Previous elected office (if any): Alderperson District 6 Muskego MUSKEGO — Incumbent Muskego Alderman Kevin Kubacki hopes to retain his District 6 seat against challenger Tom Duelge The Freeman asked both candidates questions ahead of the April election FREEMAN: Why are you running for this position Duelge: My wife and I have lived in Muskego for our entire lives We have seen every change that has occurred in this city in the last 44 years but sometimes it seems as if the essential services that we pay taxes for and expect to receive get deprioritized in favor of unnecessary high-dollar projects that lack wide public support Kubacki: I am running for re-election to continue my service to Muskego Over the past years my focus has been and will continue to be: maintaining a safe community by supporting our wonderful police department keeping real estate taxes as low as possible by strong fiscal management and keeping government small and not an impediment to growth and freedom of our citizens FREEMAN: What is your approach to handling controversial and complicated issues Duelge: I consider myself to be a critical thinker and then formulate an opinion — and an argument to back it up but I will come to that position carefully and will be honest about where I stand and why Kubacki: Listen and understand the problem Develop solutions relying on the expertise of staff members and others knowledgeable of the issue at hand Negotiating and acceptable result to the satisfaction of all parties FREEMAN: How would you deal with the need to improve/grow the area (developments etc.) with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden improving/growing the area is not my immediate concern There has been plenty of that over the last many years I am much more concerned about why we can’t keep up a decent road repair schedule or afford enough fire/police/EMS workers to keep up with the growth we’ve already experienced it might be time to slow down on the growth and get our current house in order SIGN UP Kubacki: Our Comprehensive Plan provides the framework for growth and development in Muskego relying on the well thought out plan provides the basis for thoughtful growth Maintenance and beautification are items budgeted each year as proposed by staff Budget proposals are critically reviewed annually to assure that needs are met and wants are addressed FREEMAN: Funding and budgets are ongoing issues Duelge: Focus on what matters to most people I’ve been talking to residents and repeatedly hear the same concerns I have door knocked in areas where the roads are crumbling I have talked to volunteer firefighters concerned about keeping up with the increased calls I have talked with police officers about keeping up with the safety needs of this growing community My concern is we haven’t put that increased tax revenue into public safety Until we get those important issues solved high-priced development or growth opportunities at increased burden on taxpayers seems unnecessary to talk about months analyzing each and every proposal to make sure our budget is balanced taxpayer needs are addressed and taxes are maintained at the lowest possible level FREEMAN: Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful Our main street/downtown has come a long way over the years I have felt that we have a nice mix of businesses in our downtown area We are blessed with plenty of restaurant options I feel like the residents of Muskego can find anything they need without leaving town Kubacki: Muskego has several development corridors that staff and city officials concentrate on Our Janesville Road corridor is our main downtown area Janesville Road stretches from Hales Corners to Big Bend and holds many shopping and service opportunities Two new adult care facilities grace the area We are continuing to grow that area to include additional restaurant and higher-end shopping options The Moorland Road corridor has grown with major businesses health care facilities and diverse shopping options Loomis Road corridor has seen a new high-end condominium development abutting the golf course The Racine Avenue area now features a new Fleet Farm See all of our election coverage at gmtoday.com/elections 10 things to know this week from the WOW counties (Waukesha Ozaukee and Washington) sent on Sundays Get the latest Waukesha County news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates Have Waukesha County breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen At 12:54 p.m. on Wednesday, a vehicle was stopped at Michigan Avenue and Grandview Boulevard for a stop sign violation. The driver a… Read moreWaukesha police blotter: April 30-May 1, 20225 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: — Karen Metzger’s students know her as a teacher who never quits Even after a breast cancer diagnosis in January 2024 the Muskego Parks and Recreation teacher showed up determined to keep doing what she loved ‘Wait until May when school is done because teaching is very she returned to teaching as much as she could “I took off the weeks I did chemo — chemo Monday and back in the classroom the next week,” she said “I want to see my kids all graduate from high school complications from a double mastectomy prevented her from working Medical costs at the end of 2024 exceeded $1 million That’s when friends and others in the Muskego community organized a fundraiser at the Muskego Moose Lodge to support her “Karen would give you the shirt off her back if it was the only one she had,” said Tracy Manz sent an Amazon order from her hospital bed to contribute to a Hurricane Helene relief drive Manz was leading Check out: Community rallies around Muskego teacher fighting breast cancer and community members gathered at the Muskego Moose Lodge Saturday afternoon fora spaghetti dinner fundraiser followed by a bourbon tasting so I just want to help out as much as we can,” Stephen Shelly including donations from parents and grandparents of Metzger’s students and organizations such as Texas Rescue Riders Metzger’s students even contributed their own savings I have my money,’ so she grabbed her bank and got some for you,” one parent shared Metzger hopes her experience leads to legislative action “We have to do something differently so that women aren’t in my spot where it’s spread to the lymph nodes,” she said legislation ensures women with level 3 and 4 dense breasts get mammograms as well.” Serraino emphasized the importance of screening As Metzger prepares for her sixth surgery in March “The amazing people in my life—they are the ones who got me through when I was in the hospital bed alone at night… and with all of the people and my school families,” Metzger paused Manz hopes Metzger’s story inspires others to reach out and to be there for one another “Everyone has the power to change someone’s life,” she said but we’re turning it into something positive.” monetary donations for Metzger and her family can be dropped off at the Muskego Moose Lodge Checks can also be made out to Karen Metzger and sent to the Muskego Moose Lodge Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip Report a typo MADISON − Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines adversity as "a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune," and for Muskego this season there's not much the Warriors haven't been through After working through one of the toughest paths in the seven state football playoff brackets as a four-loss No 4 seed out of the rugged Classic 8 Conference the Warriors found themselves down a touchdown 14 seconds into the WIAA Division 1 state title game Friday against Bay Port and down 19 points at halftime with just 20 yards of total offense Despite a furious second-half rally from the Warriors, the Classic 8 powerhouse fell just short of a miraculous comeback victory in a 25-18 defeat at the hands of the Pirates to close the 2024 high school football season Vote for the most outstanding player: Wisconsin high school football: Who was the most outstanding player of the WIAA state finals? "I'm so proud of the resiliency of this team," Muskego coach Ken Krause said noting the offseason mental training his players go through in preparation of the season We're down 21-3 to Neenah at half and came back and won Brady Moon's 80-yard sprint down the Muskego sideline on the game's first offensive snap put the Warriors behind the 8-ball again after allowing an opening kickoff touchdown to heated conference rival Mukwonago in last week's state semifinals The Warriors managed just 20 yards on 13 total offensive plays in the first two quarters with no first downs while the Pirates steamrolled their way to 259 yards 10 first downs while possessing the ball for over 18 first-half minutes and took a 19-0 lead into the locker rooms Muskego built some momentum in the opening drive of the third quarter with an 11-play but a Jack Labisch fumble that Bay Port's Alex Warden came away with halted any early second-half momentum The Warriors defense got a quick three-and-out and the offense finally broke through with a 48-yard touchdown catch-and-run sequence from Joey Shaw to Jackson Niemiec to trim the deficit to 11 after Labisch somehow caught a Shaw pass attempt in the end zone on the two-point try "We had that nice opening drive and had the fumble," Krause said that's maybe a touchdown right there and another seven points for us that we needed Moon busted through the Muskego defense again for a 67-yard touchdown run two snaps later to make it a 25-8 contest after the two-point try failed The junior finished with 241 yards on the ground and three scores on 24 carries He was also Bay Port's leading receiver with two grabs for 29 yards on three targets but our offensive line does the work to get him some holes," Bay Port coach Steven Jorgensen said We put our faith in him for a reason because of how he works What a great young man and what a great player as well." Facing a 17-point hole and the end of the season Niemiec found pay dirt for the second time with 11:02 left on a 28-yard touchdown run and then a surprise onside kick from Gabe Walden got the Warriors the ball back immediately Bay Port's defense stoned the Warriors on three plays but Walden struck a 33-yard field goal cleanly to make it a 25-18 game just inside of four minutes to play The Warriors decided to kick it deep after initially showing an onside look on the kickoff and senior outside linebacker Thomas Gover drove Pirates quarterback Matt Stevens to the turf on a fourth-and-1 keeper at the Bay Port 39-yard-line with just 67 ticks left After Shaw was almost picked off on the first play a spike and a Hail Mary attempt that fell incomplete Muskego's season ended with a silver ball for the second time in its fourth trip to Camp Randall Stadium Slinger wins Division 2 title: Slinger wins first WIAA state football title since 1998 with one-point victory over Rice Lake CMH falls in D3 title game: Christian Collins' record-setting day keeps Catholic Memorial from sixth WIAA state football title "We felt that if they were going to be a passing team that we were gonna be in a good spot," Jorgensen said "That's a running football team and we absolutely turned them into a passing team but Muskego's known for running the football I think we did a great job shutting that down." Muskego finished with 117 yards on the ground but averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on 33 total attempts six more attempts than he threw in the previous four playoff games combined Everybody kept coaching hard and the players stayed positive," Krause said on Friday's performance and the rollercoaster season his team had Some of those new guys started getting comfortable We got a couple guys back and then we played to our ability We beat some great teams and this playoff run was fantastic Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Muskego Police Department’s school resource K9 is making an impact on high schoolers in the area School resource officers are common in many schools across Wisconsin they’ve recently added to their team with K9 Tito serving the high school for the past year.  Tito is unique in the state of Wisconsin and is one of few across the country with his type of certifications Tito has joined forces with School Resource Officer The team serves the community at Muskego High School He is a certified therapy dog and is also certified in narcotics detection Officer Kristalidis said they have plans to also get Tito certified in firearm detection in the near future to help keep their schools safe “We are the only district that we are aware of in the state that employs a facility dog that is more than just the touchy feely where you have those enhanced capabilities with detection." His role as a facility and therapy dog is big at the school Tito and Officer Kristalidis hang out for some meet and greet time with students Officer Kristalidis said this is a great time to build relationships with students as an officer and bring some positivity to the kids’ days “He’s really just a huge asset for building those connections with students,” Kristalidis said Kristalidis said Tito has been deployed multiple times in the year they have been there for drug sweeps of the school.   Superintendent Todd Irvine said having an extra level of security for students is important.  He said he’s seen the impact Tito has made on the school and the students in just a short amount of time “Thinking about a dog that could help keep our community safe and then also build strong connections and partnerships with students and families was a great idea right from the get-go,” Irvine said He is an expert at his job and is fitting in seamlessly at the school but he is kind of the unofficial mascot of Muskego High School,” Kristalidis said MUSKEGO — After nearly 120 years, the historic St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Muskego is finally coming down this marks the end of a beloved institution that has been at the heart of Muskego for over a century The demolition is deeply personal for Jean Rehse "I usually see the steeple first thing when I come into the city It hit me in the stomach right there," Rehse said She also has family buried in the cemetery alongside the church Crews began tearing down the church's steeple Tuesday the building has stood for nearly 120 years on Janesville Road according to a press release from church leaders The congregation decided to deconstruct the building in 2022 after considering the high cost of maintaining a facility with no active use for gospel ministry Despite a commissioned study and alternative proposals the congregation reaffirmed the demolition decision in August 2023 They decommissioned the church this summer Watch: Muskego community grieves as historic church is demolished TMJ4 asked church leaders for an interview to talk about the decision described the church as more than just a building and they came together as a community here," Mishefske said Nothing against the people in the church or the decision-makers but I'm just praying for the community as a whole," Mishefske said To honor the church's legacy, church leaders create a webpage featuring photos including views of the bell tower and clockwork Congregation members also said they worked to preserve many items from the church Stained glass windows have been removed and repurposed and wooden items like baseboards were crafted into crosses and hearts as mementos "This has been an emotional time for all of us," said Andy Timm the congregation is commissioning historical displays to honor the church's heritage which will be placed in the Grace Room of their current facility The demolition is expected to take about a week residents like Mishefske are holding onto the memories hoping that future generations will remember the church's role in shaping the history of Muskego "I hope people have seen what's happened and developed a deeper appreciation for the history of Muskego," Mishefske said ASHWAUBENON – The presentation of the state championship runner-up trophy is usually a somber sad moment for a program that came so close to winning a championship But for Muskego – a program that had never played on the Resch Center court until Friday night – it was a moment that could help build a foundation and a culture of success for years to come for a school seen as a football powerhouse "For our program to be the first in history to ever be in this position .. A) get here and B) get to the championship game I think if you would've told me four years ago I would have made it to the state championship I would've told you that you're lying," Muskego senior Melena Glysch said I'm just super thrilled to even have won a ball and I'm super grateful to just be in this position in the first place." It wasn't the storybook ending the Warriors had hoped for after a 47-26 loss to top-seeded Kimberly in the Division 1 state title game The Warriors missed 19 of their first 22 shot attempts against a ruthless Papermakers defense That alone signified Muskego basketball this past season It's not always the prettiest basketball played but they're always in a position to stay in a game through sheer grit and toughness "We've been in that spot before," Muskego senior Autumn Dibb said look at the sectional final (against Kenosha Bradford) We didn't make a single shot in the first half I was going to hit each one of my teammates because eventually they were going to fall." Dibb wasn't wrong in the early portion of the second half The Warriors almost outdid their entire first-half offensive production inside of the first three minutes of the second 18 minutes with seven points including a triple from Glysch to trim the Papermakers' lead back to eight (23-15) The Warriors got it back within single digits with 6:12 to play after a Riley Hill 3-pointer (34-25) but that's as close as the contest got from that point Muskego mustered just 11 scores on 48 total offensive possessions with 14 turnovers against a suffocating Papermakers defense "I think we got some pretty good looks," Muskego coach Erik Loose said when asked about potential fatigue after an emotional win over Classic 8 Conference rival Arrowhead on Friday in the third encounter between the two co-champions "I think I could have probably done a better job getting us into some spots or maybe being a little bit more creative setting kids up These guys are high-level athletes who are working year-round I think it was more just shots didn't fall and Kimberly's defense was really good." Saturday may not have been Muskego's night for celebration and a championship coronation but there was plenty to celebrate in Loose's eyes after the best season in program history "It's hard to put into words how much they mean to us and how much work they put in," Loose said on his six departing seniors they laid the foundation for the expectation moving forward with teams coming through and kind of set the standard for us "We're a team that wants to be back here year in and year out They just did a tremendous job leading by example It would be impossible for me to put into words I'm just super thankful and the community is so proud of them MUSKEGO — Incumbent Muskego-Norway School Board member Laurie Kontney is running for reelection against challengers Pattie Morales and Chris Szolyga for two seats on the board Current board member Brett Hyde filed a notification of noncandidacy for his seat in November The Freeman asked each of the candidates the same questions ahead of the April 1 election The FREEMAN: Why are you running for the School Board Kontney: I am running for reelection because I am passionate about providing each child with a quality education according to their abilities and chair of the Educational Services Committee My priorities are to continue to advocate for parental rights and transparency and to use my professional expertise in assessment and curriculum to collaborate with faculty and staff to ensure we utilize best practices in education and have the resources needed to achieve our district vision and goals and do the best for our kids Morales: I am running for Muskego-Norway School Board as a parent and community member committed to student success and responsible decision-making can transform learning I will advocate for high-quality education and equitable opportunities for all students I will champion innovative and engaging learning experiences and ensure our district continues its tradition of excellence By fostering collaboration between families we can build on our district’s success and create an environment where every child thrives and is prepared for future success Szolyga: I’m running for the Muskego-Norway School Board for the love of education and community and to ensure our schools provide the best education for all students I believe in academic excellence no matter what it looks like and fiscal responsibility to the community my priorities will be supporting strong curriculum standards and spending taxpayer dollars wisely high-quality learning environment where every student can thrive FREEMAN: How do you view the School Board’s role vs the administration’s role in running the school district Kontney: School Board members are elected by the community to set priorities and evaluate the outcomes of district operations is multifaceted and includes implementation of the strategic plan provision of professional development opportunities and management of the day-to-day operations of the district Both the School Board and Administration advocate for the educational needs of the children and serve as a check and balance for efficiency and effectiveness In the Muskego-Norway School District we have a strong working relationship and shared governance between the School Board and Administration making our district strong and effective Morales: In the Muskego-Norway School District the School Board and administration have distinct yet complementary roles The Board serves as the community's representative is responsible for implementing the Board's policies and managing daily operations A strong school board collaborates with the administration to provide oversight and guidance while respecting the expertise of educators and district leaders This balance ensures that schools operate efficiently and students thrive and budget to ensure Muskego-Norway schools provide a high-quality education that reflects the Muskego-Norway community’s values The administration is responsible for implementing those policies and managing day-to-day operations The board must hold the administration accountable while respecting its role in running the schools Transparency and open communication are the keys to maintaining trust I will work to ensure our district prioritizes academic excellence and student success FREEMAN: How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden Kontney: A School Board balances the need to provide a quality education with fiscal responsibility to taxpayers This is accomplished through efficient budgeting School board members are elected by the community which means they are accountable to all the taxpayers and they must be fiscally responsible in the budget making process School boards need to consider the educational and financial implications of their actions and be good stewards of the finances available to meet the needs of all constituents while operating within their means Morales: High-quality education and fiscal responsibility go hand in hand strengthening our community by attracting families data-driven decisions that maximize resources while ensuring students receive the education they deserve and smart investments in effective instruction I will also seek alternative funding sources to ease the burden on taxpayers Cutting corners in education has long-term costs sustainable school system that benefits students we must provide students with a top-tier education while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars A strong school system benefits the entire community but we must ensure every dollar is spent efficiently and open communication with parents and taxpayers are key to maintaining this balance thoughtful decisions that support our students while respecting the financial commitment of our community Kontney: Our district utilizes zero based budgeting that starts at zero each year to ensure we only spend what is needed We work collaboratively with our administration to review each expenditure and adjust to get the most out of our budget while diligently looking for cost savings School districts across the state are experiencing increasing expenses and decreasing enrollments which means less money coming in and more going out Boards need to continually reevaluate their resources and look for ways to stay on budget and have a plan in place that does not default to asking taxpayers to pay more Morales: School districts must balance fiscal responsibility with providing high-quality education through strategic This means prioritizing student-centered investments that support academic achievement and well-being while ensuring every dollar benefits learning Districts should also seek alternative funding sources such as grants and state or federal programs to supplement local contributions Regular spending reviews and cost-saving measures help ensure efficiency without compromising excellence Engaging the community in the budgeting process fosters transparency and shared decision-making A well-managed budget isn’t just about numbers It ensures financial sustainability while maximizing resources to support student success now and in the future Szolyga: Funding and budgets are ongoing challenges and our district must prioritize fiscal responsibility and smart investments We must focus on keeping taxpayer dollars in the classroom — supporting teachers and maintaining facilities — while avoiding unnecessary spending Partnering with local businesses and seeking opportunities can help maximize resources ensuring budgets reflect our shared values I will work to balance financial responsibility with providing the best education for our students Let’s invest wisely in our children’s future FREEMAN: What can be done to improve student achievement and make sure graduates are ready for the real world never become complacent no matter how well the district is performing Continuous improvement and ongoing assessment are critical to being a healthy school district In our district we have multiple programs that address meeting the needs of all students and assuring all are college School boards need to continually look for ways to be better utilize authentic assessments to measure actual learning and application and explore community partnerships to provide authentic learning experiences to prepare students for life after school Morales: Muskego-Norway has a strong tradition of academic excellence and we must continue preparing students for success in an ever-changing world This means fostering civic engagement through leadership opportunities Strengthening family and community partnerships enhances learning and provides essential support while prioritizing financial and digital literacy ensures students develop realworld skills Equally important is supporting students’ mental health and personal growth through social-emotional learning and wellness initiatives By combining rigorous academics with life skills and strong community connections we can ensure every student graduates prepared to thrive in college Szolyga: Student achievement starts with strong academic fundamentals Expanding our career and technical education strengthening partnerships with local businesses and ensuring students graduate with the tools they need for success — whether in college Collaboration with parents and teachers is key and problem-solving to prepare our students for the real world will ensure every graduate is ready to succeed Occupation: Physical Therapist/Educator – Adjunct Faculty at Carroll University and Concordia University Wisconsin; educational consultant and instructor at Scorebuilders; and chief inspector/poll worker at City of Muskego  Years lived in the district: 37 years in Muskego  Previous elected office (if any): Current school board member Occupation: Instructional Technology Coordinator Years lived in the district: I've lived in the Muskego-Norway school district for five years Occupation: Director of External Relations and Community Engagement at Carthage College Muskego senior forward Melena Glysch shoots over Arrowhead junior guard Natalie Kussow during a WIAA Division 1 state semifinal girls basketball game on Friday at the Resch Center ASHWAUBENON — Kimberly survived the “Sectional of Death,” and then Muskego’s offense was left to die in the Resch Center The Papermakers won the program’s fifth gold ball with a 47-26 victory in the WIAA Division 1 state championship on Saturday night as the Warriors were forced to settle for silver in their first state trip The third-seeded Warriors shot just 24.3% overall (9 of 37) and missed 19 of their first 20 field-goal attempts but made their last two before halftime to pull within 15-8 as senior guard Autumn Dibb made a floater at the horn Muskego was held scoreless until the 10:25 mark of the first half when junior guard Bree Scafe made a pair of free throws The Warriors’ first field goal came on a basket by senior forward Melena Glysch making it 5-4 with 8:26 to go until halftime Top-seeded Kimberly responded with a 10-0 run started by back-to-back baskets by senior forward Raegan Krueger and capped by a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Ava Van Vonderen The two teams combined to shoot just 20% from the field over the first 18 minutes Glysch gave Muskego its first trey with 15:12 remaining to bring it within 23-15 But the Warriors were then held scoreless for nearly five minutes until Friday’s hero buried a corner three to cut the deficit to 10 Junior guard Riley Hill later made a triple to pull Muskego within single digits but the Kimberly lead didn’t drop below nine the rest of the way A three-point play by sophomore forward Haylie Dulas all but ended it giving the Papermakers a 42-26 cushion with just over two minutes to go Van Vonderen led the Papermakers with 15 points Glysch and Dibb each had seven points for the Warriors who bid farewell to a six-player senior class that helped make history at Muskego Some of the state's top high school girls soccer talent is back in action in the greater Milwaukee area, as the WIAA spring season has gotten underway Six area teams reached the WIAA state tournament last year led by Muskego's three-peat state title in Division 1 The Prairie School and Whitefish Bay also reached state last year The road back to Uihlein Soccer Park to potentially hoist a 2025 WIAA gold ball begins with conference title races as local teams jockey for postseason position honoring a team of the week and looking ahead to games to watch over the upcoming week Here is the first iteration of our 2025 area girls soccer rankings Vote for the top athlete: Vote for the Journal Sentinel Piggly Wiggly high school athlete of the week for April 7-12 TEAM OF THE WEEKWhitefish BayThe Blue Dukes have started their season with three clean sheets defensively including wins over Menomonee Falls and Pewaukee last week After a season-opening win April 5 over Wauwatosa East Madonna Helf led scorers with two goals and two assists including scoring two of the first three goals and assisting Macy Lococo's score to round out a 3-0 first half including a second-half setup for Riley Holbrook's score Abby Anzia added a goal and an assist to round out the scoring Helf scored a second-half goal to break the deadlock and assisted an Anzia goal to help put away the game Audyn Krueger has 10 saves in goal as part of three shutouts in as many games Whitefish Bay entered the week with scheduled games at Hartford on Tuesday and at Muskego on Thursday the latter of which is a game to watch this week Sussex Hamilton also visits on Saturday to wrap up the week Thursday: The reigning Classic 8 Conference champions host a Cedarburg team that reached the state semifinal a season ago in a matchup of area heavyweights with high expectations this year Friday: A nonconference matchup of two programs that had deep runs in the WIAA postseason a year ago that ended just shy of state look to assert early dominance in 2025 Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design student Isabel Enders created a fully illustrated book “More Than Just Soup.” The book offers QR codes that link to short animated tutorial videos that demonstrate cooking skills like chopping onions or making a roux MUSKEGO — Isabel Enders of Muskego combined her love of cooking and illustration to create a beginners’ cookbook titled "More Than Just Soup" for soups and stews The fully illustrated book was made for her senior capstone project at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design The book offers QR codes that link to short MIAD’s 2025 Senior Exhibition celebrates works of MIAD’s graduating class of emerging creative professionals representing all of MIAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts majors Enders put in a couple of her personal recipes along with her mom’s recipes "Every single one of them is tried and true I really chose that project because originally before I was thinking about going into art but I never really thought that was an actual choice," she said Enders felt her art background and culinary interest would be a good mix for the final project and now I could just use my skills to combine both of my interests," she said "I only took a couple of design classes and graphic design I forgot that a cookbook also had a structure for words a bunch of random books from the library stacked up," she said Enders had to wrap her brain around how recipes are described in engaging ways "It was really fun going through all these cookbooks and to see that there’s actually an art to writing one," she said Although the illustrations of the cookbook appear to be targeted toward children it is open to any beginner looking to learn how to cook She pondered how she could capture an enjoyable esthetic picture but make it her own style QR codes in the book direct readers to animations they can click on that show whatever skill you need to learn," she said In addition to completing a four-year degree at MIAD Enders is training to be a certified pharmacy technician Enders is in the illustration with animation program Her interest in this field began while attending Muskego High School after her art teacher encouraged her to check out animation who made class fun and always had projects for students to do "My art classes had a lot of me and my friends At some point she said we should start an art club Me and my friends started our own little art club," Enders said Her art teacher brought in a representative from MIAD and did a presentation on the school Enders said having her own space in the school to work appealed to her It was her sophomore year when MIAD began introducing animation I still think I am mostly an illustration-centered person but it was nice to learn separate elements I was not expected to go on animation at all," Enders said With her impending graduation on the horizon Enders is hoping to shop her book around to publishers She also has eyes on her career goal which is to be a children’s book illustrator and I really would like it to be in people’s hands," Enders said The Muskego-Norway School Board removed gender identity from its anti-discrimination policy Monday raising concerns from parents and civil rights experts about what the decision could mean for transgender or nonbinary students The board's policy originally said: "The Board does not discriminate on the basis of sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity) it will only include the words "sexual orientation." The board originally considered removing both sexual orientation and gender identity from its policy. But school board president Terri Boyer proposed removing just the words "gender identity" to remain "consistent with Wisconsin state law," she said at the meeting. there was no discussion regarding the decision to alter the policy nor the district's communications specialist Alyssa Meyer responded to multiple calls and emails requests for comment Tuesday The DPI also notes that creating a safe environment for LGBTQ+ students is essential for their educational success Title IX bans discrimination against students and staff in federally-funded education programs on the basis of sex The Muskego-Norway School Board's decision comes after the self-described parental rights group Moms for Liberty sued over the Biden administration's updated Title IX regulations which were expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity The lawsuit resulted in a temporary injunction that blocks the U.S Department of Education from enforcing the new regulations in schools that enroll children of Moms for Liberty members However, civil rights experts say Wisconsin school districts must still comply with Title IX even if the Department of Education cannot enforce those regulations for now has upheld that Title IX protects students from discrimination based on gender identity More: 400+ Wisconsin schools are on Moms for Liberty's membership list. What it means for LGBTQ+ kids Public Investigator consulted Suzanne Eckes education law professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison A former lawyer and public high school teacher Eckes researches how civil rights laws impact education policies in public schools Although some Muskego-Norway schools are included on Moms for Liberty's growing list Eckes said the district cannot exclude transgender students from protections "Whether they kick it out of their policy or not, they still need to follow the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision," said Eckes, who clarified that she is speaking on her own behalf confirming Title IX protected him from discrimination Eckes said a case filed in Indiana last year also affirms Title IX protections for transgender students in Wisconsin the district court granted injunctions to three students who challenged their school districts' policies that banned them from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identities The court ruled in the students' favor due to the likelihood that they would succeed on their claims, Eckes explained. The 7th Circuit later upheld the ruling A Wisconsin school district's failure to address bullying or harassment of any kind against transgender students could result in a successful discrimination claim Supreme Court rulings also demonstrate that Title IX protects transgender students In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination, includes sexual orientation and gender identity. In the past few years courts have been referring to the Supreme Court's interpretation of Title VII when interpreting Title IX "Even before all the hoopla with the Biden regulations courts have been recognizing that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity," she said More: These southeast Wisconsin school districts have policies that affect trans students More: Wisconsinites rally around book rejected by Muskego board for focus on Japanese experience Abigail Swetz is the executive director of Fair Wisconsin one of the LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations involved in the federal complaint against Kettle Moraine Swetz said both Fair Wisconsin and LGBTQ+ advocacy organization GSAFE are gathering information to determine the best course of action which could include filing more complaints "This is why it is so important that we learn of votes like the one taken by the Muskego-Norway school board," said Swetz Swetz said Fair Wisconsin and GSAFE encourage anyone with information regarding discriminatory actions taken by school boards to email testimony@fairwisconsin.com Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Quinn_A_Clark WEST ALLIS – It took until the fourth week of the playoffs but the Muskego football team finally evened its record against conference opponents That ought to tell you something about the topsy-turvy season for the 2024 Warriors, who got healthy, got better and then got themselves to the WIAA Division 1 state championship game With a punishing running game and stifling defense that made one final, crucial stop in the closing minutes Friday night, Muskego advanced with a 16-14 victory over Classic 8 rival Mukwonago at the West Allis Sports Complex it’s the whole world,” Warriors fullback Jack Labisch said this is what we just waited for our whole lives.” The game closed a circle for Muskego (9-4) which lost its first meeting with Mukwonago in Week 4 when Labisch went down with a dislocated elbow and then fell in three of its next four games while fighting through more injuries than most people realized the Arrowhead game we started two new guards and we started five brand new kids,” Muskego coach Ken Krause said “I thought the players and coaches did a great job of ignoring anybody outside the program that was being negative and it kind of rallied us a little bit if anybody was negative and we stayed positive.” Grit came in handy again Friday after Mukwonago’s Jack Savasta returned the opening kick 96 yards for a touchdown But Muskego struck back quickly on its first possession with Jackson Niemiec’s 18-yard touchdown run and the Warriors never trailed thereafter Labisch posted his fifth straight 100-yard game since returning Every time our offense is focused on ‘we need one big play,’ we’re just gonna try to get that play the best of our ability.” Muskego quarterback Joey Shaw scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter and Gabe Walden added a field goal in the third quarter Mukwonago got a 3-yard touchdown run from Colton Lynch in the third quarter and got the ball three more times The first chance ended in a punt and the second on an interception by Muskego’s Brady Hojnacki Mukwonago picked up a rare Muskego fumble to take over on the Muskego 31 with 3:20 on the clock but managed just 4 yards on four runs and the Warriors were able to run out the clock mental training,” defensive lineman Liam Shaw said “That’s where E plus R equals O: event plus response equals outcome Muskego will play Bay Port for the title after the Pirates beat D.C The Green Bay school has been to the championship game once so there was no time,” Krause said when asked about his knowledge of the next opponent “I didn’t spend one second looking at anything about Bay Port Muskego has played in three championship games falling in 1994 and then capping unbeaten seasons in 2018 and ’19 under Krause This team is different from the two that preceded it Catholic Memorial returns to title game: Surprise, surprise: Catholic Memorial is headed back to state again under coach Bill Young They’re giving the absolute most they have “I think the culture of our program is carrying us with this team but obviously there’s no Wisconsin Badgers on the team ASHWAUBENON –The Kimberly Papermakers girls’ basketball team won the Division 1 state championship Saturday with a 47-26 win over Muskego at the Resch Center The Papermakers now have won five state titles Top-seeded Kimberly qualified for the State Tournament for the 12th time and for the first time since 2019 The Papermakers made five appearances in the 1980s and four in the 1990s Kimberly won the Class A championship in 1987 and the Class B title in 1989 They added Division 2 titles in 1996 and 1998 They also finished runner-up in Class A in 1982 and in Division 2 in 1997 They are the champions of the Fox Valley Association this season and they are the representatives from the Hartford Sectional with a 48-47 overtime win over Pewaukee which was the Division 2 champion last season Corrections and updates: news@kaukaunacommunitynews.com Two matchups of the top four teams from our initial area girls soccer rankings last week highlighted notable results that impacted this week's rankings while Arrowhead climbs just above Whitefish Bay with the better showing last week Here are our second weekly rankings of Milwaukee area girls soccer teams Others considered: Brookfield Central (3-1-0) Divine Savior Holy AngelsDSHA earns team of the week honors for its efforts on and off the pitch these past two weeks to improve to 5-0 A 3-0 opening week with competitive wins over Cedarburg (4-1) and Oregon (1-0) concluded with DSHA hosting Regis Jesuit out of Denver The out-of-state players were housed by DSHA players' families from April 10 through April 13 including a match April 12 won 2-1 by the hosts The Dashers followed that with a 2-0 performance last week including a 3-0 win over Wauwatosa East on April 15 and a 4-0 win over Kettle Moraine on April 18 sophomore Avery Roethe leads point scorers with three goals and three assists Fellow sophomore Brailey Baxter has scored a goal in each of the Dashers' past three contests Coach Kevin Roethe highlighted the defense of Emily Cotey and Harper Neldner as critical to his team allowing only two goals through five games The week ahead for the Dashers includes a Wednesday night date at home against Germantown and a Friday night road matchup at Menomonee Falls Vote now: Vote for Journal Sentinel Piggly Wiggly high school athlete of the week for April 14-19 Wednesday: The Battle of Brookfield features two teams that entered the week tied atop the Greater Metro Conference with Sussex Hamilton at 2-0 8 teams entering the week square up in a nonconference matchup of two state-qualifying teams from a season ago Friday: A nonconference matchup of two teams that reached sectional competition last year and are off to strong starts to 2025 should provide an early litmus test for both squads WEST ALLIS — In level four of the playoffs it was a Classic Eight Conference rematch against Muskego and Mukwonago Mukwonago took the victory back in September Watch: Muskego holds on to win 16-14 against Mukwonago Even though Mukwonago took the opening kickoff back to the house Muskego's two touchdowns and a field goal led them to the win over Mukwonago Muskego is headed to Madison to play for the state championship Neenah and Muskego clashed in a WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal playoff matchup Watch as USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin’s Brett Christopherson Ricardo Arguello and Jim Rosandick brought you the high school football coverage from Rocket Stadium at Neenah High School More: Play of the game - Vanevenhoven’s 32-yard toss to Van Beek sets up Neenah TD More: Watch past Varsity Game of the Week livestreams More: Find complete coverage of the 2024 high school football season a Muskego couple needed their garage repaired the company they thought they called isn't who showed up After reporting it to their credit card company and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) the couple contacted TMJ4's Jenna Rae to warn others about phony businesses doing shoddy garage repairs Watch: Fake garage repair company leaves Muskego couple with $2,000 bill: We investigate and tell you how to protect yourself It's maybe slightly more than half the size," homeowner Mike Sharafinski said Mike and Dina Sharafinski were hit with an unexpected inconvenience and looked up and saw the spring was broken," Mike Sharafinski said "I googled 'Joe Wilde' because we had worked with them in the past," his wife but we can have someone out tomorrow,'" Mike Sharafinski detailed a repairman in an unmarked truck showed up "The gentleman proceeded to show me the springs he was going to install and insisted that I actually replace these pulleys and then proceeded to bill us $2,016," Mike Sharafinski said A premium price for what Mike Sharafinski called a botched job I called Joe Wilde to ask why the bill was so high and why the door was not working we have a record of being at your house like eight years ago but not yesterday,'" Mike Sharafinski explained We took Mike and Dina Sharafinski's situation straight to the experts It puts a bad name on our industry and a bad name to the Joe Wilde Company," Joe Wilde Company's General Manager Joe Wilde's a locally owned and operated garage repair business that spans eight decades not only in our industry but the service industry,” Joe Wilde Krause said they often hear from customers about upcoming appointments that were never scheduled or he sees situations like the Sharafinskis’ who showed up to their house to do this repair?” Rae asked Lisa Schiller director of investigations and media relations for the BBB We don’t know who showed up to their house and I don’t think they know who showed up to their house,” Schiller responded Schiller said fake garage door repair companies are everywhere the addresses don’t match up,” Schiller explained The BBB found that the company that charged the Sharafinskis is based in California The person who answered the phone told us a manager would call us back As Mike and Dina Sharafinski wait to see if they’ll get their money back they hope others recognize the red flags they missed “I believe they had a standard spring change on a two-car door done That charge for us is anywhere from $500 to $600 total,” Krause explained The BBB offers advice on things to consider when you need a repair company Schiller said it’s crucial to do your research ahead of time know which company to call instead of waiting until you’re in a rush Do they have a contract with their company name on it all that information should be transparent,” Schiller explained “I’m so angry at myself for not asking some questions and saying I’m not paying you $2,000 for two springs.’ But I thought I was dealing with Joe Wilde so I just want people to know,” Mike Sharafinski shared A basic two-car garage door full replacement is about $2,200 Most technicians who come out to do repairs Joe Wilde Company gives you a ballpark estimate and range of price you're going to pay Krause said that if a business isn't giving you a range of prices from the low-end to the high-end Local companies will have a 414 or 262 area code If the person who answers the number you called Report a typo or error GREEN BAY — The (29-1) Kimberly Papermakers girls basketball team are the Wisconsin Division 1 girls basketball state champions Their stifling defense was too much for Muskego to handle Muskego made just 3 of their 22 shots from the field in the first half (13%) and would finish with a shooting percentage of 25% "Ive done this for a long time as an assistant and and now as a head coach and I've coached football and this is by far the toughest group of kids I've ever been around," head coach David Lepisto said Kimberly sophomore Ava Van Vonderen had a team-high 15 points "Honestly I would trade a gold ball for playing another year with this team," Van Vonderen said We did it with our team and this team is special I keep saying that and I can't say it enough." Head coach David Lepisto says their success is because of how intelligent this team is on and off the court." "The best thing about it is one of the things my dad taught me and he was my first coach for basketball — you can only win if you have intelligent players," Lepisto said "This is an academic all-state team and now we're state champions absolutely and there's not doubt about that in my mind Having won three consecutive WIAA Division 1 state championships the high-powered Warriors plan to build on that winning tradition and continue to expand their growing reputation as the latest elite Wisconsin dynasty Muskego has combined for an impressive 53-3-9 record during that memorable three-year time span The Warriors, top-ranked in D1 in this week's Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association state poll won their first two games of the 2025 season defeating Kimberly (5-0) in a non-conference showdown and intra-league rival Kettle Moraine (4-2) in the highly anticipated Classic 8 Conference opener "I'm just so humbled by these girls every day," said Matthews the four-time WSCA D1 Girls Coach of the Year who has guided the nationally-ranked program to four state championships "It's an honor to be able to work in the same room as them They come from such different backgrounds and bring so much "They teach me something new every day every day by just learning from them." Although a distinct possibility with the depth, talent, and experience of this year's squad, claiming a fourth-straight state championship could figure to be a daunting challenge with the graduation of standout scoring leader Anna Sikorski Sikorski, a 5-foot-7 forward/midfielder who now competes for the University of Kentucky was a four-time first-team all-state selection and two-time Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year She generated 36 goals and nine assists last season and finished her high school career as a four-time state champion (the first coming as a freshman with DSHA) The return of senior midfielder Klara Muench and junior defender (center back) Elsa Maurer who each earned all-state honorable mention honors last year will bring strong leadership to a talented Muench scored what proved to be the unassisted winning goal in the 72nd minute as Muskego completed a dramatic comeback in last year's title game They just work so hard every single day to just be who they are." To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App -- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com JEFF HAGENAUJeff Hagenau has been a sports writer in southeast Wisconsin for the past 28 years He graduated from Carroll University with a degree in journalism and has showcased his versatility by reporting on a wide array of sports over the course of his memorable career © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Muskego K-9 Tito is  trained in emotional support and therapy and narcotics detection His day-to-day job is to interact with students which provides police an opportunity to interact with them in a positive setting and also brightens their day School Resource Officer Chris Kristalidis and K-9 Tito have been partners since February of 2024 They are pictured on the football field at Muskego High School School Resource Officer Chris Kristalidis and K-9 Tito at his K-9 ceremony The partners have been a hit at Muskego High School School Resource Officer Chris Kristalidis and K-9 Tito patrol the halls of Muskego High School Tito was donated for free to the Muskego Police Department by Partners with Paws Service Dogs MUSKEGO — There’s an adorable boy patrolling the halls of Muskego High School His name is Tito and he is a 1 1/2-year-old purebred golden retriever Tito is believed to be the only dual certified school district dog in the country There are other districts that have a canine as a service animal or trained for narcotic detection "Often times drug dogs are German shepherds or other breeds that are more intense looking He also has an incredible nose and (is) really strong in drug identification," Todd Irvine Tito is trained in emotional support/ therapy and narcotics detection Tito is good therapy for stressful situations and adolescent angst students face "He also provides individual support for dysregulated students He furthers our mission of maintaining a safe school by performing random drug sniffs of areas inside and outside of the building along with targeted sniffs of areas we may suspect drugs are being concealed," Kristalidis said Kristalidis has been a law enforcement officer since August of 2007 and has served in a variety of roles during his career and is the vice president of the Wisconsin Juvenile Officers Association There are three SROs in the school district (one in the high school Tito travels around for classroom presentations and appears at the elementary schools from time to time Irvine said there was conversation with Lt The dog could be a support animal and trained in drug detection and eventual weapons identification The district utilizes the department for random searches of the high school parking lot and classrooms “Our school board is very supportive of anything from a safety standpoint They approved it and it started the ball rolling,” Irvine said What Irvine found to be very special was how the community rallied behind the idea and it was a privately funded project food and health needs as well as equipment can be quite expensive but was raised through community fundraising and student activities Tito is the sidekick of Kristalidis and makes the SRO look more approachable to students “A huge part of why you want SROs in your building is to build those strong connections with your students and families and for them to understand that our police department is here to support our community in any way it can,” Irvine said From the minute Tito and Kristalidis began their partnership they have become celebrities in the district Everyone stops to pet Tito and chat with the SRO The partners show up to school events such as dances “Tito is probably the most beloved dog in our entire community It has been an incredible asset to the work we do in the district,” he said he encountered a dysregulated student in the office “He went right to work comforting that student which got them back to a point to where they were able to continue on with their day in school instead of needing to remain in an office for support or potentially needing to go they have a very positive relationship,” Kristalidis said Irvine added the student was crying and as soon as Tito came in the student asked to pet him The dog crawled in the student’s lap and the student’s demeanor immediately changed His temperament and engagement with students is completely different than when he is in detection mode he turns into a visibly excited dog and his puppy energy comes out,” Kristalidis said Kristalidis said working with the dog is a rewarding challenge but I also take my work home with me every day since he lives with me and I care for him 24/7 Seeing him grow and learn along this journey so far has been amazing though,” he said Tito brightens everyone’s day and makes a positive impact on their school experience so he has sort of been adopted by the student body as their unofficial mascot,” Kristalidis said Mallory Becker from Muskego runs in to score against Oconomowoc during a Classic 8 Conference softball game at Muskego High School on Monday Cora Jahimiak from Muskego tags Maci Brazeiton from Oconomowoc before she touches home plate during a Classic 8 Conference softball game at Muskego High School on Monday Kelsey Yambor from Oconomowoc pitches her 100th career strikeout during a Classic 8 Conference softball game at Muskego High School on Monday night MUSKEGO — Cora Jahimiak simply thrived under the pressure Get the latest Oconomowoc and Lake Country news delivered each week Have Lake Country breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen Muskego senior Autumn Dibb passes the ball during the second half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match against Kettle Moraine on Tuesday at Muskego High School Muskego junior Ashlynn Scharrer tries to keep the ball between Kettle Moraine sophomores Georgia Boland (22) and Kendal Moore (15) during the first half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match on Tuesday at Muskego High School Kettle Moraine sophomore Hannah Hoffmann holds off Muskego senior Bella Mittelstaedt during the second half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match on Tuesday at Muskego High School Muskego senior Norah Augustine gets a pass off just ahead of Kettle Moraine sophomore Kendal Moore during the first half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match on Tuesday at Muskego High School Muskego junior goalkeeper Savannah Mittelstaedt clears the ball during the first half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match against Kettle Moraine on Tuesday at Muskego High School Muskego junior Abby Artlip just keeps the ball in play during the second half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer game against Kettle Moraine on Tuesday at Muskego High School Muskego senior Jess Fernau passes the ball during the second half of a Classic 8 Conference girls soccer match against Kettle Moraine on Tuesday at Muskego High School MUSKEGO — Losing a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year would hurt most girls soccer program… The 49th Fleet Farm store will open in Muskego later this month MUSKEGO — The newest addition to the fleet of Fleet Farm stores opens its doors in Muskego on Aug The store expects to bring more than 150 new jobs to the area The new store will be located at W195-S6460 Racine Ave. at the corner of Racine and College avenues The store will be 137,000 square feet with a 60,000-square-foot outdoor yard Further, a weekend-long grand opening celebration takes place Sept. 22-24. Follow https://www.facebook.com/fleetfarmmuskegowisconsin to keep up on the latest store happenings “Fleet Farm is thrilled to become a member of the Muskego community and bring our unique mix of products and services to the people of Muskego and surrounding communities,” Nick Widi chief retail operations officer for Fleet Farm “Our sincere appreciation goes out to Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow Mayor Rick Petfalski and the City of Muskego for working with our team to make this development become a reality.” The new store marks the 24th Fleet Farm store in the state where the company employs more than 4,000 Wisconsinites It will be the 49th Fleet Farm store across the Midwest All available Fleet Farm career opportunities can be viewed at www.careers.fleetfarm.com MUSKEGO — A 44-year-old man was arrested in Muskego after he barricaded himself in a bedroom following a domestic altercation The Muskego Police Department responded to a residence at 3:12 a.m Responding officers were able to assist in safely removing the victims of the suspect from the residence The suspect ignored officer’s commands to exit the residence and remained in an upstairs bedroom where he was barricaded Law enforcement learned the suspect had access to multiple firearms within the residence The Suburban Critical Incident Team was activated Local residents were notified requesting they shelter in place Tactical Operators from SCIT made contact with the suspect The suspect was transported to the Waukesha County Jail Multiple charges will be forwarded to the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office for review The Muskego Police Department received assistance from the Tess Corners Fire Department Presley Samz of Arrowhead pressures Bree Scafe of Muskego during a Classic 8 Conference girls basketball game on Jan Arrowhead junior Presly Samz of Arrowhead shoots during a Classic 8 Conference girls basketball game against Catholic Memorial on Dec ASHWAUBENON — Rather than the usual 25-mile drive between schools Arrowhead and Muskego will venture a combined 158 miles to the Resch Center for the ultimate rubber match In Friday’s nightcap at the WIAA State Girls Basketball Tournament it’ll be the two Classic 8 Conference co-champions squaring off for the right to reach the Division 1 state championship game Saturday evening while the third-seeded Warriors (24-4) are making their state debut So what will be different about the third matchup after splitting the first two games "We’re not going to make as many changes," Arrowhead coach Ron Reichle said "It’s business as usual for us," Muskego coach Erik Loose said The bottom line is there are no secrets anymore Both teams use their athletes to create havoc defensively while the other spreads the wealth offensively And one is more than capable of beating the other come Friday at approximately 8:15 p.m "I think it does come down to some of the little things," Loose said "They’ve got pieces and we know they’re not going to lay down and give up We were up double digits on them at home (and lost) It’s two teams that are going to battle to the end.” Reichle paid similar respect to the Warriors who beat Arrowhead 64-57 before the calendar turned to 2025 They’ve got some players that come out and have challenged us the last couple years.” Reichle admitted his Warhawks came into the second matchup with a little too much juice and a game plan that ultimately wasn’t true to who they were got back to its roots and rallied for a 5351 triumph It was eerily similar to what happened on Saturday when the Warhawks trailed Waunakee by seven in overtime with time running out on their season we talked about the biggest change we made was not being as aggressive in the start,” said Reichle who is in his second stint as Arrowhead’s head coach and ninth season overall “I think they were counting on being fouled they’re waiting for us to come hammer them It’s Arrowhead’s ability to flip that switch that makes it a threat to win any game and having one of the most prolific scorers in the state is averaging 26.7 points on 46% shooting to go with 9.9 rebounds “I would think the biggest thing everybody knows including do-it-all junior guard Presly Samz and a bevy of players that have stepped into larger roles after losing three key rotation players to graduation and junior guard Libby Gilmore to a torn ACL “I know there’s a lot of talk about Kussow senior forward Teresa Kescenovitz) in the post While Arrowhead has had no problem piling up points this season its two games against Muskego were two of its three lowest-scoring outputs against in-state opponents The Warriors might be playing their best defense of the season when it matters most as their playoff foes are mustering less than 30 points per game Senior forward Melena Glysch leads Muskego with 11.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while senior forward Rachel Agg also averages double figures (10.5 PPG) Junior guard Mallory Glysch and senior guard Autumn Dibb have also had big scoring nights for the Warriors who aren’t afraid to go deep into their bench when many teams tighten up their rotations later in the season our points are spread out amongst the whole team Having participated in a tournament in Oshkosh over winter break Loose thinks that experience of spending the night at a hotel and getting accustomed to playing on a college court in a bigger venue will play dividends “We tried to prepare them as much as possible,” Loose said We’ve got six seniors that are great leaders for us.” It won’t be unfamiliar territory for Arrowhead which defeated Neenah for the D1 state title last season — the third in program history and first since 1991 But there will be the challenge of having a target on its back and dealing with an opponent that knows its every move “We’re just approaching it kind of like we have the rest of this season,” Reichle said “We’ve got to stress the fact that they’ve earned this And the key to what we do is to do what we do “We’ve gotten better at it and we’re going to do the best we can with what we’ve got The Division 1 state field would have consisted of three area teams had it not been for a miraculous shot and more overtime heroics from Kimberly (27-1) against Pewaukee sophomore guard Ava Van Vonderen made a 3-pointer as time expired to force OT and the Papermakers would go on to reach state for the 12th time in program history “It takes some luck every now and again to get some place,” Kimberly coach Dave Lepisto said “Ava got the ball and got it in to get to overtime and we made some plays to win it in overtime There was .1 seconds left and it was out of her hands The other D1 semifinal is also an intra-conference showdown 4-seeded Appleton East (19-8) on Friday at 6:35 p.m It’s the fourth-ever trip to state for the Patriots who were runner-up in 2022 to Kettle Moraine and lost both meetings with Kimberly this season in the Fox Valley Association “The first game we battled pretty well (a 54-45 loss),” Appleton East coach Brian Paschen said “The second loss they beat us up pretty bad (a 67-28 loss) Our biggest advantage we might have is we have some familiarity with them We know what they’re going to be able to do but I think we’ve gotten better since those games Obviously we’ll have to try a few tricks of the trade A difficult early schedule resulted in Appleton East starting the season 3-6 but it has recovered to win 13 of its last 14 games including a double-overtime victory over Eau Claire Memorial in Saturday’s sectional final Senior forward Torie Neubauer leads the Patriots with 14.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while sophomore guard Ella Sweeney averages 13.8 points and shoots 41% from 3point range “The girls just built confidence as we went along and here we are,” Paschen said Kimberly’s lone loss of the season came to the aforementioned Pirates But the Papermakers made the necessary adjustments in the rematch taking better care of the ball and preventing Pewaukee from getting out in transition who missed the first seven games of the season is one of four Patriots averaging double figures (14.8 PPG) while Van Vonderen and senior forward Raegan Krueger both average north of 12 points and six rebounds per game although Krueger aggravated a knee injury she suffered in the first matchup with Pewaukee last weekend “Our first game of the year we played Brookfield East and we were down five of our top-seven players,” Lepisto said But there’s been great buy-in from the kids They’re really buying in defensively this year That’s been the difference from last year to this year.” — Despite outscoring Bay Port 18-6 in the second half the Muskego Warriors fell short against the Pirates losing 25-18 in the WIAA Division 1 State Championship "So proud of the resiliency," Warriors head coach Ken Krause said a lot of people might have just given up and our kids fought back Bay Port running back Brady Moon ripped off an 80-yard rushing touchdown to give the Pirates an early 7-0 lead This was the second week in a row Muskego allowed a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage The Pirates piled on 19 points in the first half while Muskego struggled to get their offense going totaling only 20 yards for zero first downs at the break Jackson Niemic breathed life into the Warriors with two timely touchdowns in the second half Muskego quarterback Joey Shaw connected with Niemic on a quick dart to his left for a 48-yard catch-and-run Niemic also broke loose for a 28-yard rushing touchdown to cut Bay Port's lead to 25-15 with 11:02 remaining in regulation Muskego kicker Gabe Walden cut the Pirates lead to a one-score game with a 38-yard field After forcing Bay Port to turn it over on downs Muskego did take over at the Pirates' 39-yard line with 1:07 to drive but failed to convert a first down Bay Port held on to win their first-ever state title "We went through probably the hardest road to state - maybe of anybody - and we got through it and we were one touchdown away from finishing." Friday's Division 1 State Championship was a rematch of the 2019 title game Every small business owner has their own unique story—of just trying to provide for themselves and their family—and that’s why where you spend your money is so critical to small business owners Muskego area businesses talked about the impact your dollars have A cup of coffee has turned from a passion into a business for husband and wife Aaron and Melissa Hale "It started as I just want to share a great coffee with people," said Aaron Hale as a way to share great coffee with the community and provide for their family You could describe them as coffee caterers being hired by a business or an individual who’s doing a wedding or baby shower the ability to make money that can support our family," said Aaron They're in a different setting but still getting that really fun cup of coffee," said Melissa Hale They believe a cup of coffee can open doors for meaningful conversations and connect the community "That’s the heart behind everything we do.. helping people make better coffee," said Aaron Watch: These Muskego businesses are hoping you shop local this Saturday: The coffee club takes place in a variety of locations they stopped at Boho Luxe Boutique in Muskego Owner Marisa Schmitz opened this storefront featuring women’s apparel and accessories in March after building a large following online "I’ve met so many amazing women in the community and even outside the community that travel to see us and shop with us Marisa said her storefront is a dream come true and with Small Business Saturday coming up "It’s a time to celebrate and support our small businesses but come out for Small Business Saturday and shop local We have some really great deals too," said Marisa Supporting local has a big impact on a small business's success Just a few minutes down the road is Muskego Feed and Seed Nicky Chelius started this business four years ago after previously working in a feed store I wasn’t an entrepreneur and had no clue what running a business was like you’ll find feed for all types of animals—from birds to horses and dogs—but you’ll also see handmade creations from other local crafters for sale "We really put our heart and soul into it," said Nicky Nicky said without the support of the Muskego community "We’ve grown from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet but the Muskego community is literally the whole reason So as you spend your dollars this weekend doing some holiday shopping Nicky and other business owners hope you consider supporting small businesses—not just on Saturday but throughout the year I saw your sweatshirt.' I can’t believe it—it brings them out here," said Nicky "Everyone’s dollar that comes in is used responsibly It’s put back into the community or back into the business," said Nicky And most of these small businesses also find ways to give back to the community Boho Luxe is hosting a toy drive through the end of the day Saturday and Muskego Feed and Seed previously rallied the community to fill a truck of supplies for those impacted by Hurricane Helene To learn more about AM Coffee Co., click here.To follow AM Coffee Co. on Instgram, click here. To learn more about Boho Luxe click here.To Follow Boho Luxe on Instgram, click here. To follow Muskego Feed & Seed on Facebook,click here. In making its first appearance in program history, third-seeded Muskego knocked off second-seeded defending state champion Arrowhead 56-44 in a semifinal showdown at the Resch Center on Friday night We will say goodnight from the Resch Center with Muskego celebrating their win over Arrowhead to advance to Championship Saturday!!! @MuskegoGBB #wiaagb #wisgb pic.twitter.com/EzfjEJf3uu It was the fifth consecutive victory for the Warriors who improved to 25-4 overall and advanced to face top-seeded Kimberly in tonight's state championship game at 8:15 p.m which eliminated Pewaukee in the sectional finals to punch its ticket to state defeated fourth-seeded Appleton East 55-34 in the other D1 state semifinal Five-foot-11 senior forward Rachel Agg scored a team-high 17 points to lead a balanced offensive attack for Muskego which converted five baskets from 3-point range and 11-of-18 free throws in the fierce contest between Classic 8 co-champions Sophomore forward Tatum Meinen followed with 12 points and senior guard Autumn Dibb contributed 10 points Senior forward Melena Glysch added eight points and 18 rebounds Best dressed this weekend at GBB state? No question it’s Muskego GBB players and coach Erik Loose!!! ♥️♥️♥️ pic.twitter.com/BYBNOy7wjK Muskego trailed 27-26 early in the second half but erased the deficit with what proved to be a critical momentum-shifting 11-0 run over the course of a four-minute stretch Junior guard Natalie Kussow finished with 16 points for Arrowhead which shot an uncharacteristic 28.1 percent from field-goal range and ended the season 25-4 overall.The aggressive Muskego defense has been showcased throughout the season limiting the opposition to 50 points or less in 21 victories losing three straight games in heartbreakers to very quality squads they were just barely able to finish their regular season with a winning record (5-4) they would lose just one game in the regular season and make an impressive run as a No 2 Mukwonago (16-14) to get their way into Camp Randall their state championship dreams were ended by No the Warriors look to develop a second piece to their rushing rotation after losing senior Jack Labisch (117 Rush YPG They'll also lose a vital piece of their receiving production in Nick Leto (38 Rec a big returnee for the Warriors is in running back Jackson Niemiec (89.6 Rush YPG they'll continue to develop their Class of 2027 quarterback Joey Shaw (44.7 Pass YPG 5 Rush TDs) who led them to last year's state runner-up the Warriors are in need of replacing three of their five lead tacklers from last season their biggest loss by far is in dominant defensive lineman Liam Shaw (70 TCK Muskego has released their 2025 regular season schedule and they look to get back to Camp Randall to finish the job this time Follow High School on SI throughout the 2024-25 offseason and 2025 high school football season for Live Updates and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app:  Download iPhone App | Download Android App -- Sam Heyn | samuelheyn@gmail.com | @sam_heyn SAM HEYNSam Heyn is a sports reporter based in Iowa City currently in his fourth-year at the University of Iowa he previously wrote for Iowa's News Now in Cedar Rapids IA and live commentated for Fuller Digital Solutions in Cherokee Morgan and AJ Rodriguez are owners of The Mariner Manor Haunted House MUSKEGO — AJ Rodriguez has been in the haunted-house industry since he was 10 years old His first gig as a scare actor was terrorizing people with a fake chain saw He was involved in setting up The Hill Has Eyes Haunted House at the Rock Sports Complex in Franklin they enjoyed decorating for the spooky season "I thought it would be cool to do a small haunted house," Rodriguez said was created in 2022 just for trick-or-treat "It started very small the first year and has since grown to over 1,800 square feet this year," Rodriguez said The couple got approval from the city to be open for four nights in 2023 during which attendance was much higher than they thought it would be "This year we wanted to give back to the community so we decided to partner with the Muskego Police K-9 unit for the 2024 season All donations collected will go directly to this amazing organization veterinary bills and equipment needed to assist the K-9s," he said "In the spirit of giving back to the community Mariner Manor has partnered with the Muskego K-9 Unit to ensure that every scream and scare contributes to a great cause While Mariner Manor is a free haunted house 100% of all donations will go directly to support the Muskego K-9 Unit a vital part of the local law enforcement team," said the Muskego Police Department in a statement "The funds raised will help provide essential training and care for these brave K9 officers who work tirelessly to keep the community safe." The couple and a bunch of friends started planning for this year back in November Louis for a Halloween convention in March and bought some scary props They did a second convention in Chicago in June "We started building this year’s haunted house in February This year a new area called the swamp is being constructed "It is a new thing we bought at the trade show It is laser lights and a hazer machine and we have artificial plants in there it feels like you are walking through water like a swamp," Rodriguez said they enter into a barn and out of the barn is a cornfield There is an area outside that pays homage to the urban legend of Haunchyville on Mystic Drive The lore tells of a mythical village of little people in Muskego family members and co-workers) who volunteer on slow evenings and over 25 during busy times there will be a K-9 officer on site with the K-9 For those who want to support the K-9 units but might not be a big fan of being frightened the haunted house offers a not-so-scary version "Me and my wife want to show the love of Halloween to the younger generation," he said this year they are using glow sticks for actors to know to dial back the scares "If you want to get a scare you will get a scare," he said Mariner Manor will be open for seven nights in October. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087803131747 2025 at 1:52 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to celebrate five standout athletes with ties to our community (Shutterstock)Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area Originally from Syracuse, New York, Tom Clark has built a lifelong career in bowling, from competing at Buffalo State University to becoming one of the sport’s most influential leaders. Now a resident of Muskego he has served as the Commissioner of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) expanding the PBA’s global reach and championing the sport’s growth competing nationally in college and later working as a journalist to improve media coverage of the sport Muskego native Andrija Novakovich has built an international soccer career playing as a forward for clubs across Europe he was named Wisconsin’s Gatorade Player of the Year after scoring 41 goals in high school before forgoing college to join English club Reading in 2014 He has since played in the Netherlands and Italy Kate Jochims has excelled in both track and cross country at Marquette University A multiple-time BIG EAST All-Academic selection she has consistently led her team in competitions Jochims was also a standout at Muskego High School helping her team win multiple state championships before continuing her success at the collegiate level Muskego’s Hunter Wohler has established himself as a rising star in football first leading Muskego High School to an undefeated streak and two state championships before becoming a standout safety for the Wisconsin Badgers Known for his hard-hitting play and leadership Wohler was named the 2021 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and has since become a team captain at Wisconsin leading all Big Ten defensive backs in tackles in 2023 Sara Jochims—sister of Kate Jochims—has also made a name for herself at the collegiate level competing in track and cross country for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee she has earned multiple top finishes in Horizon League Championships and has been a consistent contributor to her team’s success Jochims was part of multiple state championship-winning teams and a national qualifier in cross country This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.