EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
Troy Klein, Jr., 182, Lancaster wrestling
Lancaster junior Troy Klein is this week’s Mast Water Technology SWNews4U.com Athlete of the Week after another championship performance at Saturday’s Tomah Scramble. Klein went 5–0 to win the 182-pound title and lead the Flying Arrows to a second-straight team title. Klein improved to 10–0 on the season with a key 4–3 victory over Baraboo’s Aiden Estes in the 182-pound final. Klein’s victory help Lancaster hold off runner-up Baraboo 454–441 for the team championship. A week earlier, Klein helped the Flying Arrows win the 14-team Black Hawk Invitational.
“The biggest asset this team has is that they are very disciplined and they do what we ask them to do as a coaching staff,” said Lancaster head coach Brad Strumer. “When it comet to practice, we roll out the plans, they respond, and through all the hard work they are just starting to see some success, and hopefully building some momentum as the season progresses.”
Klein and the Flying Arrows, who shared last year’s Southwest Wisconsin Conference duals title with River Valley, will open SWC dual meet action Thursday night at Dodgeville for the first of their five conference dual meets.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Skye Digman, Sr., F, Platteville girls basketball
Digman scored a game-high 18 points and had seven rebounds and two steals to lead top-ranked Platteville (5–1, 2–0 SWC) to a dominating 62–33 Southwest Wisconsin Conference victory at Lancaster last Friday night. She then had 16 points on 8 of 11 shooting, eight rebounds and three steals in a 64–35 non-conference victory over Mineral Point on Tuesday night.
Carter Lancaster, Fr., C, Darlington boys basketball
Lancaster hit a pair of clutch free throws in the final 30 seconds and finished with a game-high 20 points to lift Mineral Point to a 56–53 victory over Mineral Point last Friday night in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League opener for both teams. Lancaster also scored a team-high 18 points to lead the Redbirds (4–0, 1–0 SWAL) to a 68–56 non-conference victory at Dodgeville last Tuesday night.
Brianna Leahy, Sr., C, Shullsburg girls basketball
Leahy recorded her fourth career triple–double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and a school record 12 blocked shots in Shullsburg’s 54–33 victory over Cassville last Thursday night. The Miners improved to 3–1 overall and 1–1 in the Six Rivers West.
Brody Lee, Fr., 106, Fennimore wrestling
Lee improved to 9–1 on the young season with a strong week on the mat for the Golden Eagles. The freshman picked up a key pin in Fennimore’s 52–24 victory over Darlington/Black Hawk Thursday night, then went 4–1 to place second at 106 pounds to help the Eagles finished fourth at the 24-team Sun Prairie Bob Downing Scramble.
Dylan Rieken, So., G, Southwestern boys basketball
Rieken scored a co-team-high 13 points to lead Southwestern to a 49–47 victory over host Boscobel last Friday night as the Wildcats (4–1) open SWAL play 1–0. Rieken also had 19 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in Southwestern’s 52–47 overtime loss to Potosi.
Shay Soppe, Jr., F, Benton girls basketball
Soppe posted a double–double with a game-high 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Benton girls to a 65–52 win over Highland last Thursday night as the Zephyrs improved to 5–1 and 1–1 in the Six Rivers West.
Brooks Tiedeman, Jr., G, Benton boys basketball
Tiedeman matched a career-high with 32 points in Benton’s 80–43 Six Rivers West victory over Belmont last Tuesday. Tiedeman also scored a game-high 23 points in a 56–43 win at Highland Friday night as the Zephyrs improved to 5–0 overall and 2–0 in league play.
