May 16, 2022 – West Bend, WI – Due to the ongoing outfield turf maintenance at Carl M. Kuss Field, the Inaugural Doug Gonring High School Classic Presented by Pick Heaters is being moved to Kewaskum High School’s Baseball Field.
The Doug Gonring Classic is scheduled for May 20 and May 21, 2022. The tournament is named after the West Bend Baseball Association Hall of Famer and legendary baseball coach at West Bend East High School and Kewaskum High School.
The West Bend High School Baseball Tournament was a fixture for Memorial Day weekends
from 1986 to 2004 at Carl M. Kuss Field and the fields at the West Bend High School Campus.
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The 8-team tournament was considered an early season showcase of the area’s top high school baseball programs. While West Bend East and West Bend West Baseball programs were always in the tournament field, the tournament showcased over a dozen future state champions.
West Bend East led the way with 6 tournament titles, including 5 by Gonring as head coach of West Bend East.
Naming the tournament was a no brainer for the WBBA, and supporting the tournament was a no brainer for Pick Heaters, who has supported area baseball for generations.
However, Carl M. Kuss Field is still not ready for its place in the spotlight. At the 11th hour Kewaskum Athletic Director Jason Piitmann, saved the day. Piitmann spoke to the WBBA and agreed to host the classic named after their former coach.
“We are eternally grateful for Jason, Mike Heisdorf, and the entire Kewaskum School District community for helping us put on this tournament in 2022 and help us honor a man who has made an impact on hundreds of baseball players, not only in West Bend and Kewaskum, but statewide,” said Craig Larsen, Secretary of the West Bend Baseball Association.
The West Bend Baseball Association is a registered 501(c)(3) foundation with the purpose of preserving West Bend’s fine baseball tradition by promoting and supporting youth, high school, and adult baseball and fastpitch in our community.
The City of West Bend looks forward to the return of the Classic in 2023.
This season’s Doug Gonring Classic presented by Pick Heaters features Germantown, Slinger, Fox Valley Lutheran, West Bend East, and West Bend West High Schools.
Friday, May 20, 2022 – Germantown vs. Fox Valley Lutheran – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 21, 2022
West Bend East vs. Germantown – 10 a.m.
Fox Valley Lutheran vs. West Bend West – 12:30 p.m.
West Bend East vs. Fox Valley Lutheran – 3 p.m.
Germantown vs. Slinger – 5:30 p.m.
All proceeds of the event go directly to support Kewaskum High School Athletics.
The Doug Gonring High School Classic will return to a full tournament in 2023 at Carl M. Kuss Field in the City of West Bend and Kewaskum High School in Kewaskum.