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Darlington wins two on Luke Wiegel Memorial Baseball Day
Darl BB Glendenning slide color
Darlington's Ryan Glendenning slides safely into to home plate during the Redbirds' 32 non-conference win over Dodgeville last Saturday.
Thomas Gunnell
Updated: Apr 14, 2016, 2:53 PM
Published: Apr 14, 2016, 2:58 PM

DARLINGTON – Luke Wiegel was huge Chicago Cubs fan all his life, so the Darlington baseball team decided to honor the memory of the former Redbird player and Darlington/Dodgeville coach by heeding the advise of legendary Cub Ernie Banks as they played two games on a chilly afternoon at Otto Ruf Field on Saturday, April 9.

The Redbirds took it a step further by winning both games to earn the sweep on the first annual Luke Wiegel Memorial Baseball Day sponsored by the Wiegel Strong Foundation.

Darlington used an 11-run outburst in the first inning to walk away with an 18-6 five-inning victory over Argyle in the opener, and then the host Redbirds held off a seventh-inning rally to nip the Wiegel’s former Dodgers, 3-2, in game two.

Due to the unseasonably cold weather conditions on Saturday, these were the only games held on the day.

The Redbirds (3-1 overall) sent 16 batters to the plate in the first inning against the Orioles despite recording just one hit in the frame, but thanks to 10 walks and a pair of errors they were able to plate 11 runs to charge into the lead.

Darlington’s first six batters walked to begin the rally and their four batters– Brayden McDonald, Will Schwartz, Tyler Osterday and Jesse Sturtz– to lead the way.

“I liked how we came out ready to play. We were disciplined at the plate and took advantage of some base running situations. Any time you can score double-digit, runs it energizes the team,” said Darlington head coach Brad Solberg. “We didn’t get Argyle’s best effort Saturday. They are much better than that, and they will win a lot of games this year. I have a lot of respect for that program.” 

The Orioles responded with six runs in the top of the second inning to make things a bit interesting, but the ‘Birds answered back with six runs of their own in the third and another run in the fourth to pull away for an 18-6 victory.

Sturtz finished 2-for-2 with four runs batted in and three runs scored, while Ryan Glendenning knocked in two RBIs and Tyler Torstenson-Harris, Hayden Hardyman and Sam Cohen each joined McDonald, Schwartz and Osterday with two runs scored for the hosts.

Cohen posted the victory after tossing three-and-a-third scoreless inning in relief. He struck out three batters and walked two without giving up a hit.

Runs were tougher to come by in game two as the Redbirds battled with the Dodgers through three scoreless innings until finally breaking through for a pair of runs in the fourth to grab the lead for good.   

An error brought in Sturtz for the game’s first run and Cohen slapped a two-out, RBI-single to score Hardyman to make it 2-0.

Darlington tacked on a key insurance run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Sturtz that extended the lead to 3-0.

Dodgeville, who were coached by Wiegel from 2011–15, put a scare into the ‘Birds in the top of the seventh after scoring twice to cut the lead to 3-2.

The Dodgers had the bases loaded with just one out when a fly ball into right field made for a thrilling finish to the game. Sturtz caught the fly for the second out of the inning, and then threw a strike to home to cut down the potential game-tying run on a play at the plate to end the game.

“We needed a win like this. Dodgeville is that next level opponent that we haven’t been able to beat. It showed us what we are capable of accomplishing this season,” Solberg commented.

“I know the kids were cold, but we don’t let them say the word cold. We don’t let them use the elements as an excuse. We believe games like this make us tougher. One thing that is nice is we get to utilize our entire roster. We had multiple players really step up this weekend.” 

Sturtz scored a run and drove in another to lead the Redbirds at the plate.

Six pitchers combined to hold the Dodgers to just three hits over seven innings. Sturtz tossed three scoreless innings to open the game, while Osterday threw one scoreless inning and Jackson Hemming held the guests scoreless in the fifth and sixth stanzas to earn the win.

In the seventh, three pitchers combined to close things out with Cohen coaxing the double-play fly out for the save.

Prior to the game, the Wiegel family took the field to remember Luke, who passed away unexpectedly last August at the age of 34. Luke’s father, Pete, and his three children, Lily, Owen and Tyler, each threw out a first pitch to begin the game.

“Having played for Luke, I know how passionate he was about baseball. His brother, Nate, had a great message before the game that captured that. The game of baseball is better, in both communities, because of Luke,” said Solberg.

  Last Tuesday’s non-conference game against Lancaster was postponed due to the weather. It will be made up at Otto Ruf Field on Monday, April 25, starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday’s SWAL game at Fennimore was also postponed and there was no make-up known at press time.

Darlington has a non-conference game scheduled on Thursday, April 14, against Pecatonica at Warner Park in Madison, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The Redbirds will also play a non-conference game at Monroe on Monday, April 18, at 5 p.m., and a SWAL game at home against Riverdale on Tuesday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m.

 

Argyle………     060  00 –   6  2  6

Darlington… (11)06  1x – 18  5  2

Leading hitters: Jesse Sturtz 2x2.

WP- Sam Cohen. LP- Argue.

 

Dodgeville… 000  000  2 – 2  3  4

Darlington… 000  210  x – 3  3  1

Leading hitters: 2B- Tyler Osterday.

WP- Jackson Hemming. LP- Devoss.
Cuba City head coach Guy Kopp joins WFCA Hall of Fame
Kopp joins HOF with 131–80 overall record and four conference titles in 19 years
Guy Kopp
Cuban Head Coach Guy Kopp has enjoyed great success as a head coach, posting a 131-80 overall record with four conference championships. - photo by Casey Lindecrantz
Casey Lindecrantz
Published: Aug 22, 2025, 4:26 PM

CUBA CITY — Another Cuban football coach is joining hallowed company. Current Cuba City head coach, Guy Kopp, is one of 12 inductees as the 2025 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association’s (WFCA) Hall of Fame class.

The Cuban program is rich in tradition, exemplified by its four other coaches in the Hall of Fame — Jim Meckstroth (Class of 2012; 169-117), Rex Foster (Class of 2007), O.A. “Ozzie” Barth (Class of 1985; 101-80-7), and H.L. “Jake” Jacobson (Class of 1983; 66-46-5).

Kopp’s 34-year coaching career includes 19 total seasons with Cuba City, where he’s gone 102-67 as a head coach (131-80 overall). His coaching career began as a linebacker coach at UW-Stout before being hired for the Cubans as a defensive coach at the freshman level under Meckstroth in 1992. Kopp was promoted a year later to defensive coordinator for the varsity program for the outgoing Craig Weber, who left to open a meat processing plant with his brother in Geneseo, Ill. 

Kopp remained in the position until 1998, where a move to Prairie du Chien was in order. He remained a defensive coordinator for the Blackhawks under Duane Bark, and took over for his first head coaching position for Prairie du Chien in 2002 until 2005. Over the Kopp’s first stint as a head coach, he compiled a 29-13 record.

Then came the 2006 season, and with it, a move back to the familiar. The Cubans welcomed back Kopp to the team and community as a defensive coach under coordinator, Gary Meyer, and Meckstroth.

“He was a big reason why I came back to Cuba City, beside it being a great place to raise your kids and being a great school with great teachers,” Kopp said. “Meckstroth taught me so much. Not only the X’s and O’s, but how to make football fun and how to treat your players — firm but fair.”

Kopp didn’t have to wait long for his next, and current, head coaching gig. 

“In 2008, I was hired as head coach by superintendent Sam McGrew and principal Tim Hazen to replace Meckstroth after his 30-year career with the Cubans,” Kopp said.

He earned his first SWAL conference co-championship with Darlington and Iowa–Grant in his second season with Cuba City at 6-1 (6-4 overall). Kopp’s first outright title came three seasons later in 2012, with undefeated conference and regular season records for his Cuban squad. The only mar on their record was a Division 5 Level 1 home loss to Aquinas, 32-20.

Under Kopp’s tutelage, Cuba City has seen significant success, including winning records in 11-of-17 years with one .500 season as well, and four SWAL titles over the span.

A team isn’t made up of one person — a fact that Kopp is well aware of.

“Your assistant coaches make the head coach who he is,” he said. “They are the reason I received this honor. In my career, I have had the best assistants ever, and they get better every year. I have had four former assistant coaches that became head coaches, and ” 

Kopp specifically listed assistant coaches Steve Graber, Eric Rojemann, Aaron Kaiser, Andy Pualsen, Austin Young, Troy Updike, Brian Coulthard, Ross Griffin, Brad Collins, and John Sturtz by name as.

“I have four former assistant coaches that became head coaches, and one player who is a head coach,” Kopp said. “Having the support from administration is also key. I have been blessed to have athletic directors Andy Banasik, Joe Zydowsky, Jeff Pustina, Jason Holzemer, and Keri Lawson.”

Through it all, Kopp also recognizes that those with a family in his position often rely on those individuals more than anyone else. 

“The most important person for this award is my wife, Tanya,” he said. “The sacrifices she made over the years so I can do my job that I love is unbelievable. Every successful head coach has an understanding wife. My four children, Preston, Payton, Parker, and Beau, are also very supportive.”

Kopp’s coaching ability is respected among his peers as well. 

“I understand [the Cubans] graduated 20-plus seniors, but Kopp does such a great job of getting kids out for football each year that the dropp off is not going to be nearly as high as people think,” Darlington head coach Travis Winkers said. “This current group of juniors and seniors dominated the conference when they were on junior varsity. Combine that with coming off a conference title season, where many people in our area thought they could get to state, that ended abruptly when quarterback Tyson Richard SWAL All-Conference Player of the Year got hurt in a Level 1 playoff game.”

Also part of the 2026 Hall of Fame Class are Bob Hyland (St. Mary’s Springs), Dan Miller (Racine St. Catherine’s, Racine Park), Toby Golembiewski (Monroe, UW-Platteville), Scott Cramer (Verona, Whitefish Bay, Grafton), Cal Mathew (Milwaukee King, Milwaukee Washington), Pat Miles (Citation — Official), Frank Tierney (UW-La Crosse), Robin Rosemeyer (Gilman, Cornell, Chippewa Falls), Jim Hagen (Colby), and Lee Purdy (Ashwaubenon, Mukwonago, UW-Superior, UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater).