The Hartford Union High School girls golf team finished in third place, out of 23 total teams at the Hartford invite. The next step for the Orioles is the Regional tournament. 

Overall Team Leaderboard:

1 DeForest    330

2 Homestead    333

3 Hartford Union High School    345

4 Arrowhead    352

5 Pewaukee    366

6 Notre Dame Academy    373

7 Hamilton    376

Hartford Union High School:

Rita Kuepper  71

Josie Majerus 92

Alexis Rolsma 93

Lily Oswald 89

Paige Teske 101       

Hartford Union High School boys cross country team earned first place at the Pete Nielsen Laser Relays at Naga-Waukee Park, in Hartland on Saturday, September 27.

Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School was the host.

The Orioles' Noah Gailey was the overall winner of the meet.

Team results:

Hartford Union High School 1:28:35.0

West Allis Nathan Hale 1:29:04.9

Oregon 1:29:30.5

Nicolet 1:30:19.8

Mauston 1:30:46.0

Kettle Moraine 1:31:01.1

Waukesha West 1:31:42.0

Sun Prairie West 1:31:42.4

Hartford Union High School individual results:

Noah Gailey 16:05.9

Troy Axford 17:55.2

Mason Robarge 17:56.0

Eli Rasske 18:13.6

Aidan Morgan 18:24.5

Gavin Vorndran (18:31.7)

Kean Merklein (18:32.8) 

Homestead 48

Hartford Union High School 0

Slinger 56

Whitefish Bay 39

West Bend West 21

Nicolet 8

Cedarburg 41

West Bend East 6

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 28

Kewaskum 21

Arrowhead 38

Oconomowoc 0

Horicon/Hustisford 40

Big Foot 14

Lake Country Lutheran 15

Shoreland Lutheran 8

Lomira 35

Laconia 0

Beaver Dam 35

Watertown 7

Johnson Creek 48

Dodgeland 0

Campbellsport 63

North Fond du Lac 8

Lodi 24

Lake Mills 7

Mayville 35

St. Mary's Springs 0

Waterloo 14

Pardeeville 0

Columbus 42

Clinton 0

Randolph 48

Palmyra-Eagle 12 

North Shore Conference

Homestead @ Hartford Union High School

Slinger @ Whitefish Bay

Cedarburg @ West Bend East

West Bend West @ Nicolet

East Central

Kewaskum @ Kettle Moraine Lutheran

Watertown @ Beaver Dam

Plymouth @ Port Washington

Classic Eight Conference

Oconomowoc @ Arrowhead

Mukwonago @ Pewaukee

Waukesha West @ Kettle Moraine

Brookfield East @ Muskego

Capitol Conference

Big Foot @ Horicon/Hustisford

Lake Mills @ Lodi

Clinton @ Columbus

Greater Metro

Brookfield Central @ Germantown

West Allis Hale @ Menomonee Falls

Marquette University @ Hamilton

Metro Classic Conference

Lake Country Lutheran @ Shoreland Lutheran

Watertown Luther Prep @ Racine St. Catherine's

University School @ Brown Deer

Martin Luther @ St. Thomas More

Trailways Conference

Johnson Creek @ Dodgeland

Palmyra-Eagle @ Randolph

Cambria-Friesland @ Parkview/Albany

Flyway Conference

North Fond du Lac @ Campbellsport

Lomira @ Laconia

Mayville @ Saint Mary's Springs

Winnebago Lutheran @ Omro

Rivalry games are always a highlight of the high school football season. The Hartford - Homestead game certainly fits under that category.

"It's been an established rivalry from the get - go with Homestead," said Orioles' Head Football Coach John Redders. "Even before we joined the North Shore Conference."

Hartford Union High School became a member in 2017, which created the annual conference matchup with the Highlanders - who joined the North Shore in 1985. 

"We know that every time we play Hartford, it's going to be tough," said Highlanders' Head Coach Drake Zortman. "It's always been that way through the years, we always get their best."     

Hartford and Homestead played each other occasionally during the 1990s in non-conference football games, and the history between the esteemed programs goes back even further to the 1970s with two legendary coaches from each school.   

"Our former Head Coach Dan Brunner and their former Head Coach Dave Keel used to play high school football against each other," Redders said. "It really adds something to the history of this game."

Brunner and Keel are both members of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.       

The Orioles host the Highlanders Friday night, September 26 at Gib Mahr Field.  

The last time Hartford (1-4) defeated Homestead (5-0) was 2022, by the score of 30-23. Orioles' running back Noah Deibert rushed for a team-high 174 yards and three touchdowns while the Highlanders' rushing attack included 147 yards by Sal Balistrieri. 

Having success running the football will once again prove to be paramount in the next installment of this rivalry series.  

"It starts there in so many ways for us," according to Redders. "We have faith in our offensive line and are blessed with many talented running backs."

The list of reliable running backs is once again long for the Orioles this season. It includes Michael Smith, Sully McManigal, Ayden Grulke, Ethan Webb and Boden Brandner.

Hartford's offensive line has stepped up to the challenge and will be counted on against the Highlanders. Sam Johnston, Hunter Eder, Jaxon Rolsma and Parker Beck lead the way up front.

It's a similar theme for Homestead.

"It all starts up front for us," Zortman claims. "Our largest area of experience coming back was our offensive line. We have some three-year guys, couple of two-year guys and their experience has carried us. Our running backs are leaning on those guys."

They played twice last year and the Highlanders won both games. It included a 35-0 regular season victory and a 28-8 win in a WIAA Level 1 playoff matchup.

Catch all the live action of Hartford and Homestead on 104.9 WTKM with Adam Majerus and Ryan Zuern. Streaming live on wtkmnews.com. with the pregame at 6:45 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.          

The Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association boys state polls: Week 4

Division 1

1. Madison West

2. Arrowhead

3. Middleton

4. Hudson

5. Brookfield East

6. Beloit Memorial

7. Milwaukee Marquette

8. Neenah

9. Hortonville

10. Waukesha West

Division 2  

1. DeForest

2. Union Grove

3. Wauwatosa East

4. Whitefish Bay

5. Brookfield Central

6. Sauk Prairie

7. Elkhorn

8. Milwaukee St. Augustine

9. Monona Grove

10. West Bend West

Division 3

1. Lake Country Lutheran

2. Milwaukee Pius

3. McFarland

4. Madison Edgewood

5. Green Bay Notre Dame

6. Catholic Memorial

7. Sugar River

8. Shorewood

9. Delavan-Darien

10. Lakeland 

West Bend West High School announced prior to this year's season that their volleyball team has been recognized with the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Academic Team Award. 

1,450 collegiate and high school teams across the country earned the AVCA Team Academic Award – the highest number ever recorded. To qualify, teams must maintain a collective GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale throughout the entire academic year.

The West Bend West volleyball team met the requirements with a collective 3.74 GPA during the spring 2025 semester. Even more impressive, six of their student-athletes achieved perfect 4.0 GPAs:

Maddie Abel

Kylee Altendorf

Avah Banks

Amelia Dubey

Pagie Guse

Breleigh Ustruck

As AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon noted in a press release, "The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes."

Congratulations to the Spartan's volleyball team. 

The Hartford Union High School Girls Golf team won the Conference Final at Wash County and earned their 2nd North Shore Conference Championship in 3 years. 

Orioles' junior Rita Kuepper finished 1st Team All Conference.

Senior Josie Majerus and juniors Alexis Rolsma and Lily Oswald finished 2nd Team All Conference.

The Hartford High School girl's bowling team is looking for new members. They would greatly benefit from another bowler or two this year. No experience is necessary. 

Practices for the Hartford Union High School Bowling Club begin on Monday, October 20 at 3:45 p.m. at Pioneer Bowl, in Richfield.

There is a $75 entry fee for the bowling program.

E-mail gary.aveni@huhs.org for more information.

It was an impressive finish for the Watertown High School girls swimming team at the Kiel Invitational.

The team captured the championship with 572.5 points.

Event winners included:

Ella Williams – 200 Free

Raelyn Warnecke – 200 IM and 100 Backstroke

Lydia Meyers – 50 Free

Katherine Huhn – 100 Butterfly

The Goslings are back in the pool Saturday, September 27 at Jefferson High School for the Jefferson Invite at 10 a.m.

Results posted by Watertown High School. 

West Bend West 16

Hartford Union High School 14

Slinger 41

Nicolet 33

Homestead 56

West Bend East 14

Whitefish Bay 35

Cedarburg 7

Marquette University 21

Oconomowoc 20

Plymouth 40

Watertown 7

Hamilton 23

Germantown 21

Muskego 21

Arrowhead 17

Port Washington 50

Kewaskum 29

Beaver Dam 37

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 0  

North Shore Conference

Hartford Union High School @ West Bend West

Nicolet @ Slinger 

West Bend East @ Homestead

Whitefish Bay @ Cedarburg

East Central

Port Washington @ Kewaskum

Beaver Dam @ Kettle Moraine Lutheran

Watertown @ Plymouth

Classic Eight

Arrowhead @ Muskego

Marquette University @ Oconomowoc

Pewaukee @ Waukesha West

Kettle Moraine @ Mukwonago

Capitol Conference

Manitowoc Lutheran @ Horicon-Hustisford

Lake Mills @ Turner

Lodi @ Clinton

Columbus @ Big Foot

Greater Metro

Hamilton @ Germantown

Menomonee Falls @ Brookfield Central

Brookfield East @ West Allis Hale

Flyway

Campbellsport @ Mayville

Omro @ Lomira

Laconia @ N. Fond du Lac

Saint Mary's Springs @ Winnebago Lutheran

Metro Classic

St. Thomas More @ Lake Country Lutheran 

Shoreland Lutheran @ Brown Deer

Racine St. Catherine's @ Martin Luther

Trailways Conference

Dodgeland @ Parkview-Albany

Johnson Creek @ Palmyra-Eagle

Westfield @ Randolph

Cambria Friesland @ Lourdes Academy

Hartford Athletic Department has been honored with the Award of Excellence from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, WIAA. This recognition celebrates their commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and creating positive experiences for student-athletes, coaches, and our community.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association recognized 39 schools that fulfilled the criteria to be named recipients of the Award of Excellence for 2024-25.

The award promotes and recognizes the efforts and achievements of schools in the areas of sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, leadership, character and administrative accomplishment.

Three area high schools were recognized with the Award of Excellence. It's presented to high schools that have verified they have met each of the award’s criteria. It includes Hartford Union High School, Germantown High School, and Beaver Dam.

Hartford Union High School is a first-time recipient. 

The criteria includes: 

• Athletic director maintains and updates all information in the WIAA School Directory annually
• Athletic director does due diligence in striving to achieve staff compliance with all WIAA coaching requirements (i.e. rules video, exam, officials’ rankings)
• Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with a Captain’s Club/Team Leadership Council/etc. – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with coaches - sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director conducted at least one informational meeting with student-athletes and their parents – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director attended conference meetings – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Coaches and student-athletes attended a sportsmanship summit/leadership conference. 
• There was school representation at one of the seven WIAA Fall Area Meetings
• There was school representation at the WIAA Annual Meeting in April
• Athletic director made the student body aware of sportsmanship initiatives through school assemblies, announcements, posters. 
• Three or more athletic teams gave back to their school or community through volunteerism 
• Athletic director has taken the free NFHS Sportsmanship course
• Three or more head coaches have taken the free NFHS Sportsmanship course
• Athletic program had no coach ejections at any level
• Athletic program had no coach or player assault of an official at any level
• Athletic director nominated/submitted a boy and/or a girl for WIAA Scholar Athlete recognition (either for local or state level recognition)
• Athletic director or designee submits the online season Schedule/Results Verification Form by the established deadlines for all bracketed team sports (basketball, football)

The Hartford Union High School girls tennis team earned a nonconference win over Waukesha South. The Orioles' won all of their singles and doubles matches.

Hartford's girls tennis team hosts five schools on Saturday, September 20 including Slinger, Port Washington, Monona Grove, Wauwatosa East and Burlington.    

Rock River All-League teams as voted on by the managers. 

Northern Division

Catcher – Jared Chesak - Kewaskum

INF - Michael Seegers - Hartford

INF - Nick Terrell - Oakfield

INF - Jonathan Wizner - Thiensville-Mequon

INF - Brad Young - Kewaskum

INF - Josh Steger - Brownsville

OF – Tanner Galeazzi – Hustisford

OF – Dylan Detert – Kewaskum

OF – Johannes Haakenson - Hartford

DH / UTL - Adam Ryan - Oakfield

DH / UTL - Mason Holz - Brownsville

DH / UTL / Pitcher - Johnny Kelliher - Hartford

Pitcher - Andy Neu - Kewaskum

Pitcher - Aidan Trusky - Thiensville-Mequon

Southern Division

C - Calvin Hurtgen - Clyman

INF - Tyler Doyle - Lebanon

INF - Robby Proehl - Neosho

INF - Josh Oswald - Clyman

INF - Tucker Crabtree - Neosho

OF - KJ Banse - Rubicon

OF - Hunter Herpel – Lebanon

OF - Cullen Weiss - Rubicon

DH / UTL - Bow Hartwig - Johnson Creek

DH / UTL - Noah Zubke - Lebanon

DH / UTL - Kody Banse - Rubicon

Pitcher - Jack Ryan - Milton

Pitcher - Carter Schneider - Milton

Pitcher - Brock Vredeveld - Clyman

Hartford Union High School 45

West Bend East 0

Slinger 28

West Bend West 14

Racine St. Catherine's 28

Lake Country Lutheran 6

Stoughton 49

Kewaskum 33

Edgewood 51

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 7

Winnebago Lutheran 42

Campbellsport 6

Arrowhead 47

Pewaukee 7

St. Mary's Springs 17

Lomira 0

Mukwonago 35

Oconomowoc 6

Lake Mills 47

Belleville 14

Columbus 64

Horicon-Hustisford 16

Palmyra-Eagle 42

Dodgeland 26

Kettle Moraine 46

Brookfield Central 41

Mount Horeb-Barneveld 45

Watertown 13

Sauk Prairie 45

Beaver Dam 14

Mayville 63

North Fond du Lac 8

Hamilton 41

West Allis Hale 0

Germantown 36

Brookfield East 3

Marquette University 55

Menomonee Falls 13

Martin Luther 27

Watertown Luther Prep 14

Poynette 36

Waterloo 0

Plymouth 42

Lakeside Lutheran 21

Waupun 54

Adams-Friendship 6

North Shore Conference

West Bend East @ Hartford Union High School 

Slinger @ West Bend West

Cedarburg @ Nicolet

Homestead @ Whitefish Bay 

East Central

Kewaskum @ Stoughton

Kettle Moraine Lutheran @ Edgewood

Watertown @ Mount Horeb-Barneveld

Beaver Dam @ Sauk Prairie

Plymouth @ Lakeside Lutheran

Classic Eight

Pewaukee @ Arrowhead

Mukwonago @ Oconomowoc

Brookfield Central @ Kettle Moraine

Capitol Conference

Columbus @ Horicon-Hustisford

Lake Mills @ Belleville

Big Foot @ Lodi

Clinton @ Turner

Flyway Conference

Winnebago Lutheran @ Campbellsport

Lomira @ Saint Mary's Springs

North Fond du Lac @ Mayville

Laconia @ Omro

Metro Classic

Lake Country Lutheran @ Racine St. Catherine's

Martin Luther @ Watertown Luther Prep

Brown Deer @ St. Thomas More

Shoreland Lutheran @ University School

Trailways

Palmyra-Eagle @ Dodgeland

Lourdes Academy @ Johnson Creek

Randolph @ Cambria-Friesland

Parkview-Albany @ Westfield

Greater Metro

Brookfield East @ Germantown

Hamilton @ West Allis Hale

Marquette University @ Menomonee Falls

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and the La Crosse Center have reached a three-year agreement, moving the State Team Wrestling Tournament to the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, effective in March of 2026.

“With the expansion of the State Team Wrestling Tournament format this year and the advent of the State Girls Team Tournament in 2027, this event has actually outgrown the UW Field House’s floor space and warm-up areas,” WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Hauser said in a press release. "The UW staff has created a welcoming environment for this tournament for nineteen years. We are very grateful for nearly two decades of hospitality and look forward to continuing to host the Individual Championships on UW’s campus at the Kohl Center. We are excited to continue to provide the outstanding championship experience for the student-athletes, coaches and spectators with the move to the La Crosse Center.”

In June, the WIAA Board of Control approved an expansion of the State Boys Team Wrestling Tournament to increase the qualifying teams in Divisions 2 and 3 to eight teams, equaling the number of Division 1 qualifiers. The new format requires additional mats to accommodate Division 2 and 3 quarterfinals in the tournament schedule. The available floor space in the UW Field House is limited to four mats. An additional two mats will be required when the girls State Tournament adds a dual-match format to determine its team champion in 2026-27.

Built in 1980, the venue offers a competition area of 21,000 square feet that can accommodate 8-10 wrestling mats with a seating capacity of 4,537 for the tournament and built-in concession areas. Additional square footage of open space will be utilized for team and warm-up areas.      

Slinger 28

Hartford Union High School 21

Whitefish Bay 47

West Bend East 0

West Bend West 26

Cedarburg 3

Lake Country Lutheran 41

Watertown Luther Prep 20

Edgewood 39

Kewaskum 3

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 26

Stoughton 14

Lomira 35

Campbellsport 8

Arrowhead 29

Waukesha West 6

Oconomowoc 47

Kettle Moraine 7

Lake Mills 68

Horicon-Hustisford 0

Muskego 48

Pewaukee 7

Sauk Prairie 23

Watertown 19

Brookfield East 21

Hamilton 13

Germantown 41

West Allis Hale 14

Mukwonago 49

Menomonee Falls 7

Homestead 49

Nicolet 13

Cambria-Friesland 60

Dodgeland 7 

Hartford Union High School @ Slinger

Whitefish Bay @ West Bend East

West Bend West @ Cedarburg

Watertown Luther Prep @ Lake Country Lutheran

Edgewood @ Kewaskum

Stoughton @ Kettle Moraine Lutheran

Waukesha West @ Arrowhead

Campbellsport @ Lomira

Kettle Moraine @ Oconomowoc

Muskego @ Pewaukee

Horicon-Hustisford @ Lake Mills

It's THE GAME on Friday night, September 5 at 7 p.m. with Hartford Union High School on the road to face Slinger.

Both teams are coming off tough losses last Friday, August 29. Germantown defeated Hartford, 45-22 while Badger beat Slinger, 56-17.

The Owls have had the Orioles number the last two years, including a 31-26 win last season. Hartford's last victory with this storied rivalry was 2022, with a 28-21 win.

Orioles' head football coach John Redders is looking forward to the matchup.

"It's a game that all of us look forward to, every year. A lot of the kids know each other, the two towns are so close. It's a big game every year."

Hartford is playing for their first win of the season. The Orioles lost their season opener to Fond du Lac, 24-20.

Slinger started the season with a 37-0 win over Menomonee Falls.

Owls head coach Bill Jacklin says the team records do not matter in this game.

"We always look forward to this one. It doesn't matter how the teams are playing leading up to it. This game brings out the best in everybody. Everyone wants to have their best game."

THE GAME begins at 7 p.m. at Slinger High School with live coverage by WTKM.