MONROE - There were many magical sports moments in Green and Lafayette counties in 2014, from the gridiron to the track to the diamond and court.
Below is the first part of a two-part series on the top sports stories of the year. The list is just a snapshot of some of the most thrilling moments with the biggest impact, and the most meaningful local sports stories of the year.
The list continues in Wednesday's edition.
Monroe soccer on brink of state
The Monroe girls soccer team had a historic run in the WIAA Division 3 tournament last June. The Cheesemakers, who were the No. 5 seed, made it to the sectional championship game and were one win from reaching the program's first state tournament.
Monroe's improbable run ended with a 3-0 loss to Mount Horeb in the sectional title game.
Monroe stunned No. 1 seed Evansville, knocking off the No. 1 seeded Blue Devils 2-1 in a regional championship game. It marked the school's first regional title in soccer and the first sectional berth in girls or boys soccer. In the sectional semifinals, Monroe beat Delavan-Darien 2-0.
The Cheesemakers did all of their damage winning three straight road games. Monroe had two shutouts in the tournament and gave up just one goal in its first three tournament games before reaching the sectional final.
Maurer sweeps STATE Titles
Brodhead-Juda's Logan Maurer swept WIAA Division 2 state titles in the shot put and discus at the state track meet at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium June 6-7.
"All I can say is I can't believe any of it," Maurer said after winning gold. "I would have never dreamed I would pull this off. It's an amazing feeling."
Maurer won a state title in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet, 3 1⁄2 inches and a throw of 163 feet, 9 inches in the discus, which came on his final throw after he had the state title locked up. He entered the shot put as the fifth seed. After a delay of five hours, 30 minutes for lightning and rain, Maurer came back and turned in his best performance of the season.
"I don't know what I did," he said. "I just have to do it more often. I still can't believe it. I came in seeded fifth. After I won the discus, I learned seeds don't matter. I went into the shot a lot more confident and pulled it off."
Wellnitz repeats as 100 champ
Black Hawk senior Jen Wellnitz repeated as the WIAA Division 3 state champion in the 100-meter dash at the state track meet June 7.
She won the 100 state championship with a time in the 100 of 12.54 seconds. Before winning her second-straight state title in the 100, Wellnitz had to overcome a lightning and rain delay. She used the time to practice her shot playing basketball to pass the time.
Wellnitz, who was a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay basketball recruit, finished second place in the long jump.
Argyle softball one hit from state
The Argyle softball team came one clutch hit away from reaching the program's first state tournament. Argyle lost a thrilling Division 4 sectional championship game 2-1 to eighth-ranked Ithaca June 5.
Down 2-0, Argyle responded early in the fourth. After starting the inning with a double, Orioles junior Hannah Saalsaa turned on the wheels after an errant throw to third to score her team's first run.
Hoping to continue off of the momentum, Argyle struggled to find an answer to Ithaca pitcher Jordan Cockcroft. Not until the seventh inning did the Orioles come close, where senior Jessica Treuthardt's swing-of-the-bat flyball fell just short of an Argyle comeback. Cockcroft struck out 10.
Kari Fischer finished 2-for-3 at the plate for Argyle (20-7). Treuthardt wrapped up her high school career with six solid innings on the mound, allowing only three hits, two runs and zero walks, while striking out five batters.
It's the first time Argyle has made a sectional final run since 1998 when Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert was a junior softball player.
Argyle played Monticello for the third time in the regional championship game and the third time was a charm, as the Orioles stunned top-seeded Monticello, winning the regional final 3-1.
Hammer swims to state in free, breast
New Glarus freshman Maddie Hammer wrapped up a stellar first season swimming to two 11th-place finishes at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the University of Wisconsin's Natatorium Nov. 14.
Hammer helped the Cheesemakers return to state in the inaugural season of the Monroe-New Glarus girls swimming co-op.
Hammer finished 11th place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 54.68 seconds, which was just 0.11 seconds off of her season-best time this year. She was the only freshman to qualify for state in the 100 freestyle. She finished 11th place in the 100 breaststroke (1 minute, 8.70 seconds), which was just 0.28 seconds off her fastest time.
Below is the first part of a two-part series on the top sports stories of the year. The list is just a snapshot of some of the most thrilling moments with the biggest impact, and the most meaningful local sports stories of the year.
The list continues in Wednesday's edition.
Monroe soccer on brink of state
The Monroe girls soccer team had a historic run in the WIAA Division 3 tournament last June. The Cheesemakers, who were the No. 5 seed, made it to the sectional championship game and were one win from reaching the program's first state tournament.
Monroe's improbable run ended with a 3-0 loss to Mount Horeb in the sectional title game.
Monroe stunned No. 1 seed Evansville, knocking off the No. 1 seeded Blue Devils 2-1 in a regional championship game. It marked the school's first regional title in soccer and the first sectional berth in girls or boys soccer. In the sectional semifinals, Monroe beat Delavan-Darien 2-0.
The Cheesemakers did all of their damage winning three straight road games. Monroe had two shutouts in the tournament and gave up just one goal in its first three tournament games before reaching the sectional final.
Maurer sweeps STATE Titles
Brodhead-Juda's Logan Maurer swept WIAA Division 2 state titles in the shot put and discus at the state track meet at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium June 6-7.
"All I can say is I can't believe any of it," Maurer said after winning gold. "I would have never dreamed I would pull this off. It's an amazing feeling."
Maurer won a state title in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet, 3 1⁄2 inches and a throw of 163 feet, 9 inches in the discus, which came on his final throw after he had the state title locked up. He entered the shot put as the fifth seed. After a delay of five hours, 30 minutes for lightning and rain, Maurer came back and turned in his best performance of the season.
"I don't know what I did," he said. "I just have to do it more often. I still can't believe it. I came in seeded fifth. After I won the discus, I learned seeds don't matter. I went into the shot a lot more confident and pulled it off."
Wellnitz repeats as 100 champ
Black Hawk senior Jen Wellnitz repeated as the WIAA Division 3 state champion in the 100-meter dash at the state track meet June 7.
She won the 100 state championship with a time in the 100 of 12.54 seconds. Before winning her second-straight state title in the 100, Wellnitz had to overcome a lightning and rain delay. She used the time to practice her shot playing basketball to pass the time.
Wellnitz, who was a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay basketball recruit, finished second place in the long jump.
Argyle softball one hit from state
The Argyle softball team came one clutch hit away from reaching the program's first state tournament. Argyle lost a thrilling Division 4 sectional championship game 2-1 to eighth-ranked Ithaca June 5.
Down 2-0, Argyle responded early in the fourth. After starting the inning with a double, Orioles junior Hannah Saalsaa turned on the wheels after an errant throw to third to score her team's first run.
Hoping to continue off of the momentum, Argyle struggled to find an answer to Ithaca pitcher Jordan Cockcroft. Not until the seventh inning did the Orioles come close, where senior Jessica Treuthardt's swing-of-the-bat flyball fell just short of an Argyle comeback. Cockcroft struck out 10.
Kari Fischer finished 2-for-3 at the plate for Argyle (20-7). Treuthardt wrapped up her high school career with six solid innings on the mound, allowing only three hits, two runs and zero walks, while striking out five batters.
It's the first time Argyle has made a sectional final run since 1998 when Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert was a junior softball player.
Argyle played Monticello for the third time in the regional championship game and the third time was a charm, as the Orioles stunned top-seeded Monticello, winning the regional final 3-1.
Hammer swims to state in free, breast
New Glarus freshman Maddie Hammer wrapped up a stellar first season swimming to two 11th-place finishes at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the University of Wisconsin's Natatorium Nov. 14.
Hammer helped the Cheesemakers return to state in the inaugural season of the Monroe-New Glarus girls swimming co-op.
Hammer finished 11th place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 54.68 seconds, which was just 0.11 seconds off of her season-best time this year. She was the only freshman to qualify for state in the 100 freestyle. She finished 11th place in the 100 breaststroke (1 minute, 8.70 seconds), which was just 0.28 seconds off her fastest time.
