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, The Platteville Journal
Madilyn Fisher, Sr., Prairie du Chien/Fennimore gymnastics
Prairie du Chien/Fennimore senior Madilyn Fisher had quite a week. First the senior standout won all four events and the All-Around last Monday night to lead the Blackhawks to their first dual meet victory over the Southwestern co-op since 1992! Fisher then placed first in All-Around after winning the floor, uneven bars, and vault events at last Saturday's Southwestern Invitational to help the PdC/Fennimore co-op place third at the six-team meet with a score of 124.525.
Fisher placed first in the All-Around with a score of 35.175, while teammate Alexandria Crary was ninth with a score of 30.925. Fisher won three of the four events, placing first on the floor exercise (9.150), uneven bars (8.400), and vault (9.300). She also finished ninth on the balance beam (8.325). The Hawks are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 27 when they travel to Dodgeville for the Dodgeville/Mineral Point Invitational. Competition is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Madelyn Klein, Fr., Dodgeville/Highland/Iowa–Grant/Mineral Point gymnastics team
Iowa–Grant freshman Madelyn Klein again broke and set a new school records for all-around score and highest balance beam routine in the Dodgers' Southwest Wisconsin Conference dual meet victory over visiting River Valley/Barneveld on Monday night. Klein posted a combined score of 36.525 in the all-around and a winning beam score of 9.4 in Monday night's dual. Klein and the Dodgers will host the Dodgeville Invitational Saturday before traveling to Hazel Green Monday for a SWC dual against the Southwestern co-op.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Brandon Davis, So., PG, and Brady Bunge, Sr., G, River Ridge boys basketball team
Despite not scoring a single point in the first half, Davis led the Timberwolves Friday night with 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor and 6-of-7 from the line to lead River Ridge to a 67–58 upset victory at #4 Potosi. He also chipped in four rebounds, two steals and a team-high five assists. Bunge made all five of his 3-point attempts and scored a season- and career-high 18 points for the T'wolves (11–4, 5–2), who handed the Chieftains (13–2, 6–1 their first Six Rivers West loss of the season.
Erin Knowles, Sr., G/F, Boscobel girls basketball
The Boscobel girls all-time leading scorer matched her own single-game school record of 38 points to carry the Bulldogs to a 65–50 SWAL win over visiting Southwestern last Thursday night. Despite matching her own school record set earlier this year in a win over Seneca at Nov. 30, Knowles also created plenty of opportunities for her teammates. Knowles, who scored 21 points in the half to help close out the win, narrowly missed a triple–double by one assist, finishing with 38 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and one block. The win also snapped Boscobel’s four-game losing streak. Knowles went on to score a game-high 26 points in a 58–34 win over North Crawford Saturday at JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, the program’s annual trip to JAG.
Mason Oellerich, Jr., 144 pounds, Belmont wrestling
Junior Mason Oellerich won the 144-pound title at last Saturday's 15-team Monroe Invitational, while sophomores Dylan Weigel (138 pounds) and Tyler Kisamore (157), and junior Cam Spensley (150) and each finished second for the Braves (153), who finished third at behind only Janesville Parker (196.5) and Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus (195.5). Oellerich (10–5) used a 16–5 major decision, a 10–3 win and a 3:06 pin of Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern’s Brody Blackbourn to reach the 144-pound finals, where he beat Delavan–Darien’s Jacob Huff, 10–7. He scored a team high 25 team points for the Braves.
Tannah Radloff, Jr., G, Prairie du Chien girls basketball
Radloff made 3 of 4 3-point attempts and finished with a game-high 17 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals to lead the Blackhawks (12–4, 4–1 SWC) to a dominant 59–40 SWC victory over Platteville last Thursday night. The win pulled PdC into a first-place tie with the Hillmen (9–7, 4–1) before Platteville beat Richland Center in a makeup game Monday night. Radloff also had 15 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 58–53 non-conference win over Decorah (Iowa) last Tuesday night.
Lainey Riechers, Sr., G, Belmont girls basketball
Riechers’ basket as time expired lifted Belmont to a key 56–54 Six River West victory over River Ridge Thursday night. The Timberwolves tied the game on a contested 3-pointer by Reagan Zinkle wit 4.3 seconds left. After a Belmont timeout, Reese Runde inbounded to junior point guard Kaci Riechers, who turned and sprinted down court. Shayna Graf met Kaci Riechers at the free throw line. She quickly fired a pass to Lainey Riechers under the hoop. Mandi Wehrle ran to guard her, but Riechers contorted herself to get the open look as the ball bounced off the backboard and rim before falling through for a Braves win.The Belmont senior finished the night with a game-high 23 points on 9 of 12 shooting, with five rebounds and two steals.
