Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly
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AUGUST 2013 Page 8A/Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove Community coming off good football season All three high schools do well By Daniel Mike Freeman Staff BROOKFIELD – Brookfield had a successful high school football season in 2012. Brookfield East won its first 10 games before falling to Whitefish Bay in a state quarterfinal game. Brookfield Central won its first playoff game before falling to Bay. East suffered some big graduation losses, most notably defensive end/running back Alec James, The Freeman Player of the Year. James, a University of Wisconsin recruit, was the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year. The Spartans, who won the Greater Metro Conference at 7-0, also lost running back Zach Schober, receiver/defensive back Brian Smith, tackle Eric Weller and linebacker John LeClaire, who were first-team all-GMC picks. Other graduation losses are receiver Kyle Wirtz (secondteam All-GMC), guard Zach DeValkenere (honorable mention), defensive lineman Jack Podewilis (second team), defensive lineman Erik Hunt (second team), linebacker Landon McDonald (second team) and defensive back Andy Gould (honorable mention). Among the underclassmen for the Spartans last year were senior quarterback Zach Damico (first-team all-GMC), senior guard Noah Pulsifer (first-team), junior kicker/punter Conner Allen (first team) and junior center P.J. LeClaire (honorable mention). Central, which went 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the GMC, lost defen- sive lineman Chikwe Obasih (first-team All-GMC), running back Marcus Crum (honorable mention), tackle Jacob Homa (honorable mention), center Austin Cebula (honorable mention), linebacker Steve Ambrookian (second team), linebacker Austin Vanark (second-team), defensive back Billy Schim (second team), defensive lineman Dan Sorenson (honorable mention) and defensive back Abe Tanel (honorable mention). Among last year's Central underclassmen were senior running back Demario Harris (firstteam All-GMC), senior guard Eli- jah Goodman (second team), senior kicker Steven Knopp (second-team), senior tackle Luke Rasmussen (honorable mention) and senior defensive back Terry Wallen (honorable mention). Brookfield Academy went 4-4 last season, qualifying for the WIAA Division 5 playoffs after going 3-3 in the Midwest Classic Conference. The Blue Knights lost Jake Kolasinski, a first-team All-MCC linebacker and receiver, to graduation. Senior defensive tackle Phil Steigerwald is expected to return this season. Email: dmike@conleynet.com Work pays off for Bill Goral Brookfield man in LOL Hall By Daniel Mike Freeman Staff Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Land o' Lakes baseball Hall of Fame inductees, from left: Rick Seidel of Mukwonago, Bill Goral of Brookfield and Todd Morris of Hartland talk before this summer's awards banquet. at Brookfield East High School. He played with the Lakers while still at East in the County Major League, but high school players were not allowed to play LOL games until their high school career was finished. He quickly took to the team and was a fixture at shortstop until moving to second base late in his LOL years. "It was fun. It truly was more than baseball," said Goral, whose brother, Tom, was inducted into the LOL Hall of Fame last summer. "The people I played with over those years were friends. They weren't friends before starting to play for Brookfield, but they became friends through baseball. "It really was a social activity It was more than . just baseball, but it was the love of playing that brought everybody together. That's why a lot of us played as long as we did." John Rosenberg played with Goral at Brookfield East and with the Lakers. Goral taught at Muskego, where Rosenberg is a teacher and softball coach. Rosenberg also had opportunities to go against Goral after moving to the New Berlin Lakers late in his LOL career. "He was just a real nice, solid infielder," Rosenberg said of Goral. "He had a good glove and strong, accurate arm. When he was at the plate, you knew he would put the bat on the ball and make something happen. "He was a real solid player and a pretty good friend of mine. He was the best man COMFORT KEEPERS NATIONALLY RANKED NUMBER ONE Comfort Keepers has more than 665 national owners. For 2013, the company at my wedding." Goral played shortstop with the Lakers before Dave Berka joined the team and Goral went back to second. "Second felt like a natural position for me even though I always played shortstop," Goral said. "I enjoyed playing both, but second base just always seemed natural." Goral was a member of Grand Championship teams in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986. "Last year at the induction ceremony for my brother, Ray Sykes, who was the coach for Butler, referred to Brookfield as the team of the '80s," Goral said. The 1986 team was the last run for Goral, who had decided to hang up his cleats prior to that season. "I was going to turn 33 after that season was over with," Goral said. "I know a lot of guys in amateur baseball play until their late 30s or they turn 40. But I always thought, for playing amateur baseball, 33 is pretty old because it's not your job. You don't focus on staying in shape all year long just to play baseball. "I thought it was time. I didn't want to embarrass myself by hanging on." The Hall of Fame honor was special for Goral, who lives in Indiana after years of teaching at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky . "It's really an honor, and I'm really kind of humbled by the whole idea," Goral said. Email: dmike@conleynet.com QUALITY DESIGNER FURNITURE FOR LESS! Happy 60th wedding anniversary by Comfort Keepers Howard and Harriet celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in October 2012. The happily married couple met on a blind date arranged by her sister. Harriet said, "My sister and I were lying in the bed that night after that first date, and I told my sister, 'I am going to marry him.'" Harriet's brother-in-law was an architect who designed their home. Together Harriet and Howard built the home they are still living in since they first married 60 years ago. Harriet's proud career as an interior decorator and a seamstress is evident by the curtains and draperies, which are still hanging in their home today. 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Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Land o' Lakes baseball Hall of Fame inductees, from left: Joe Donovan from North Lake, Rick Seidel from Mukwonago, Todd Morris from Hartland, Bill Goral from Brookfield, Travis Thull from West Bend and Russ Belling from North Prairie hold their plaques before the Hall of Fame banquet this summer. Over 2,000 Furniture & Accessory Items in Stock! 50%-60% OFF SALE IN PROGRESS! TORY Y INVEN DAIL GING CHAN E SEE COM NEW! 'S WHAT Great HIGH END Pre-Owned Merchandise at LOW END PRICES! Comfort Keeper Lulrene's smile lights up Harriet's home and life. was ranked as the top franchise in senior care by Entrepreneur 500. There are 15 Comfort Keepers' franchise owners in Wisconsin who work together as a team on a day-to-day basis to make a difference in the lives of seniors and those who are disabled. Interactive Caregivers like Lulrene are screened, bonded and insured with credit, motor vehicle and criminal background checks. 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Serving Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. 414-858-9400 www.comfortkeepers.com Ranked the Top Home Care Agency in America 233161100 www.dfoc1.com • FURNITURE • TAPESTRIES • RUGS • ART • LAMPS • PICTURES • CHANDELIERS • MIRRORS 14265 Capitol Dr. • Brookfield • 262.439.8745 Hours: Mon., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10:30am-5:30pm • Sun. 11am-5pm or by Appointment 233461011 BROOKFIELD – Bill Goral found it easy to spend his summers on the baseball diamond. While many players in the Land o' Lakes try to juggle work and family with baseball, Goral was fortunate to avoid some of those struggles. "I've been an educator my entire adult life," Goral said. "As an educator, I had a lot more time than others did who were playing during the summer. "A number of those years my brother and I painted together. We owned our own business, and we made our own time schedule." That allowed Goral more time for the sport, and it led to a successful run in the infield for the Brookfield Lakers from 1974 to 1986. He was inducted into the LOL Hall of Fame this summer. "It wasn't easy," Goral said. "You had to take the initiative to do preseason workouts, to lift, to run and to get back into it so you were ready for the start of season. Those things were pretty unorganized until the weather allowed for practice to start. "I worked in education, so weight facilities in the school were a big help." Goral joined the Lakers after an all-conference run 232975005