynn Blanchard, a wellrespected engine builder in the region during the 1970s. One of those drivers to use Blanchard’s engines was the late Dick Trickle, arguably the most successful short-track racer in state history.

Blanchard was also a national road racing champion.

“I’m hoping someday to follow in their footsteps,” Braison said.