EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Emma Liddicoat, Sr., OH, Iowa–Grant volleyball
It a week chock full of deserving nominees, Iowa–Grant senior Emma Liddicoat is our Mast Water Technology Swnews4U.com Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 27.
Liddicoat power Iowa–Grant to it first regional volleyball title since 1999 with 19 kills, 13 digs and three aces in a 14–25, 25–21, 25–19, 25–13 comeback victory over fourth-seeded Cuba City (20–18–1) las Saturday night at IGHS.
A Liddicoat block and kill gave the Panthers a 23–20 lead in the fourth set and two points later, the white-clad Panther student section raced onto the floor to celebrate the regional win. Liddicoat had eight of her team-high 19 kills in the clinching set.
“It is truly amazing and awesome,” said Iowa–Grant head coach Marla Simon. “I feel our kids are so deserving of this. So many of them have put many years into their volleyball and this is quite the pay-out.
“Dropping the first set was definitely not the way we wanted to start. We were not passing well and unable to get any offense going. But, these kids just really dug in and never gave up. It is such a great win for our program, to beat Cuba City at home in a regional championship. I’m not sure if that has ever happened.”
Liddicoat also posted 17 kills, 10 digs and three aces in a 25–22, 21–25, 25–22, 25–13 victory over third-seeded Darlington (18–5–2) in last Thursday’s regional semifinal, helping I–G avenge a Senior Night loss to the Redbirds just a week earlier. Liddicoat finished with 13 kills, five digs and two aces in a first-round victory over seventh-seeded Boscobel last Tuesday.
Iowa–Grant will travel to Wisconsin Heights to face the Vanguards (29–5) in a Division 3 sectional semifinal at 7 p.m.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Peyton Heinberg, So., Darlington boys cross country
Heinberg led the five-time defending state champion Redbirds to the WIAA Division 3 Fennimore Sectional championship, by winning the boys’ individual sectional title with a winning time of 16:55. The top-ranked Redbirds scored 32 points to easily claim the title ahead of runner-up Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld (77). The Division 3 boys state championship race begins at noon on Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Trevor Johnson, Sr., RB/DB, Darlington football
Johsnon rushed for a team-high 165 yards and three TDs on 15 carries, and also returned a punt 73 yards for a score in top-seeded Darlington’s 49–8 victory over Brookwood in the opening round of the Division 6 playoffs last Friday night.
Emma Lawrence, Jr., MH, Benton volleyball
Lawrence floored a match-high 29 kills and eight blocks in a 23–25, 25–14, 25–15, 25–17 regional final victory over defending WIAA Division 4 state runner-up Southwestern Saturday night, to lead the Zephyrs to their first regional championship since 1988. Lawrence also posted 12 kills, 12 digs and seven blocks in a regional semifinal win over Potosi last Thursday and 17 kills, three blocks in a first-round sweep of Barneveld last Tuesday.
John Ross Linscheid, QB/DB, Highland football
The speedy senior rushed for 226 yards and four touchdowns in Highland’s convincing 42–6 win over fifth-seeded Iowa–Grant in the first round of the WIAA Division 7 football playoffs last Friday night.
Dillion Shinee, Sr., GK, Platteville/Lancaster boys soccer
Shinee recorded nine saves in a shutout of visiting Sparta in last Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 regional final and also scored one of his team’s five penalty kicks in a 5–4 shootout victory after a 0–0 draw through 110 minutes of play in regulation and overtime. Shinee also make six saves in a 6–1 regional semifinal victory over Jefferson last Thursday afternoon. Shinee and the Hillmen (15–3–2) advance to face top-seeded and defending WIAA Division 3 state champion Mount Horeb (15–4–1) in Thursday’s sectional semifinal.
Alex Traxler, WR/LB, Platteville football
Traxler caught five passes for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the game-tying TD with 13 seconds left in Platteville’s 21–20 comeback victory over East Troy in the first round of the WIAA Division 4 playoffs last Friday night. Traxler caught a 22-yard TD on fourth down early in the first quarter to pull the Hillmen within six points a 20–14. They after Traxler forced an East Troy running back out of bounds on third down to stop the clock and force a punt in the final minute, the Platteville senior caught a 15-yard touchdown from junior Ethan Bernhardt with 13 seconds left to tie the game at 20–20. Junior Zach White booted the game-winning extra point and the Hillmen advanced to play third-seeded Lake Mills this Friday night.
Brelynn Updike, Sr., Platteville cross country
Updike finished third out of 95 runners at Saturday’s WIAA Division 2 Platteville sectional with a new team record time of 19:48.4 to earn her first trip to the WIAA state championships.
Jordan Williams, Sr., QB/Trevor Neuroth, Jr., WR, Fennimore football
Williams completed 12 of 22 passes for 207 yards and two scores and also rushed for a pair of TDs in Fennimore’s 28–21 WIAA Division 6 Level I playoff victory over Mineral Point last Friday night. Neuroth was Williams’ favorite target, catching seven passes for 121 yards and pair of touchdowns.
