Jacob Hill averaged 207 pins in four games to claim the Waterville Bowler of the Hill Tournament title last weekend in Waterville.
Hill, who averages 188, rolled games of 190, 208 and 246 in the opening round. He faced Bob Waugh in the step-ladder championship and defeated Waugh, 194-169, which includes handicap added to their scores.
Finishing third was Dustin Schumann who rolled games of 222, 175, 157 in his opening round and was edged by Waugh, 202-192, in the third place match.
Placing fourth was...

After finishing the 2021 season with seventh place finish in the Gopher Conference Meet, the WEM boys track and field team will return a number of athletes who should help them improve their placing in the conference.
The Bucs scored 49 points in last year’s conference meet, but finished only eight points out of fifth place. First-year head coach Jon McDonough feels his team has a good chance to improve on that mark.

Four WEM girls basketball players were honored by Gopher Conference coaches following the end of the 2021-22 season.
Sophomore Alayna Atherton was named to the All-Gopher Conference Second Team. Sophomore Claire Bohlen was named to the All-Gopher Conference Third Team. Junior Addy Taylor was named to the All-Gopher Conference honorable Mention Team. Senior Rylee Pelant received the Sportsmanship Award.

Three WEM students have received All-Gopher Conference honors for their efforts during the 2022 speech season.
Madeline Balfe, Alex Heuss, and Maddie Heuss were each honored last week with conference speech awards.
Balfe won two awards, earning All-Conference honors in the Creative Expression category. She also was named the Craftmanship Winner.
A. Heuss earned her All-Conference award in the Great Speeches category.
M. Heuss won the All-Conference award in the Discussion category.

After a very successful high school career, WEM graduate Brielle Bartelt has continued her outstanding play at the next level.
Bartelt, a freshman at Iowa Lakes Community College, was named to the Division II All-Region Third Team, which includes 14 teams.
Sophomores Jaeda Whitner (1st Team), Rachel Puok (2nd Team), and Waseca graduate Rachel Breck (2nd Team) were also honored from the Laker team.
Bartelt played in all 31 games, averaging 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. She hit 55 three-pointers added 44 steals, and 12 blocked shots.

With one Gopher Conference game to play, the WEM girls basketball team has a chance to finish in second place after two more conference wins last week.
The Bucs defeated JWP (50-32) and Faribault BA (64-50) to improve to 11-4 in the conference, one half game in front of Maple River and a game behind NRHEG. The Bucs will play at NRHEG Friday, Feb. 18.
The week opened with the 18 point win over JWP. The Bulldogs managed only nine first half points, seven by Claire Adams who finished with 12 points. WEM held an 18-9 halftime lead and never trailed.

The WEM boys basketball team split four Gopher Conference games over the course of the last two weeks. During those games a pair of players scored their career-highs.
Senior Jonathan Remme hit four three pointers and four free throws on his way to a career-high 16 points in a 53-50 win over United South Central January 25. This avenged a 59-52 loss to the rebels earlier in the season.

WEM//JWP freshman Keegan Kuball had an outstanding week of wrestling for the Grizzlies.
Kuball improved his team-leading record to 31-2 and his team-leading pin total to 22 with three falls in a pair of events last week.
WEM/JWP faced Medford (11-2 overall) Thursday, Feb. 3 in a Gopher Conference dual in Waterville. Kuball earned the only victory for the Grizzlies in matches wrestled, pinning Kamilo Gonzales in 3:02.

WEM seniors Brady Nutter and Michael Taylor each recorded historic accomplishments during a 92-58 win over Medford Thursday, Jan. 20.
Nutter finished with a triple double, scoring 20 points, grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds, and dishing out a career-high 11 assists. He hit 9-of-14 from the field and made both of his three-point attempts.

The WEM/JWP wrestling team picked up their most falls in a dual meet this year, pinning four Kenyon-Wanamingo wrestlers in a 48-32 loss to the Knights Thursday, Jan. 20.
Brady Murphy (106) opened the night with a fall in 3:04 over Ryan LaCanne.
Lucas Morsching (145) recorded a fall in 3:46 over Austin Avery.
Sam Carlson (220) pinned Charles Konkur in 1:39.
Heavyweight Keegan Kuball pinned Amari Stokes in 1:36.
Carson Petry (113) picked up a 15-0 technical fall over Masyn Hanson in 4:35.
Gavin Krause (138) earned a 9-3 decision over Landon Trump.

Freshman Keegan Kuball was a bright spot for the WEM/ JWP wrestling team during their quadrangular tournament in Chatfield Thursday, Dec. 23.
Kuball picked up three wins for the Grizzlies, including two by fall during the event.
Kuball received a forfeit against Ellsworth, WI. He pinned Caden Nolte of Chatfield in 2:54. He pinned Preston Horihan of Aquinas, WI in 4:23.
The Grizzlies lost all three duals and picked up only six individual wins.

Senior Michael Taylor took a pass from senior Brady Nutter with less than a second to play and layed the ball in, giving the WEM boys basketball team a 40-38 non-conference win over Tri City United Thursday, Dec. 16.
The winning play ended a run which the Bucs trailed by seven points late in the second half. TCU held a 21-17 lead at halftime in a game which neither team shot very well. Both teams hit only one three-pointer. It was Jonathan Remme’s three-pointer which pulled the Bucs to within two points late in the second half.

WEM senior Domanik Paulson was voted the Most Valuable Player and the Offensive Player of the Year on the Buccaneer football team.
He was one of five players who earned team honors during the Buccaneer football banquet held Monday, Nov. 15 in Waterville.

The opening two matches in the Section 2AA Volleyball Tournament were easily won by the No. 1 seeded WEM Lady Bucs.
WEM defeated No. 8 seed Blue Earth Area 25-10, 25-9, and 25-11 in the first round Thursday, Oct. 21. Monday, Nov. 1 Minnesota Valley Lutheran was the next team to end their season after the Bucs downed MVL 25-18, 25-21, and 25-14.

A 3rd place finish by the WEM/JWP boys cross country team was a very solid finish for a team competing against much bigger schools in the Waseca Invitational held Thursday, Oct. 7 at Lakeside Country Club.
The Grizzlies were the smallest school enrollment- wise among the eight teams entered.

The results from the WEM/ JWP Pie Run Invitational Thursday, Sept. 30 were about as good as they could get for the Grizzly runners.
The boys team won the six team invitational with a score of 31 points. NRHEG (59), Blooming Prairie (70), Maple River (75), and Blue Earth Area (120) followed the Grizzlies.
The girls placed second in the six team field with 63 points. NRHEG captured the title with 42 points. WEM/ JWP was followed by Blooming Prairie (67), Maple River (71), and Medford (90).