Wega-Fremont team hopes to build on success
By Greg Seubert
If the Weyauwega-Fremont softball team had a weakness last year, it was at the plate.
Coach Todd Breuer wants to see better hitting from a team that rolled through the Central Wisconsin-8 Conference last year with a 14-0 record and ended up winning 25 of its 29 games.
“I hope we can come out and establish some hitting,” he said. “Last year, we had our solid defense all year, but our batting was kind of up and down. We were struggling big-time toward the end of the year. I want good, solid hits against good, solid pitching early. My goal is to hold that throughout the year.”
Those struggles at the plate turned up during a season-ending 1-0 sectional semifinal loss to eventual Division 3 state champion Laconia.
Although the Indians weren’t consistent at the plate, the freshman pitching tandem of Kiley Akey and Cadyn Ehrenberg helped the Indians string together a pair of 10-game winning streaks, as well as wins over defending state champions Mosinee and Oakfield and two wins over CWC-8 rival Pacelli, a team that went on to win the Division 4 state championship last year.
“It was a learning curve for me having two pitchers of that caliber,” Breuer said. “I have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t work. This year, I still feel like it’s going to be an experimental year for us. Are we going to use them both in every game or are we going to go every other game? Obviously, everything’s situational with what’s going on and who we’re playing, but we’re still going to experiment and see what works best for us.
“Each pitcher does something a little bit different,” he added. “Cadyn starts strong and I think Kiley finishes strong. We have options. Last year, it was more game-to-game. Both of them have been pitching a lot and play on great traveling teams in the summer. I’ve seen improvement out of both of them already.”
Also back for the Indians are senior Karissa Akey, last year’s CWC-8 player of the year; and all-conference honorable mention players Rachel Knorr, Genna Knorr and Hailey Krause.
The Indians have to replace first-teamer Miranda Potratz, honorable mention player Jordan Krause and Liz Hillskotter. Potratz led off and played second base, Krause manned first base and Hillskotter played in the outfield.
“Jordan Rucks is looking good at first base,” Breuer said. “To be honest, second base is open right now, but we have quality girls that can step in and do a nice job for us.”
Also out for the team is senior Caragan Volz, who will split time with the track and softball programs.
“I think she’s going to have an impact for us in the outfield,” Breuer said. “She’s going to bring some speed to the defense and offense this year.”
Besides W-F, Pacelli and Shiocton, the CWC-8 includes Iola-Scandinavia, Manawa, Amherst, Bonduel and Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
“We should be competitive,” Breuer said. “I think Pacelli’s going to be really good. They won state at Division 4. I’m not quite sure how much they lost, but they’re solid every year. Shiocton has (pitcher) Sydney Wilcox back and she’s tough.
“I love our conference,” he said. “Whoever wins conference the year before, every team is out to get them. We’re going to get their best game every night. The target’s on our back now.”
The Indians opened their season March 22 at home against New London, a Division 2 state qualifier last year.
“The great thing is our nonconference schedule is even tougher than last year,” Breuer said. ”We have a lot of those teams back again on our schedule and we even picked up a couple of tougher ones with Adams-Friendship and West De Pere. I think that can only help us. That’s only going to make us better. We need to see that competition and we’re going to get that.”
The CWC-8 opener is set for Tuesday, April 5, against Pacelli in Stevens Point. By that time, the Indians will have five nonconference games under their belt.
“They remember last year and they know who’s coming back,” Breuer said. “They also know it’s going to be hard. They’re focused, they’re motivated, they’re excited to get going.”
Weyauwega-Fremont 2016 Softball Schedule
Varsity
Tuesday, March 22 – vs. New London, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, March 28 – vs. Adams-Friendship, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29 – at Waupaca, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 31 – at Lourdes Academy, Oshkosh, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 1 – at Merrill, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 – at Pacelli, Stevens Point, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 7 – vs. Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 8 – at Winneconne, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 11 – at Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 14 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 18 – at Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 21 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 25 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 28 – vs. Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 – Weyauwega-Fremont Invitational (Kewaskum, Wisconsin Lutheran, Chilton), 9:30 a.m.
Monday, May 2 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 5 – vs. Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 6 – at Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 9 – vs. Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 12 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 13 – vs. West De Pere, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 16 – vs. Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19 – at Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 21 – at Oakfield Invitational (Oakfield, Horicon, New Berlin West. St. Mary’s Springs, Sturgeon Bay), 10 a.m.
Junior Varsity
Tuesday, March 22 – vs. New London, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29 – at Waupaca, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 31 – vs. Bowler, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 – vs. Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 8 – at Winneconne, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 11 – at Rosholt, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 18 – at Manawa, 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 21 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 25 . Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26 – vs. Amherst, 4 p.m. (DH)
Thursday, April 28 – at Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 2 – vs. Tri-County, 4 p.m. (DH)
Monday, May 9 – vs. Manawa, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 10 – vs. St. Mary Catholic, 4 p.m. (DH)
Thursday, May 12 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 16 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19 – at Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20 – vs. Rosholt, 4:30 p.m.