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Part II

Lauren DeGroot
Check out Part I of this mini series on Fall Sports!

Girls’ Cross Country

With an impressive 2nd place finish at Conference and a bonded team, Girls’ Cross Country shares their favorite moments and team goals!

Grace Elberson (Junior)

“I originally started cross country because I knew it was a no cut sport that I could see progress simply from showing up: I’ve been running for 5 years now, and since then I’ve been able to make so many lifelong friends and memories with this amazing team. I grew so much as an athlete, and last year I even had the opportunity to run as an individual at state with two of my best friends, Lauren and Beckett. This season my goal is to contribute in any way possible to get the entire team to State, whether that’s taking a more active leadership role as an upperclassmen or just being a good cheerleader for my teammates. I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish!”

Lauren DeGroot (Senior)

“I started running because of my mom at the age of 5 and from there I knew I never wanted to stop. It has become such a big part of my life. When I joined the team freshman year, it was clear that this would be the best decision I would make in my high school career. Through this sport I have had the opportunity to grow both as a person and as an athlete while being surrounded by the most amazing people. Cross country has given me a second family and so many amazing experiences and memories. I have raced at the state course, conquered courses (with and without shoes) in rain, snow and heat, and pushed my limits. My time on this team has been so rewarding and I would not trade it for anything in the world.

My favorite memory from this season would probably be running at Greenfield park. If past me could hear this answer now she would think I was crazy. Each time I ran this course I seemed to have bad luck. Freshman year I was hit in the face with a flag while racing, sophomore year I fell (literally supermanned) onto the ground, and junior year I ran the entire race without a shoe (ouch). As you could imagine I was quite anxious for what senior year would have in store. However it was one of my favorite races I have ever run. I ran next to my best friend, my sister Kara DeGroot, and finished side by side. The race wasn’t the only fun part that day. Our girl’s team placed 2nd earning a plaque. We stood at the awards ceremony proudly with the Cross Country lance and I will never forget the feeling of overwhelming pride and joy for my team.”

Kyana Delgado (Senior)

“Joining cross country has been one of the best experiences I’ve had throughout high school. It’s introduced me to so many new, inviting people, especially doing it as my first year as a senior, and transferring only last year. I’ve had so many great memories and experiences through this sport. It's taught me I can push through anything, and accomplish things I never would’ve thought I could ever do like running multiple miles for a single practice. Overall, I love the team aspect of the sport and as well as how it can apply individually to a person. This team specifically has been the most welcoming and I’m so grateful for the new people I’ve met and best friends I’ve made.”

Raelyn Puerling (Senior)

I joined cross country because I loved to run. It helped me forget the stress of the outside world and redirected my focus on the adrenaline from racing or the tiredness I felt when I had less than a mile left. But I soon realized that cross country was more than just a race. It helped me make new memories. I never thought that I'd meet my closest friends in this sport. Everyone wonders how people can possibly think running is fun. but it's fun for more than just physical activity. It's the people you go on easy runs with, go to team dinners with, and cross the finish line with. I never would have thought that this would become one of the most impactful things to have happened in my life, and it's all because of my teammates who made sure I never settled or gave up. That is something that I'll never forget.

Beckett Lauer (Junior)

“Running is a challenging sport, but even through the hard workouts and different races, there is always a reason to keep showing up, pushing forward and believing in what you’re capable of. The lessons I have learned and continue to learn through running go far beyond the sport itself. It has taught me to stay determined, push through challenges, and believe in myself even when things get hard. These are lessons I carry with me outside of running and ones I know I will continue to learn from as I continue my running career. Along the way, I have found some of my best friends, made some of my favorite memories, and shared countless laughs. From the moments before a race to the long bus rides, inside jokes, and all the funny things that happen along the way, it’s the people who make the difficult days better! Running has given me so much more than just a sport and I’m grateful for all the friendships, memories, and experiences that have come with it.

Boys’ Cross Country

With a strong start to the season and memories in the making, Boys’ Cross Country quotes what they love about this sport and why they have stuck with it.

Jacob Chmielewski (Junior)

“There are times during this sport where every ounce of your body wants to quit but you have to choose to push on. This is why this sport is great; it teaches you lessons that will help you your entire life.”

Bodhi Williamson (Junior)

“What I love most about cross country is how I’m just able to push myself and push my teammates. I went into cross country freshman year thinking it was going to be something to help me with wrestling, but from freshman year to now, it has helped me make so many friends and has made me disciplined in life. It’s just made me a better person for real.”

Brayden Vergin (Junior)

“Something that is great about XC is how everybody is always cheering you on. It doesn’t matter if it’s from a different team or just random people; everyone always cheers people on, which is something unique about this sport.”

Eli Bilstad (Junior)

“My favorite cross country memory was breaking 19 minutes in the 5K for the first time. I battled injuries throughout the season, so being able to finish with such a big milestone made it especially rewarding.”

Kevin Kidd (Junior)

“Throughout my years of XC, I’ve had so many times I’ve wanted to quit. I’ve had injuries, terrible races, and so much more happen. However, one thing I will never do is quit the sport. Although I always say I hate running, it’s a way to meet new people, hang out with my friends, and make memories. That’s why I love running cross country.

Boys’ Football

With a common goal, Hamilton’s football team is ready for the journey! #RTR!

Photo by Nick Lykins @lykins_photography on Instagram.

Reese Mallinger (Senior)

“My favorite memory was the energy after the Kimberly playoff game last year. I just love the physicality of the sport. And everyone can agree the end goal is to finish this year at Camp Randall.”

Alex Restivo (Senior)

“My favorite memory from high school football is when we beat Menomonee Falls 73-0 during the 2025 season. It was the last time Hamilton will play its biggest rival, the Falls, since they moved conferences, and there’s no better way to end the rivalry than to beat them by 73 with my close friends that I have played with since 6th grade.”

Brayden Schroeder (Senior)

“What I love about football is there is no other sport like it. The physicality and team bonding is like no other. The end goal is to get to Camp Randall and win State 100%.”

Barrett Ruis (Senior)

“Our goals for the season is to win conference in dominating fashion, going 7-0 in conference play and making it to Camp Randall to win a State Championship for the first time in school history.”

Cole Erdmann (Senior)

“My favorite memory of playing football is going undefeated freshman year. It was special because we all shared that moment together, and hopefully we can go undefeated this year as well.”

Tristan Thao (Junior)

“My favorite thing about football is just being around the guys all the time and the big family we have created over the years, especially with my own class of ‘28. My main goal for this year is obviously to make it to Camp Randall and win the State Championship to cap off such an amazing and fun season.”

Girls’ Tennis

Finishing up their season, Hamilton Tennis is taking Wisconsin by storm with a second place finish at conference and multiple girls making it to State!

Kensie Martin (Senior)

“The team did exceptionally well this season, competing tough and giving full effort every time. That hard work paid off at conference, where we took second place overall and set a historic program record for both the girls' and boys' teams. As captain, it was an honor to watch everyone step up, lead, and compete through sectionals all the way to State. We had a deeply talented roster this year, and that growth is going to continue both on and off the court.”

Ellie Simonsen (Sophomore)

“This tennis season was the best one yet! We had such a close team, and some of my best memories include going out to dinner with them after long tournament days. Our team also experienced great success this year, placing 2nd at conference, along with sending our #1 singles and #1 doubles to State! It is such an honor to be the first female player seeded and reach the round of 16 from Hamilton! I already can’t wait for next season!”

Mira Chauhan (Junior)

“Overall, this season was very successful for us all as a team. We had a super strong team record and placed 2nd at conference, which is the highest in Hamilton tennis history! The team this year was amazing, and we all had so much fun together. We had lots of post-match food runs and practices were always entertaining. The seniors contributed so much to the team, and we will all definitely miss them next year. I had so much fun, and I can’t wait to experience it all again for my senior year!”

Deekshu Premchand (Junior)

“This season tennis has been one of my favorites so far! Having such a close team made every day seem super fun. It was so great seeing the team perform so well at conference this year, placing 2nd for the first time in school tennis history! One of my favorite memories this season was having almost all of the team cheer us on at State!”

Harshu Premchand (Freshman)

“Being a part of varsity freshman year was a really special time for me. Getting to know the team and spending time with them outside of tennis made me feel really close with all of my teammates! Playing at State was such a cool experience, and having the rest of the team there was really special. I am so proud of our team making Hamilton history by placing 2nd at conference! I hope to experience more seasons like this one in the future!”

Girls’ Rugby

Starting the season with a lot of new faces, Hamilton Rugby is ready for action and looking to develop new talent!

Lauren Houts (Senior)

“We're coming off of a season where we lost a lot of our big impact senior players. Nevertheless, the grit that Hamilton Rugby is built on continues to shine. We have lots of younger girls beginning to step into leadership positions and each game we learn something new. What makes Hamilton Rugby so special is that no matter the outcome of a game, we grow as a team, and it has been amazing to watch that growth throughout the season so far. I can't wait to see what this team will do as the season progresses!”

Sofia Scicero (Senior)

“I would probably say that placing 5th at Nationals was my favorite memory because everyone on the team was very close and we all had a fun time playing every game.”

Sophia Peperkorn (Senior)

“This season was one of my favorites. All of the growth, personal and team, made the ups and downs worth it. I really enjoyed seeing everything we accomplished and I can’t wait to see what gets accomplished later down the line."