EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Taylor Langmeier, Sr., River Ridge volleyball
River Ridge senior Taylor Langmeier is this week’s Mast Water Technology Athlete of the Week after leading the third-ranked Timberwolves to a 6–0–1 start to the season and the championship at Saturday’s Monticello Six Rivers Tournament.
Langmeier had 43 kills, four blocks, eight service aces to lead Ridge to a 4–0–1 start Saturday at Monticello. Ridge swept Pecatonica (25–6, 25–10) and Belmont (25–5, 25–8) before splitting with eventual runner-up Black Hawk (25–15, 22–25) in pool play. The Timberwolves then swept host Monticello (25–13, 25–7) in the semifinals before sweeping Black Hawk (25–20, 25–20) in the championship game rematch.
Langmeier also posted 16 kills, three aces an a block in last Thursday’s season-opening straight sets victory over Kickapoo and 17 kills and three blocks in Tuesday’s victory over visiting Belmont in the Six Rivers West opener for both schools.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Jacob Berendes, Sr., QB, Shullsburg football
Berendes threw for a school record 356 yards and three touchdowns on 26 of 44 passing in last Friday’s 26–22 loss to visiting Highland. Berendes threw a 51-yard TD strike to Brandon Hopman in the first quarter, a 65-yard bomb to Griffin Wiegel in the second, and a 39-yard touchdown pass to Troy Turpin with 4:09 left in the game.
Dawson Bowen, Jr., RB, Lancaster football
Bowen rushed for a team-high 166 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries to lead Lancaster (1–1) to a 41–14 non-conference victory over visiting Cuba City last Friday night. Bowen also had a 15-yard catch to finish with 181 yards of total offense in the victory.
Bailey Butler, So., Black Hawk volleyball
Butler recorded 49 kills and 15 digs for the Warriors in a second-place finish at last Saturday’s season-opening Monticello Tournament. Black Hawk finished 3–1–1 on the day. The Warriors swept Belmont and Pecatonica before splitting with River Ridge in pool play. They then rallied for a 2–1 decision over Darlington before falling in straight sets in a champions match rematch with Ridge.
Jacob Niehaus, Sr., WR/DB, Platteville football
Niehaus scored three touchdowns, recovered a fumble and recorded three tackles in Platteville’s 34–14 comeback win over visiting Columbus at Platteville High School, the first varsity game ever played on the current high school campus. Niehuas scored on a 2-yard run in the final minute of the first half to pull the Hillmen within 14–7, then added a diving 28-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter and took a wide receiver screen 10 yards to the house with 3:35 left in the third quarter to give Platteville’s its first lead of the game.
Mitchell Quinn, Sr., RB/LB, Black Hawk football
Quinn recorded a team-high 19 tackles and scored a 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter to lead the Warriors (2–0) to a critical 14–7 victory at Potosi/Cassville (1–1) last Friday night in a critical Six Rivers Conference showdown in the rain.
