The ride is over, but the memories live on. Despite an 8-1 defeat in Wednesday's WIAA Division 1 state semifinal tilt against top-seeded De Pere, the Westosha Central Falcons baseball team has no reason to hold their heads low in shame or disgust. Sure, it's always tough when a season ends, especially losing in lopsided fashion.
Central was held to three hits - one each from Bryce Backus, Max Nottingham and Charlie Dietz - and the one run came on Nottingham's RBI single to score Dietz in the top of the second, which cut the De Pere lead to 2-1. But De Pere erupted for two runs in the fourth and four in the sixth to make it a blowout, and Axel Donaldson and Devin Weber struck out seven Falcons. "We didn't play as clean as we needed to and they took advantage," Central head coach Jacob Morman said.
"Give De Pere credit they are a really good team. Very good up and down the lineup, and they took advantage of our miscues. We had some opportunities to get back into the game and just couldn't get the big hit.
Obviously disappointed in today's result but honestly just reflecting on an incredible season." You would have to go back all the way to 2002 to find the last time the Falcons won the Southern Lakes Conference. That year they won it all, capturing the WIAA Division 2 state championship.
This year, despite formidable challenges from Union Grove and Lake Geneva Badger in both the regular season and the postseason, Central broke through and lost only two conference games. Monday'.