Varsity games begin Nov. 15

By Greg Seubert

The winter sports season is officially underway for area high school athletes.

Girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ hockey teams held their first practices Nov. 7, while boys’ basketball and wrestling teams can start Monday, Nov. 14.

Several new varsity coaches are on board this season, including four at Waupaca High School.

John Erspamer returns to coach the boys’ hockey team, Dan Bauer is the new coach of the Waupaca Area girls’ hockey team, Nate Harms is coaching girls’ basketball and Matt Bredesen is taking over the boys’ basketball program from longtime coach Ron Weber.

Also, Todd Breuer is the new girls’ basketball coach at Weyauwega-Fremont High School.

Here’s a rundown of opening games for Waupaca, Weyauwega-Fremont, Iola-Scandinavia and Manawa teams:

Waupaca
• Girls’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Ripon, 7:15 p.m.

• Boys’ hockey: Tuesday, Nov. 22, at Black River Falls, 7:30 p.m. The Comets will also host Appleton United at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, for a scrimmage at the Waupaca Ice & Expo Center.

• Girls’ hockey: Tuesday, Nov. 22, vs. Appleton West, 7 p.m. Waupaca Area will also scrimmage against Wisconsin Rapids, Appleton West and Baraboo at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point.

• Boys’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Winneconne. The Comets will also host a scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, that will include teams from Iola-Scandinavia, Laconia, Montello, Tri-County, Wautoma, Wild Rose and Wittenberg-Birnamwood.

• Wrestling: Thursday, Dec. 1, at Freedom, 6:30 p.m.

Weyauwega-Fremont
• Girls’ basketball: Thursday, Nov. 17, vs. Gillett, 7:30 p.m. The Indians will also scrimmage against Berlin and Westfield at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in Berlin.

• Boys’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Clintonville, 7:15 p.m.

• Wrestling: Thursday, Dec. 1, at Amherst, 7 p.m.

Iola-Scandinavia
• Girls’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 15, vs. Wild Rose, 7:30 p.m.

• Boys’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 29, vs. Westfield, 7:30 p.m. The Thunderbirds will also scrimmage against Waupaca, Laconia, Montello, Tri-County, Wautoma, Wild Rose and Wittenberg-Birnamwood at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in Waupaca.

Manawa
• Girls’ basketball: Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Tigerton, 7:30 p.m.

• Boys’ basketball: Monday, Nov. 28, vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.

• Wrestling: Thursday, Dec. 1, at Rosholt, 7 p.m.