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

By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial

Zeke Zuberbuhler, Jr., QB/DB, Darlington football
PLATTEVILLE — Junior quarterback Zeke Zuberbuhler and the Darlington offense were an unstoppable force in the Redbirds’ 63–33 non-conference victory over Platteville in Friday’s season opener for both teams. Zuberbuhler completed 7 of 9 passes for 195 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 115 yards and three more scores in a dominating individual effort. 

Junior Dante Glendenning rushed for a game-high 192 yards on 16 carries, scored on a 3-yard run and Ryder Fitzsimons caught a 71-yard TD strike from Zuberbuhler to give Darlington a 49–27 lead with 10:22 lead in the game.

“Darlington has a great program, and their kids played hard,” said first-year Platteville head coach Isaiah Altfillisch. “Their quarterback, fullback, and perimeter athletes are very talented players who made it tough on us."

Darlington took the opening kickoff and just over a minute into the game, took a 7–0 lead on a 1-yard QB sneak by Zuberbuhler and the first of nine extra points by Yasser Andino–Andino.

Platteville drove deep into Darlington territory on its opening drive when adversity first struck. After a failed third down play, Platteville opted to attempt a 29-yard field goal, by senior Tyler Sasse’s attempt missed just wide right. 

The Platteville defense forced its only punt of the game on the next drive and the Hillmen once again drove deep into Redbird territory, but lost a fumble at the 5-yard line.

Darlington took full advantage of the Platteville miscue and built a 14–0 lead early in the second quarter when Zuberbuhler threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to senior Broker Buschor. 

Platteville responded on the very next play with an 85-yard kickoff return by senior Myron Reuter to regain a modicum of confidence. But the Platteville defense could not stop Darlington the rest of the game.

Zuberbuhler threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to classmate Calum Crist with 5:28 left in the first half.

Digman kept the Hillmen in the game — and continued to much of the night with his excellent play in his first varsity start at quarterback — this time on a 5-yard touchdown run on a 4th-and-goal naked bootleg. Darlington blocked the extra point attempt and the score was 28–13 with 3:16 left before halftime.

Which turned out to be plenty of time for the high-octane Redbirds, who scored with 35 seconds left in the half on a 20-yard pass from Zuberbuhler to Fitzsimons.

Digman displayed more offensive magic in the third quarter with a pair of touchdown passes to Reuter — from 28 and 12 yards out — but each time Darlington countered. 

First, with a 3-yard Glendenning TD run, and then on a 17-yard scramble by Zuberbuhler on the final play of the third quarter which made it 42–27. Zuberbuhler capped his night with a 53-yard TD run to make it 56–33 with 7:51 left in the game. 

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order)
Brandon Davis, Sr., QB/DB, River Ridge football
Davis rushed for a game-high 128 yards and 2 touchdowns on just eight carries, and completed 5 of 6 passes for 61 yards and a third scored in the Timberwolves' 36–13 non-conference win over Benton/Scales Mound/Shullsburg last Friday night. He also led the defense with 10 total tackles, including three for loss.

Shawn Jahnke-Fielder, Sr., RB/DB, Fennimore football
Shawn Jahnke-Fiedler rushed 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns, returned a fumble for a third score and intercepted a pass to lead the Golden Eagles to a dominating 46–8 non-conference victory over Iowa–Grant in last Friday night's Milk Can Game at FHS. The Golden Eagles (1–0) have now won the last nine meetings in the Milk Can rivalry game, which began in 1970. 

Beau Podnar, Jr., QB/DB, Black Hawk/Warren football
Podnar completed 3 of 4 passes for 81 yards and one TD, rushed for 47 yards and two more scores and recorded a team-high seven tackles in the Warrors' 24–19 season-opening win at Southwestern/East Dubuque last Friday night.

Toay Ragatz, So., QB/LB, Lancaster football
Ragatz dazzled in his first varsity start under center, completing 7 of 12 passes for 154 yards, including a 71-yard TD pass to senior Aidan Wilson on the Arrows' first offensive play of the season, rushed for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns and made a team-high 11 totals tackles, including four solo stops, in a 28–26 comeback victory over Belleville in last Friday night's season opener for both teams.

Wyatt Temperly, So., QB/DB, Belmont football
Sophomore Wyatt Temperly completed 11 of 13 passes for 228 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Braves to a 48–0 win over Wisconsin Heights in last Thursday's 8-Player season opener for both teams.  Belmont erupted for 22 first quarter points and never looked back. Temperly threw touchdown passes for 6 and 3 yards to Chase Riechers on the Braves’ first two drive. Sophomore Thomas Freeman and Kisamore added two-point conversion runs to make it 16–0. Kisamore scored on a 2-yard run in the final minute of the first quarter, then hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass early in the second to make it 28–0. Temperly and the Braves kept piling it on with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Cody Kletecka to give the home team a 34–0 halftime advantage.

Washa completed 4 of 6 passes for 88 yards and 3 TDs, rushed for 63 yards and 3 touchdowns, and recorded a team-high 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss in the Cardinals' 52–14 win over Monticello last Thursday night.