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 Erik Olson, The Richland Observer
Jayden Schoepp, Jr., G, Richland Center boys basketball
RICHLAND CENTER — Junior Jayden Schoepp and the Richland Center Hornets shot down the first-place Dodgeville Dodgers 75–71 in SWC basketball action at the RCHS Fieldhouse last Friday night. Schoepp made 7 3-pointers and scored 43 points to lead coach Brian Puls' Hornets to victory.
The Hornets (7–16, 4–5 SWC) jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half and stretched the edge to 41–25 at halftime. The Dodgers' (13–6, 6–3 SWC) offense machine began rolling in the second half. Dodgeville used a 12–0 run to erase most of the deficit early in the second half. But Schoepp and the Hornets had the answers to successfully withstand challenge.
The loss left Dodgeville tied with Platteville for second place in the SWC at 6–3, while Lancaster remained alone in first place at 7–2 heading into the final game of the regular season Thursday night.
Schoepp, who had a pair of 30-point performances against the other two SWC teams vying for the title in his last three games, hit from the outside with high-arching rainbows as well as the inside with drives that often gave him access to the free throw line.
The Dodgers charged back with a 46-point second-half including Bryce Crubaugh-Lockard with 16 of 25 points. Jayce Halverson and Jerry Olson each added nine.
Schoepp accounted for 10 straight points as the Hornets weathered one of Dodgeville's rallied. Then, Deakyn Heisz, Brady Dosch and Liam Fingerson worked to repulse another. The Dodgers were not done, but free throws by Heisz, Schoepp and Doesch kept the Hornets on top. Schoepp finished 14 of 23 from the field, 7 of 12 on 3-pointers and 8 of 11 from the free throw line, and had seven rebounds, one block and one assist in the game.
River Valley upset Lancaster (15–9, 7–3 SWC) this Thursday night, while Platteville (15–9, 7–3) hammered Richland Center, 81–65, and Dodgeville (15–9, 7–3) routed Prairie du Chien, 88–30, to force a three-way tie for this year's SWC title.
Schoepp also had 30 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in an 80–75 loss over visiting Platteville last Monday night, and 30 points, four rebounds and three steals in a 70–53 loss to Lancaster Feb. 12. The junior standout is averaging 16.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.1 assist per game for the Hornets.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Madie Gratz, Sr., G, Darlington girls basketball
For the third time in program history, a Darlington girl has scored 1,000 career points. Senior Maddie Gratz led Darlington with a 22-point performance in a 67–39 win over Riverdale last Thursday night, while also leading the Redbirds (17–7, 11–3 SWAL) with eight rebounds and seven assists. Gratz joined former Darlington 1,000-point scorers Cassidy Chambers (1,083, 2013) and Kaylee Meyers (1,038, 2019).
