Bay Port’s Isaac Krause, left, and Isaiah Gash were a big reason why the Pirates finished 11-1 and won their second consecutive FRCC title.
BY RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT
SUAMICO – It was quite the year for athletes at Bay Port High School during the 2017-18 school year.
The Pirates compete in the Fox River Classic Conference.
This is the first part in a three-part series, beginning with the fall season.
Baranczyk rises to the top: For the first time in school history, the Pirates girls’ golf team headed to team state after winning the WIAA D1 Notre Dame Sectional on October 3 at Thornberry Creek.
Freshman Jo Baranczyk finished FRCC play with a 39.50 stroke average/9 holes to win player of the year by 25 shots.
Baranczyk fired a 10-over par, two-day total of 154 to finish in a tie for fifth place at the state championship on Oct. 9-10 at the University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.
Back to back: The Bay Port football team finished a perfect 9-0 in the FRCC for the second year in a row – and third time in four seasons – and won a record 18th straight conference game in the process.
The Pirates broke Ashwaubenon’s previous record of 17 straight conference wins set from 2012-14. It was also the first time in school history and in the FRCC that a team repeated as champion. Bay Port has won 34 of its last 36 conference games.
Thirteen players/coaches took home FRCC honors, with quarterback Isaac Krause heading that list.
Krause was a unanimous first-team pick and was also selected as the co-offensive player-of-the year, where he accounted for 1,939 yards (1,140 passing, 799 rushing) and threw 13 touchdown passes and rushed for another 11 in conference play.
Head coach Gary Westerman was named FRCC coach of the year.
Spurred on by 188 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Isaiah Gash, and four touchdowns from Ryan Smith, Bay Port outlasted Stevens Point 57-51 in four overtimes in a WIAA D1 Level 2 playoff game on Oct. 27 at Bay Port High School.
The Pirates dropped a level 3 game the next week in a 49-41 loss to Appleton North, ending their season at 11-1.
Sophomore girls do it again in Powderpuff: The Bay Port class of 2020 won the Homecoming Powderpuff championship.
Despite falling behind by a quick 14-0 margin, the sophomores came back to beat the juniors 28-14 in the annual game held at Bay Port High School.
The group of girls, which includes members from the state championship soccer team and other sports, won the championship for the second year in a row.
Pecore named conference player of the year: Despite the Bay Port boys’ soccer team bowing out early in the postseason, Griffin Pecore was named the FRCC player of the year.
Pecore scored 13 goals and recorded 9 assists for the 7-11-1 Pirates, who finished 4-4-1 in the FRCC and lost a 3-1 game to Appleton North in the first round of the WIAA D1 regionals.
Pecore ended his career with 40 goals and 31 assists, which comes out to 111 total offensive points.
Earlier this year, Pecore committed to play soccer at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Doubles duo at state: The No. 11 seeded girls’ tennis double’s duo of Devan Perry and Rachel Ceaglske had a strong showing at the WIAA D1 state championships in Madison on Oct. 12-14.
The pair won their opening two matches before dropping a three-set heartbreaker in the round of 16.
A dynasty in the pool: For the fourth year in a row, the Bay Port girls’ swim and dive teams took home the FRCC title, this time by a big margin at Ashwaubenon High School on Oct. 28.
Bay Port’s 602 points easily outdistanced Ashwaubenon’s 439. In all, the Pirates won nine of the 12 events.
Sophomore Emma Lasecki came home with a pair of runner-up finishes at the WIAA D1 state meet on Nov. 11 in Madison.
Lasecki, the FRCC swimmer of the year, finished in a time of 2:02:98 in the 200 IM and 55:12 in the 100 Butterfly.
Volleyball has strong year: The Bay Port volleyball team won its first-ever regional title and finished third in the FRCC.
Boys return to state: For the first time since the 2011 season, the Bay Port boys’ cross country team competed at team state in Wisconsin Rapids on October 28.
Senior Nick Key (16:59) placed 78th, with sophomores Drew Dahlin (17:08, 95), Ryan Thieme (17:22, 126) and Andrew Aderhold (17:24, 128) coming in next. Seniors Kyle Thieme (17:34, 144) and Peter Martin (18:34, 185) rounded out the team qualifiers along with junior Drew Abfall (18:07, 174).
Senior Savannah Huben, a four-time state qualifier, finished 26th with a time of 19:31 for the girls, while junior Rachel Hoffman placed 92nd overall in a time of 20:16.
LaPoint signs letter of intent: In a Nov. 8 ceremony, Bay Port senior softball pitcher Sydney LaPoint singed a national letter of intent to continue her athletic career at Division 2 St. Cloud State (Minnesota).
LaPoint helped the Pirates win the 2017 FRCC title and was named co-player of the year.