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, Jr., RB, Cuba City football
Junior Kordell Stillmunkes rushed for 173 yards and five touchdowns to carry Cuba City to a 47–21 SWAL victory over Fennimore last Friday night. The dynamic Stillmunkes, who returned to his familiar starting halfback role after filling in for a week at quarterback, scored in every quarter, including a pair of touchdown runs during a 20-point third quarter rally that allowed the Cubans to pull away.
Stillmunkes is this week’s Mast Water Technology Swnews4U.comAthlete of the Week after leading Cuba City (2–2, 2–0 SWAL) to its second straight win, after opening the season with back-to-back non-conference losses to Platteville and Lancaster.
“We played four quarters of football,” said Cuba City head coach Guy Kopp. “We controlled both lines on offense and defense, and we played as a team. The defense would get a turnover and the offense would score of it. It was a great team win for us.”
An 11-yard Stillmunkes TD run midway through the first quarter put the Cubans up 7–0. Stillmunkes scored on an 18-yard jaunt early in the second quarter to extend the Cuba City lead to 20–7. He then answered a 74-yard Fennimore kick return with a 79-yard touchdown run to make it 27–14. Stillmunkes capped his five-touchdown night with 12-yard run with 3:45 left to play.
Cuba City heads to second-ranked Darlington (4–0, 1–0 SWAL) in a key SWAL matchup this Friday night. Stillmunkes and the Cubans will certainly have their hands full with the defending WIAA Division 6 state runner-up.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Andrew Barry, Evan Mewhirter and Tina Muzinga, Platteville Power youth soccer
Barry, 11, Mewhirter, 12, and Muzinga, 13, were recently selected to participate in the 2016–17 Wisconsin Soccer Olympic Development Porgram. The Platteville youngsters were selected for the program after three intense tryout sessions. They will now participate in the year-long program with 10 contact days around the state where they will be evaluated with a chance to be selected to the Wisconsin State team.
Evan Gates, Jr., FB, Lancaster football
The junior fullback rushed for 202 yards and all three Lancaster touchdowns on 24 carries in the Arrows' 21–0 non-conference victory at Westby last Saturday. Gates has now rushed for 836 yards and 11 TDs in four games for the undefeated Arrows. Fifth-ranked Lancaster opens Southwest Wisconsin Conference play Friday night agaisnt River Valley (2–1, 0–0 SWC).
Abby Kaiser, Jr., MH, Potosi volleyball
Kaiser slammed a team-high 74 kills and made 51 digs and five blocks to lead the Chieftains to a 4–1 record and the championship of the six-team Lancaster Invitational on Saturday. Tuesday night, Kaiser had 23 kills, 21 digs and six aces in a 25–18, 11–25, 25–16, 25–21 victory over Highland as Potosi improved to 7–5–1 overall and 2–2 in the Six Rivers West.
Joey Meyer, Sr., TE, Shullsburg football
The senior tight end hauled in a pair of touchdowns to help Shullsburg end an 11-year losing streak to Potosi with a 34–6 victory over the Chieftains Friday night. Meyer caught TD passes of 55 and 27 yards and finished with three catches for 83 yards.
Kathleen Peckham, Sr., OH, Richland Center volleyball
Peckham floored 22 kills, served five aces and made a team-high 55 digs to lead the Hornets to the championship of the Holmen Tournament last Saturday. Richland Center (14–3, 2–0 SWC) went a perfect 5–0 on the day. Peckham had seven kills and six digs in the championship match as Center swept Cochrane–Fountain City, 25–9, 25–21.
Jordan Reuter, Jr., S, Lancastear football
The junior safety was all over the field Saturday afternoon in Lancaster’s 21–0 shutout at Westby. Reuter finished with a team-high 10 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception.
Jett Rufenacht, Jr., WR/DB, Black Hawk football
The junior wide receiver caught three passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, and returned a kickoff 98 yards for another score in a 36–6 win at Benton/Scales Mound last Friday night. The Warriors improved to 2–2 on the season with the win.
