Stars of the century: Sauk Prairie sports

The task was daunting. The Star News recently asked a 12-person panel to vote for the top 10 male and top 10 female athletes to pass through Sauk Prairie High School in the 21st century. Any athlete who competed in the 21st century was eligible to be nominated and their exploits across their entire career were considered, even if a portion of their playing days was in the 1990s. The panel consisted of past and present coaches, administrators and community members, that have seen as many Eagles events as anyone. I also contributed a ballot, having covered many of Sauk Prairie’s elite athletes during my career. There were no set criteria outlined. Beauty was in the eye of each beholder.  If one voter thought a multi-sport athlete with solid production across the board rated ahead of a one-sport athlete who excelled at their craft, that was their prerogative. If another voter prioritized team success, that was fine, too. More than 60 boys and 50 girls were nominated for consideration, and after the votes were tabulated, each field was eventually trimmed to a top-20. There were 45 male and 32 female athletes who received at least one vote by the panel. The Star News will now present results from each gender over the next four weeks. The schedule will be as follows: • June 25 — Girls No. 11-20 • July 2 — Girls No. 1-10 • July 9 — Boys No. 11-20 • July 16 — Boys No. 1-10 We hope you enjoy looking back at many of the athletes that have helped make Sauk Prairie athletics shine this century.   11. Kelsey Selden, 2020 Tennis, soccer, basketball A two-year varsity letter winner in tennis as a doubles player, Selden’s primary sport was soccer, where she was a three-time letter winner and a three-year starter. She signed a National Letter of Intent on Nov. 13 to play soccer at Northern State University in South Dakota. Selden earned All-Badger North Conference second-team honors as a freshman and first team honors as a sophomore, when she led Sauk Prairie in scoring for the second straight season despite missing six games early with an injury. “There are skills things she can do that you don’t see very often,” soccer coach Mike Rauls said of Selden, who led the Eagles in goals (14), points (29) and game-winning goals (5) as a sophomore. As a team co-captain as a junior, Selden elevated her game to elite status, helping lead the Eagles to a 20-2-2 overall record, Badger North Conference runner-up finish, a WIAA Division 2 regional championship and sectional runner-up finish. Selden recorded a team-high 18 assists, was second with 44 points and third with 13 goals. She not only was a repeat first-team all-league selection, but also earned Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association all-state honorable mention recognition. “She was a real competitor. I’ve not seen a motor on a player like her,” Rauls said. “Kelsey was a work horse and goal-scorer, who owned the midfield.” Selden was poised to lead Sauk Prairie to its first WIAA state soccer appearance since 1999 when the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 spring sports season. “I would have loved to see her play one more season, but it wasn’t meant to be,” Rauls said.   12. Aimee Thrune, 2010 Volleyball, basketball, softball One of the most well-rounded athletes in school history, Thrune also played three sports at Lakeland University, including basketball, tennis and golf. Both of her parents, Tony Thrune and Angelia Doyle, were high school coaches. Thrune displayed her versatility in high school in earning all-conference honors as a senior in volleyball, basketball and softball. She capped her prep career as a 12-season athlete and a three-time letter winner in all three sports. A two-year starter at libero in volleyball, Thrune earned All-Badger North Conference honorable mention honors as a senior. She helped lead the Eagles to their only appearance in school history at the 2009 WIAA Division 2 state volleyball tournament. The Eagles also shared the Badger North title her junior year.  In basketball, Thrune was a three-time captain and a three-time all-conference selection as a shooting guard. She earned first team all-conference honors as a senior, second-team as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore. The Eagles were conference champions her junior and senior seasons. An outfielder in softball, she capped her prep career as an all-conference honorable mention pick after earning first-team honors as a junior and second-team recognition as a sophomore. “Aimee went out and did whatever was necessary to help the team win,” softball coach Shane Been said. “Whether playing different positions or laying down a bunt, she wanted to see her team win. “She made one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen when she threw a girl out running out a hit to first base while playing center field. Everyone’s jaw dropped.” Rounding out the perfect prep résumé, Thrune was also an honor student and class officer and played the clarinet in the school’s marching band and pep band, as well.   13. Lacey Puls, 2011 Volleyball, basketball, softball Puls is one of the volleyball program’s most decorated players as a four-time All-Badger North Conference selection. She capped her prep volleyball career by leading the Eagles to the Badger North Conference title and earning all-league first team honors as a senior in 2010. A starter on the Eagles’ only volleyball squad to qualify for state in 2009, she earned all-league first-team honors as a junior when Sauk Prairie finished second in conference play. “She was a part of a special group of girls, who loved to play the game,” coach Eleanor Engelby said of Puls. “She had tremendous skills.” Against Appleton Xavier in a WIAA Division 2 state semifinals match, she finished with four kills and seven digs.  Puls also earned all-conference first-team honors in volleyball as a sophomore and second-team recognition as a freshman. A three-time all-conference honoree in basketball, Puls was accorded first-team honors as a senior when she averaged a team-best 8.3 points per game. She garnered all-league honorable mention recognition as a sophomore and junior. She also started in softball, playing first base for the Eagles, and capped her career as a 12-season athlete. “I had the privilege of working with Lacey in softball and basketball,” said current softball coach Shane Been. “Lacey was a balanced, hard-working athlete who brought intensity and a not-gonna-lose attitude every day to the field. “Softball was her third sport, yet she still was a solid contributor who was key to the team’s success.”   14. Paige Pickarts, 2002 Tennis, wrestling, track and field A three-time letter winner in tennis and a member of the wrestling team as a freshman, Pickarts left her biggest mark on the school’s track and field program. While she excelled in individual events, it was competing in the 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays where Pickarts had the most success, winning three state championships and setting school records that still exist. Pickarts ran legs on back-to-back WIAA Division 2 state championship 800-meter relays as a freshman and sophomore and on the winning 1,600 title team as a junior. She was also a member of the Eagles’ 400 relay, that placed sixth her freshman year, and the 1,600 relay, that was seventh at state her sophomore year. Individually, Pickarts placed fourth at state in the 400-meter dash in Division 2 in 2001. As a senior, she was the Badger North Conference champion in the 200 and 400 and was third at state in the 400, competing in Division 1. Her three relay titles also included classmates Kari Jacobs and Lacey Ganser. Amanda Ganser, a 2003 grad, was also a member of the winning 800 relay in 2000 and 1,600 relay in 2001. That quartet was so successful for three seasons that it acquired the nickname ‘the Fab Four’ locally during Pickarts’ senior year. “Paige was more known for running the open 400,” track and field coach Andy Sherman said. “She was a workhorse. The Badger North started in 2002 and she was able to hold that conference record for a number of years.” The Eagles’ 1,600 relay was the sole relay to qualify for state when Sauk Prairie was moved into Division 1 for her final track season. But Pickarts said the Eagles still welcomed the tougher competition. “It’s just nice competing against the best,” said Pickarts, who earned the team’s Most Valuable Performer award as a senior.    15. Amanda Ganser, 2003 Cross country, gymnastics, track and field Sauk Prairie’s Most Valuable Performer in both cross country and track and field as a senior, Ganser earned a pair of state championships in track and field and was also a five-event conference champion. She competed on the WIAA Division 2 state championship 800-meter relay team as a freshman. Her sophomore season was just at productive when the Eagles’ won the 1,600 relay, and Ganser was seventh in the 800-meter run. Sauk Prairie moved up to Division 1 at state for her final two track and field seasons. While the Eagles weren’t able to advance a relay team to the finals at state, Ganser made it on the podium (top-6 finish) twice as an individual. As a junior, she was sixth in the 800 and 10th in the 1,600. She then capped a solid prep career with a third-place finish in the 800 at the 2003 state meet. She is also a school record-holder in the 800 and as a member of the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays. Ganser was also a two-time first-team all-conference runner in cross country, placing seventh as a junior and sixth as a senior. “Her versatility made her a special and unique athlete,” track and field coach Andy Sherman said. “She still is a part of four school records in track, which is amazing.”   16. Alison Halweg, 2012 Tennis, volleyball, basketball, soccer Halweg concentrated on volleyball and soccer as a senior, but also played basketball for two years and tennis as a freshman, when she won the conference title at No. 2 singles and was the team’s Most Valuable Player. Sauk Prairie’s co-Female Prep Athlete of the Year recipient for 2011-12, she capped off her senior year as a unanimous first-team Badger North Conference goalkeeper in soccer. She also earned unanimous first-team all-conference and Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association all-state honorable mention honors in the fall.  Halweg signed a national letter of intent to play volleyball with the Division II Upper Iowa Peacocks in Fayette, Iowa. As a senior, she led the Eagles’ volleyball team to the regional final while helping her team amass a 25-9-2 record and a second-straight conference championship. Her own stat line was impressive, finishing with a team-high 412 kills and 304 digs, and ranking second on the team with 55 aces and third with 34 blocks. “The natural talent she had was amazing,” volleyball coach Eleanor Engelby said. “Watching her play was a lot of fun. She made it seem effortless. It just seemed so natural for her to be on the floor.” Halweg also finished her three-year volleyball career as a member of the 1,000 kills club. On the pitch, Halweg was a three-time team captain and Most Valuable Player. A tremendous goalkeeper, she recorded an eye-popping 31 saves in a game against Waunakee. A four-time all-conference selection, she earned first-team all-league and all-state honors as a freshman and sophomore and was also a second-team all-league pick as a junior. “I think her volleyball skills helped her in this position,” Eagles’ soccer coach Greg Frosch said of Halweg’s talent between the pipes. “Waunakee coach Jesus Torres actually made the comment, ‘I’m going to go find me a volleyball player for goalie.’ ”   17. Kari Jacobs, 2002 Volleyball, basketball, track and field Jacobs was a 12-season participant in high school, earning all-Badger North Conference honors in volleyball as a senior. It was in track and field, though, that she became a star, winning four state titles. She finished her prep career as a nine-time letter winner, including four in track and field. As a freshman, she ran on the state championship 800-meter relay team. She also competed on the 400 relay that took sixth and helped the Eagles to a runner-up finish in the team competition. As a sophomore, she helped the 800 relay defend its title while also earning a fourth-place finish in the long jump. Jacobs made it to the podium three times her junior season, placing fifth in the 100-meter dash before taking home her first long jump state championship and also running a leg on the Eagles’ championship 1,600 relay. She earned the team’s co-Most Valuable Performer honors. “Kari, along with Paige (Pickarts) and Lacey (Ganser) had such a history running the relays,” track and field coach Andy Sherman said. “But winning the long jump was quite a pleasant surprise.” As a senior, Jacobs was the Badger North Conference champion in the long jump. She qualified for state in the 1,600 relay, which finished 11th in the preliminaries and didn’t advance to the finals.   18. Jean Wedwick, 2012 Cross country, basketball, track and field Wedwick shared the 2011-12 Sauk Prairie Female Prep Athlete of the Year award. Her senior season had a rough beginning, though, before she headed off to Winona State (Minn.) to compete in track and field. In the fall, she battled through an injury to get back in time for the conference cross country meet, where she finished 25th before sitting out the sectional meet. Another injury limited her to only 14 games during her senior basketball season, where she led the Eagles with 9.9 points per game and earned All-Badger North Conference recognition as a starting point guard. She was also a three-year qualifier for the WIAA state track and field meet, beginning with a state berth in the 200-meter dash as a sophomore. Wedwick stepped up her game as a junior, just missing a spot on the podium with a seventh-place finish in the 200. She then saved her best for last as a senior, when she earned the team’s Most Valuable Performer award.  “We switched her to the hurdles her final season,” track and field coach Andy Sherman said. “With her cross country training, having competed all four years, and her speed, she was a gifted athlete. She could run like a deer in cross country and was able to turn it on for her speed races in track.” At the conference meet, she set a Badger North and school record in the long jump by clearing a distance of 17-feet, 9½ inches. The previous conference record was 17-0½, set by Sauk Prairie’s Kari Jacobs in 2002. Wedwick eclipsed that mark with a leap of 17-11 at the sectional track meet to qualify for state. Wedwick also won the 300 hurdles (47.05) at conference and took third in the 100 and 200. “She was a very good long jumper and still has our school record,” Sherman said. “She was one of those unique talents.” At her final state meet in La Crosse, Wedwick took sixth in the long jump with a leap of 17-1¾. She finished fifth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 45.04 seconds and still holds the school record of 44.83 in the event.  “With her cross country ability, she probably could have run a fast 800, as well,” Sherman said. “She had the ability to jump, the speed and the distance ability. She was also a fun basketball player when I got to work with her, too.”   19. Camryn Ballweg, 2019 Tennis, basketball, soccer A recipient of a 12-season sports award, Ballweg was a letter winner and served as a captain in all three sports as a senior. She also competed at No. 1 doubles for the second straight year in tennis, started at point guard in basketball and started at forward for the third straight season in soccer. Ballweg began her senior year compiling an 18-7 record at No. 1 doubles with fellow senior Taylor Breininger. The duo placed second at the Badger Conference meet and finished second at the sectional tournament to earn a berth in the WIAA Division 1 individual state tournament. “In our sectional, they were the only two who weren’t club players,” coach Heather Slosarek said. “That was a big feat for them. I was truly proud of them every time they stepped on the court.”  A returning starter and an honorable mention all-conference selection as a junior in basketball, Ballweg was sidelined for more than a month with a foot injury her senior year. She returned to score four points and hand out four assists on ‘Senior Night’ and finished as the Eagles’ assist leader with 2.1 per game. Ballweg capped her senior year in soccer earning Badger North Conference second-team honors for the third consecutive year. She was second on the team with 16 goals, third in points (40) and fifth in assists (8). Soccer coach Mike Rauls said of Ballweg: “She was a great, tireless target for us up top with an absolute hammer.”   20. Taylor Greenheck, 2017 Volleyball, basketball, soccer Basketball was Greenheck’s sport of choice at the next level, as she just finished up her third season on UW-Stevens Point’s women’s team. She also had a stellar career at Sauk Prairie as a 12-season, three-sport standout, finishing it off as a team captain in volleyball, basketball and soccer her senior year. In volleyball, she earned the team’s ‘Most Influential’ Award her final season. The starting setter, Greenheck led the team with 678 assists and was fourth in digs. “On and off the floor she was positive, she was dedicated and she was passionate,” volleyball coach Eleanor Engelby said. A four-time letter winner in basketball, Greenheck earned honorable mention All-Badger North Conference honors as a sophomore and was a first-team selection as a junior and senior. A 5-foot-9 guard, Greenheck was also named the Eagles’ Most Valuable Player during the 2016-17 season. She averaged a team-best 15.3 points per game along with 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  She was also the team’s co-Most Valuable Player as a junior. Greenheck capped her prep soccer career as the team’s third-leading scorer with four goals and four assists for 12 points. “Taylor always controlled the outside mid for the Eagles,” soccer coach Mike Rauls said. “I really liked to see her play.”