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 / Boscobel Dial / Fennimore Times
Nora Jillson, So., Boscobel girls cross country
ALBANY — Sophomore Nora Jillson and the Boscobel girls cross country team are heading back to the WIAA Cross Country State Championships. Jillson defended her individual sectional championship by winning last Saturday's WIAA D3 Albany sectional with a time of 19:40 to pace the first-place Bulldogs. Jillson has been the leading force for a Boscobel team that is trying to repeat as the WIAA Division 3 state champions.
For the Lady Bulldogs, this marks their seventh sectional championship in school history (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2021 and 2022) and their third back-to-back sectional title.
Jillson becomes the girls first back-to back sectional champion, and the second two-time champion in school history Keely Foley in 2011 and ‘14, Lynne Fitzgerald (‘81) and Tasha Utiz (‘01) are Boscobel’s other sectional champions.
“Coming into this season, we knew it was going take a lot of patience,” said Boscobel head coach Matthew Fritz. “We were going to make big gains as a team, but it was going to take time. We are getting a lot better at the right time and I am so proud and excited for the girls to have one more week and end our season at the state meet. Saturday was just the third win of the season for the ladies. It was also exciting to see Nora win her second individual sectional title in a row. They are all determined to see what they can do at the state meet.”
Two weeks ago Jillson won the individual SWAL championship at Fennimore's Hickory Grove Golf Course to lead the Bulldogs to a second-straight conference title.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order)
Carter Bunn, Jr., Fennimore boys cross country
Bunn placed 13th with a time of 18:26.8 to lead the Fennimore boys to a second-place team finish at last Saturday's WIAA Division 3 Albany Sectional and a team berth in this Saturday's WIAA Cross Country State Championships, which will be held at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Hope Connolly, Sr., Iowa–Grant girls cross country
Connolly placed fifth out of 97 runners at last Saturday's WIAA D3 Albany Sectional to earn her second straight trip to the WIAA Cross Country state meet with a time of 20:57.4.
Noah Fritz, Sr., Belmont football
Fritz ran 12 times for 135 yards, caught six passes for 127 yards and led the Belmont defense with nine total tackles in the Braves' 44–32 8-Player Level 1 playoff victory over Oakfield last Friday night. Belmont (9–1) will host Ridge and Valley-8 West rival De Soto (9–1) in rematch from two weeks ago in a Level 2 playoff game Friday night at 7 p.m.
Camryn Nies, Sr., OH, Platteville volleyball
Nies posted a double–double of 13 kills and 25 digs — both team highs — to lead the surging sixth-seeded Hillmen (22–16) to a 25–14, 25–20, 18–25, 25–23 victory over co-SWC champion and No. 2 seed River Valley (27–12) in last Saturday's WIAA D2 regional final at RVHS. Nies stellar play helped Platteville overcome an injury to senior middle hitter Ellie Temperly in the fourth set. Nies also posted five kills, 15 digs and three aces in a 3–0 upset of third-seed Wisconsin Dells last Thursday night, and 10 kills and three digs in a 3–0 regional quarterfinal sweep of Gale–Ettrick–Trempeleau last Tuesday night.
Mallory Olmstead, Jr., and Kylie Olmstead, Fr., Lancaster girls cross country
The talented Olmstead sisters placed sixth (Mallory, 21:07.2) and 11th (Kylie, 21:36.9) to lead the Lancaster girls cross country team to a second place finish at last Saturday's WIAA D3 Albany Sectional. With the second place finish, the Flying Arrows secured a sixth-straight trip to the WIAA State Championships which will be held Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Kaylee Peterson, Jr., Richland Center/Ithaca girls cross country
Peterson, a junior from Ithaca High School, earned a berth in the WIAA cross country state meet for a second straight year by finishing third at last Saturday's WIAA D2 Prairie du Chien Sectional with a time of 20:36.4. Peterson would be a Division 3 runner if not for the co-op with D2 Richland Center. Peterson won an individual WIAA D3 track and field state championship last spring in the 400 meters as a member of the Ithaca/Weston co-op.
Sam Udelhofen, Sr., WR/DB Potosi/Cassville football
Udelhofen caught four passes for 219 yards and three long touchdowns in the Chieftains' 58–0 rout of Cochrane–Fountain City in the first round of the WIAA Division 7 playoffs last Friday night.
