Let's go to the replay: 2012

Posted: Jan. 2, 2013

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Scott Ash

Oconomowoc freshman Marlie Houston cruises to an easy win at the Nature Hill Challenge cross country event in Oconomowoc on Thursday, August 30, 2012. Houston finished with a time of 16:02.39.

Scott Ash

Oconomowoc freshman Marlie Houston cruises to an easy win at the Nature Hill Challenge cross country event in Oconomowoc on Thursday, August 30, 2012. Houston finished with a time of 16:02.39.

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Here are some sports stories that made headlines in Oconomowoc in 2012:

Fox Cities Foray

The Oconomowoc baseball team enjoyed a Cinderella run to the state tournament for the first time since 2001, then took a 4-0 lead on Stevens Point in the state quarterfinal at Time Warner Cable Field in Appleton before falling, 6-4.

The Raccoons scored a 3-2 victory over Madison LaFollette in the sectional final, getting all three runs in the first inning and a clutch inning of relief from Josh Hottinger. The Raccoons scored three runs in the top of the seventh to defeat Janesville Craig in the semifinal earlier that day, 4-1.

Fresh legs

Oconomowoc freshman Marlie Houston became a tour de force during the fall season, winning meet after meet and ultimately taking 11th place at the WIAA Division 1 state meet in Wisconsin Rapids.

Houston's time of 14:44 was the fastest-ever for a Raccoons runner and was 34 seconds behind the state champ. Junior Riley Frieler laso made the state meet for a second straight year, finishing 24th.

Houston also won the Wisconsin Little Ten meet.

Back to the playoffs

The Oconomowoc football team returned to solid footing and made the playoffs for the first time in three years, falling to deeply talented Verona in the first round, 23-13.

The Raccoons finished 6-3 on the year, including a narrow 19-16 loss to Watertown, a team that reached Level 3 of the playoffs. Zach Poker was outstanding at the tight end position, catching 50 passes for 753 yards and eight touchdowns.

Oh so close

With OHS newly attached to the co-op, the KettleMoraine/Mukwonago/Oconomowoc boys hockey team came achingly close to its first state berth since 2007, taking a 2-1 lead on Marquette in the sectional final with 10:22 to play. But in a span of 92 seconds, Marquette scored the tying and go-ahead goal, ending the Lasers season at 22-4-1 - the second best mark in program history.

The co-op did win the Classic 8 Conference title and has a strong crew of returnees this season. Now-graduated Michael Del Vecchio of OHS was one of the team's top scorers in 2011-12.

Best shot

Then-junior Zach Poker took third place in the WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet in the shot put, and fellow junior Shawn Michels added fourth place in the 110-meter hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles.

The boys track team won the Wisconsin Little Ten title and sent a record five entries to the state meet.

Two step

Seniors Noah Brown and Joe Zack made sure the boys cross country team had a memorable finish to the season as well. Both qualified for the state CC meet.

Zack placed 49th in his first state meet, finishing in 16:35. Brown ran 16:08 and took 19th in his third appearance at Ridges Golf Course.

Logging in on the net

The ever-improving Oconomowoc tennis program took steps forward in the 2012, notably on the boys side as the Raccoons won the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference title.

Doubles team Alex Adler and Doug Wegner reached the second round at the WIAA Division 1 state tournament in Madison.

On the girls side, Jaclyn Swift and Lindsay Holsen became the first state qualifier from OHS in six years, earning special qualifier status.

Getting with the program

As Oconomowoc High School moved closer to its master-plan vision with the Athletic Fields Forever project to upgrade its facilities, the school was awarded the Wisconsin Little Ten All-Sports Award for the 2011-12 season.

During the year, OHS procured three WLT championships and a number of state qualifications for individuals in cross country, track, tennis and swimming.

Senior moment

The 4x800-meter girls relay, buoyed by at trio of seniors who have been integral to the school's widespread success in distance events over the past few years, took fourth place at the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

The team of Hannah Heidvogel, Mandy Prom and Carly Hall (all seniors), and junior Olivia Radtke ran 9:25.51 for fourth place.

Elsewhere for the girls team at the state meet, Melanie Watson continued to be a pioneer in the wheelchair division, winning state titles in two events.

Titanic achievement

Though the year loss with a stunning 6-4 setback against Rome in the Land O'Lakes Southwest Division playoffs, the Oconomowoc Titans enjoyed a huge year in just their second season of existence.

Going 14-5 for the year and employing the work of several former baseball stars at Oconomowoc High School, the Titans took the top seed into the playoffs of their division after clinching the regular-season championship.

The Oconomowoc Five O's made the playoffs once again in the Western Division before falling on a walkoff home run to West Bend in the 12th inning of the playoff opener.