EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Ben Guerin, Jr., Cuba City boys track and field
The Cuba City track and field team will be busy this weekend in La Crosse after advancing 12 individuals and three relay teams to the 2018 WIAA State Meet. Junior Ben Guerin qualified in four events and won a second straight wheelchair sectional team title last Thursday at Bangor. Guerin is this week’s Mast Water Technology SWNews4U.com Game of the Week.
Guerin won the wheelchair shot put with a toss of 21’3” and race to gold medal finishes in the 100 (21.59), 400 (1:20.66) and 800 (2:53.32) for the Cubans.
“I was very proud of Ben’s sectional title in the wheelchair events,” said Cuba City head coach Jason Holzemer. “He continues to improve each time he is on the tack or in the throwing circle. I think Thursday night’s title was extra special for him and we expect to see that carry over (to state).”
Guerin is seeded third of 12 in the shot put, third of 10 in the 100-meter-dash, fourth of nine in the 400 and second of five in the 800 entering the WIAA state meet, which will be held Friday and Saturday at UW–La Crosse’s Veterans Memorial Stadium. Guerin will compete in the wheelchair shot put Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. before competing in the 100, 400 and 800 on Saturday. Saturday’s finals begin at 10:30 a.m.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Trey Hunt, Sr., P/SS, Fennimore baseball
Hunt struck out five and threw a 102-pitch no-hitter to lead Fennimore to a 9–0 victory over Necedah in Tuesday’s WIAA Division 3 regional semifinals. Hunt entered the seventh inning with 91 pitches, but induced a first-pitch fly out, a full count ground out and then struck out Isaac Herried on four pitches to close out he no-hitter. He aided his own cause with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning to give the Golden Eagles (19–6) a 5–0 lead.
Lydia Murphy, Jr., MF, Platteville/Lancaster girls soccer
Murphy scored a goal and passed out three assists in Platteville/Lancaster’s 6–0 win at Richland Center last Tuesday as the Hillmen (9–5–2, 9–0–1 SWC) clinched the outright Southwest Wisconsin Conference title. Murphy then scored and had an assist to lead the Hillmen to a 2–0 win at Prairie du Chien Thursday afternoon.
Grace Pustina, So., P, Highland softball
The sophomore pitcher threw back-to-back shutouts to lead the Cardinals to a berth in today’s WIAA Division 5 sectional final. Pustina struck out eight and tossed a two-hit shutout as Highland (19–5_ edged Barneveld 1–0 last Friday to win the regional title. Tuesday afternoon, Pustina again struck out eight in a six-hit 5–0 shutout of Six Rivers West champion Belmont. It was Pustina and the Cardinals second win in three tries over the 21–6 Braves this season.
Brock Schambow, Sr., Platteville boys track and field
Schambow broke the Platteville school record in the boys jump with a lead of 44’5.75” to place second at last Thursday’s WIAA Division 2 Lancaster Sectional and earned his first trip to the WIAA State Track and Field Championships.
Zach White, Sr., Platteville boys golf
Platteville’s remarkable team season came to an end with a disappointing third-place finish at Tuesday’s WIAA Division 2 Platteville sectional, finishing just four strokes short of a team state berth. But White shot a 6-over-par 77 to tie for fifth place and earn one of the third individual berths to next week’s WIAA Boys Golf State Tournament that will be held Monday and Tuesday at University Ridge in Madison. White also shot a 6-over-par 78 to share medalist honors and help Platteville win the WIAA Division 2 Prairie du Chien Regional on Tuesday, May 22.
