Category Archives: Schools

Update: Here is a game story on the heartbreaking loss, which saw Waterford score two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

It was another strong season for the South Milwaukee football team … but it had to come to an end sometime.

It did Friday night, with a 14-7 loss to Waterford in the second round of the WIAA playoffs.

Here is the WIAA bracket, and I’ll update with more information as I get it.

Congratulations to the Rockets, who finished the year 8-3 and with a Woodland Conference East championship.

South Milwaukee gets a home playoff game.

The third-seeded Rockets will host sixth-seeded Messmer-Shorewood at 7 p.m. Friday at Spaltholz Field. The winner of the game faces a second-round matchup with Greenfield or Waterford.

No. 1 seed Waukesha West also looms in the Division 2 Group D bracket.

Check out complete WIAA pairings here, and go Rockets!

Suddenly, the previously undefeated South Milwaukee football team has lost two games in a row heading into the WIAA playoffs.

Greendale rolled past the Rockets, 41-7, Thursday night in the first Woodland Conference title game.

Check out coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Next up: the postseason. Playoff pairings will be set in coming days, and I’ll keep you posted as to where and when South Milwaukee plays.

South Milwaukee’s bid at perfection is over — but its season far from done.

Pewaukee rolled past the Rockets, 42-17, Friday night, dropping South Milwaukee to 7-1 as they prepare for the Woodland Conference championship game next week and then the WIAA playoffs.

Here is the game story. From it:

South Milwaukee coach John Galewski said his team ran into tough defense in the second half that the Rockets just couldn’t crack.

“We couldn’t run the ball,” he said. “Their defensive line is really good, and we knew that. We had some big plays in the first half, but their defensive line really stepped it up in the second half. I think that made a lot of difference.”

The Pirates next play Brown Deer before beginning the playoffs, while South Milwaukee travels to Greendale on Thursday to play for the conference championship against the undefeated Panthers.

“We go to Greendale to play for the championship,” said Galewski. “The kids played hard tonight. This really doesn’t change any of our goals. We are in the championship game next week Thursday against Greendale, and we’ll take our chances there, and we’ll have our hands full again.”

Here is coverage from WISN.

Update: The win also clinched the Woodland East title for South Milwaukee … and set up a showdown with undefeated Greendale for the inaugural conference title game on Oct. 18. 

From the start, this one wasn’t much of a contest.

Ian Pribyl had five — five! — first-half touchdowns and finished with 164 yards on 13 carries to lead South Milwaukee past St. Francis, 42-13, Friday night and stay unbeaten at 7-0.

More details here.

I was there for the first couple quarters — did some campaigning beforehand — and it was an impressive performance on both sides of the ball. If the Rockets can play like that, they will make some serious noise in the WIAA playoffs, which begin October 25-26.

Next up, however: Pewaukee for Homecoming week. Gametime is 7 p.m. on Friday. Vote here to make it WISN’s Operation Football Game of the Week — and help it close the huge gap with the clubhouse leader (Franklin and Kenosha Indian Trail). 

One other note: Please keep St. Francis receiver Brady Wieland in your prayers. Friday, he took a big hit on a pass over the middle in the second quarter and laid motionless on the field for more than 10 minutes before being taken to the hospital. It was a stark reminder about how dangerous this game can be.

Here is an update from Ante with the South Milwaukee School District …

Well, if you were at the game last Friday at Greenfield, I am quite certain that you will never forget that game. It was an away game in name only…the crowd was 60-40 Rocket fans. The Rockets were down 13-10 at the half (on a 39 yd FG by JP Saskowski (12) and 41 yd TD reception for AJ Plewa (12)), but scored in the 3rd quarter shortly after an approx. 70 yd pass to Zach Osell (12) led to a 4 yd TD run by Zach Simuncak (12). to take a 17-13 lead. Late in the game, a questionable reversal of a call led to a fumble being recovered by Greenfield near midfield, which they capitalized on and took the lead 20-17 with 27 seconds remaining in the game. 

After a squib kick the Rockets started their fateful drive at their own 47 yard line. Justin Oliden (11) was precise in running the 2-minute offense leading the Rockets to a couple of first downs. With 4 seconds remaining, the Rockets lined up for one last shot from the 32 yard line. Oliden rolled a little to his left and just as he released the ball he got crushed by a defender, but his aim was right on target as Saskowski jumped up at the 4 to catch the ball as 3 defenders collapsed on him as he fell into the end zone at the horn for a spectacular 23-20 win for the Rockets, propelling them to 6-0, vaulting them into the WIAA Playoffs for the 5th year in-a-row, and putting them in a position to clinch back-to-back Woodland East Division Championships with a win this Friday at home against St. Francis. Simply a fantastic job by the coaches and players in keeping their cool as the Rockets did the improbable.

ROCKET FANS

As a side-note, in case anyone was curious who has the best student section and crowd overall in the Woodland Conference…look no farther than the South Milwaukee bleachers. Not only are Rocket fans going out to games in droves, but the decibel level at the game was special…keep that up fans!! And don’t miss another game…you just might see something you will never forget!

CROSS COUNTRY

The Rocket Boys took 10th out of 16 teams overall  at the Len Nikolai Invitational on Saturday in Manitowoc. Josh Janusiak (11) took 7th with a time of 16:29. Justin Weber (9) took 66th with a time of 18:40 and Damon Dettman (11) took 76th with a time of 18:52.

The Rocket Girls’ runners took 6th out of 17 teams. Becca Heller (10) took 15th overall with a time of 15:53. Maddie Wood (9) took 24th with a time of 16:04, Capri Fowler (11) took 38th with a time of 16:29, and Bristine Fowler (11) took 42nd with a time of 16:40 followed closely by Samantha Meszaros in 43rd place and a time of 16:29 as well.

Great job Rockets! 

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Congratulations to the Rocket Girls’ Tennis team on going 5-1 and taking 2nd place for the 2nd year in-a-row behind perennial tennis power Shorewood in the Woodland East Division! Mackenzie Meyers (10) went 6-1 in conference matches at #2 singles, Rachel Zdero (12) went 5-2 at #3 singles, Kristen Bizub (12) & Ines Hoxha (12) went 5-2 at #1 doubles, and Chidimma Ozodi (11) and Amber Bizub (11) also went 5-2 at #3 doubles.

Woodland Conference Tournament action begins on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday at various sites in the Greendale and Greenfield area. Good luck Rockets!!!

And a couple other notes involving South Milwaukee athletes …

• South Milwaukee’s John Gottwald has been named one of two men’s soccer Players of the Week for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
• And, as reported last week, South Milwaukee’s Trey McKinney Jones is in training camp for the Milwaukee Bucks. Check out this video of Trey throwing down a terrfic dunk during a game this summer.