EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.

Abby Kaiser, Sr., G, Potosi girls basketball

     Senior Abby Kaiser has been an unstoppable force early this season. The high-scoring guard is averaged 29.7 points per game for the 3–0 Chieftains and is this week’s choice for the Mast Water Technology SWNews4U.com Athlete of the the Week.

     Kaiser, who set the Chieftains’ single-game scoring record of 39 points and topped the 1,000-point mark for her career last year as a junior, opened this season with a 33-point effort in a 63–16 non-conference victory over Argyle before Thanksgiving. Last Friday night the UW–Oshkosh commit pumped in 27 points on 9 of 15 shooting, and had seven rebounds and six assists in a 58–49 conference victory over defending Six Rivers West champion Shullsburg. Monday night she continued her relentless attack on the basket, scoring a game-high 29 points, while making 18 of 22 free throw attempts in a 60–48 non-conference victory over Lancaster (4–3). 

     Kaiser is shooting 59 percent (29-for-49) on the season while averaging 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 3.7 assists per game while leading the Chieftains to three straight wins. 

     Kaiser, who also set a single-season school record a year ago with a conference-leading 514 points, is currently second in Potosi school history with 1,226 points, behind only Jamie Nebel’s 1,309. 

     Kaiser will look to keep her hot start going Thursday night at Belmont. Potosi will then travel to undefeated Black Hawk (3–0, ranked #1 in Division 5) on Monday night.

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):

Riley Blair, Sr., 152, Fennimore wrestling

     Blair went 5–0 with four pins to lead Fennimore to a 3–2 third-place finish at Saturday’s six-team Stoughton Peiper Duals. Blair missed all of last season with a concussion after placing second at state at 120 pounds two years ago as a sophomore.

Troy Klein, Jr., 182, Lancaster wrestling

     Klein went 4–0 to win the 182-pound title and scored a team-high 27 of Lancaster’s 223 team points to help the Flying Arrows win the team championship at Saturday’s 14-team Black Hawk Invitational.

Carter Lancaster, Fr., F, Darlington boys basketball

     Lancaster scored a combined 29 points to lead the Redbirds (3–0) to a pair of non-conference victory over 2017 Division 5 state finalists Barneveld and Shullsburg to open the season last week. Lancaster scored scored a team-high 14 points in his varsity debut to help Darlington to a 57–52 comeback victory last Tuesday night. He then scored 15 points in a 53–30 victory over Shullsburg on Thursday. Lancaster then scored a team-high 18 points in Tuesday’s 68–56 victory at Dodgeville. 

Reid Larson, Jr., G, Fennimore boys basketball

     Larson averaged 16.5 points, 9 rebounds and 3.5 steals in a pair of Fennimore victories last week. He scored 15 points and had nine rebounds and three steals in an 85–22 win over Highland last Tuesday, then scored a game-high 19 points and had nine boards and six steals in Thursday’s 63–29 win at River Ridge. The Golden Eagles are 4–0 and ranked ninth in Division 4.

Natalie Leuzinger, So., F, Darlington boys basketball

     Leuzinger had a team-high 21 points, three rebounds and three steals in last Tuesday’s 77–36 victory at New Glarus last Tuesday night, then posted 23 points and five boards in Thursday’s 71–20 win at over Argyle. She closed out the week with 25 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s 65–31 win at Cuba City. Leuzinger is averaging a team-high 21.8 points per game for the top-ranked Warriors (4–0).

Sami Martin, So., C, Platteville girls basketball

     Martin is off to a strong start for the top-ranked Hillmen (3–1, #1 in Division 3) after missing Platteville’s season-opening loss to Dubuque Hempstead with an ankle injury. She scored eight points in her season debut, a 67–46 win at Darlington on Monday, Nov. 27, but has returned to top form posting 19 points and eight rebounds, and 19 points and nine boards in back-to-back wins over Richland Center last Friday and New Glarus on Monday. Martin is averaging 15.3 points on 78.3 percent shooting (18 of 23), 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game through her first three games.

Kolbe Ubersox, Jr., 138 and Brody Milz, Sr., 220, Darlington/Black Hawk wrestling

     Ubersox and Milz both went 4-0 to win individual championships at Saturday’s Black Hawk Invitational. The WarBirds finished second to Lancaster with 194 points at Saturday’s 14-team event. Both Ubersox and Milz each recorded pins in Friday’s 42–30 SWAL dual meet victory over Mineral Point. It was Darlington’s first dual meet victory over the Pointers since 1990.

Isaac Wiegel, Sr., 126, Belmont/Platteville wrestling

     Wiegel went a perfect 4–0 to win the 126-pound title at Saturday’s Black Hawk Invitational and share the Most Outstanding Wrestler award.. It was the third career Black Hawk Invite title for the three-time state qualifier.