Wurtz, Wlasuk Rise To Top, Earn Athlete Of Year Honors

By Andy Hutchison

There’s something to be said for winning a championship. Then there’s winning multiple titles. Even more impressive is capturing three or more championships, and doing so by overcoming bigger opponents along the way. For their efforts and achievements, Riley Wurtz and John Wlasuk are The Newtown Bee’s Newtown High School athletes of the year.

Both athletes may be small — relatively speaking — for their sports. But they rose above their competitors to earn multiple championships this past school year.

Wurtz, who stands at 5-foot-3 and gives up about a half a foot of height to most of her point guard counterparts on the basketball floor, led the Nighthawks to the South-West Conference championship — earning Most Valuable Player honors along the way. She also developed into a strong volleyball player and helped the spikers win an SWC title in the fall, and was a part of the seven-time SWC champion lacrosse squad. The three-sport conference champion was only a junior this past school year, but developed into a leader on the courts this past winter and, in the process, earned All-SWC and All-State recognition.

Wlasuk, meanwhile, had a record-setting season in track and field, and took home indoor season conference, Class LL, State Open, and New England titles in the shot put throw. He also garnered the state championship in the weight throw during the winter campaign. In the spring, the NHS senior captured conference crowns in the shot put, discus, and javelin events, and won the Class LL, State Open, and New England shot put and discus titles. He also had top-ten finishes in the New Balance Nationals in both the winter indoor and spring outdoor seasons. Wlasuk, an All-SWC and All-State honoree, also claimed All-New England spring track honors. He holds five Newtown High records: Indoor shot, weight throw, javelin, discus, and outdoor shot. Additionally, Wlasuk set SWC championship meet records in both the indoor and outdoor campaigns. He will attend the University of Connecticut on a scholarship, and continue his throwing career, this coming school year.

Wurtz Makes  The Big Plays

Wurtz grew up playing with the boys. She’s played baseball — not softball — for a dozen years. Wurtz says playing with the boys helped make her a better athlete because she was striving not only to keep up with them, but perform at a high level and prove she belonged on the same field as them. It’s hard to find a sport she doesn’t enjoy. “I used to love baseball the best. I started playing basketball and it’s kind of taken over,” Wurtz said.

Jeremy O’Connell, basketball coach at Newtown High, says Wurtz brings more to the game than ability and effort — also team spirit.

“Whenever we needed a steal, rebound, bucket, or anything else, Riley was there. The best part about her, though, is that she is the ultimate teammate. Riley is the first to congratulate someone after a good play and she has the ability to help put her teammates in situations where they can be successful. Riley leads by example whether it be during sprints, shooting before/after practice, or how she conducts herself on the court. Let’s just say that I am glad that she is part of our team,” O’Connell said.

As much fun as scoring and winning may be, it’s the people involved that make for the best part about playing any sport for Wurtz. “I definitely like the kids and having that whole time to hang out with them — getting to know them on a different level. It’s really cool,” she said.

Wurtz says she makes up for the size disadvantage to get to loose balls, rebounds, or the basket for a layup with sheer effort. She averaged 16.5 points, six rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 4.2 steals per game this past winter. “It’s just how hard you hustle. You have to out-hustle everyone — you have to work real hard,” Wurtz explained of her secret to success.

In the fall, Wurtz was among the talented group of volleyball players who won the conference title, and her coach, Tom Czaplinski, is impressed with her emergence in the past year-plus.

“Riley’s role grew from more of a part-time player her sophomore year to a starter her junior year and she played a vital role in helping the volleyball team win the SWC championship. Her athleticism and drive to succeed allowed her to play a position that requires her to constantly be involved in the game, whether it be serving, hitting, blocking, digging, or passing,” Czaplinski said.

Wurtz describes winning three championships in one school year as … well, “indescribable.”

The soon-to-be-senior carries an approximate 3.8 grade point average. She is a mentor in the Best Buddies program, working with special education students, and raises money for Fields of Growth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping out struggling communities. Wurtz, this summer, will travel to Uganda to bring school supplies and athletic equipment, and work — along with other volunteers — with students in and out of the classroom.

Practice Makes  Perfect For Wlasuk

Wlasuk holds school records in the indoor shot put event with a long throw of 59-6, and in the outdoor competition with a toss of 59-8. His weight throw record is 67-11.5, and the senior set standards in the javelin with a throw of 189-7, and discus event with a throw of 179-10. A four-time All-State honoree, with five SWC championships under his belt, Wlasuk earns plenty of well-deserved praise from his coach.

“I’ve never seen an athlete so dedicated and determined. His perseverance to go after what he wanted and just practice, practice, practice — as a coach, you always preach that to kids,” Wlasuk’s high school track coach Dan McIlrath said. “He went out and he did exactly what he wanted to do.”

McIlrath added that Wlasuk spent hours working on small details, such as foot placement, to nail down the technical aspects of throwing as best as possible. The coach notes that Wlasuk is smaller than most successful shot put throwers, and a little bigger than most of the best javelin throwers, but that he uses hard work and skill to succeed in each of his events.

Wlasuk is big and strong. Standing a 6-foot-2, he weighs in at about 215 pounds, but most of the best high school shot put throwers are 280–300 pounds, he said. Wlasuk makes up for the difference with speed and explosiveness, he explains.

The recent NHS graduate trains hard in the summer, lifting and throwing, and puts in 15 to 30 hours of in-season training each week. The thrower saw his hard work pay off in the form of several titles and records.

“It’s nice. You know I’ve worked hard for the past four years. I started throwing in eighth grade, so it’s nice to get to senior year and be able to win all of the big meets,” Wlasuk said. “It’s nice when you go out there and just have fun and, hopefully, set a personal best.”

He also was named the Gatorade Connecticut Boys’ Track & Field Athlete Of The Year, recognizing athletic excellence, as well as high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track. Wlasuk, who maintained a 3.19 grade point average, volunteered on behalf of the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Wlasuk reached out to local businesses, asking them to donate a dollar for every point he scored during the campaign.