EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday morning throughout the calendar year.
Taryn Rankin, Sr., F, Darlington girls basketball
Darlington senior forward Taryn Rankin has helped the Lady Redbirds girls' basketball get off to a 3-0 start by scoring 39 points in those three victories and thus she is this week’s Mast Water Technology SWnews4U.com Athlete of the Week.
Rankin scored six points in a 62–32 win over Belmont to open the season on Tuesday, Nov. 15, and then she poured in a game-high 19 points in a 66–12 win over Pecatonica last Friday night, and a team-high 14 points in a 68–32 win over Argyle on Tuesday. Rankin outscored the Vikings all by herself in last Friday’s win.
Rankin and the Lady Redbirds have a non-conference game at Dodgeville on Tuesday, Nov. 29, starting at 7:30 p.m.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Skye Digman, So., F, Platteville girls basketball
Digman scored a game-high 18 points to lead Platteville to a 58–55 non-conference overtime victory at Shullsburg on Tuesday night. Digman posted a double–double of 18 points and 11 rebounds last Friday as the Hillmen opened the season with a 64–60 non-conference loss at Dubuque Hempstead.
Abby Kaiser, Jr., F, Potosi girls basketball
Kaiser scored a game-high 23 points as the Chieftains opened the season with a 58–36 non-conference victory at De Soto last Thursday night. She followed that up with a career-high 32 points in Potosi’s 68–52 victory over visiting Wauzeka–Steuben on Tuesday.
Olivia Liddicoat, Fr., F, Iowa–Grant girls basketball
The freshman sensation burst onto the varsity scene Monday night, pumping in a game-high 28 points in her first high school game to lead the Lady Panthers to a dominating 60–31 victory over visiting Highland in the season opener for both teams.
Devin Wagner, So., G, Lancaster girls basketball
The sophomore guard lead all scorers with 14 points in Lancaster’s season-opening 56–38 victory over Southwestern last Tuesday night, then scored nine points to help the Arrows start 2–0 with a 47–23 victory over Viroqua last Thursday night.