Track and field enthusiasts knew when JWP and WEM decided to combine their teams for the 2026 season good things were in the making.

Both teams have had great success not only as individuals but as complete teams.

The Bulldog (JWP/WEM) girls team will now show the state how good track and field is in this area.

They are one of only 12 teams in Class A to advance to the Class A True Team State Championships. The event...

To see more on this story pick up the May 14, 2026 print edition of the LifeEnterprise. 

The WEM softball team played five games last week, four of which were nonconference, and came away with two wins.

The biggest game of the quintet was a a 4-3 win over NRHEG Thursday, May 7 in New Richland. The Panthers had only two losses in the Gopher Conference before losing to the Bucs.

The week started with a 10-1 loss to Cleveland Tuesday, May 5. The Clippers are 14-3 this season and one of the favorites in Section 2A to advance to State.

It was a game for the record books Monday, April 20 in Nicollet for the WEM baseball team.

The Bucs scored 21 runs in the bottom of the first inning on their way to a 36- 2, five inning win over the Raiders in a nonconference game.

Every player on the roster got a chance to play. They finished with 22 hits, they walked 20 times, finished with 27 runs batted in, had seven extra base hits, including three triples.

Seventeen players scored runs. 14 players had hits. 14 players had an RBI. 13 players received a walk.

The JWP/WEM girls track and field team is starting to show people why they are among the best teams in Class A.

JWP was the 2025 Class A State Champion. Now with the majority of their athletes back and the addition of some very good WEM athletes, the Bulldogs will again be a force to reckon with this season.

They competed in a pair of invitationals last week and claimed the championship in both of those.

Last month the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its women’s basketball awards for the 2025-26 season.

Brianna Nusbaum (Spring Lake Park) collected her second consecutive All-Conference selection following another record-breaking season. She was also the only conference player named to the All-Playoff team for a 2nd consecutive year, which recognizes the top nine performers from the conference tournament.

With 10 returning letterwinners the WEM softball team will be looking to improve in both the Gopher Conference and Section this spring.

Under 12th year head coach Crystal Lamont (135-98 overall record) the Bucs were 3-7 in a very good Gopher Conference and 7-10 overall.

Last year the conference had three teams which placed in the top three at State.

With All-Gopher Conference senior Robynn Schwichtenberg (catcher) and junior Alix Velzke (pitcher) the Bucs return two of the best players in the league.

The JWP/WEM boys track and field team placed second Saturday, March 21 in the Gopher Conference Indoor Championship held at MSU-Mankato.

The Bulldogs, who entered into a co-op this spring between JWP and WEM, finished with 77 points to finish behind Triton with 114 points. Following in descending order were NRHEG (70), United South Central/Alden-Conger (68), Kenyon-Wanamingo/Goodhue (54), Hayfield (42), and Medford (30).

Winning the 4 x 800-meter relay in 9:46 were the quartet of Teagan Mulder, Wesley Heinz, Wyatt Jans, and Brennan Welvaert.

Condon, Velzke win WEM Girls Basketball MVP Awards

WEM senior Addison Condon and junior Alix Velzke received top honors during the WEM Girls Basketball Recognition Banquet Thursday, March 19.

Condon was named the Offensive Player of the Year Award for the second straight season. She scored 681 points, averaging 26.2 points per game, a school record for points and average.

Velzke received the Defensive Player of the Year Award. She had 108 rebounds, 64 deflections, and 48 steals in 26 games played.

Six Grizzlies finish their wrestling careers

Six WEM/JWP Grizzly wrestlers finished their careers at the end of February and one of those was named this year’s Most Valuable Wrestler.

Brady Murphy was named the Most Valuable Wrestler after finishing an outstanding career which saw him finish in the top 10 in many Grizzly school records lists.

Murphy, along with Zach Quast, Charles Adams, Devin Cowdin, Spencer Nordstrom, and Kayle Langford were seniors this winter who will be hanging up their wrestling singlets.

Nearly two dozen WEM/JWP wrestlers have qualified for NYWA (Northland Youth Wrestling Association) Regional Tournament.

They advanced through four different local tournaments including Janesville, Mapleton, Blooming Prairie, and Tartan.

Those who advanced include the following:

Pre-K: Johnny Deleon.

Kindergarten: Koda Knish.

1st Grade: Mateo Masso.

2nd Grade: Gabriel Behne, Beau James, Maddox Knish, Mariella Masso, Rhett Melchert, and Ryatt Melchert.

3rd Grade: Lucas Grother.

LAKE CRYSTAL - Throw out the three-point shooting in the Section 2AA opening round boys basketball game between No. 13 seed WEM and No. 4 seed Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (LCWM) Tuesday, March 4 and the results would have been much different.

Unfortunately for the Bucs, three-pointers counted and the Knights held a distinct advantage in the long range shooting in their 74-54 win over the Buccaneers.

LCWM made 10-of-23 from behind the three-point arc while WEM hit only 4-of-23, giving the Knights an 18 point advantage on the 19+foot shots.

The trip to the Class A State Wrestling Tournament for the first Grizzly wrestlers will provide memories of a lifetime.

Four of the five were making their first appearance. Two of the five were able to win a match. Three of the five have a chance to make a second appearance.

Seniors Brady Murphy and Kayle Langford and juniors Kavan Sheehy, Trenton Huber, and Aiden Gruber each represented the team with great determination and pride.

Twelve of the 13 WEM/JWP wrestlers placed in the top six at the Section 2AA Wrestling Tournament. The tournament was held Saturday, Feb. 21 at JWP High School.

WEM/JWP had two champions, senior Brady Murphy (139 pounds) and junior Aiden Gruber (152 pounds) and two runners-up, junior Trenton Huber (189 pounds) and junior Kavan Sheehy (215 pounds). All four will represent the Grizzlies at the Class A State Wrestling Tournament this week in St. Paul at Grand Casino Arena.

The WEM boys basketball team finished its regular season schedule with an 11-15 record after winning their final two games.

The Bucs picked up a 74-52 win over NRHEG Friday, Feb. 20 to end their Gopher Conference season with an 8-6 record and second place finish in the West Division. Monday, Feb. 23 the Bucs picked up their biggest win of the season, defeating Nicollet, 78-61. Nicollet came into the game with a 21-4 record after winning the Valley Conference Championship.

Being a repeat Section runner-up is something which the WEM/JWP wrestling team can certainly be proud of.

Before last year, no Grizzly team had ever advanced to this level. Now they have accomplished it two years in a row. Last year Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial defeated the Grizzlies, 40-25, in the Section 2A Championship. This was WEM/JWP’s 1st Section Championship appearance.

Two school records were set by a pair of seniors last week during a pair of Gopher Conference girls basketball wins by the WEM Buccaneers.

Addison Condon and Kaitlyn LaFrance each set records while defeating United South Central (67-49) Thursday, Feb. 12, and Faribault BA (62-48) Friday, Feb. 13. The Bucs started the week with a nonconference loss to Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (LCWM), 57-43.