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., MH, River Ridge volleyball
SOUTH WAYNE — River Ridge graduate Taylor Langmeier pounded down a match-high 27 kills and served up three aces as the West rolled over the East 25–20, 25–22, 25–23, 24–26, 25–17 in the five-set Six Rivers Conference Senior All-Star Volleyball Showdown last Friday night at Black Hawk High School.
The West, which now owns a 3–1 advantage in the all-time series, won a see-saw battle in set one by closing the match with a 6–1 scoring spurt to take a 1–0 lead with a 25–20 decision. Langmeier had six kills in the set, including the game-winner for the West. The East opened up an early 7–2 lead in set and held on for a three-point win.
The West pulled ahead early in set three but couldn’t pull away from the East, who rallied from a 16–12 deficit to take a late 23–22 lead. Benton's Sophie Dougherty used a tip kill to tie the score at 23 all, and then served up as ace to put the West back ahead to stay. Langmeier hammered down the game-winning kill to secure the set and the match for the West for the second year in a row and the third time in the four years of the event. The East avoided getting skunked by fighting for a 26–24 win in set four.
Black Hawk's Sydney Delzer got the East to game-point at 24–22, but Langmeier tallied back-to-back kills to even the score at 24 all. The East got a sideout to regain the lead, and then came up with the winning point to seal a 26–24 triumph. The West pulled ahead early in set five and never looked back as they ran away with a 4–1 victory. Back-to-back aces by Argyle's Jena Saalsaa got the East within 22–17 late in the set, however a kill by Shullsburg’s Maggie Gleason got the West the serve and Langmeier smoked back-to-back aces to close the set and the match.
HONORABLE METION (In alphabetical order):
Sophie Dougherty, Sr., MH, Benton volleyball
Dougherty, who will room with River Ridge's Taylor Langmeier this fall at UW–La Crosse, had 18 kills, three aces and a block to help the West win last Friday's Six Rivers Conference Senior All-Star Volleyball Showdown, 4–1.
Jaydn Noonan, Sr., P, Potosi softball
Potosi's Jaydn Noonan hit a homer in the Division 4/5 Red team's 5–5 tie against the D4/5 Blue team, then pitched the Red All-Stars to a 13–2 victory later in the day against the D4/5 Gray team at the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-Star Games on Tuesday, June 18 in Wisconsin Dells.
Kaycie Wagner, Sr., 1B/P, Platteville softball
Wagner went 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run to help the Division 2/3 Gray team split a pair of games the the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-Star Games on Tuesday, June 18 in Wisconsin Dells. Wagner also pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing one earned run in Gray's 11–1 Game 1 loss. She struck out three and walked one. Wagner then went 2-for-2 with a homer in the Gray Stars' 7–1 Game 2 victory. Wagner was also recently named honorable mention all-state after finishing her senior year batting .421 (32-for-76) with 11 doubles, two triples, one home run and six stolen bases.
