GAME OF THE WEEK (Sept. 21–27)
PREP VOLLEYBALL: This week’s area matchups
Platteville (16–6, 5–0 SWC) at Richland Center (24–5, 4–1 SWC), Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:15 p.m.
Coach Danielle Duerst and her Platteville Hillmen can take all the drama out of this year’s SWC race with a victory over defending conference champion Richland Center tonight. Duerst’s Hillmen have already upended Laura Selgeby’s Hornets twice this year, first to open league play on Aug. 31, then again in the championship match of the Richland Center Invitational two days later. A win for Platteville would give the Hillmen a near insurmountable two-game lead with just four conference dates remaining. But Richland Center, which swept third-place River Valley Tuesday night to stay within striking distance can grab a share of the conference lead with a win tonight.
Reigning SWC co-Player of the Year senior middle hitter Madison Rizer (254 kills, 234 digs, 54 blocks, 26 aces, .395 hitting percentage) leads the Hornets in nearly every statistically category. Junior Roslynn Johnson has 141 kills, 230 digs and 42 aces in a supporting role.
Senior Skye Digman is Platteville’s clear go-to-player with 267 kills in 705 attacks (nearly 300 more than sophomore Izzy Carroll who is second in the team with 112 kills in 437 attempts. Digman also leads Platteville with 59 blocks, 17 aces and a .241 hitting percentage, and is third on the team with 223 digs. Senior setter Britney Baker has 453 assists, 172 digs, 38 kills and nine aces in 22 matches.
Darlington (9–5–1, 5–1 SWAL) at Cuba City (16–2, 5–0 SWAL), Tureday, Sept. 26, 7:15 p.m.
Junior Brinley Wood and the SWAL-leading Cubans will host senior Kennedy Rankin and the second-place Redbirds in a key SWAL match Tuesday night.
PREP FOOTBALL: Prairie du Chien (5–0, 1–0 SWC) at Platteville (5–0, 1–0 SWC), Friday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m.
Undefeated Prairie du Chien travels to Platteville in the premier area game of the week. The Blackhawks are coming off a 41–8 victory over Dodgeville in last week’s conference opener, while Platteville blanked Richland Center 48–0. The Hillmen have outscored their first five opponents 219–66. Senior Ethan Bernhardt (81-of-118, 1,233 yards, 17 TDs, 1 Int) leads the conference in passing and senior Donovan Blevins (26 rec., 607 yards, 11 TDs) is currently fourth in the state in receiving yards.
Others Week 6 area games (all games, Friday, 7 p.m. unless noted)
SWC
River Valley (2–3, 0–1, SWC) at Dodgeville (3–2, 0–1 SWC)
Richland Center (0–5, 0–1 SWC) at Lancaster (4–1, 1–0 SWC)
SWAL
Boscobel (0–5, 0–2 SWAL) at Cuba City (3–2, 3–0 SWAL)
Southwestern (2–3, 0–2 SWAL) at Fennimore (4–1, 2–1 SWAL)
Mineral Point (4–1, 2–0 SWAL) at Iowa–Grant (4–1, 2–1 SWAL)
Six Rivers Conference
Shullsburg (1–4, 1–3 SRC) at Potosi/Cassville (4–1, 4–1 SRC)
Benton/Scales Mound (2–3, 2–2 SRC) at Black Hawk (5–0, 3–0 SRC)
Belmont (1–4, 1–3 SRC) at Pecatonica/Argyle (3–2, 2–2 SRC), Saturday, 2 p.m.
Non-Conference
Darlington (0–5) at Cambridge (4–1)
Higland (1–4) at Cashton (1–4)
Cochrane–Fountain City (3–2) at River Ridge (3–2)
PREP CROSS COUNTRY: Fennimore Golden Eagle Relays Invitational, Saturday, 8:15 a.m
The Eagles will host the 34th annual Fennimore Golden Eagle Relays Invitational beginning with the girls’ JV race at 8:15 a.m. The Eagle Relays is unique meet where the top five times (not places) will be added together to determine team placements. Runners will also be split up based on their team order to race only against runners in the same position, rather than the entire field starting all at the same time. The boys’ seventh runner race will begin at 9:20 a.m., followed by the girls’ seventh runner race at 9:30 a.m. The boys’ first runner race will start at 11:50 a.m. while the girls first runner race will begin at noon.
Participating teams include: Albany, Boscobel, Brookwood, Cashton, Cassville, Hillsboro, Lake Mills, Lancaster, Lodi, New Glarus, River Ridge, Riverdale, Tri-State Home, Viroqua, Wauzeka-Steuben, West Salem, Wisconsin Heights and the host Golden Eagles.
