EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish eachThursday throughout the calendar year.

Maddie Hawes, sr., Potosi girls basketball

     Hawes’ extraordinary shooting performance in a 24-point conference victory over Cassville netted the Potosi point guard this week’s Mast Water Technology Athlete of the Week honor. She also averaged 15.3 points, seven assists and five rebounds in three Potosi wins over the past week.     

     The senior standout set a new school record for three-pointers made, drilling 7 of 8 from beyond the arc en route to a season-high 27 points in Potosi’s 77–53 victory over the Comets last Thursday night. She also had five assists and five steals in the victory. 

     Monday night, Hawes scored 12 points and passed out eight assists as the Chieftains defeated visiting East Dubuque 61–48 in a non-conference game. A night later, she finished with seven points, seven assists and six steals in Potosi’s 66–48 Six Rivers West win over Belmont on Tuesday. 

     "Maddie had an unbelieable shooting night against Cassville setting a new school record for three-pointers," said Potosi head coach Brad Bierman. "All of our seniors have really stepped forward the last couple of week and are leading us in a very positive way. I like where our team is at right now and hopefully we can continue that down the stretch."

     Hawes and the Chieftains (12–4, 6–2 SRW), which has now won five straight games, will host league-leading Shullsburg (14–1, 6–1) in a key SRW game Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

     Hawes, a four-year starter and two-time All-Six Rivers West selection, is averaging 14.6 points, 7.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game this season.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Jessi Marti, Sr., Cuba City girls basketball

     The Division 2 Northern State recruit helped the Cubans bounce back from their first loss of the season by pouring in a career-high 33 points in a 67-37 SWAL victory at Darlington last Thursday night. She then scored a game-high 26 points in a 64–41 win over Riveralde on Tuesday. Martin and the Cubans are now 14–1 overall and 8–1 in the SWAL.

Noah Wand, jr., Shullsburg boys basketball

     Wand tied the single-game school record with seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers in the Miners’ 71–64 win over Darlington on Monday night. Shullsburg sank 12 3-pointers in the game as a team. Wand scored 15 of his points in the second half to rally the Miners from a 32–31 halftime deficit.

Nate Friederick, sr., Potosi boys basketball

     The senior power forward scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Potosi’s 47–38 victory over visiting Shullsburg last Friday night. The win pulled the Chieftains (8–6, 5–2) into a second-place tie with the Miners (11–4, 5–2) in the Six Rivers West, one game behind Belmont (10–4, 6–1). Frederick scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight boards and six assists in Potosi’s 63–60 overtime loss at Belmont last Tuesday.

Raine Voigts, sr., Belmont boys basketball

     Voigts hit a clutch three-pointer in overtime to give Belmont the lead in a 63–60 OT victory over Potosi last Tuesday. He finished with a team-high 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Voigt's had 13 points and nine boards in a 74–49 win at Highland on Friday, and 10 points and nine rebounds in a 57–54 non-conference loss to SWAL-leading Iowa–Grant on Tuesday. The Six Rivers West-leading Braves (10–4, 6–1) will host Shullsburg tonight (Jan. 28) in the McDonald’s swenews4u.com Game of the Week.

Conrad Blosch, sr., Darlington wrestling 

     Blosch (24–5) won the 182-pound title at the Monroe Invitational for the second straight year Saturday afternoon thanks to a quarterfinal bye, a semifinal pin and an 8–4 decision over Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka–Steuben’s Stephen Rossenfeldt in the finals.

Devon Schmitz, so., Richland Center boys basketball

     Schmitz posted a near triple–double to lead the Hornets to a 79–75 victory, their first in conference play, at River Valley last Thursday night. Schmitz finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Teammate junior Noah Johnson had a fine all-around game of his own with 19  points, nine rebounds and six assists Richland Center (3–10, 1–4 SWC).

Ezra Vaassen, sr., Southwestern boys basketball

     The senior guard averaged 18.5 points in a pair of narrow SWAL victories last week. Vaassen scored a game-high 19 points in a 49–41 victory at Fennimore last Tuesday, then finished with 18 points in a 48–47 win at Mineral Point. The Wildcats are now 8–6 overall and 5–3 in league play.