Luxemburg-Casco cross country runner Kyan Lynts will continue his career at the next level next year, signing his National Letter of Intent to join St. Norbert College next year.

Lynts was a two-time state qualifier for the Spartans, saving his best performance of his junior and senior years for the sectional meet to qualify. During his senior campaign, he broke 17 minutes in the 5K distance in his last four races, including his personal best of 16:24. Prior to his senior season, the 2023 WIAA Sectional was the only other time he broke the 17-minute barrier.

A tightly contested game went against the Luxemburg-Casco girls basketball team on Thursday night as they lost to Valders 48-42 in its season opener.

The Spartans' three-point shooting kept things closer, but they still found themselves climbing uphill at the break by a 30-21 margin. They would not get much closer the rest of the game despite hitting three of their seven three-pointers after the break. Sienna Blohowiak scored 12 points and Brianna Bray added 11 in the loss for the Spartans. Megan Hochkammer scored a game-high 15 points for the Vikings. 

Luxemburg-Casco volleyball players continue to earn post-season honors almost two weeks after they helped earn the program's second silver ball.

OH Aubrey Frey, S Alayna Deprez, L Rylan Kaminski, OH Ella Vander Velden, and MB Campbell Onell were all named to the WVCA All-State team on Monday. Frey and Deprez garnered First-Team honors while the others garnered Honorable Mention status. Ten Players were named to the All-State First-Team, four of which they faced in their state tournament run.

FIRST TEAM

Lucia Brown, Sr., Catholic Memorial
Peyton Carlson, Jr., Waupaca
Alayna Deprez, Jr., Luxemburg-Casco
Aubrey Frey, So., Luxemburg-Casco
Hailey Goebel, Sr., St. Thomas More
Adeline Goedheer, Sr., Catholic Memorial
Avery Lang, Sr., Freedom
Rebecca Ring, Sr., Edgewood
Ella Schuetz, Sr., Lakeside Lutheran
Jenna Welsch, Sr., Catholic Memorial

HONORABLE MENTION

Ambryn Aanonsen, Jr., Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Brooke Bartelt, Sr., Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Jaxcyn Berntgen, Sr., Platteville
Lilli Big Eagle, So., Freedom
Natalie Bystol, Jr., Shawano
Adah Danen, Sr., Notre Dame
Peyton Everson, Sr., Osceola
Natalie Field, Sr., Wisconsin Dells
Bridget Frye, So., Mosinee
Addison Fura, Sr., Catholic Memorial
Makena Ihle, Sr., West Salem
Izzy Johnson, Jr., Wisconsin Dells
Bella Kaldor, So., New Berlin Eisenhower
Rylan Kaminski, Jr., Luxemburg-Casco
Addison Kelenic, So., Catholic Memorial
Julia Killoran, Jr., St. Thomas More
Marta Leeland, Sr., Portage
Madelyn Marquardt, Sr., Kewaskum
Megan McDowell, Sr., New Berlin Eisenhower
Hope Martens, Sr., Pius XI
Madelyn Newton, Sr., Osceola
Leah Nordin, Jr., Shawano
Addie Oeth, Jr., Edgewood
Britta Olson, So., St. Croix Falls
Campbell Onell, Sr., Luxemburg-Casco
Amber Otto, Sr., Oconto Falls
Lucy Ripley, So., Oconto Falls
Addison Schmidt, So., Rice Lake
Riley Schmitz, Jr., Fox Valley Lutheran
Maren Schmotzer, Sr., Edgewood
Adaline Sheplee, Jr., Rice Lake
Daisy Spink, Sr., Mosinee
Ella Vander Velden, Sr., Luxemburg-Casco
Eva Wall, Sr., Freedom
Isabella Weber, Jr., Catholic Memorial
Maddie Wolfram, Sr., Notre Dame

There was plenty of maroon and gold on the list when the North Eastern Conference announced their All-Conference teams last week.

The list was highlighted by RB Andrew Klass, the lone Spartans player named First-Team All-NEC. OL Mathew Koss, FL/UT and OLB Braydon Loritz, DT Myles Jandrin, DE Caleb Salentine, and DB Gage Delcore were placed on the Second Team. Jandrin (OL) and Klass (OLB) also joined ILB Bryce Dhuey on the Honorable Mention team.

You can find the full listing here.

The postseason awards keep rolling in for members of the Luxemburg-Casco volleyball team.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced their All-Region volleyball teams this week, placing outside hitters Ella Vander Velden and Aubrey Frey on the Region 6 squad. Region 6 is made up of volleyball players from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin. More than two dozen from Wisconsin made the list, with state champion Divine Savior Holy Angels leading the way with five honorees.

The number of athletes chosen for each All-Region Team is determined by the amount of AVCA High School All-America nominations received for that region. The top 50% of nominated athletes, as selected by the AVCA High School Regional Committees, are named to their respective All-Region team. The 2024 AVCA High School All-America Teams will be announced on November 18. Athletes that made one of the All-Region Teams are eligible to be considered for the All-American Teams, which will include a First Team, a Second Team, a Third Team, and Honorable Mention selections.

This is the second post-season award Vander Velden has earned this week after being named to the WVCA All-State Tournament team. 

Picture by Ron LeCloux

Postseason honors continue to roll in for two Luxemburg-Casco volleyball players following last weekend's WIAA State Tournament at the Resch Center.

Libero Rylan Kaminski and Outside Hitter Ella Vander Velden each earned All-State Tournament recognition from the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association, joining Shawano's Gracie Buss, St. Thomas More's Hailey Goebel, and Catholic Memorial's Adeline Goedheer, Addison Kelenic, and Jenna Welsch.

In two matches, Vandervelden recorded 16 kills, while Kaminski registered 31 digs. The pair led the Spartans to their second silver ball since 2017.

Fresh off the state volleyball championship game appearance, two Luxemburg-Casco Spartan seniors will be signing their Naming, Likeness, and Image (NIL) commitments to college this afternoon.

Campbell Onell will sign with Belmont University in Nashville and play for the Bruins next year.  Ella Vander Velden, an outside hitter, will commit to Bemidji State University in Minnesota and compete for the Beavers in volleyball.

Onell, a middle blocker, led the Spartans with nine block solos, while Vandervelden paced the Spartans with 348 kills leading up to the championship game last Saturday.  

(picture courtesy of Luxemburg-Casco Volleyball Facebook)

Nearly two dozen Luxemburg-Casco athletes were named to postseason All-North Eastern Conference teams on Monday.

Led by first team selection Claire DuChateau, the Spartans girls cross country team led the way with six selections, followed by five a piece by the volleyball and boys cross country team. You can find the full rosters by clicking on the links below.

GIRLS GOLF

Reese Bandow, Honorable Mention

Katie Ledvina, Honorable Mention

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Aubrey Frey, First Team Outside Hitter

Alayna Deprez, First Team Setter

Ella Vander Velden, Second Team Outside Hitter

Rylan Kaminski, Honorable Mention Libero

Campbell Onell, Honorable Mention Middle Blocker

BOYS SOCCER

Reese Barbiaux, First Team Forward

Carson Hunsaker, Second Team Midfield

Asbel Vilchez-Ruiz, Honorable Mention Defender

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Claire DuChateau , First Team

McKenna Rank, Second Team

Sienna Blohowiak, Honorable Mention

Ellison Bosman, Honorable Mention

Gretta Annoye, Honorable Mention

Grace Havel,Honorable Mention

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Kyan Lynts, First Team

Marcis Doell, First Team 

Derek Christoph, Second Team 

Ezra Treml, Second Team

Zach Tassoul, Honorable Mention

Tanner Snowberry,  Honorable Mention

The Luxemburg-Casco volleyball team could not solve the front line of Catholic Memorial Saturday night, falling in straight sets (18-25, 10-25, 22-25) in the WIAA Division 2 State Championship.

The Spartans never held a lead in the match until the third set and only forced three tied scores during the match. A big reason why was the Crusaders' front line, which posted eight team blocks compared to just three for the Spartans. The Crusaders' attack was just as strong, posting a hitting percentage that never dipped below .230 compared to the Spartans' numbers that never climbed above .190.

In the first set, the Crusaders had two runs of four straight points to set themselves apart from the Spartans. It was similar in the second set when the Crusaders went on a pair of 6-0 runs to put the Spartans in the unenviable position of being down 2-0. 

The Spartans scored six of the first seven points in the third set before the Crusaders began to chip away. They would later flip the script as they scored seven of eight points, turning a 9-6 deficit into an 11-9 advantage. The Spartans tightened the set late, but a service error ended the threat and gave them their second silver ball in program history. Head coach Jeff Frey said after the game that he felt his team played well but that Catholic Memorial just played much better that night.

The Spartans were led by Campbell Onell (seven kills, two service aces), Isabella Vandervelden (six kills, two service aces), Aubrey Frey (six kills, 13 digs), Alayna Deprez (22 assists), and Rylan Kaminski (14 digs).

Picture by Ron LeCloux

The #2 Luxemburg-Casco Spartans swept the #3 St. Thomas More Cavaliers at the Resch Center in Green Bay on Friday morning and now are one match away from a state title.

The Spartans controlled the three sets from pretty much start to finish, winning 25-15, 25-17, and 25-17. 

Sophomore Claire Schleis came up with some big aces and great floor play to lead the Spartans, along with the strong front court of Campbell Onell and Isabella Vander Velden who were relentless at the net. 

The Spartans are looking for their fourth state title in volleyball, having won three straight years from 2019 to 2021.  

Luxemburg-Casco (30-12) will now play the #1 Catholic Memorial Crusaders for the Division 2 state championship on Saturday.  The Crusaders (30-10) swept the Shawano Hawks in three games and tied for first in the Classic Eight Conference.

Tyler Thrune and Tim Kowols will have the call on 104.1 WRLU and NEWRadioSportsNetwork.com beginning at 4:45 p.m. with the pregame show followed by the first serve at 5:00 p.m. 

(photo courtesy of Ron LeCloux)

The #2 Luxemburg-Casco Spartans (29-12) will look to bring home the gold ball this weekend as they start with a state semi-final matchup with the #3 St. Thomas More Cavaliers (24-8) at the Resch Center in Green Bay on Friday morning.

The Spartans are looking for their fourth state title in volleyball, having won three straight years from 2019 to 2021.  They were co-champs in the North Eastern Conference with a 7-1 record and punched their ticket to state with a 3-1 win over Kewaskum in the sectional final.

The Cavaliers won the Metro-Classic Conference and swept Pius XI Catholic in three sets last Saturday to earn a trip to state. 

Tyler Thrune and Paul Schmitt will have the call on 104.1 WRLU and NEWRadioSportsNetwork.com beginning at 10:15 a.m. with the pregame show followed by the first serve at 10:30 a.m. 

(photo courtesy of Ron LeCloux)

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, something Luxemburg-Casco volleyball coach Jeff Frey knows all too well before his Spartans open state tournament play on Friday at the Resch Center.

After finishing as the state runner-up in 2017, the Spartans won three straight titles between 2019 and 2021. Before the Spartans could set the Resch Center as their forwarding address for November volleyball, they were beaten by eventual state champion Xavier in each of the past two years. Frey says the break has allowed him to reflect on how special it is to play in such an environment and balancing business with pleasure. 

Frey says his team is a close-knit group, crediting a weekend in Iowa for a tournament and a book study as ways they have built chemistry and resiliency together. As strong as his relationships are with the entire team, none is as strong as one between a father and daughter. After supporting her dad as a fan, Aubrey Frey became a major contributor to this year's squad. Along with his spouse turning into not just a coach's wife but a player's mom, Frey admits that this tournament run will be a little more special than the others.

The Spartans open their state tournament quest on Friday at 10:30 a.m. against St. Thomas More. Tyler Thrune and Paul Schmitt will have the call in 104.1 WRLU and NEWRadioSportsNetwork.com beginning at 10:15 a.m. with the pregame show followed by the first serve. 

Click here for full interview with head coach Jeff Frey

The field is set for this week's WIAA State Volleyball Tournament in Green Bay, and Luxemburg-Casco now knows the who and the when.

The Spartans will play St. Thomas More Friday morning at 10:30 in at the Resch Center. A win would put them in the championship match on Saturday at 5 p.m. against either Catholic Memorial or Shawano.

Tickets can be purchased online and Spartans fans are encouraged to use the code S9GTEAM2 as a part of the “Rush to the Resch” promotion. The school that purchases the most tickets receives a $1000 check.

Photo by Ron LeCloux

Luxemburg-Casco's volleyball will make its triumphant return to the Resch Center after a thrilling 3-1 win over Kewaskum in Sheboygan.

The Spartans captured the win by winning the sets 25-18, 20-25, 25-20, 26-24. In the fourth set, the Spartans found themselves down 12-5 before rallying for the victory.

The Spartans were led by Alayna Deprez (55 assists, 26 digs, and 2 aces), Ella Vander Velden (24 kills, 24 digs), Aubrey Frey (23 kills, 31 digs, 2 aces), and Rylan Kaminski (34 digs).

Head coach Jeff Frey was thrilled with his team's resiliency all season long that reared its head again in the match's decisive fourth set. "Kewaskum is so well coached and they were so good defensively, Jimmy does a great job with his team. I am so proud of the grit and fight we showed tonight. To be down 12-5 in the 4th and come back and win, says so much about how we have responded to adversity all season."

The four state qualifiers will reset ahead of the state tournament, which will begin on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and potentially continue on Saturday at 5 p.m. 

Photo by Ron LeCloux

The Luxemburg-Casco volleyball team will travel to Sheboygan South on Saturday in search of its fifth sectional title when it faces Kewaskum.

The Spartans knocked off its NEC rival Freedom 3-1 (25-16, 27-25, 17-25, 25-18) on Thursday after posting sweeps against Notre Dame (25-19, 25-6, 25-14) and Oshkosh North (25-12, 25-13, 25-16) to open tournament play.

The Indians have traveled a similar road to Sheboygan as its region's top seed. After having a bye for the first round they beat Ripon in three sets (25-14, 25-15, 25-19), Sheboygan Falls in four sets (27-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-13), and Grafton in four sets (18-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-10). The two teams met at Tom Larsen Invite earlier this season with Luxemburg-Casco winning 2-0.

The first serve is set for 7 p.m.

Picture by Ron LeCloux

The Luxemburg-Casco volleyball team has the state tournament in Green Bay still in their sights after beating Freedom 3-1 in front of a raucous home crowd Thursday night.

The Spartans jumped out to a two-set lead (25-16, 27-25) before dropping the third set 17-25. The team recovered in the fourth set and topped their NEC rival 25-18.

The Spartans were led by Alayna Deprez (50 assists, 21 digs), Aubrey Frey (21 kills, 37 digs, and two aces), Ella Vander Velden (18 kills, 17 digs, and six aces), Campbell Onell (10 kills and two aces), and Rylan Kaminski (30 digs).

Head coach Jeff Frey was impressed by his team's grit, especially after dropping the match's third set. "That’s a really good Freedom team that has been playing great volleyball. Sam has done a great job with her program. We stayed in the fight, didn’t panic in that fourth set, and then finished."

The Spartans will try to punch their tickets for the Resch Center on Saturday when they face Kewaskum at Sheboygan South at 7 p.m.

Picture courtesy of Ron LeCloux