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MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U GAME OF THE WEEK (Softball): Cuba City goes 2–2 at Gulf Shores Classic
Cubans compete against top teams in Gulf Shores Classic
Cuba City
Junior Addy Schauff and the Cuba City softball team opened the 2025 softball season going 2–2 at the Gulf Shores Classic in Alabama last week.
Published: Apr 3, 2025, 5:58 PM

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (March 25–April 1)
PREP SOFTBALL: Cuba City at Gulf Shores Classic

By Casey Lindecrantz, Tri-County Press / Republican Journal

Cubans compete against top teams in Gulf Shores Classic

GULF SHORES, Ala. — The Cuban softball team kicked off their 2025 campaign out of state at the Gulf Coast Classic III in Gulf Shores, Ala. on Mar. 25–26, where they went 2–2. 

“The softball team’s trip to Alabama was productive for us,” Cuba City head coach Megan Rojemann said. “We faced some excellent teams, including Orange Beach High School, who is highly ranked in the country.”

The Makos (17–1) were the final opponent for the Cubans, and are ranked 10th in the country and second in Alabama per MaxPreps.com. Orange Beach handed Cuba City a 11–1 loss in five innings. No Cuban secured multiple hits, but Josie Kruser’s 1-for-2 day at bat tallied her team’s lone RBI.

Cuba City’s other loss came at the hands of Rehobeth (Ala.) (6–8–1) in the Cubans’ opening game of the competition, 6–1. Payton Gile earned a hit in her only at bat, and Addy Schauff’s 1-for-2 resulted in a double.

Gile was credited for each loss, allowing eight hits and striking out nine against the Rebels, while allowing 10 hits and striking out one against the Makos.

Filling out Cuba City’s stay was a pair of wins in the middle over Morristown East (Tenn.) (2–4) on day one, 5–3, then over Glenwood (Ala.) (8-13-1) to open day two, 8–2.

The Cubans opened up a 2–0 lead over the Hurricanes, and didn’t surrender it to the end of the game. Gile earned her first win of the season allowing five hits, three runs, and striking out seven. Schauff (2x3, 1RBI), Kruser (1x1, 1RBI), and Gile (1x3, 2RBI) all helped to ring in one or more runs. 

The the latter win against the Gators proved more of an early struggle. Glenwood earned a 2-run lead in the third after a pair of scoreless innings, but a grand slam from Schauff in the top of the fourth shifted the lead for Cuba City for good.

Gile’s second win came in her strongest performance. She allowed three hits and two runs over five innings, while striking out eight and walking one. A plethora of batters came away with a pair of hits, including Kruser (2x3), Gile (2x3, 2RBI), Ayla Nolan (2x3, 1RBI), Schauff (2x4, 4RBI), and Summer Rogers (2x4).

“I’m proud of the way our team played so early in the season,” Rojemann said. “We got important contributions from several players. It was a great opportunity for us to get games early in the season against strong competition. It was also a great way for us to build team chemistry as we head into conference play.”

The Cubans start SWAL play hosting Fennimore (3–0) Thursday, April 3, followed by traveling to Mineral Point (1–3) on Monday, April 7. The Golden Eagles concluded a packed week by most recently beating Reedsburg on Mar. 28, 9-7, while the Pointers also traveled to compete in the Gulf coast Classic III alongside Cuba City.


Rehobeth (Ala.) 6, Cuba City 1
(from Thursday, Mar. 25 @ Gulf Coast Classic III — Gulf Shores, AL)
Cuba City 100 000 X  —  1  5  3
Rehobeth 010 311 X   —  6  8  0
Leading hitters — CC: Payton Gile 1x1, Summer Rogers 1x2, Addy Schauff 1x3 (1R). 2B — CC: Schauff, Josie Kruser. 
W — A. Massey (2.2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1K, 2BB). L — Payton Gile (6IP, 8H, 5ER, 9K, 3BB).

Cuba City 5, Morristown East (Ten.) 3
(from Thursday, Mar. 25 @ Gulf Coast Classic III — Gulf Shores, AL)
Cuba City 200 12X X  —  5  6  1
Morristown East 002 01X X   —  3  5  2
Leading hitters — CC: Schauff 2x3 (1RBI), Kruser 1x1 (1RBI), Gile 1x3 (2RBI). 2B — CC: Brynlee Droessler. 
W — Gile (1–1, 7IP, 5H, 3R, 1ER, 7K, 3BB).

Cuba City 8, Glenwood (Ala.) 2
(from Friday, Mar. 26 @ Gulf Coast Classic III — Gulf Shores, AL)
Cuba City 000 413 X  —  8 14  2
Glenwood 002 00X X   —  2   3  1
Leading hitters — CC: Kruser 2x3, Gile 2x3 (2RBI), Ayla Nolan 2x3 (1RBI), Schauff 2x4 (4RBI), Rogers 2x4. 2B — CC: Kruser, Gile. HR — CC: Schauff. 
W — Gile (2–1, 5IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 8K, 1BB). L — B. Morrell (5IP, 14H, 7ER, 5K, 2BB).


Orange Beach (Ala.) 11, Cuba City 1
(from Friday, Mar. 26 @ Gulf Coast Classic III — Gulf Shores, AL)
Cuba City 001 00X X  —   1   4  2
Orange Beach 422 12X X   — 11 10  2
Leading hitters — CC: Kruser 1x2 (1RBI), Gile 1x2, Nolan 1x2, Schauff 1x3. 
W — M. McMullan (5IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 10K, 1BB). L — Gile (4.2IP, 10H, 9ER, 1K, 2BB).
MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U GAME OF THE WEEK (College Football): Wisconsin Badgers open fall camp at UW–Platteville
Wisconsin returns to Platteville to prepare for nation’s #1-ranked toughest schedule
Dillon Jones
Redshirt freshman running back Dilin Jones works on ball security during positional drills at Monday’s practice at UW–Platteville. Jones appears to be the favorite to start at tailback this year. He rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries a year ago before being redshirted. - photo by A.J. Gates
Updated: Aug 8, 2025, 2:51 PM
Published: Aug 8, 2025, 2:52 PM

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (July 30–Aug. 6)
College Football: Badgers open fall camp at UW–Platteville

By A.J. Gates, Herald Independent / Tri-County Press / The Platteville Journal

Wisconsin returns to  Platteville to prepare for nation’s #1-ranked toughest schedule
PLATTEVILLE — Third-year head coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin Badger football team arrived in Platteville last Monday evening, and took to the field for their first of 10 practices at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium Tuesday morning.

Fickell and the Badgers, who will be in Platteville until Sunday, will hold one practice open to the public on Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $5 with free admission to those 12 and under.

After going 5–7 last season and missing out on being bowl eligible for the first time since 2001, coach Fickell enters the 2025 season with a two-year record of 13–13 at Wisconsin.

His original seven-year contract worth $54.6 million was extended this past February by one year, good until March of 2032.

Being the 18th highest paid coach in the FBS, and the fifth highest paid coach in the Big Ten, Fickell will be put to the test this season, as Wisconsin faces the No. 1 toughest college football schedule in the country for the 2025 season.

Among Wisconsin’s 12-game regular-season schedule are home games against Ohio State, Iowa, Washington, Maryland and Illinois. Their road schedule is even more daunting with games at Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana and Minnesota.

According to the latest preseason poll by the Associated Press, Ohio State enters the season ranked No. 1 in the country, Oregon is No. 3, Indiana No. 10, Illinois No. 16 and Alabama No. 17.

In a recent poll of Big Ten reporters, the Badgers were picked to again finish 12th in the Big Ten field of 18 teams. 

The Badgers need to win at least six games to be bowl eligible this year, and only one win against an FCS opponent counts toward that total.

The foundation for the upcoming 2025 season is now being laid down in Platteville, where the nine other practices open only to the media, offer a glimpse at some of the veterans returning to the Wisconsin program, and also many of the new faces that will be looked upon to play significant roles this coming season.

Gone to the NFL are Jack Nelson (OT) and Hunter Wohler (S), while Braeden Locke (QB), Tawee Walker (RB) and Will Pauling (WR) are among those who transferred out of Wisconsin to other college programs.

Also gone is offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who was fired last November after his “Air-Raid” offense ranked 107th nationally in scoring last season.

Hired in his place is new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who spent last year as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Kansas. Grimes also held coaching positions at Baylor, BYU, LSU, Virgina Tech, Auburn, Colorado, Arizona State and Boise State.

With the hiring of Grimes, the Badgers appear committed to getting back to their offensive roots of physical line play up front and a steady dose of the run game. Hopefully the misdirection plays and spread formations inside the red zone will be replaced with a hard-nosed power rushing attack between the tackles.

It’s been said that offensive linemen like playing for Grimes, who allows the big men up front to be the aggressors at the line of scrimmage.

Under center for the Badgers this season will be transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who last year at Maryland completed 273-of-420 pass attempts for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

His back-ups look to be senior Hunter Simmons and sophomore Danny O’Neil. Simmons is a transfer from Southern Illinois and O’Neil a transfer from San Diego State.

Among the top receiving targets for Edwards will be returner Vinny Anthony, who caught 39 passes last season for a team-high 672 yards and four TDs.

Joining him out wide looks to be a combination of Chris Brooks Jr. and Ohio State transfer Jayden Ballard, while Trech Kekahuna will be playing in the slot left vacant by Pauling who transferred to Notre Dame.

If there is one player on the Badger’s offense to keep an eye on this season, it has to be Trech Kekahuna (#2). As a redshirt freshman, Kekahuna caught 25 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns, but entered his name into the transfer portal at the end of lasat season. 

A phone call and meeting with Grimes convinced him to stay in Wisconsin, and the redshirt sophomore has been turning a lot of heads at fall camp ever since. Badger fans will be glad Kekahuna is wearing red and white and not the yellow and green of the Oregon Ducks, who also offered the speedster a scholarship out of high school.

Lining up at tight end are Tucker Ashcraft and Lance Mason, while Jake Renfro (C), Joe Brunner (LG) and Riley Mahlman (RT) look to anchor the offensive line.

With last year’s leading rusher in Tawee Walker transferring to Cincinnati, the starting running back position appears to belong to Dilin Jones, with Darrion Dupree, Gideon Ituka and Cade Yacamelli getting some reps.

Jones, who according to 247sports, is the second-highest rated running back recruit in program history next to John Clay, appeared in three games during his redshirt season last year, rushing for 88 yards on 16 carries. 

There appear to be a few more questions than answers on the defensive side of the ball early in the season, where the three anchors of the defensive secondary look to be Christian Alliegro (LB), Preston Zachman (S) and Ricardo Hallman (CB).

Most of the defensive question marks appear to be on the defensive line, where of the 21 transfers signed by the Badgers during the offseason, seven were defensive linemen. There were also two transfers added at linebacker, two at cornerback and two at safety.

After giving up an average of 165 rushing yards per game, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel looked for more size up front coming into the 2025 season, and it appears he found it.

Of the 11 defensive linemen listed on this year’s roster, seven are 300 pounds or heavier, with another at 299 and one more at 295. The average weight in the defensive line room is 305 pounds, with the shortest standing at 6’2” and the tallest at 6’5”.

At the head of the line during defensive drills were Ben Barten (6’5”-323), Charles Perkins (6’2”-316), Jay’Viar Suggs (6’3”-299) and Parker Petersen (6’4”-315).

Anchoring the linebacker crew looks to be Christian Alliegro and Tackett Curtis, while the secondary will be lead by safeties Preston Zachman and Austin Brown along with cornerback Ricardo Hallman.

While it’s true the Badgers have the No. 1 toughest schedule in college football this season, I’m convinced after spending a few days at fall camp that they have some pieces in place that could surprise some people.