Pewaukee's varsity girls basketball team clinched the outright championship Wednesday night in the Woodland Conference Blue Division by whipping visiting Brown Deer in the final game of the regular season , 60-32.

PHS finished with a 16-2 league record and an 18-4 mark overall. The championship was the third straight for the Pirates and fourth in the last five years.

Pewaukee led from start to finish, taking a commanding 32-15 lead at halftime.

Senior Brittany Groer fired in 14 points to lead the Pirates. Emily Wirth added 13 points to that total and Jordyn Swan had 9. Megan Murray scored 6 points off the bench.

Mukwonago High School’s Starstruck Show Choir will be experiencing the majestic beauty of the State Capitol Rotunda as they fill it with music during their free performance as part of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) Capitol Concerts program on March 5.

The choir, under the direction of Charlotte Kolby, will perform in the State Capitol Rotunda from 12 to 1 p.m.. The concert is free and open to the public.

Capitol Concerts are a series of student performances coordinated by the WMEA in celebration of Music In Our Schools Month, a time when the importance of music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. School music groups from around the state are chosen to participate in the annual WMEA program, according to a news release from WMEA. 

“These concerts bring together two of Wisconsin’s great treasures – the State Capitol and our talented young citizens,” said Kevin Thays, WMEA director of communications. “The concerts share the accomplishments of school music groups and emphasize the very important place of music in our schools and communities.” 

For more information on WMEA and a complete schedule, go to www.wmeamusic.org. To learn more about Music In Our Schools Month, visit www.nafme.org. 

 Pewaukee High School senior forward Jordyn Swan became the all-time leading scorer in school history Wednesday night by making a layup three minutes into the third quarter. When she added a free throw on the same play, Swan's total of points moved to 1,152, two better than former record holder Amy Steffens, who graduated in 2004.

Swan is a four-year varsity player and will play at the University of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville next year. She has averaged 12.3 points per game for her four-year varsity career. This year the 6-foot senior is scoring 17 points per game.

According to an e-mail received by Lake Country Publications, organizers have established a fund to help the family of Joey Kramer offset the cost of his funeral expenses.

The 11-year-old was killed after being struck by a train in Wauwatosa on Monday.

Joey was a sixth grade student at Longfellow Elementary School in Wauwatosa. He attended kindergarten through fifth grade in the Pewaukee School District.

All contributions can be made to the "Joey Fund" c/o M&I Bank, 7635 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213.

Read more about this story in our earlier coverage here.

A memorial fund established in honor of J.T. Hilligoss is available at any Landmark Credit Union.

Friends of the family created The "J.T. Hilligoss Fund" at the Hartland Landmark Credit Union, but donors can give monetary gifts at any Landmark Credit Union location.

The family has asked for donations in lieu of flowers because of a lung condition affecting J.T.'s father.

Hilligoss was found dead in his bedroom at his parent's Village of Hartland home early Monday morning.

Read our earlier coverage of this story here.

Playing before a spirited crowd in a hotly-contested battle, Sussex Hamilton's girls basketball team secured the first conference title in school history with a 59-54 win over Divine Savior Holy Angels in overtime.

Both teams came into the season-closing battle tied for first place in the GMC with two losses, and when the Chargers played a near-flawless second quarter to take a 33-22 lead at halftime, it looked like Hamilton had it in the bag. But Arike Ogunubawale (26 points) caught fire and scored 10 straight Dashers points, helping her team take a brief lead before the Chargers bounced back and went up 48-41 with 4:27 to go in the game.

DSHA's Bea Thorson hit a pair of 3-pointers off the ench in the fourth quarter, and two shots in the paint on the final possession wouldn't fall for Hamilton with the score tied at 50-50.

Ogunbuwale gave her team a 54-52 lead early in the overtime, but Mackenzie Latt hit 6 of 8 free throws and scored eight of her 31 points in the extra session. Her two makes with 12.7 seconds left essentially sealed the outcome.

Jenny Shernell added 11 points for the Chargers, who finished the year 17-5 and 12-2 in conference.

 Arrowhead's varsity girls basketball team defeated visiting Kettle Moraine Thursday night in the final Classic 8 Conference game of the season, 38-26.

The win moved the Arrowhead record to 13-1 in league play, tying them with Milwaukee Pius for the league championship. It was their first title since 2008. The Warhawks are 19-3 on the season.

KM fell to 8-14 overall and 6-8 in conference games.

Arrowhead led from start to finish, taking leads of 9-4 after the first quarter and 20-12 at halftime.

Jenny Smith led the Warhawks with 12 points and Kyle Davis had 8.

Linley Achtenhagen paced the Lasers with 8 points and  Chloe Tompkins had 7.

 Four Lake Country area high school boys basketball teams will play WIAA regional second round games Friday night.

Arrowhead will host Waukesha North at 7 p.m. in a Division 1 game.

Wisconsin Lutheran will play a Division 2 game against host Pewaukee at 7 p.m.

St. John's Northwestern Military Academy will play a Division 3 game at Omro at 7 p .m.

Lake Country Lutheran will play a Division 5 game at Racine Lutheran at 7 p.m.

All after-school and evening activities in the Kettle Moraine School District have been cancelled tonight due to forecasts for snow from the National Weather Service, according to a notice on the District website. 

City of Delafield – A coach of a fifth grade boy’s basketball team and a fan were removed from the Lake Country School gym Thursday evening after creating a disturbance and inciting the crowd, according to a police log.

Police were called to the school at about 5:33 p.m. for unruly subjects at the school during a basketball tournament. Police spoke with school Superintendent Mark Lichte who told police that a coach and a parent had been removed from the gymnasium for unsportsmanlike behavior.

The coach and parent were still on school premises though they had been asked to leave. Lichte told police that the two had been involved in a "heated verbal argument" just before the officers arrived, the police log said.

Hartland police also arrived to assist in keeping other people from becoming unruly, the log said.

The parent would not identify himself to Lichte and he did leave the school, the log said. The coach’s name was could not be learned as of this posting.

Lichte did not wish to pursue any charges though he did request a police presence to keep the crowd calm, the log said. Police left the school at about 6 p.m. Lichte could not be reached for comment at the time of this posting.

Waukesha County Sheriff's Department is investigating graffiti spray painted at Kettle Moraine High School after bomb threat, lock down and evacuation rumors spread and calls started flooding the Sheriff's Department, according to Sheriff's Department spokesperson Det. Steve Pederson.

Obscene graffiti was spray painted on the north exterior wall of the high school Thursday evening around 10:15 or 10:20 p.m., Pederson said. Students saw the graffiti as they arrived at school this morning and Pederson believes social media escalated the situation as incorrect information went out to parents and media. Phones at the Sheriff's Department went crazy around 8:30 a.m. this morning, Pederson reported, as calls regarding the incident came flooding in.

The writing did have the word "kill" or "die" in it, Pederson said, but no specific group was targeted.

"Over the years this type of stuff gets spray painted on schools," said Pederson.

KMHS Principal Jeff Walters reported that the high school would remain open for the remainder of the day, but parents could pick up their children if they wanted.

"The safety and security of our students and staff is the priority in all circumstances," Walters said in a press conference Friday morning. "The district respects the parent's choice to remove their student for the remainder of the day."

The Sheriff's Department continues its investigation of criminal damage to property, Pederson reported.

Then plan a trip!

If you're looking to take a vacation, consider a group trip with the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha Continuing Education program.  Their world travel fair will provide you with all the details.

See more in this week's Living Lake Country Sunday.

 Many of the roads in the Lake Country are quickly becoming snow-covered and slick has heavy, wet snow began to fall around 2:30 p.m.

On Highway 16 near Hartland, traffic was moving around 40 miles per hour. Snow was starting to stick in the passing lanes both east and westbound.

In Hartland, Capitol Drive was becoming snow-covered as were most side streets.

The Kettle Moraine Glacier girls hockey team, a co-op that features skaters from Kettle Moraine, Mukwonago, Waukesha schools and others, dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker in quadruple overtime at the WIAA girls state hockey tournament in Madison on Friday.

The third-year program, appearing in its first state tournament, rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period to force the extra session. Morgan Hollowell scored a pair of unassisted goals to knot the score, with the last coming with 5:45 left to play.

Jeralyse Tylke of KM also scored in the final period, and Jessica Foley scored in the second to give the Glacier a 1-0 lead, but Onalaska answered 25 seconds later to tie the score. KM never led again.

Jenna Bales made 50 saves, including 13 in a blitz of a second overtime, and finished one shy of the state tournament record. Theresa Knutson, the state's leading scorer, put in the game-winner in the fourth OT with 2:17 left on the clock.

 Pewaukee's varsity boys basketball team lost to visiting Wisconsin Lutheran Friday night in a WIAA Division 2 tournament game, 76-59.

PHS finished the season with a 17-6 record.

John Czerwinski had 19 points for the Pirates. Jordy Edgerson had 11 points,

 Host Arrowhead's boys basketball team defeated Waukesha North Friday night in a WIAA regional game, 61-37.

Kenny Finco fired in 23 points for the Warhawks. Ryan Saeger added 13 points for Arrowhead.

Jake Ricciardi had 13 points for North.

Wisconsin Rapids was missing two state finalists from its lineup but still had enough firepower to overcome Arrowhead in the WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinals Friday night in Madison, 35-22.

Undefeated state champion Devin Peterson was not available after being ordered to begin a jail sentence for disordlery conduct, and state runner-up Ryan Cone was also absent from the lineup.

But early wins at 182 and 195 -- the two positions occupied by Cone and Peterson at the state meet -- set the tone for Rapids, with state finalist Zak Benitz bumping up in the former and reserve Jake Hansen winning in the latter over state qualifier Zak Ryder. Arrowhead wins came from Dylan Lautner, Blake Weber, Andrew Crone, Cory Cinelli, Adam Yde and Mitch Berenz, with Crone registering the lone pin and Yde winning a 2-0 battle with state finalist Keegan Einerson.

Rapids will face Wausau West in tomorrow's semifinals.

The Sussex Hamilton boys basketball team recorded one of the bigger upsets in the WIAA Division 1 tournament Friday night with a win over second-seeded Homestead, 57-52.

The Highlanders (18-5) led for most of the game, but the seventh-seeded Chargers (12-11) caught fire in the fourth quarter to advance and meet Arrowhead on Saturday in the regional final. Read the full story here.

The Mukwonago boys basketball team (17-6) , boasting the top seed in its regional, had a fairly easy time in dispatching Muskego.

Oconomowoc's boys team traveled to Sun Prairie and fell to the state-ranked Cardinals, 51-33. OHS finished the year 10-13.

 Arrowhead's varsity boys basketball team, winners of their last seven games, will host Sussex Hamilton Saturday at 7p.m. in a WIAA regional championship game. The winner will move on to next week's sectional.

AHS defeated Waukesha North, 61-37, Friday night to advance and Hamilton upset Homestead, 57-52. Homestead was the No. 2 seed and Hamilton was seeded seventh. Arrowhead is the No. 3 seed.

 Arrowhead's two all-state boys cross country runners, seniors Russ Sandvold and Kyle Lewin, have made made college committments.

Sandvold will run at the University of Wisconsin and Lewin will run at Columbia University.

The two helped the Warhawks win back-to-back state championships in 2010 and 2011.

Sandvold also won the state 1,600-meter championship last year in track.

Wisconsin won the NCAA national cross country championship last year and Columbia of the Ivy League finished in 27th place.

 Visiting Sussex Hamilton, seeded seventh in the sectional, upset No. 3 seeded Arrowhead Saturday night  in a WIAA Division 1 boys basketball regional championship game at Arrowhead, 65-63.

Jake Knueppel made a layup with two-tenths of a second remaining in the game to give the Chargers the wild, come-from-behind victory.

Hamilton trailed 63-60 with less than 10 seconds to go when red-hot sophomore Brady Ellingson made a 25-foot, 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left.  AHS then turned the ball over with 3.0 seconds to play and Hamilton then won the game when they perfectly executed a three-pass inbounds play that resulted in Knueppel scoring at the buzzer.

Ellingson fired in 33 points for the Chargers, scoring 22 of those in the second half. Nick Patterson had 9 points for the winners.

AHS senior Ryan Saeger led the Warhawks with 24 points. Sophomore center Billy Hirschfeld added 15 points and 11 rebounds for AHS.

The Department of Natural Resources website, dnr.wi.gov, has been redesigned to make it easier to find information, to buy licenses online or to access permit applications, according to a news release from the DNR. In addition to a cleaner design and improved search functions, the new website highlights outdoor activities for all seasons, department news and provides links to its social media sites. Visitors also will see a feedback link in the footer to provide comments. 

A man and woman have been arrested in connection with threatening graffiti found last week on the outside of Kettle Moraine High School. Acording to a statement released by the Sheriff’s Department Monday, dectectives Sunday arrested a 19-year-old Watertown man male and a 19-year-old Summit woman in connection with the graffiti spray painting incident, which occurred at KMHS Friday. The two were also involved with similar spray painting acts that occurred in a surrounding community.

Both were taken into custody, booked, and released.

"The investigation has determined that the incident was a vandalism matter. While the language painted on the outside school wall was vulgar, there was no threat of violence intended by the suspects to any student or staff member of Kettle Moraine High School," the statement said.

The Sheriff’s Department will be recommending the Waukesha County District Attorney’s office charge the man and woman with criminal damage to property and possible other charges, the statement said.

 Preliminary reports are coming in that a plane has crashed near I-43 between Mukwonago and Vernon near where the Fox and Mukwonago Rivers intersect.

No further information is available at this time but will be posted as it becomes available. 

 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) is reporting that the right lane of I-43 southbound is closed due to a plane that has landed in the water near where the Fox and Mukwonago Rivers intersect. 

Information is slow to come in but check back for further updates.

A 59-year old man from Racine flying a small plane made an emergency landing in the Mukwonago River north of the Fox River after experiencing engine problems at about 2:20 pm today.

A Village of Mukwonago police officer saw the low-flying plane and noticed the prop on the plane was not turning, according to Police Chief Kevin Schmidt. The pilot landed the plane in the Mukwonago River, approximately 400 feet off of I-43.  The pilot told police he had mechanical problems and because of traffic on the freeway, choose to land in the river.  

Mukwonago Fire Chief Jeff Stien reported that the pilot was flying to Burlington airport when he experienced the engine trouble. After restarting the engine several times, the pilot decided to put the plane down in the river. He was able to get out of the plane, however he received cuts and bruises from the crash. The pilot was treated at the scene, but refused to be transported to a hospital. 

Firefighters turned off the fuel lines on the plane and put out haz mat containment booms for fuel and oil leaks. 

Police are assisting the FAA and DNR with the investigation, Schmidt said.

CITY OF DELAFIELD - City officials may express formal opposition to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's plans to expand and widen the Hwys. 83 and 16 interchange at the northeastern border of the city and the northwestern border of the Village of Hartland, according to Mayor Ed McAleer..

McAleer said the $8 million plans to expand the interchange will require the state to expand portions of Highway 83 south of the interchange from two to four lanes. Expanding the highway to four lanes is contrary to the city's "Smart Growth" plan which is supposed to guide city officials in future development.

McAleer said the master land use plan calls for Highway 83 to remain two lanes from the interchange south to Mariner Drive near Naga-Waukee County Park. Some of the land in the city south and west of the interchange is zoned for agricultural use.

The Common Council was scheduled to discuss the interchange project at tonight's meeting. Earlier in the day, Ald. Beth Leonard asked city officials to delay the discussion for two weeks because she would not be able to attend tonight's meeting and wanted to participate in the discussions about the project

Mukwonago defeated Beloit Monday night to claim the regional title. Watch for complete coverage of the game in the March 7 Chief. 

The FAA is working this morning on removing the small plane that a Racine pilot landed in the Mukwonago River near I-43 after experiencing engine problems yesterday.

Waukesha – A former Town of Mukwonago man was sentenced Monday in Waukesha County Circuit Court for dealing heroin.

Alexander M. Wcislo, 31, now of Palmyra, was sentenced to five years probation.

According to the criminal complaint, Wcislo sold a City of Waukesha undercover officer $40 worth of heroin on Feb. 9 2010. The next day Wcislo was sentenced to six months in the work-release jail and three years probation on a felony charge of possession of a narcotic drug. As part of his probation, Wcislo was to attend alcohol and drug abuse treatment/counseling and not to use or possess alcohol or drugs without a prescription.

One week later the officer arranged to purchase $100 of heroin from Wcislo and on March 3, 2010, the officer purchased $200 worth of heroin, the complaint said. The officer asked Wcislo if would be interested in buying high grade marijuana and Wcislo said he used to be a "huge weed dealer" but that he cannot smoke marijuana because his probation agent tests him.

Wcislo also told the officer that he was "really discreet" and that "I’ll never get (expletive) caught," the complaint said.

 The Master Machine team, bowling in the Monday Three-Man league at Hartbrook Lanes in Hartland, bowled the second-highest individual scratch team game in the country this season  Monday night by firing an  847. The top score in the country is a 864 rolled in New York last October.

The trio of Scott Gessay (268), Scott Burns (300) and Jeff Mierow (279) combined for 32 strikes out of a possible 36. The three bowlers left just four 10-pins on the night.

The all-time high individual three-man game is an 897 rolled in 2006.

The Oscar Mayer wienermobile will be rolling into Mukwonago to share in some "bun" a week from today.

From 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. on March 13, visitors can take an upclose look at the wienermobile and enjoy a free hot dog fresh off the grill, courtesy of the Town of Mukwonago Police Department and Oscar Mayer. (weather permitting)

Throughout the afternoon, non-perishable foods and personal care items will be collected as donations to the Mukwonago Community Commission and the local Salvation Army, respectively.

Don't miss out on this chance to "ketchup" with the wienermoble and help make a difference for those in need.

Town of Delafield – The Plan Commission tonight tabled a proposal for a 16,000-square foot facility at Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary retreat center off Cherry Lane after about 60 residents attended a public hearing on the proposal.

Plans call for a new worship center and banquet facility. The commission will take up the matter next month.

 VILLAGE OF MERTON  - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has awarded the village a $300,000 grant to uncover and reroute Spring Creek near the east end of the downtown business district, according to village officials.

The creek enters the village north of the intersection of Main Street and Waukesha Avenue (Hwy.74) and flows west and south, underneath asphalt parking lots, and through a bridge and culvert on Main Street.

The culvert and the asphalt on the parking lot are crumbling but state water quality regulations will not permit the asphalt over the creek to be repaired.

Village officials want to uncover and reroute the creek as part of a downtown redevelopment plan and the DNR is willing to help pay for the project.

Village officials are considering two alternatives for rerouting the creek that might effect two commercial buildings on Main Street; the NAPA Auto Parts store and the building in which the M & M Restuarant is- located.

 Five candidates for the Kettle Moraine School Board fielded questions from residents during a candidate forum in the high school library tonight. Dealing with questions regarding the proposed elementary charter school, teacher compensation, and post retirement benefits, candidates presented their views and urged residents to vote. 

School Board member Colin Butler, School Board President Terri Philips, and newcomers Kathy Kapsy, Amy Lange and Bernie Ziebart vie for three seats on the board in the April election.

Presale for tickets for the Division 1 sectional semifinal boys basketball game Thursday between Sussex Hamilton and Germantown will take place at the respective high schools this week. The game will be played Thursday, March 8 with an 8:30 p.m. tip at Waukesha North High School.

A limited amount of tickets remain available. Tickets will not be sold at North the day of the game. Doors open at 8 p.m.

When you hear the words “wild game” you might think of a big Brewers or Packers victory.

But when you add the word “dinner” to it, you might think more of bucks.

In any case, they’ll be lots of winning recipes at the annual Wild Game Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, N59 W22476 Silver Spring Drive, Sussex.

Hunters and fisherman are invited to bring their favorite dish to share.

Proceeds from the event will be shared with Sussex Outreach Services.

For more information, call the church at (262) 246-6537.

The Packers Training Table Chef Nicholas Klug visits Park View Middle School tomorrow from 8:45 to 10 a.m. Klug's visit is a result of the school's winning "Fuel Up to Play 60" video recipe for a healthy breakfast recipe.

 A car fire had the right lane of northbound I-43 at Highway 83 closed for nearly a half hour as the Mukwonago Fire Department battled a car fire. 

The driver of the red Volkswagon Jetta pulled his car along the side of the road when they saw smoke coming from the engine area around 1:50 p.m. this afternoon. All passengers exited the vehicle before the car became fully engulfed in flames. 

No one was injured in the incident. 

The road was reopened around 2:25 p.m.

The Retzer Nature Center will host a free Organic Lawn Care Workshop SOS (Support our Soil) from 10 to 11 a.m. March 10 at the center, S14 W28167 Madison St., Genesee.

Learn about the latest trends and steps to a green and healthy lawn through organic practices that feed the soil without harming the environment. Call (262) 548-7801 to register by Friday.

*A community brief in last Sunday's Living Lake Country incorrectly listed the date as March 11. We apologize for the error.

 The Mukwonago Public Library, 300 Washinton Ave., will be hosting the event "Necessities for Brain Health and Wellness" from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13.

Judy Gunkle, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will present a fun and interactive program for anyone interested in brain health. Topics will include how memory works, age-related memory changes—what is normal and what is not—how to live a brain-healthy lifestyle, and ways to reduce your risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.

For more information stop by the front desk or call us at 363-6411.

 The Oconomowoc Area Foundation will be accepting applications for its 2012 grant cycle, which runs from March 19 through May 18. The foundation will distribute $165,000 to support local nonprofits and projects.

To be eligible, an organization must propose a project primarily serving residents of the Oconomowoc Area School District, including  Summit, Wales, Dousman, Ottawa or Nashotah.

A meeting will be held to review the application process March 30 at 8:30 a.m. at the YMCA at Pabst Farms, 1750 E. Valley Rd. in Oconomowoc. A discussion about strengths and weaknesses of proposals will also be covered. First-time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.

Lake Country Publications received word Thursday afternoon that another Arrowhead student passed away today.

Patrick Sievert, a senior at the high school, died in a skiing accident in Colorado, sources said.

Sievert, who celebrated his 18th birthday last month, was reportedly vacationing in Colorado with his family at the time of the accident. Details surrounding the accident were not immediately available.

The news left Arrowhead, which is still recovering from the death of another student just last week, in a state of shock. J.T. Hilligoss, an AHS junior, was found dead in his bedroom last Monday, and now, just 10 days later, students at the high school learned that another young life had been claimed.

Sievert was a member of the high school’s swim and soccer teams. He also played intramural volleyball.

The news spread through text messages and social media, before the school eventually announced the tragic news to students and staff. Parents were informed via an automated phone message that parent-teacher conferences scheduled for this evening would be cancelled. Instead, counselors will remain available to students and families at the North Campus library until 5 p.m. this evening.

“We have counselors available. We opened up the library and have kids in there, and we’re communicating out to our staff. Unfortunately we’re getting all to good at processing these things at this point,” Arrowhead Superintendent Craig Jefson lamented.

Students were scheduled to be off of school tomorrow for parent-teacher conferences, but the school is also making counselors available during the day tomorrow should students wish to talk.

Now the student body and faculty must find a way to come to grips with the loss of two of its own.

“The loss of a young person is always tragic, and now we’ve got a second one,” said Jefson when asked how a school goes about coping with so much grief in a short amount of time. “Probably our first emotion is we went out and talked with teachers. We wanted to talk to the teachers that had him in class or were closely connected to him like the coaching staff, or had relationships with him.”

He added, “It’s hard. It’s going to have a pretty significant impact – two special young men and Arrowhead students who are gone, and our students and staff and the Arrowhead community is going to reel from this. It’s just very very sad, very emotional.”

The superintendent said that the school will try to make itself available for students in the coming days.

“I think what you always want to do is make sure you have your staff available in place for kids to go and talk, to mourn, to ask questions. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more questions for those kids that were closely connected to J.T., this is going to resurrect that emotion. For anybody that’s lost anybody…now we’ve got a whole set of kids who may not have known J.T. but are connected to Patrick. So there’s a lot of emotion. We’ve got a couple of staff members that were very close to both of these kids that are very hurt and very emotional about what’s happened. It’s very draining. It’s just so sad.”

The school’s teachers and faculty have been there for students every step of the way during this trying period for the school, Jefson said.

“I don’t have children here (at Arrowhead), but if there was any place I would have wanted them, I would have wanted them at Arrowhead with our staff,” he said, recalling how staff responded with the news of J.T. Hilligoss’s death. “They responded just…they wrapped themselves around the kids. They gave of themselves. They went and met kids in their homes, had them in the offices, sat down with them and spent time.”

The superintendent expects the same this time around with Sievert’s passing.

“I know they’ll respond in the same fashion. They’re going to wrap themselves around these kids and support them. That’s what we’re here for. It’s going to be draining on our staff. There’s no doubt about it.
“But we’ll get through this. We’ll get back to…I’m sure there will be a lot of crying and a lot of sorrow. We’ll do that, and then we’ll get back to trying to create as much normalcy for these kids if we can by being available if these kids need someone.”
 

Village of Pewaukee – Village planners Thursday agreed to recommend the Village Board to rezone a parcel on East Wisconsin Avenue to institutional, which will open the door allowing an assisted living facility.

Lori Paprocki, of Healthspan Inc., is proposing to build a 20-bed facility at 559 East Wisconsin Ave. Village officials have called the building, which used to be a former bait shop, "dilapidated" and an "eyesore."

 Village of  Dousman - Three key issues will apparently have to be resolved before the communities of Dousman,Summit and Ottawa can agree on the proposed consolidation of the Dousman Fire District.

Elected officials representing communities agreed during a more than three hour meeting Thursday night  that a key component of a suggested formula for determining how much each municipality would contribute to the proposed department's operation will have to be revised.

There is also uncertainity over how much fire equipment the Village of Summit is willing to either donate or sell to the newly created fire department. The villages of Summit and Oconomowoc Lake share in the ownership of the fire equipment that might be available to the Dousman department after the Summit Fire District is dissolved.

The municipalities also have not reached a final agreement on how they each will repay a bond issued by the Town of Ottawa on behalf of the fire district to rennovate the Dousman Fire Station.

If those issues are resolved, the municipalities will then have to settle their differences over what should be the name of the newly created district.

Fire Chief Steve Totzke said he remains optimistic that the consolidation agreement can be ratified by the three communities in April and the district will be expanded to serve all of the villages of Dousman and Summit and most of Ottawa by Jan. 1, 2013.

The Mukwonago boys basketball team will play in the sectional final for the first time in more than 15 years, meeting perennial state powerhouse Madison Memorial at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Kettle Moraine.

The Indians topped Burlington on Thursday.

 Mike Gnewuch, 35, a Social Studies teacher and defensive cooridnator for the Arrowhead varsity football team, has been named the new varsity head football coach at Fond du Lac High School. Gnewuch took the Fond du Lac job Thursday night.

Gnewuch, who has been coaching in the highly successful football program at Arrowhead for the last 9 years, will finish out the year at AHS, both teaching and coaching in the track program, before moving to Fond du Lac in early June.

"I'm really looking forward to being the head coach at Fond du Lac," Gnewuch said. "The administration team there is outstanding. My years at Arrowhead couldn't have been better. It was a tough decision to leave. I'm grateful for the opportunioty that Arrowhead gave me years ago."

Gnewuch was a varsity assistant coach for eight years under Tom Taraska and one year under Greg Malling.

Authorities in Colorado released details of the skiing accident that claimed the life of 18-year-old Patrick Sievert.

The Arrowhead senior had arrived in Colorado four days before Thursday's accident. Sievert was skiing on an intermediate trail with his family at Copper Mountain in Summit County, Colorado when for unknown reasons he veered off the trail and into a valve shed used for snowmaking. Authorities reported that the victim was wearing a helmet.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Copper Mountain Ski Patrol personnel responded to the scene, but their efforts to save Sievert proved unsuccessful.

The Summit County coroner determined that his death was due to skull fractures sustained in the accident.

 Lake Country area  basketball fans will have the opportunity to see a pair of WIAA boys tournament sectional championship games on Saturday afternoon.

At 1 p.m. at Oconomowoc High School, the Division 5 title game will feature Randolph against Racine Lutheran. The winner moves to the state meet.

At 3 p.m. at Arrowhead, the Warhawks will host a Division 3 sectional final as Marshall and Racine St. Catherine's will play for the state spot.

Should the Arrowhead girls defeat Germantown Friday night at home in a regional game, AHS will also host the girls  regional championship game Saturday at 7 p.m. Arrowhead would play either Hartford or Menomonee Falls in that game.

Hamilton's varsity girls basketball team lost twice in 10 days against Waukesha West. This time, it was more disheartining for the home team, as the sixth-seeded Wolverines advanced to the WIAA regional final with a 39-27 upset victory in the second round of the WIAA Division 1 playoffs.

The third-seeded Chargers (17-6) got 13 points from sophomore forward Mackenzie Latt. Waukesha West was led by junior Michelle Farrow  matched Latt's offensive output with 13 points.

At the half the Chargers, held to one shot each trip down the floor most of the night, trailed the Wolverines, 19-12.

"What can  you say about this?" Hamilton coach Dan Carey said. "Give Waukesha West all the credit for coming in with a great game plan. They really played outstanding defense and shut us down. It stings now but it doesn't take anything away from what this team's accomplished this year."

The Chargers, who won the Greater Metro Conference, got to the free throw line only six times, converting three by Latt.

"We limited their opportunities and were able to knock down enough shots down the stretch," West first-year coach Kyle Moore said. "I can't tell you how proud I am of this group. They really pulled together tonight. The last time we played this team it was the same kind of game and we came out  on top. I think that gave us some added confidence tonight."

West (10-13) will meet Nicolet (20-3) in the Saturday regional final.

 The highly ranked Pewaukee varsity girls basketball team suffered a stunning loss Friday night as visiting Waukesha Catholic Memorial rallied in the fourth quarter to stop the Pirates, 56-48. CMH outscored Pewaukee by a 26-16 margin in the final period to pull out the shocking victory.

Jordyn Swan had 18 points and Emily Wirth 17 for the Pirates.

Allison Mueller led the Crusaders with 17 points.

Pewaukee finished with an 18-5 record.