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GAME OF THE WEEK: Girls basketball
Cuba City (155, 112) at Mineral Point (174, 121)
CC rebound
Cuba City's Kiera Holzemer (#20) and the Cubans will travel to Mineral Point tonight with a share of the Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League title on the line.

GAME OF THE WEEK (Feb. 16–22)

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Cuba City (15–5, 11–2 SWAL) at Mineral Point (17–4, 12–1 SWAL), Thursday, Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m., KIYX (106.1 FM)

     Coach Jeff Pustina’s Cubans can claim share of the 2016–17 Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League crown tonight with a win over league-leading and 10th-ranked Pointers (17–4, 12–1), who already clinched at least a share of the title with a 68–31 win at Fennimore last Friday.

     Mineral Point senior point guard Sydney Staver finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, and senior Destinee Kruser added 10 points to lead the Pointers to a 49–44 win at Cuba City on Friday, Jan. 13. Point built a 30–25 halftime lead in that first meeting and held on for the win through a defensive second half. Staver is averaging 17.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season.  

     Sophomore guard Elizabeth Misky scored a game-high 19 points in the loss.

     The Cubans won four straight SWAL titles from 2011–2014, before Mineral Point swept Cuba City a year ago to win the 2016 SWAL crown. Point then beat the Cubans a third time in last year’s WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal 57–55 on their way to winning the D4 state title.

 

GIRLS BASKETBALL: WIAA regional quarterfinals, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.

     The WIAA girls basketball playoffs begin with regional quarterfinal action next Tuesday night. The winners will advance to next Friday’s regional semifinals. Here are next week’s are first-round pairings. 

 

Division 3

#2 Platteville (17–4) has a first-round bye

#10 Prairie du Chien (1–20) at #7 River Valley (7–14)

#11 Westfield (0–20) at #6 Nekoosa (10–11)

#3 Richland Center (18–2) has a first-round bye

 

Division 4

#1 Wisconsin Heights (20–1) has a first-round bye

#9 New Glarus (9–11) at #8 Lancaster (12–8), WPVL (1590 AM)

#12 Orfordville Parkview (4–16) at #5 Belleville (14–7)

#4 Darlington (14–7) has a first-round bye

 

#2 Mineral Point (17–4) has a first-round bye

#10 Waterloo (7–14) at #7 Deerfield (13–6)

#11 Iowa–Grant (7–13) at Cambridge (10–11)

#3 Cuba City (15–5) has a first-round bye

 

Division 5

#16 Southwestern (1–19) at #1 Shullsburg (17–3)

#9 Ithaca (11–10) at #8 Potosi (9–12), KIYX (106.1 FM)

#12 Kickapoo (10–11) at #5 River Ridge (15–5), WGLR (97.7 FM)

#13 Highland (6–15) at #4 Benton (13–7), WPVL (197.1 FM)

 

#15 North Crawford (3–16) at #2 Riverdale (17–4)

#10 Cassville (8–13) at #7 Wauzeka–Steuben (11–8)

#11 De Soto (8–13) at #6 Belmont (10–11)

#14 La Farge (6–14) at #3 Seneca (18–2)

 

PREP WRESTLING: WIAA Sectionals, Saturday, Feb. 18

WIAA Division 2 Richland Center Sectional, 10 a.m., WPVL (1590 AM)

     Richland Center will host Saturday’s WIAA Division 2 sectional. The top three finishers in each eight-man weight class will advance to next week’s WIAA State tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison. 

     Area sectional qualifiers include:

     106 — Max Schmidt (31–1), fr., Richland Center; Tristen Gilbertson (20–11), fr., Belmont/Platteville.

     113 — Isaac Wiegel (39–3), jr., Belmont/Platteville; Rowen Wipperfruth (24–13), so., River Valley.

     120 — Caleb Radtke (30–9), jr., River Valley; Reid Koenig (34–10), so., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka.

     126 — Dustin Hatfield (35–0), sr., River Valley; Blake Garia (32–10), jr., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka.

     132 — Zach Licht (37–3), jr., River Valley; Traeton Saint (37–8), fr., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka.

     138 — Miller Tylor (17–13), jr., Richland Center; Cayden Robson (15–11), fr., River Valley

     145 — Gavin Wipperfurth (28–3), sr., River Valley

     152 — John Phelan (32–7), jr., Dodgeville; Nick Rogge (37–7), sr., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka.

     160 — Shane Liegel (36–4), so., River Valley

     170 — Elijah Alt (38–1), sr., River Valley; Ethan Swiggum (30–13), sr., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka

     182 — Lucas Fugate (38–5), sr., Belmont/Platteville; Caleb Coleman (28–10), sr., Richland Center

     195 — Stephen Ronnfeldt (37–7), jr., Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka; Brock Mahoney (16–19), so., River Valley

     220 — Alex Peters (26–11), so., Richland Center

     285 — Aaron McCarthy (30–3), sr., Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern; Tennessee Hatfield (27–12), sr., River Valley

WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point Sectional, 10 a.m., WGLR (97.7 FM)

     Mineral Point will host Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 sectional. The top three finishers in each eight-man weight class will advance to next week’s WIAA State tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison. 

     Area sectional qualifiers include:

     106 — Danny Pittz (28–2), so., Mineral Point; Mason Lull (38–4), fr., Fennimore; Dalton Kehoe (20–12), fr., Hillsboro.

     113 — Alex Birchman (27–8), fr., Fennimore; Cody Blosch (20–16), Darlington/Black Hawk; Caden Carey (25–12), so., Mineral Point; Jason Griffiths (24–6), jr., Hillsboro; Trea Steele, (22–10), jr., North Crawford/Seneca.

     120 — Sawyer Sarbacker (40–1), sr., Iowa–Grant/Highland; Cayden Milz (26–13), Darlington/Black Hawk; Aiden Nutter (33–10), Fennimore; Dakota Wells (19–9), jr., Hillsboro.

     126 — Dyaln Hill (21–10), jr., Hillsboro; Paul King (30–8), jr., Darlington/Black Hawk; Brian Mathews (32–11), sr., Riverdale; Trevor Wanek (33–10), so., Fennimore

     132 — Gavin Burch (29–4), jr., Ithaca/Weston; Kolbe Ubersox (35–2), so., Darlington/Black Hawk; Maguire Fitzgerald (27–17), so., Fennimore; Logan Schmitz (25–17), Mineral Point

     138 — Hunter Bredeson (26–14), so., Darlington/Black Hawk; Monty Jennings (21–5), fr., Ithaca/Weston; Collin Lull (25–16), so., Lancaster; Hunter Wardell (34–13), sr., Fennimore.

     145 — Justin Tollefsen (39–6), sr., Fennimore; Clayon Kite (30–11), jr., Iowa–Grant/Highland; Riley Astle (13–12), fr., Ithaca/Weston.

     152 — Max Maylor (40–1), jr., Iowa–Grant/Highland; Chase Beinborn (30–10), so., Bosocbel.

     160 — Bradon Roen (16–2), sr., Riverdale; Riley Workman (28–12), jr., Mineral Point; Sawyer Willis (17–12), Ithaca/Weston), fr.

     170 — Brady Peat (37–6), jr., Iowa–Grant/Highland; Tyler Klaas (26–20), jr., Fennimore; Tyler Mosely (21–15), jr., Darlington/Black Hawk; Tristan Vesbach (14–17), so., Hillsboro. 

     182 — Drew Hennessy (31–9), so., Iowa–Grant/Highland; Troy Klein (23–16), so., Lancaster; Cade Netteshiem (22–9), so., Ithaca/Weston; Bailey Schiling (2–4), fr., Darlington/Black Hawk.

     195 — Caleb Johnson (33–7), jr., Riverdale; Kyle Juedes (28–14), jr., Mineral Point; Brody Milz (21–11), jr., Darlington/Black Hawk; Jacob Urban (5–2), jr., Hillsboro.

     220 — Cody McCollough (40–4), sr., Fennimore; Terrry Hrubes (13–15), so., Riverdale; Cody Nielsen (18–11), so., Darlington/Black Hawk; Tye Schafer (24–11), sr., North Crawford/Seneca.

     285 —  Deven O’Brien (36–9), sr., Fennimore; Ben Wheeler (32–10), jr.; River Ridge/Cassville; Carson McCauley (20–6), jr.; Ithaca/weston; Jacob Tuescher (22–13), Darlington/Black Hawk.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Area game of note this week

Highland (14–5, 8–1 SRW) at Shullsburg (18–2, 10–0 SRW, ranked #7 in D5), Friday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m., WGLR (97.7 FM)

     Highland has one final shot at league-leading Shullsburg and gaining a split of this year’s Six Rivers West title. The Cardinals most find a way on the road. Highland held a 23–20 halftime lead when the two teams first met back on Jan. 12, but the Miners outscored the Cardinals 38–15 in the second half to run away with a 58–38 victory. Senior point guard Hunter Matye scored a game-high 15 points and senior guard Noah Wand added 14 to lead Shullsburg in that game. Senior guard John Ross Linscheid scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Cardinals in defeat.

 

 

PREP GYMNASTICS: Southwest Wisconsin Conference Championships (at Platteville), Friday, Feb. 17, 5:30 p.m.

     The Platteville/Belmont/Lancaster gymnastics team will host this year’s SWC Championships Friday night at 5:30 p.m. Dodgeville/Mineral Point went 4–0 in the SWC during the regular season and is the favorite to win this year’s conference title. The host Hillmen (3–1 SWC) and Southwestern/Cuba City (2–2) are expected to challenge the Dodgers.

 

 

BOYS SWIMMING: WIAA Division 2 State Championships (at UW Natatorium, Madison), Friday, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m.

     Platteville senior Dan Iselin will compete in his second straight WIAA Division 2 boys swimming state championships Friday night. Iselin qualified for state with a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke at last Saturday’s WIAA D2 Stoughton sectional. He is seeded 15th (out of 16) in the 100 fly and 13th in the 100 backstroke entering Friday’s state meet.

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U GAME OF THE WEEK (Travel Softball): Colorado 4th of July Tournament
Tri-State Team Heat 16U Red goes 5–2–1 at Colorado 4th of July Tournament, 235-team event
16U Team Heat Red
Members of the Tri-State Team Heat 16U Red softball team are (front, from left) Prairie du Chien’s Claire Kennedy, Mineral Point’s Aida Tuttle, Cambridge’s Cally Travis, Platteville’s Mikala Schnering, Fennimore’s Brylie Zink, (back) coach Bob Lowe, Fennimore’s Kayahna Furrer, Richland Center’s Kyree Fischer, River Ridge’s Erin Adrain, Cuba City’s Josie Kruser, Fennimore’s Kylie Cole, and Belmont’s Jaelynn Leitzinger and assistant coach Chuck Schnering.

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (July 1–8)
Colorado 4th of July Tournament: 16U Sparkler Open

By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial

Tri-State Team Heat 16U Red goes 5–2–1 at Colorado 4th of July Tournament
DENVER, Colo. — The Tri-State Team Heat 16U Red team traveled to Denver two weeks ago to compete in the Triple Crown Sports Colorado 4th of July Tournament.

Dubbed the “World’s Largest Youth Fastpitch Softball Tournament”, this year’s event featured more than 1,100 teams and more than 16,000 players in multiple divisions ages 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U. More than 600 college coaches were also on hand to get a look at the next generation of future college stars.

The Tri-State Team Heat 16U Red is coached by Team Heat club owner Bob Lowe. Chuck Schnering of Platteville is Lowe’s assistant coach. The team is made up exclusively of athletes from Southwest Wisconsin. The team at the Colorado 4th of July Tournament included Fennimore’s Kayahna Furrer, Brylie Zink and Kylie Cole, Platteville infielder Mikala Schnering, Belmont’s Jaelyn Leitzinger, Cuba City’s Josie Kruser, Richland Center pitcher Kyree Fischer, River Ridge’s Erin Adrian, Mineral Point’s Aida Tuttle, Prairie du Chien pitcher Claire Kennedy, and Cambridge’s Cally Travis. 

The Tri-State Team Heat Red competed in the 16U Sparkler Open division, which featured 235 teams in 40 pools.

Team Heat opened pool play with a 12–12 tie against the Oklahoma Athletics Wednesday, July 2, before bouncing back less than an hour later with a dominating 12–2 win over Firecrackers Brashear, a team from South San Diego, Calif. Team Heat then beat Texas Glory, 10–5, and the Seattle Spice (Wash.) 20–0 — both on Thursday, July 3 — to win pool LL with a 3–0–1 record, outscoring its four opponents 54–19. Team Heat advanced to play in 16U Sparkler Mt. Elbert Bracket for 1st and 2nd place pool finishers.

The first and second place teams were then separated into eight 10-team double-elimination brackets for the next phase of the tournament. The winner and runner-up of each of the eight brackets advanced to the 16-team single elimination championship bracket, which was held Sunday, July 6 at Harold D. Lutz Sports Complex in Arvarda, Colo.

Team Heat earned one of the six first-round byes in bracket before beating the St. Louis Chaos, 8–7, on July 4 at 2 p.m. at Lutz Sports Complex. That evening Team Heat suffered a 9–8 loss to Bambinas2627 from Ecleto, Texas.

After a 4th of July Fireworks celebration on Friday night, Team Heat spent Saturday morning waiting for an elimination game opponent. Saturday at 4 p.m., Team Heat 16U Red stayed alive with a 10–4 victory over GenuWin Reign in Romeoville, Ill., but was eliminated in its very next game of the afternoon, bye Pool D winner Oklahoma Bombers XO9 in extra innings, 5–4. The Bombers, who hail from Sand Springs, Okla., went on to  beat Bambinas2627, 3–2, Sunday morning to finish second in bracket H and advance to the 16-team Open Championship bracket.

Meanwhile, Tri-State Team Heat finished fourth in bracket H and tied for 25th–32nd place in the entire 235-team 16U Sparkler Open after going 5–2–1 overall.

Furrer had a monster tournament to lead Team Heat, batting .769 (20-for-26) with six doubles, nine home runs, 17 RBI, 18 runs and two walks. She also went 1–1 with a team-low 2.55 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings over three starts.

Cole hit .308 (8-for-26) with one double, one homer, nine RBI, eight runs and a walk. Zink hit .294 (5-for-17) with two doubles, one RBI and five runs scored in seven games played.

Schnering hit .458 (11-for-24) with three doubles, one triple, three RBI, three walks and eight runs scored. Belmont’s Leitzinger batted .409 (9-for-22) with two homers, seven RBI, seven runs scored and two walks in seven games played.

Cuba City’s Kruser hit .423 (11-for-26) with two doubles, two homers 11 RBI, seven runs scored and two walks. PdC’s Claire Kennedy was the team’s top pitcher, going 3–0 with a 4.26 ERA and 13 strikeouts in a team-high 23 innings. She also hit .560 (14-for-25) with two doubles, one homer, five RBI and eights runs scored.

Mineral Point’s Tuttle finished second on the team in batting at .625 (15-for-24) with one double, one homer, seven RBI, 10 runs scored and one walk.

Team Heat 16U Red has traveled to Kansas City this week to play in the USA Elite Select World Fastpitch Championship July 15–20.