By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
SUPPZ.COM SWNEWS4U ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Platteville's Titus Wunderlin
Platteville senior named Southern Lakes Conference Swimmer of the Year
Wunderlin
Platteville/Lancaster’s Titus Wunderlin was named the SLC Swimmer of the Year after winning the 100 freestyle and finishing second in the 200 freestyle and third in the 50 free.

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

Titus Wunderlin, Sr., Platteville/Lancaster boys swimming, SLC Swimmer of the Year
WHITEWATER — The Platteville/Lancaster boys swim team closed out the regular season with a seventh place finish at Saturday’s Southern Lakes Conference Championships.
Senior Titus Wunderlin won the 100-yard freestyle (49.83), place third in the 50 free (22.70), swam the leadoff leg of the second-place 200 freestyle relay and also placed eighth in the 200 medley relay to earn the SLC Swimmer of the Year award.

“I’m really impressed with Titus taking home the conference Swimmer of the Year (award),” said Hillmen head coach Matt Wunderlin. “I think he’s the first swimmer to win the award in my time here. The coaches nominate athletes before the meet, but in order to be eligible they have to win at least one event. Then there is a vote after the meet for those who remain eligible. 

“I think it speaks to Titus’ character and sportsmanship. He’s a great athlete, but more importantly a positive human being who brings out the best in those around him.”

Wunderlin teamed with Nathan Koeller, Mazin Plumb and Owen Fritz to finish second in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:39.06. Wunderlin, Koeller and Fritz teamed with Rusty Wruck to place eighth in the 200 medley relay at 1:55.69.

Wruck also finished eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:32.23), and Austin Reuter placed 11th in the 500 freestyle (6:14.39). Koeller placed 13th in the 100 butterfly (1:10.48) and 100 backstroke (1:13.70), while Fritz finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.97).

“We had a lot of significant improvement with the athletes who tapered for conference,” said coach Wunderlin. “It’s always fun to feel the energy and see the times drop. We expect this momentum to carry forward to the sectional meet next weekend.”

The Hillmen scored 137 points to finish behind the Lake Geneva Badger co-op (548), runner-up Elkhorn (310), Beloit Memorial (303), Burlington co-op (222), Whitewater (184) and the Prairie  School/Racince St. Catherine’s (162).

Platteville/Lancaster’s seventh-place finish Saturday earned the team 12 points toward the conference standings and going 4–5 in SLC duals earned the Hillmen an additional eight points to finish sixth in the final SLC standings with 20 points. The Badger co-op (9–0) won the conference title with the maximum 54 points. Elkhorn (46) finished second, Beloit Memorial (42) was third and Burlington (38) fourth.

“Though we performed well, being down a few athletes hurts the team performance,” added coach Wunderlin. “Thanks to some solid swims we were able to edge out Jefferson and hold onto sixth place.”

The Hillmen will return to action Saturday at the WIAA Division 2 McFarland Sectional, which begins at 1 p.m.


HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Elliott Biba, Sr., 138 pounds, and Hunter Stevens, Jr., 132 pounds, Iowa–Grant/Highland wrestling
MINERAL POINT — Senior Elliot Biba and sophomore Hunter Stevens and each won individual titles to lead the Iowa–Grant/Highland wrestling team to the team title at Saturday’s SWC/SWAL Clash at Mineral Point High School. Biba (25–0) went 4–0 with a bye, two pins and a 26–11 technical fall over Belmont/Platteville’s Dylan Weigel in the 126-pound championship bout, en rout to a team-high 31.5 points. Stevens (34–1) used a bye, a pin, and a 4–1 victory over Prairie du Chien’s Drake Ingham to reach the 132-pound finals, where he dominated Mineral Point’s Roen Carey 8–2 for the title. “It was great to see Elliott and Hunter win their brackets,” said IGH head coach Ryan Allen. “They were both dominant all day and Hunter got some revenge on a loss he had at Bi-State.”

Broker Buschor, So., G/F, Darlington boys basketball
Buschor scored a game-high 21 points, to go along with a team-high nine rebounds, six assists and four steals to lead the #3-ranked Redbirds to a 72–60 SWAL victoryo ver #1-ranked Mineral Point last Friday night. With the win, Darlington (18–2, 10–1 SWAL) pulled into a first-place tie with the Pointers (19–1, 10–1).