As the spring sports season finally gets into high gear with the improved weather, I just wanted to highlight a couple of notable events involving the teams I cover that occurred in the previous week.

I am still trying to figure out just what happened in the softball game between New Berlin Eisenhower and Greenfield on May 1. The Lions entered that game at 7-0 overall, not having allowed a single run nor committed an error all season, and they held a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning.

The Hustlin' Hawks proceeded to score five runs in the next two frames, all after two outs and no one on base, and they benefitted from two errors and a passed ball in the seventh inning alone.

Coach Jeff Setz was as stunned as anyone, saying, "It was very uncharacteristic of our defense. Today was the first day we had errors, and they all came at a critical time when the game was on the line."

There were two other interesting sidelights about that game: the five runs by Greenfield were the most allowed by Eisenhower in any game in the past two seasons, and the contest marked the third straight season that the Hawks took on Eisenhower when the Lions were unbeaten, and the second time they knocked off the Lions in those three years.

Greenfield certainly used the game as a springboard, going on to win the Germantown Tournament the next day, then routing Greendale on May 4. The Hawks face a crucial game for first place in the Woodland Conference South Division later today against Cudahy.

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A little ingenuity by Muskego tennis coach Jake Adamson helped three teams get in some extra work and enjoy a beautiful day on May 2.

The Warriors were set to play in the Oconomowoc Invitational that day, but the meet was cancelled due to the H1N1 flu outbreak. Adamson contacted the coaches at Eisenhower and Watertown Luther Prep and invited them over to play a triangular. "It was just too nice out to not get in some matches," Adamson reasoned.

As it turned out, the teams put on a nice show, with all three duals being decided by 4-3 scores. "This ended up being a very good invite with three evenly-matched teams," he said.

Adamson deserves credit for his quick thinking in putting the meet together. Clearly, the spring sports teams don't get many opportunities to play in perfect weather, and they need to take full advantage of every one they get.

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Congratulations also to the Eisenhower soccer team for its big 2-1 victory over Shorewood in a Woodland contest on May 5 on an overtime goal from Kali Shandley, assisted by Hadley Bales. The Lions struggled early this season against a rugged non-conference schedule but went to 2-0 in conference play with that victory.

They play host to a tournament this weekend, then visit rival New Berlin West on Thursday, May 14, in what shapes up to be a typical intracity thriller.

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Finally, the pitching efforts of West Allis Central's Corinne Burgermeister and West Allis Hale's Nicole Grubor deserve mention. Those two hooked up in a classic 1-0 game, won by Central, on May 5. They each allowed just two hits and the lone run of the game came on a sacrifice fly.

High school softball tends to revolve around pitching, and those two were at the top of their games that day.

The first game against rival West Allis Central provided the first indication that the West Allis Hale softball team was headed for a particularly interesting and thrilling season.

In that contest, played in the wind and cold of April 6, the Huskies took leads of 4-1 and 7-4, only to see the Bulldogs rally to tie the game twice. Undaunted, they tallied the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a hit by Morgan Abel to prevail, 8-7.

In the weeks since then, Hale has continued its highwire act, beating Pewaukee, 9-7; Sussex Hamilton, 1-0; and Brookfield Central, 4-3, while falling to Divine Savior Holy Angels, 7-6, in nine innings after coming back from a 6-2 deficit after five.

The Huskies have proven they can be competitive with anybody this season behind the pitching of Nicole Grubor, who has hit double figures in strikeouts several times this year, and a strong lineup keyed by Abel, Jenny Rechlicz, Cheyenne Smith and others.

At this point, Hale is 3-2 in the Greater Metro Conference and 5-3 overall, pending a game later today against GMC leader Menomonee Falls, weather permitting.

The Huskies should be a team to watch in the coming weeks, starting with their May 5 contest against Central at Dorow Field. They also have two games with Brookfield East, including one at home on May 4, and a home contest against DSHA on May 14.

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Speaking of Hale, one of the school's most notable, even iconic, teachers and coaches is Mary Blandino, who coached Huskies' volleyball for 34 years while winning four WIAA Division 1 state championships, as well as gymnastics for 17 seasons and track for 14 years.

Blandino has received numerous awards in the past few months, capped by the Women's Sports Advocates of Wisconsin's Lifetime Achievement Award, which is considered the state's highest honor in women's sports.

Considering her coaching success, plus all her other work on behalf of Special Olympics, state coaches' advisory boards and Senior Olympics, Blandino is richly deserving of all these honors. Her complete story can be found on WestAllisNOW.com or in the West Allis NOW newspaper of today, April 30.