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
Miriam Goomey, Jr., F, Platteville/Lancaster girls soccer
PLATTEVILLE — Junior Miriam Goomey scored a career-best six goals and assisted on her team’s other two as Platteville/Lancaster steam rolled visiting Richland Center 8–0 in a SWC girls soccer match Thursday night at the Platteville Activities Complex.
The Hornets are certainly happy to see the last of Goomey this year, after the lanky forward scored five goals in the first meeting between the two teams — a 10–0 Hillmen victory April 6.
Goomey opened the scoring Thursday night in the 11th minute when she beat a pair of RC defenders and scored on a left to right crossing shot at the 10:43 mark.
Four minutes later, Goomey took a throw in from sophomore Alaina Curry dribbled around one defender and fired a low near post shot past into the lower left corner of the net for a 2–0 Hillmen lead.
Goomey completed the first half hat trick in the 32nd minute on a feed from Curry and promptly beat the Hornet keeper with a right-to-left crossing shot to the lower left corner.
Goomey and the Hillmen continued to pour it on with a pair of unassisted goals in the first four minutes of the second half to make it 5–0. She then assisted on a pair of goals by Lancaster junior Carley Vesperman in the 56th and 60th minutes. A minute later, Goomey scored her final goal of the night to complete the scoring.
Josie Kruser, So., 1B, Cuba City softball
BOSCOBEL — Cuba City's Josie Kruser hit perhaps the biggest home run in southwest Wisconsin this spring to lift her Cubans to a 3–1 SWAL victory over rival Boscobel (12–2, 9–1). With two outs in the top of the seventh in a 1–1 tie, Kruser blasted a two-run homer off three-time WFSCA pitcher Gretta Grassel to keep her team's 2024 SWAL title hopes alive. The Cubans (12–2, 8–2) and Bulldogs shared last year's SWAL title before Cuba City ended Boscobel's 2023 season in the WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinals.
Kruser also went 1-for-4 with a pair of RBI in last Friday's 11–6 non-conference victory over Lancaster and had a hit and a run in last Tuesday's 7–6 SWAL win over Mineral Point (13–2, 7–2 SWAL).
The Cubans were 10–1 in April, and they’re in prime position to earn a share of the conference title. Wins in a trip to Southwestern (4–11, 2–8) on Thursday, a home game with Iowa–Grant (11–6, 6–5) Friday, and at Riverdale (3–13, 1–9) Monday would set up such a championship opportunity Tuesday at home against Boscobel.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order)
Eli Adams, Sr., P, Potosi/Cassville baseball
CASSVILLE — Potosi/Cassville pitcher Eli Adams had all the support of his defense Monday night when the senior right-hander threw his first no-hitter of the season in a 2–0 victory over visiting Shullsburg/Benton. Against Shullsburg/Benton, Adams (1–4) faced 22 batters and threw 66 pitches, striking out 11 and walking none. Only one batter reached base on a dropped third strike in the seventh inning, as the defense came up with seven fly outs and four ground outs as the Chieftains improved to 5–12 overall and 3–4 Six Rivers Conference. Adams also struck out eight in a 4–3 complete game loss at Highland last Tuesday.
Kalli Jo Hodgson, Jr., P, Belmont softball
PATCH GROVE — Belmont’s Kalli Jo Hodgson was brilliant Monday afternoon. The Braves’ junior ace struck out 11 and hurled six no-hit innings to lead her team to a dominating 15–0 Six Rivers West win at River Ridge. It was Hodgson’s second no-hitter of the season. She pitched four innings of a combined no-hitter with Bailey Mester in a 15–0 win over Benton/Shullsburg on April 9.
Hodgson walked three and hit a pair of batters Monday at River Ridge, but was able to navigate around those miscues with minimal trouble, and the Belmont offense also provided plenty of run support to ease her stress.The Braves improved to 12–3 overall and 10–0 in the Six Rivers Conference to remain a game up on second place Highland (11–3, 9–1).
Hodgson also struck out six in four innings and combined on three-hit shutout with freshman Carsyn Ramaker (SV, 3IP, 2H, 0R, 6K) in a 4–0 non-conference win at Wauzeka–Steuben last Friday.
Josiah Ruiz, So., P/IF, Belmont baseball
Ruiz (8–0) paired a 2-for-5 day at plate with a win at the mound in a 7–2 win over Six Rivers East-leading Pecatonica (11–2, 7–1). Over 6 1/3 innings pitched, he allowed five hits, four runs, and struck out seven Pecatonica batters with four walks. Monday afternoon, Ruiz was even better, striking out 11 batters and allowing one hit and one walk in five shutout innings to earn his eighth win of the season in a 7–1 SRW victory at River Ridge. With the win the Braves improved to 12–2 overall and 8–0 in the Six Rivers, and clinched at least a share of the West title, its first conference title since 2021's state tournament season.
