View from the cheap seats

A weekly perspective on sports

Casey Krautkramer Reporter The Record-Review

I found out some exciting news today (Wednesday) about Stratford High School senior Tyler Holcomb’s plans after he graduates in spring.

Tyler is awaiting an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. He has two congressional nominations from Tom Tiffany and Ron Johnson.

His backup plan is to attend the University of Minnesota-Crookston, where he’s received a scholarship to run cross country for the Division 2 college.

I’m sure Stratford head cross country coach Kevin “Tiny” Michalis is proud of Holcomb’s high school accomplishments, which have provided him with these great opportunities after he graduates.

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Athens High School 2020 graduate

Cameron Ford is still waiting for his opportunity to show the Divison 3 college basketball world his tremendous skills as a big man on the court.

That’s beause the Midwest Conference, which includes Wisconsin Division 3, Lawrence University in Appleton and St. Norbert, Beloit and Ripon colleges, suspended all conference play for sports until 2021.

Ford is listed as a six feet, six-inch freshman forward on the Ripon College men’s basketball roster for this season. The majority of players on the Ripon College men’s basketball team hail from Wisconsin, but there are a handful of players on the squad who attended high school in different states. Ford has three college teammates from Illinois and one each from California and Texas.

I discovered today (Wednesday) Marathon High School graduate Clarke Mouw decided not to attend St. Norbert College and play Division 3 college basketball for Green Knights head coach Gary Grzesk.

Mouw changed his college plans and he’s now attending UW-Eau Claire and not playing college basketball there. This type of thing happens all the time because it’s difficult for a high school senior to determine the best course of action for their college plans, which will affect the rest of their lives.

I do remember watching Grzesk play Division 1 men’s basketball on television, as a member of UW-Green Bay, in the mid 1990s. I watched UW-Green Bay head coach Dick Bennett’s talented Phoenix squad beat California in the first round of the 1994 NCAA tourament. This was a great win for the UWGreen Bay men’s basketball program.

Grzesk guarded NBA lottery draft pick Jason Kidd in the postseason game against California. Grzesk has a head coaching record of 274 wins and 86 losses in 14 years as St. Norbert Collge’s head men’s basketball coach. He’s been considered for the head coaching job at his alma mater, UW-Green Bay, in the past but the Phoenix hired Will Ryan as their new coach this year.