Eight Bulldog athletes from three winter sports have been named to the All-Bay Conference lists, including two girls’ basketball players, one boys’ basketball player, and five wrestlers.
Payton Mix, Leah Porath, Nick Thomas, Garrett Ruckdashel, Scott Cook, Austin Wyngaard, Tommy Thurber and Andrew Clauss were named to the lists for their outstanding performances this season.
Girls’ basketball
Mix was named the Bay Conference Player of the Year after completing a phenomenal season for the Lady Bulldogs. A senior, Mix helped lead the team to a third place finish in the Bay Conference this year while averaging 15.7 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. In addition to being named Bay Conference Player of the Year, Mix earned unanimous First Team All-Bay Conference honors.
“Payton did a wonderful job of accepting her role as a scorer this year,” said Coach Troy Krause. “She was able to score both inside and outside, which really made her a tough player to guard. She shot the ball well and put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. Payton also played tremendous defense this year and was an important role in the success we had.”
Porath, a sophomore, also had a strong year for the Lady Bulldogs, putting up 11.3 points per game while grabbing 4.9 rebounds per game and dishing out 1.7 assists per game. Her efforts were rewarded with a Second Team All-Bay Conference selection this year.
“Leah did a nice job making the jump from her freshman year to her sophomore year,” commented Krause. “She became much more aggressive offensively, and did a good job scoring the basketball for us. She is a strong player who can score both inside and outside, which was a huge asset for our team.”
Boys’ basketball
Thomas, a senior, helped lead the Bulldog boys’ basketball team through a difficult season, scoring 9.2 points per game while also posting the highest field goal percentage (45 percent). Thomas also grabbed 94 rebounds and 20 steals for the Bulldogs this year, good for second on the team in both categories.
Though the Bulldogs took seventh in the Bay Conference this year, Thomas’ efforts helped him earn Honorable Mention All-Bay Conference. The Bulldogs saved some of their best basketball for the end of the season, earning a 62-57 win over the Waupaca Comets in a Regional quarterfinal in which Thomas and fellow senior Ty Barrington led the team in scoring with 13 points each.
“Nick is an outstanding young man with an excellent attitude, work ethic, and leadership skills,” said Coach Ken Jagiello. “He always did everything we asked and was very competitive. It was a pleasure to have him on the team.”
Wrestling
Ruckdashel, a freshman, earned First Team All-Bay Conference honors for his efforts this season while posting a 34-15 record. He took second place at Regionals and won his first match at Sectionals in the 120-pound weight class before bowing out of post-season competition.
Cook, a sophomore, posted a 40-10 record this year while earning a trip to the WIAA Division 1 State Individual Wrestling Tournament, where he took sixth place in the 132-pound weight class. Cook made it to State by taking third place at Regionals and second place at Sectionals. He earned Second Team All-Bay Conference honors this year.
Wyngaard, a senior, wrestled at 160 pounds, compiling a 36-7 record. He qualified for Sectionals after taking second place at Regionals. Wyngaard was named to the Second Team All-Bay Conference this year. He also joined the 100-win club this year, earning 101 total wins during his high school career.
Thurber, a senior, spent time wrestling at 170 pounds and 182 pounds this season for the Bulldogs. He posted a 28-10 record and earned Second Team All-Bay Conference recognition for his strong season.
Clauss, a senior, wrestled his way to a 24-14 record this season. At Regionals, Clauss took third place in the 195-pound weight class, advancing to Sectionals. He earned Honorable Mention All-Bay Conference honors this year.