EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Kordell Stillmunkes, Sr., RB/DB, Cuba CIty football
Senior Kordell Stillmunkes ignited the Cuba City offense Friday night to lead the host Cubans to a 33–0 shutout of reigning SWAL powerhouse Darlington.
Stillmunkes is this week’s Mast Water Technology SWNews4U.com Athlete of the Week after running 22 times for 277 yards and two touchdowns, while completing his one pass attempt for 68 yards and another touchdown.
Stillmunkes got the Cubans (1-2 overall, 1-0 SWAL) moving early, ripping off a 60-yard run to put his team inside the Darlington 5-yard line. He scored from two yards out a short time later to put the Cubans ahead to stay less than two minutes into the game. Stillmunkes tacked on a dazzling 61-yard TD scamper midway through the first quarter to extend the Cubans’ lead to 14-0, and then he used his arm to increase the advantage to 21-0 when he hit a wide open Ben Marti for a 68-yard halfback option touchdown pass midway through the second quarter.
“That was Kordell doing what he can do,” said Cuba City head coach Guy Kopp. “He did some of that by himself, but he still has an offensive line. They really came off the ball and opened holes like they didn’t do the first two weeks.”
The Cubans finished with 397 yards of total offense, including 309 yards rushing on 30 carries, to end a five-game losing streak against Darlington. Cuba City’s tough schedule continues Friday night when it hosts undefeated Fennimore (3–0, 1–01 SWAL) at 7 p.m.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Zach Davis, Jr., RB, Fennimore football
The speedy junior rushed for a career-high 153 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown to seal the undefeated Golden Eagles (3–0, 1–0 SWAL) victory over visiting Iowa–Grant in last Friday’s SWAL opener.
Skye Digman, Sr., MH, Platteville volleyball
Digman tallied a match-high 22 kills and four blocks in last Thursday’s Southwest Wisconsin Conference opening victory over defending conference champion Richland Center, 25–19, 25–23, 19–25, 25–18. Two days later Digman was again in a leading role producing 63 kills, 14 blocks and 50 digs as the Hillmen (9–4, 1–0 SWC) won five straight matches to win the 16-team Richland Center Invitational on Saturday. Platteville swept the host Hornets 25–19, 26–24 in the championship match.
Evan Gates, Sr., FB, Lancaster football
Gates rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns all in the first half to lead the Flying Arrows (2–1) to a dominating 48–0 non-conference victory at Black River Falls last Friday.
Payton Heinberg, Jr., Darlington boys cross country
Heinberg finished fourth out of 119 runners on his home course at Saturday’s Darlington Invitational to help the Darlington boys place second out of 23 teams with a time of 17:32.
Lydia Murphy, Jr., Lancaster girls cross country
Murphy finished second out of 113 girls at last Saturday’s 23-team Darlington Invitational with a time of 20:32. Murphy helped the Lancaster girls tie for fifth place.
Dylan Pluemer, Sr., RB/DB, Potosi/Cassville football
Pluemer rushed for a game-high 203 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries to lead the Chieftains (2–1, 1–1 SRC) to 58–19 bounce-back victory over host River Ridge last Friday. Pluemer also returned an interception 41-yard TD early in the fourth quarter and was in on 12 tackles.
Brinley Wood, Jr., OH, Cuba City volleyball
Wood slammed a team-high 23 kills and added a pair of blocks to lead the preseason SWAL favorite Cubans (9–2, 1–0 SWAL) to a five-set conference victory over visiting Darlington (4–2, 1–1) last Thursday night.
