EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Jesse Sturtz, Sr., P, Darlington baseball
The Darlington senior was recently named the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association District 5 (South Central Wisconsin) Division 3 Player of the Year, honorable mention All-District and earned a spot on the 2017 WBCA All-State Academic team.
Sturtz, who was also named this year’s Southwest Wisconsin Activities League Player of the Year, was the SWAL champion Redbirds’ number one pitcher and also played both outfield and infield this season. He led the Redbirds with a .477 batting average and posted a .815 slugging percentage and a .585 on-base percentage for a whopping 1.401 OPS. He had 31 hits with a team-high 13 extra-base hits, including seven doubles, three triples, three home runs and led the lead with 22 runs batted in, 26 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. He also walked 17 times. On the mound, he posted a 6–2 record with a 1.51 ERA, recording 68 strikeouts and 16 walks over 51 innings.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
KD Hoyer, Sr., Utl., Platteville softball
Hoyer played catcher, second base, third base, left field and right field for the Division 2/3 Blue team in last Tuesday’s WFSCA All-Star Classic in Wisconsin Dells. Hoyer was also among the 15 All-Stars (out of 199) that top the $1,000 mark in fundraising donations for Special Olympics Wisconsin. Each player was required to raise at least $300 to participate in the event. Hoyer, who will attend Waldorf University in Forrest City, Iowa in the fall to major in Special Education, raised $1,080.
John Ross Linscheid, Sr., P/SS, Highland baseball / Highland basketball
Linscheid earned first-team All-Six Rivers West honors as a pitcher and infielder and was named the SRW baseball Player of the Year early last week, then concluded it with a fantastic performance in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 5 Boys All-Star Game last Saturday morning at JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells. Linscheid made four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 20 points, 11 rebounds and five steals to lead the D5 North to a 102–96 victory. Linscheid will take part in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Classic this Friday and Saturday in Oshkosh.
Maranda McCarthy, Sr., P, Iowa–Grant softball
McCarthy helped the Division 4/5 White team win both its games at last Tuesday’s Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-Star Classic in Wisconsin Dells. She went 4-for-8 at the plate and started and earned the win in the White team’s 13–5 victory over Black.
Paige Nolan, Sr., P/OF, Belmont softball
Nolan helped the Division 4/5 White team win both its games at last Tuesday’s Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-Star Classic in Wisconsin Dells. She went 6-for-9 at the plate and pitched three innings in the White team’s 7–6 victory over Blue.
Hattie Rennert, Sr., Shullsburg girls’ basketball
Rennert made 4 of 5 3-point attempts and finished with 14 points, two assists, one rebound and one steal in 21 minutes to help the Division 5 South All-Stars to a 78–69 victory in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 5 All-Star Game last Friday morning at JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.
