EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, Boscobel Dial, The Platteville Journal, Fennimore Times
Gretta Grassel, Sr., P/OF, Boscobel softball
BOSCOBEL — Boscobel senior pitcher Gretta Grassel bounced back from Friday’s frustrating 2–1 non-conference loss at Wauzeka–Steuben in a big way.
After throwing a no-hitter in Friday’s loss only to lose 2–1 on a throwing error in the bottom of the seventh inning, Grassel tossed an 18-strike out perfect game Monday to lead the Bulldogs to a 5–0 Southwest Wisconsin Activities League victory over visiting Darlington.
Grassel, who no has pitched seven no-hitters in her career, including another perfect game as a sophomore during the 2022 season, was sharp early on, striking out the first nine batters she faced.
Norgard was the first Redbird to put a ball in play when she bunted and was thrown out by Boscobel senior catcher Erin Knowles to begin the fourth inning.
Ritchie popped out to Grassel to end the fifth. Grassel struck out the side for the fourth time in the game in the sixth inning, and Winslow popped out to second base for the second out of the seventh inning.
Grassel threw just 72 pitches in the perfect game, 59 of which were strikes.
Boscobel took advantage of a pair of Darlington errors in the bottom of the first, and Campbell Fitzgerald drove in Wallin with a two-out single to begin the scoring. Cozy Wetter later scored on a passed ball to make it 2–0.
Lilah Glasbrenner singled to lead off the bottom of the second and scored on a RBI single by Knowles. Boscobel added a run on a Darlington error in the third, and Makenzie Fritz added an insurance run with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
This was Boscobel’s third no-hitter in four games this season!
Grassel and Knowles combined for a five-inning no-hitter in the March 21 season-opener at De Soto, as well as Friday’s 2–1 loss at Wauzeka–Steuben. The Bulldogs took an early 1–0 lead on a solo homer by Grassel in the top of the fourth inning.
The Hornets scored on a walk, a steal, a sac bunt and a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth inning, then scored the winning run on a walk and a throwing error in the bottom of the seventh. Grassel (3–1) struck out 13 batters and walked two in the six-inning no-hitter.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order)
Ruah Franzmann-Simmert, Fr., Tri-State Home School track and field
Franzmann-Simmert burst onto the prep track and field at last Saturday's 2024 Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Tri-State Home School freshman finished third out of 81 entires in the girls 800 with a blazing time of 2:19.89 in the one-division event behind only senior Sophia Bablitch of Rosholt (2:16.18) and Chequamegon's Autumn Michalski (2:17.54). Franzmann-Simmert also teamed with freshman Kate Pronschinske, sophomore Caitlyn Pratt and junior Annabel Tennessen to place 31st in the 4x400 relay (4:32.28).
Issac Henkel, Jr., Fennimore boys track and field
The Fennimore track and field team traveled to Whitewater Saturday for the 2024 Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships. Junior Isaac Henkel, a Division 3 individual outdoor track and field state qualifier a year ago and 4x400 relay state champion, earned the Golden Eagles top finish with a fifth-place run in the boys 800 meters (1:59.37) Saturday at UW–Whitewater. Henkel also teamed with seniors Carter Bunn and Riley Foreyt, and fellow junior Ben Varela to place 18th in the 4x400 relay (3:42.04).
Jack Gallaghar, P, Seneca baseball
Gallaghar threw a 13-strike out no-hitter to lead the Royals to a 6–0 season-opening no-conference victory over River Ridge last Friday. Gallagher allowed just two base runners during the game — a third inning hit-by-pitch of Peyton Aulwes and a sixth inning walk of Brady Bunge.
Miriam Goomey, So., MF, Platteville/Lancaster girls soccer
Junior Miriam Goomey, who had two goals and five assists a year ago to earn second-team All-SWC honors exploded for a career-high five goals and two assists to lead Platteville/Lancaster to a dominating 10–0 SWC win at Richland Center in Friday’s season opener. Goomey scored twice in the first five minutes, and completed a first-half hat trick in the 21st. She added second half goals in the 42nd and 48th minutes, and assisted on goals by freshman Katie Murphy (42’) and fellow junior Carley Vesperman (44’) early in the second half. Vesperman also scored in the 17th minute and assisted on two of Goomey’s first half goals.
Ellie Robinson, Jr., Dodgeville/Mineral Point girls track and field
Robinson finished fourth in the girls 1,600-meter run at last Saturday's 2024 Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships at UW–Whitewater with a time of 5:13.94.
Kennedy Shea, Jr., P, Platteville softball
Shea went 3-for-5 with a double, seven RBI and two runs scored in Platteville's wild 26–11 non-conference victory at Sauk Prairie Monday afternoon. She also earned the win, allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings of relief. Kennedy came on to pitch with Platteville trailing 9–2 in the bottom of the second inning.
Blake Thiry, Jr., Prairie du Chien boys track and field
Thiry blazed to an area-best second-place finish in the boys 60-meter hurdles at last Saturday's 2024 Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships at UW–Whitewater. Thiry finished sixth out of 57 in the prelims at 8.62, then fourth in the semifinals (8.44) before placing second in the finals with a time of 8.45, finishing behind only Iola–Scandinavia sophomore Jensen Rice (8.28). Thiry also finished second in the long jump with a top top of 22'3".
