For those local soccer fans out there, this year's Greater Metro Conference soccer race could be fun.

In a battle of perhaps the state's top two teams last Saturday, Marquette handed Brookfield East a convincing 4-1 loss in the title game of the prestigious Al Gusho Tournament.

Then last night in regular-season GMC action this happened.

Nick Cianciola scored with 54 minutes on the clock to give Brookfield Central a thrilling 2-1 win over the Hilltoppers at Quad Park. That improved BC's record to 3-0 overall, 2-0 in GMC play, while MUHS fell to 1-1 in league play, 5-1overall.

But then in the real shocker of the night, coach Eric Dale's Wauwatosa East team tied Brookfield East, 1-1.  The tie dropped the Spartans to 1-0-1 in the GMC and 5-1-1 overall. The Red Raiders are 4-3-1 overall and  0-1-1 in the GMC.

Marquette (1-1) can't afford another loss, the tie could hurt or help the Spartans depending on what they do against BC (2-0) and the Hilltoppers.

Wow!  And we're just getting started.

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Look for Central and East's cross country teams - boys and girls - to have good seasons once again. The Lancers boys and girls were ranked third in Dan Murphy's JS Poll, East's girls were fifth and the boys were 10th.

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With school starting, all the athletic teams will get going in the next 10 days.

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We have started a new column in the Brookfield and Wauwatosa NOW newspapers called "AWAY FROM THE LIMELIGHT."  It covers people involved in the local high schools in athletics who do a great job behind the scenes.  I need ideas, so feel me to email me at tskibosh@cninow.com with your suggestions and why I should do a story on these people. I will need contact numbers also.

Thanks

Be a hit and have a ball

It's not often you see the scoreboard operator score the winning run in a baseball game. But it happened when the Brookfield Bulldogs rallied to beat Oconomowoc in the Land O' Lakes Western Division playoffs on Sunday at McCoy Field.

The Bulldogs were trailing by a run in the bottom of the 11th inning and SP Josh Eidt was running the scoreboard since he had left the game a few innings before. With veteran DH Ernest Castro slated to bat second in the inning, Manager Jason Booth passed the word to Eidt to get out of his flip-flops and into his spikes because he might pinch run for Castro if he gets on base.

Scott Booth opened the inning and was safe on an error. Castro, even at 44 years old one of the league's most feared hitters, then ripped a double to left-center and scored Scott Booth with the tying run. Eidt then ran for Castro.

Mike Jacobs then dropped a bunt down the third base line and when the third baseman threw the ball away trying to get the speedy Jacobs at first, Eidt scored all the way from second with the winning run.

###

As a result of the win, the Bulldogs host top-seeded West Bend on Saturday at 1 p.m. at McCoy Field. Since the 7-UP won the regular season title, this is a double-elimination tourney for them, while everyone else can lose once and go home.

That means the Bulldogs need to win at home Saturday and force a winner-take-all game at West Bend on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Unfortunately, since this isn't big league baseball, Brookfield will be short-handed against West Bend. Catcher Brandon Reddinger, a former minor-leaguer, will be in Seattle for the weekend. So Jacobs will move behind the plate and catch Eidt. This is a former Brookfield Central battery. With Josh Lemke taking Jacobs place at third.

###

Brookfield East beat last year's state champs Muskego, 2-1, on Tuesday, to open the season. Brookfield Central opens against state runner-up Madison Memorial on Friday at 7 p.m. at home. The only way to measure yourself is against the best in the state and coaches Herbie Dundun of East and Jon Mroz of Central show that with their scheduling.

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Golf, swimming and tennis are also up and running and Brook East (at Pulask), Brook Central (at Germantown), Wauwatosa West (at Burlington Catholic Central) and Wauwatosa East (Racine Horlick at Hart Park) will all don the pads in scrimmages on Friday.

###

Later

Sky

It's supposed to be my slow time, but someone forgot to tell me.

I've been busy with non-preps the past few weeks with the Brookfield Blue Sox and Bulldogs clinching playoff positions for this weekend's playoffs.

The second-seeded Bulldogs receive a bye and don't have to play Saturday and the fourth-seeded Sox play the fifth-seeded Sussex Cardinals at 1 p.m. The top-seeded West Bend Seven-Up host the lowest seeded winner of Saturday's games, while the Bulldogs host the higher of the two seeds. Brookfield's games are at beautiful McCoy Field.

The other Saturday first-round games have No. 6-seeded Pewaukee at No. 3-seeded Oconomowoc. If the seeds hold up - the Blue Sox will travel to West Bend and Oconomowoc will travel to play the Bulldogs.

***

Our prep football preview section is going to be in the Aug. 26 issue, so I've been traveling around talking to Tom Swittel of Brookfield East and Jamie Meulemans of Brookfield Central, both in their first year at their current schools, and Matt Good of Wauwatosa West, now in his third season. Tosa East coach coach Jake Wolter and I will meet up on Tuesday.

High school soccer, golf and tennis are all starting or have started already, so look for previews in the upcoming issues.

Be a hit and have a ball.

Sky

I am a sports talk-show junkie.  I listen to sports talk shows all day while I write sports for a living. I am a very lucky guy.

One of the things that bothers me is when sports talk hosts come off sounding rather stupid to be polite. Fans are different. They can be illogical because they are fans and can be emotional. The reason for this blog is the Corey Hart signing.

The Brewers signed Hart today and people were confused. Weren't they going to trade Corey Hart? Why sign him to a 3-year contract? This hurts them for the future? Why move Matt Gamel to the OF and Brett Lawrie to 3B and the OF then?

Let me try and answer some of these pretty simple questions.

Why sign him to a contract?

It takes two to tango folks and Hart has publicly been saying 'I WANT TO STAY HERE.' He is a solid player and a two-time All-Star. The contract not only fits the market, but the Brewers cut out one year of arbitration and two years of free agency. If a talented player WANTS to stay here, WANTS to make a deal and management WANTS to sign him, a deal is usually made.

This is a good example of the player being the agent's boss. Hart wanted a deal and told the agent, who has been tough to deal with in the past, go make a deal and it got done.  Learn from this. Scott Boras isn't running the show with Prince Fielder. Fielder has said Boras works for him. If a person WANTS to play here a deal will get done. WANTS is the key word.

Weren't the Brewers going to trade Corey Hart?

Sure and this deal will actually make trading him - if that is their plan - a lot easier. A team now knows they have Hart for three years at a reasonable cost if they trade for him. It helps increase his value, which helps the team getting him and ups the ante for what the Brewers can get in return.

What about 'The Plan' they just announced about moving Matt Gamel and Brett Lawrie from their current positions?

Gord Ash, assistant GM, talked about 3B Gamel moving to 1B and the OF and 2B Lawrie spending some time at 3B and the OF also. Focus on the new infield positions for both, not the OF as much.

Unless something happens - like Fielder realizing he can get by on $20 million dollars a year - the big guy is not going to be in the Brewers' future. He will take all the money he can get and rumble (running really doesn't describe what Fielder does) out of town.

If you've seen Gamel play 3B - and many pro scouts have - his favorite position is probably batter. He is being groomed to play 1B. As for Lawrie, if he can play 3B, then Casey McGehee might move to 1B. Maybe Hart will move to CF and Gamel or Lawrie can play RF. The point is the Brewers are experimenting in the minor leagues - where it should be done - and not in the major leagues, so don't get your undies in a bundle because this isn't happening tomorrow.

I love people who say where are all these guys - Gamel, Lawrie, McGehee, Hart going to play? If they are all good major league players - IF is the key word - then I would have to think of something former Brewer GM Harry Dalton once said.

Cecil Cooper was coming off the DL and his replacement was playing great. One of the writers asked Dalton how he was going to handle that 'problem.'

Dalton looked at the writer and said 'If I had no one to play 1B, then that would be a problem. What I have here is a situation.'

***

Be a hit and have a ball.

The torrential rainstorms that disrupted the area like a high inside fastball last week did all they could to strike out the the WIAA playoff games last weekend.

I covered the first game of the Germantown sectional on Saturday. A game that was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. on Friday didn't start until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Kudos to Germantown AD Jack Klebesadel, baseball coach Parrish Wagnar, their staff, parents and team for working their tails off to get that field ready. They were literally blow drying the grass on the third-base line just minutes before the first pitch.

The other sectional I caught part of was the New Berlin West Sectional which was moved to Waukesha County Technical College, the home field of the Pewaukee Pirates. The Pewaukee staff and the New Berlin West staff did a great job getting everything together at the last minute.

***

Watching Brookfield Central pitcher Mike Mierow lose a 1-0 heartbreaker to Menomonee Falls in the sectional semi-final on Saturday was tough. Coach Jeff Bigler, who had no intention of doing it, would have had to pry the ball out of Mierow's hands if he had tried to replace him. If the game had remained scoreless, the gusty Mierow would have probably thrown another three innings according to Bigler.

To lose the game on a bloop, opposite field, wind-blow hit down the left field line was like having a part of your body ripped off. Mierow deserved better. He's as classy a kid as you will find - on or off the field.

Unfortunately for the Greater Metro Conference, the Indians then were sent home by Germantown of the North Shore with a 2-1 loss in the sectional title game.

***

There may be no crying in baseball, but people do get choked up at this time of the year, especially when playing their last game together.

West Allis Hale coach Paul Dooley and his Huskies upset top-seeded New Berlin Eisenhower, 6-0, in the sectional semi-final at WCTC on Saturday afternoon. But all was not lost for the city of New Berlin as cross-town rival NB West upset Marquette, 3-1. The Lions then rolled over an emotionally-drained Huskies team for a 10-0, five-inning win in the title game.

While interviewing long-time, veteran West coach Tom Farina, who was going to state for the first time, and losing coach Dooley, both coaches had trouble getting the words out as they were both near tears for different reasons.

It was an amazing high and low show of emotions separated by just a few feet.

***

This weekend ended my live prep baseball coverage - only season wrap-ups and the All-Suburban features remain.

Brookfield will have continued baseball coverage of the two area Land O' Lakes teams and the Wauwatosa Spartans' Ironman Football League team will be heading to the playoffs in Tosa.

Then before you know it, two-a-days will be started and the fall season will be here.

As always, be a hit and have a ball.

Sky

Hello everyone!

I just returned from Los Angeles where I spent a week with my oldest son, Marty, who is a film editor in Hollywood. (His current show is 'White Collar'). 

While out there we took in a Dodgers-Cubs game on Friday and then on Saturday morning I watched my son, a two-time MVP at Brookfield East, play in his fastpitch softball league. He went 2-for-4 but his team lost a thriller, 8-5. I thought Jim Joyce was umping the bases in that game because two blown calls cost them the game.

We saw the movie 'Predators' on Saturday night (I know my wife wouldn't want to see that one) and then we took in our three days of All-Star activities.

On Sunday we went to Anaheim Stadium and saw the Futures Game with some of the top minor league players. Enjoyed watching Brett Lawrie the starting second baseman and the only Brewers' player in the game.

We then watched a few innings of the 'Celebrity All-Star Game'. Jenny Finch, the star Olympic pitcher, slammed a homer over the make-shift softball fence in center field, but it was still quite the shot. She also pitched - slow pitch, of course - but she did unleash one of her real fastball throws past one of the Hall of Famers and got a good laugh out of it.

The fact that they called it a 'Celebrity' All-Star game was a joke, because most people didn't know who the heck the non-baseball Hall of Famers were. Even the LA Times did a column on it the next day making fun of it.

The HR Derby on Monday was fun. Our seats for all three events were in rightfield and they were excellent seats. Seeing Corey Hart slam 13 homers in the first round and none in the second was an interesting high and low.

David Ortiz, one of only two lefthanded batters among the eight contestants, hit a ball that rolled across my lap. The ball went off a guy four rows in front of me,then it bounced off the gentlemen in the seat in front of me to the right, bounced off the glove of the 12-year old kid sitting next to me and rolled across my lap.

Four people behind me then bent me in half as they tried to reach for the ball and knocked it to the row in front of me, where a father, picked it up from between the seats in front of him and gave it to his son.

The was the high point of the night for me.

The All-Star Game itself was wonderful, especially since the NL won. The fact that Ryan Braun and Corey Hart had as many hits as I did was disappointing.

It was interesting to see the different fans from different teams sitting around us. We had a 300-pound Padres fan in the row in front of us and a Dodger fan with an Andre Ethier uniform top about 10 rows down and it was fun to watch them scream at each other for nine innings.

Late in the game the 300-pound Padres fan was asked to sit down by an elderly gentlemen (he was probably a year older than I am) sitting behind him. He kept yelling at the man 'What's your point?' trying to intimidate him. At that point I jumped in and politely told him 'what the gentlemen's point was' and he sat down.

Of course, my son, a 255-pound ex-bouncer, told me afterwards that I yelled some unflattering words at the large man and he was ready to step in to defend me. But I don't recall that.

It was so much fun the ushers had to threaten both of them (Dodgers and Padres fan), asking them to sit down and shut up or they would be leaving. Ahhhh, West coast fans, so laid-back.

But the most fun I had was spending seven days with my oldest son and getting some wonderful bonding time. He is 31 and it's seems like it was only yesterday that I was coaching his little league teams. Time does go by quickly.

No those are not tears in my eyes, I must have gotten something in them.

Talk to you later.

It's an important week for Brookfield High School Baseball this week, as Central and East battle each other Thursday and Friday.

Earlier this week the second-place Spartans (9-4) split with Marquette, losing on the road on Monday and then winning Tuesday night behind a brilliant 2-0 6-hitter by Brian Sylla at home. East is only one game in the loss column behind first-place Muskego (12-3).

Central bounced back from a loss to Falls (8-6) on Monday and clobbered the Indians, 10-3, on Tuesday at McCoy Field. Mike Mierow slammed a 3-run homer and drove in four runs and Billy Calawerts had a double and two singles to spark the hitting. Collin O'Gorman didn't allow an earned run in seven innings.

***

Keep sharp instruments away from TE coach Matt Dahlstrom. East dropped a 5-4 decision to Hamilton in the bottom of the seventh when the Chargers scored twice for the win. Brian Schneider and Dan Sayles homered in the loss.

If the Red Raiders are going to have a winning record, they can't afford to lose games like this with their ace (Sayles) on the mound.

Just wanted to touch on a few random thoughts as we swing into the hazy, lazy days of summer.

WORLD CUP --- I'm kidded around the office about my interest in soccer and I am referred to as NOW Newspapers 'Mr. Soccer.' That probably means that on a level of 1-10, with 10 being the smartest, I'm probably a 5, while everyone else is a 1-2.  Not a lot to be proud about.

But after covering the girls soccer regionals and sectionals and then covering two of Homestead's three games in the state tournament (our regular writer who covers the Highlanders selected to go to Madison to cover their softball team), I have had soccer on the brain.

I read some World Cup articles in the Journal Sentinel, who has done a good job with their coverage despite some nutty complains, and I watched the highlights from the first game and then saw parts of the second and third game live.

I found the skill level absolutely amazing the way these professionals moved the ball around and I enjoyed watching the USA play.  My interest went from a 7 to a 1 now that they are eliminated.

One final soccer note - my new favorite team is Brazil, because I have to like a team whose star player's name is Kaka.

FRESH FACES --- I'm doing a story for this week's WauwatosaNow issue on the Tosa Youth League's latest additions to the varsity teams - SS JJ Belknapp and C Mickey Morgan of Tosa West and SS Ben Carpenter of Tosa East.

East nipped West last Saturday, 5-2, in one of the most-well-played games I have seen so far this summer.

There were also several outstanding defensive plays made in the game and made my Saturday afternoon more fun than normal.

Talk to you soon

Be a hit and have a ball

Summer officially starts on Monday, but for me it started on Saturday with the state soccer title game.

I have been off covering Homestead soccer because Steve Tietz, the normal beat writer was in Madison with the softball team.

One of the toughest games I ever covered with the sectional final with Brookfield East, a far superior team, losing to Homestead, 1-0, despite outshooting them 22-2. I give Rich Dorn and his Highlanders all the credit in the world for scoring quickly against the Spartans and then shutting the door. But watching them play again on Thursday and then on Saturday, well they're offense was non-existent.

I really wanted to see Kate Reigle, Alex Piercy and Rebekah Roller, East's three key seniors, make it to the big show one final time.

***

When Brookfield Central lost to Germantown in the softball sectional semi-final, I didn't feel as disappointed, but the Lancers only lost three seniors. Coach Dawn Mooney-Lazu, the GMC Coach of the Year, did a wonderful job with that team.

***

Now I can focus on baseball, my favoite sport. Brookfield East and Central look solid and Tosa East looks improved. Tosa West might struggled again this year, but there is improvement on the horizon.

***

Be a hit and have a ball.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to talk about a few softball players I cover who I really enjoy watching.

There is no one I have seen who plays harder than Wauwatosa West senior 3B Katy Schmutzer. Her making honorable mention All-Conference shows that there must be some really great players in the Woodland Conference.

Schmutzer was the Trojans'  team captain and MVP and a four-year letter-winner. But it was her enthusiasm for the game that I really enjoyed watching.  Every game I saw her play - and according to her coach Ed Rae it was every game - Schmutzer's uniform was covered from head-to-toe with dirt. Whether diving for a ground ball or sliding into a base, Schmutzer did it with a 100 per cent effort.

The Trojans will miss her.

Ann Michna of Tosa East is another one. The talented sophomore pitches for the Red Raiders and is also bats third.  Despite her team's struggles, Michna stands in the middle of the diamond and deals with whatever comes her way with real class.

Hopefully the talent around her improves, because she has two more years ahead of her which is good for the Red Raiders.

I enjoy watching the entire Brookfield Central squad and I can list several players here, but I want to focus on three - SS Andrea Schneider, 2B Lindsay Wille and catcher Karly Haralson.

Haralson is a small girl, who plays a tough position (catcher), throws as well as any catcher I have seen this year. She almost single-handedly won the second game against the defending champion Indians by throwing out lead-off hitters in the sixth and seventh innings of a 1-0 game - one on a pick off at 1B and the other a throw out at second.

Wille - who I enjoyed watching on the basketball court this season - is the best fielding second baseman I have seen this year. Her range is outstanding, especially racing into short right field to chase down pop-ups. She is fun to watch and is one of the team leaders on this young team.

Finally, there is Schneider, who is the best fielding shortstop I have seen this year. Whether going in the hole to her left, or diving for a grounder up the middle, she always bounces up to make the play thanks to an excellent arm. Of course, trying to interview her is as tough as trying to sneak an inside fastball past here.

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Great time of the year with soccer and softball playoffs going on next week.

Until next time!

Katy Schmutzer--Hon Ment All Conference--Captain--Team MVP--4 year letter winner

Congrats to Brookfield Central softball coach Dawn Mooneylazu and Brookfield East girls soccer coach Matt Schroeder.

Mooneylazu has rebuilt a struggling Lancer softball program and turned it into the 2010 Greater Metro Conference Champions.

Central catcher Karly Haralson had a great defensive game in a 1-0 win over defending champion Menomonee Falls last Tuesday. Leading 1-0 because of a Falls' error, Haralson picked the lead-off hitter off first base in the sixth inning when 2B Lindsay Wille snuck behind the runner. Wille never had to move her glove. Then in the seventh inning, Haralson threw out the lead-off hitter trying to steal.

Not a big girl, Haralson is one of the best defensive catchers I have seen recently.

Freshman Taylor Held has won all 12 GMC games and 14 overall. With a solid Lancer hitting attack led by shortstop Andrea Schneider, Wille, Jessica Meichtry and Taylor and Britney Held, the Lancers were impressive this year. Outfielders Anna Liewen, Becky Copoulos and Ariel Goodman have also played key roles.

It will be interesting to see how the Lancers come out for their 'meaningless' game against Brookfield East on Tuesday at Central. The Spartans won the first game, 2-1.

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The Spartan kickers, ranked No. 1 in the state on Friday, rallied behind Kate Reigle to beat Central, 2-1, in overtime Friday night in an exciting game that the Lancers had in hand until Reigle drilled in a excellent free kick from the right side about 35 yards out to tie the game with four minutes left.

Taylor Swittel, whose dad Tom is the new East football coach, then made a big-time play four minutes into the overtime, digging a ball out of the right corner and drilling a cross pass,which Reigle headed into the net.

The Spartans, who beat DSHA earlier in the week, have a roster filled with talented players, led by Reigle, Alex Piercy, Rebekah Roller, Kathy Luy and Katelyn Kotek to name a few. I apologize, but I could list the entire roster here. Schroeder has talent galore. This could be the Spartans' year to step up.

Be a hit and have a ball.

Sky

Everywhere you look in Brookfield and Wauwatosa you can see a champion of some kind, with the regular season coming to a close.

Wauwatosa

First-year coach Jon Gulrajani and the Tosa West girls soccer team won a Woodland Conference title on Thursday when they beat Whitnall to finish 10-0-1 in league play.

The Tosa West girls track and field team won the WC triple crown for coach Jack LoPresti and the boys fell just short, finishing second after winning the first two legs for first-year coach Scott Jordan.

Brookfield

The Brookfield East boys track & field team, under Mike Steiner, had won 2 of 3 legs of the Greater Metro Conference triple crown the past two years, so winning the triple crown this year was extra special, especially to the seniors.

First-year coach girls track & field coach and long-time assistant Danna Bowe saw her Brookfield Central team win their third-straight triple crown.

Third year softball coach Dawn Mooney-lazu has finished turning around the softball program by winning the GMC title Thursday.

Only a strong Marquette tennis and golf team kept the title from a Brookfield team. East and Central finished behind the Hilltoppers in both golf and tennis (Central-East).

By upsetting DSHA early in the week, Brookfield East girls soccer team can win the soccer title outright with a win over Brookfield Central tonight.

Congrats to everyone and good luck in the post-season!

Divine Savior Holy Angels nationally known rubgy team and the Brookfield Bruisers have advanced to the national championships aat Salt Lake City in two weeks.

The Dashers beat the Bruisers in the Midwest title game in Indianapolis on May 8-9. Brookfield's young entry upset the No. 2 seed to make it to the finals.

The Bruisers are made up of girls from Brookfield Central and Brookfield East. While this is old hat for DSHA's rugby team which has won national titles before, this is a new accomplishment for the Bruisers.

Even though this is a national tournament the top two teams are neighbors here in the Brookfield/Milwaukee area, just a few miles apart.

DSHA is the top seed and the Bruisers have been seeded second.

Congrats to both teams.

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The Tosa West senior soccer players have gone 4-0 against Tosa East following a 1-0 win last Friday at Hart Park of all places.

The Brookfield Central girls, the Brookfield East boys and the Wauwatosa West boys all have a chance to win track and field's Triple Crown next week.

Tosa East's boys track team have had some positives also, winning the 6400 relay and the high jump relay at the GMC Relays last week, the first time they have had a conference champ in those events in two decades according to coach Jake Wolter.

Glen Slonac's Tosa East boys tennis team is having an excellent season, having beaten Marquette in the GMC. MUHS and the Brookfield schools always take the top three spots in the GMC, so upsetting the Hilltoppers was a big feather in the Red Raiders' caps. It should also give Brook Central a share of the title with the Hilltoppers, unless someone upsets the Lancers.

Brookfield East won the second leg of the Greater Metro Conference Triple Crown on May 5 when they captured the conference relays, easily beating second-place Marquette.

East didn't finish lower than fourth in any event and were in the top three in 11 of 15 events. But one of the key's to the Spartans' performance was senior Dan Osgood.

The lanky Osgood was part of four first-place relays for the Spartans.

"He showed why he is one of the most valuable track athletes in our league and he is performing at a high level now."

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For the second time this season the Spartans softball team were handed their lunch by Menomonee Falls pitcher Nicole Zywiec, who beat Central, 3-1, on Thursday at Central. Zywiec blanked East in their first meeting, 2-0.

The GMC is turning in a three-horse race as Brookfield Central has one league loss, while Falls and Central have two each.

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Big twinbill on Tuesday night in Brookfield. The Lancers/Spartans meet in softball at 4:30 p.m. at Central and then Central travels to East to meet the Spartan kickers at 7 p.m.

Here are some of my observations on the spring so far...

Freshman Taylor Held is keeping it all in the family. Last year sister Brittney, now a sophomore, handled the mound duties. She was basically holding the fort for her little sister. Coach Dawn Mooney-Lazu has done an excellent job with a program which had been suffering. Brittney moved to 1B and with slugging Jessica Meichtry at 3B and the slick DP combo of SS Andrea Schneider and 2B Lindsay Wille, Taylor has a solid infield behind her. Look for Lancers to contend.

With Amanda Kalupa on the mound, the crosstown rival Spartans are also a threat. But East almost was upset by an improved, but winless, Tosa East team last week, taking eight innings to finally get a 1-run win.

BE's Kyle Rhode is on the state's honor roll in the jumps (triple and long) and hurdles. East coach Mike Steiner's program has tradition and talented athletes are coming out every year so Steiner can reload, not rebuild.

Look for a feature on Central's pole vaulter supreme Matt Krogmann in a few weeks. He took first in the Gain Invite and the Horlick Invite last week and is fourth on the honor roll. It seems like BC coach Mark Pulkownik has a garden of field event studs, because the Lancers are always near the top of the league in the vault, shot and discus.

Get out and watch BC soccer tonight (Tuesday) as No. 1 DSHA comes to Brookfield in a battle of two of the top four teams in Wisconsin.

It will be interesting to see how fast Central and East rebuild their doubles teams, even though it might not matter with No. 1 Marquette the GMC favorite again.

East's Kyle Henning was the medalist at the Wisconsin Dells Invite last Friday and Saturday, he shot a 75-71.

East soccer is loaded with veterans (Kate Reigle, Katelyn Kotek, Rebekah Roller, etc.) and young talented (sophomore Taylor Swittel and freshman goalkeeper Erin Wachowiak). They are ranked No. 2 behind the powerful Dashers of DSHA.

Chidera Obasih and Katelyn Malcore each won three events last the Lady Spartan last week and Hannah Trasser excelled in the distance events again, as Central coach Danna Bowe's squad is loaded once again this spring.

The mile relay (Emma Watson, Alex Smitn, Nicole Kashian and Claire Gordee) and 800 relay (Kaleigh Wurster, Yolanda Coleman, Danielle Shumpert and Gordee) each won at the Lady Spartan Invite for the Red Raiders. Max Kilpin continues to be the star of the young Raiders boys teams.

Nice to see the talented Cara Walls on the Tosa East soccer team. Walls has been an outstanding club soccer player.

The Tosa East softball team is looking for their first win in three years, but Megan Arndorfer's team is much improved and should break into the win column this season. The Tosa West team is improved under new coach Ed Raue. Look for Kathy Schmutzer and Alison Coppersmith to lead that offense.

Led by (state qualifiers) Nick Skanavis, Michael Rankin and Pete Conis, as well as Tracy Johnson, look for the Raider tennis team to be solid this year.

As for Tosa West, let brown do it, as in Keith Brown, who scored in multiple events at the Mike Gain Invite. As for the girls, can you say Ashlee Ballinger, who won the high jump at the Lady Spartan. She has her eye on the state meet once again (17th on the honor roll).

First-year Coach Jon Gulrajani has Tosa West's kickers at 2-3. If you want to see a now-stop, hustling soccer player, go watch senior Jackie Glaser.

Look for the Wauwatosa East and West softball teams to improve this season.

The Red Raiders haven't won a game the last two years, but coach Megan Arndorfer feels added experience should help them this year. They need to be more aggressive at the plate. Arndorfer says its important for them to be swinging, instead of taking too much time deciding to swing.

New coach Ed Raue has the Trojans fired up. With OF Alison Coppersmith and 3B Katy Schmutzer, each earning some level of all-conference honors last year. The key to both teams will be who gets the better pitching. Ann Michna of TE and Michele O'Rourke of TW are names to watch.

Watch for Claire Gordee (400, 200, long jump) and Yolando Coleman (pole vault) to have good years for TE girls track. Max Kilpin and (PV) and Jumaane Brady (long jump, 55 dash) should help the boys.

Red Raiders are 2-0 in soccer, but with the Brookfield schools and DSHA in the GMC, everyone else is playing for fourth.

Look for Chris Zachman to have a good year for the golf team, but Glen Slonac's tennis team, with three state qualifiers returning, should be good and a fourth place team thanks to MUHS and the two Brookfield schools.

Both of West's track team won the first leg (indoor) of the Triple Crown. Look for the girls to have a better chance to win it.

See you at the park.

Be a hit and have a ball.

Sky

Spring break is over - even the weather has hinted that spring really is here - so starting this Monday, almost all the spring sports in Brookfield and Wauwatosa are back in action with the student-athletes returning to class.

Here are some insights - most of these are not brain surgery - and highlights of some things to look for this spring, starting with Brookfield first.

Golf - Look for Kyle Henning, the GMC Player of the Year for Brookfield East last season, to have another good season. But Ryan Hinz, one of Central's top players, will focus on baseball this spring and skip the golf season.

Tennis - Look for Brookfield East' s Drew Lied make his third straight trip to state this year. He will be playing tennis at Michigan State in the fall.

Softball - Amanda Kalupa of Brookfield East is one of the top pitchers in the area. I doubt that the extra three feet will hurt her effectiveness this spring.  Brookfield Central's Brittney Held, whose top sport is volleyball, will be joined by younger sister freshman Taylor Held, as the Lancers could be a contender this fall.

Soccer - GMC will once again be one of the top soccer conferences this year with DSHA, East and Central leading the way.  Kristin Becker and Katie Mahkorn of Central and Alex Piercy, Kate Reigle and  Rebekah Roller of East will have plenty to brag about this year.

Track - BC girls coach Danna Bowe takes over for Lorie Lewis, who will concentrate on important family situations - and the Lancers showed they will be tough with their seventh straight GMC title in the indoor. Mike Steiner's East boys also won the indoor. Both East girls and Central boys have some outstanding athletes.

We'll take a look at Tosa East and Tosa West next

The Wauwatosa West boys basketball can score as well as anyone in the area.  With three players like seniors Sam Krenzien and Ray Sterling, Jr., and freshman Anthony Carroll, interim coach Chad Stelse has three bonifide scorers.

By bonifide scorers, I mean three guys who can score 20-or-more points in any game and no one is surprised over it. There are not a lot of teams who can do that.

The Trojans are 10-3 - in second place - in the Woodland Conference Black Division, three games behind powerful New Berlin Eisenhower (13-0) with four to play.  Winning the division is realistically out of the question.

They should beat Greenfield (5-8) and Greendale (3-10) and South Milwaukee (7-6), but their game at  Ike next Tuesday is huge if they want to measure themselves up to some of their post-season opponents, although like Tosa East and Marquette, they are in the sectional from hell with all the City Conference schools.

That's why the key for the Trojans will be their defense the rest of the way. Krenzien, Sterling and Carroll, when he puts his mind to it, are all excellent defenders, especially in the full court. Now add to that Kieviante Love, Jarvis Ashley and even Barry Ballinger inside and the Trojans have six solid defenders.

Stelse said because of their depth they are pressing four quarters now, but he admits their half-court defense needs improvement. But they are turning teams over with their full-court pressure.

These last four games will be important for the Trojans, who have won four straight and seven of eight. If they can get their defense to match their offense, the post-season might be interesting for Tosa West fans.

See ya

Sky

I know my headline says 'Touching All The Bases,' but this blog has nothing to do with baseball. I just have some topics I would like to hit on.

Mixed Signals

I have talked about this year's Brookfield Central girls basketball team alot this year. I thought I was the only one who couldn't figure them out. But the Lancers, who looked lost at times in a loss to DSHA last Friday, are also confusing their coach Dan Wandrey.

"I don't know what it is," Wandrey told me after the loss. "I spend half my time trying to convince them how good they are and the other half of my time trying to convince them they are not as good as they think they are. If that makes sense?"

Unfortunately, I think it does. This Lancer team is good enough to win the conference - going to state might be another matter. But this team is not good enough to throw a basketball on the floor and expect most good teams to roll over.

Wandrey, who raises his voice a bit when he coaches, also said something that makes a lot of sense. "When you win a lot of games easily, things get let go. I'm a jerk when I yell in games and we're up by 25. One of our slogans we talk about is don't accept in wins what you won't accept in defeats. And clearly, that wasn't taken to heart."

Gotta have heart

Brookfield Central boys basketball coach Mark Adams talked about his senior's farewell tour starting. That means when the Lancers play their second-time around in the GMC, it will be the final time that the seniors play these teams or visit the opponents' gym.

Alex Diciaula is the only senior on this year's team and Adams talked about this with his team. Going into Tuesday night's game with West Allis Hale, the Lancers are 0-2 on the tour. This year's team, not counting Diciaula, seems to lack passion, which obviously displeased Adams. After a listless first half against Tosa East last week, Adams spent all of half-time chewing his team out.

Fight Like A Champion

Tosa West Assistant coach Chad Stelse will take over for coach Mike Landisch (kidney cancer) the rest of the way, with help, of course, from assistant Ryan Bailey. The Trojans are on a roll, having one 6 of 7 and three straight.

They face a HUGE game at Whitnall as they battle for second. Five games left, three behind Ike (12-0), first place isn't likely. The Trojans are very talented and playing with a lot of emotion.

KUDOS

Brookfield East senior center Marley Blood scored a career high 23 points against Sussex Hamilton last week and Tosa West guard Jackie Glaser had her second big game with a 16-point outing at St. Francis on Friday.

Talk about a high and a low week, Anthony Carroll - sensational freshman is not his first name but I seem to use it a lot - set a Tosa West school record of 42 points in a win over Racine Horlick last week. But on Friday, he didn't make the box score because he because of some practice issues.

Brookfield East boys beat Tosa East in overtime last Friday and won at Tosa East for the first time in 13 tries. Congrats to coach Andy Farley, whose Spartans swept the Red Raiders this year.

See ya in a few days.

Sky

He is only a sophomore, but at 6-foot-6-inch Darrell Bowie could be the key to Wauwatosa East's season the rest of the way.

Bowie, who is averaging 10.8 points per game, stepped up big time last weekend. He scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds against first-place Menomonee Falls in a 72-64 loss, but he put on quite a show along with the Indians' JP Tokoto.

Then on Saturday night, he played a key role down the stretch from the free throw line and had a monster game, scoring 33 points and grabbing 22 rebounds in a thrilling 76-72 win over an improved Tosa West team.

And one of the reasons the Trojans are so improved is the play of freshman Anthony Carroll, who had 17, 24 and 24 points in two Woodland Conference wins and the loss to Tosa East. AC is averaging 15.4 PPG so far this year.

The Trojans are in a little better shape than the Raiders in conference play (7-3) and have a big game against Whitnall (7-3) at home on Friday in a battle for second behind New Berlin Eisenhower (10-0).

***

Friday's agenda

The Brookfield Central boys (3-3) have their hands full at Menomonee Falls, while Brookfield East (1-5) needs a win badly and face winless West Allis Hale at home. The Lady Lancers should handle the Indians at home and the Lady Spartans are hoping to get a big league win at winless Hale game.

Tosa East boys (3-3) travel to Hamilton (4-2), as the battle for second-place should start clearing up in the next few weeks, as Marquette (5-1) currently holds the runner-up spot. I already mentioned the Trojans playing the Falcons for second Friday night. The Trojan girls (7-3) play at Whitnall (4-6) Thursday night and I will be at hand for that game. When the Falcons are healthy, they are a tough team to beat. The Red Raider girls will have their hands full with a solid Hamilton team at home.

***

Look for my feature on Demetrious Mensah, the 125-pound ace of Wauwatosa's co-op wrestling team next week. In Brookfield, look for my feature on former Brookfield East star Kelly Lam, who is now an assistant coach at West Allis Central.

Talk to you soon.