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: Black Hawk's Maddy Lange
Black Hawk senior averages scores 54 points in two Warrior wins
Maddy Lange
Senior Maddy Lange scored 35 points and had six steals in Black Hawks' season-opening win over Orfordville Parkview last Tuesday night. - photo by Natalie Dillon, Fox Tales
Published: Dec 6, 2024, 12:27 AM

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday or Friday throughout the calendar year.

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

Maddy Lange, Sr., G, Black Hawk girls basketball
SOUTH WAYNE — The Black Hawk girls basketball opened the season with a pair of home wins behind sizzling shooting performances from senior guard Maddy Lange.

Lange poured in a staggering 35 points on 15 of 21 shooting to lead Black Hawk to a 75–34 blowout win over Orfordville Parkview last Tuesday, Nov. 26. She also snagged six rebounds, grabbed a game-high six steals and two assists in the victory, while Hailey Wellnitz added five points and 13 rebounds. The Warriors gave the Vikings no room to breathe, outscoring the traveling team by a tune of 54-13 over the opening half. Parkview kept pace in the second half, but the damage was already done. 

The Warriors had a tougher test days later against the Clinton Cougars, but still went into the break with a big lead, extending it to the closing buzzer, for a 59–36 non-conference win on Monday night.

Lange led the team again, this time with a double–double of 19 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and three assists. Nine of her 12 rebounds game on the offensive end. Reese Anderson also finished with a double–double of 16 points and 13 points, and Maddy Place (13 points) and Mya Milz (10 points) score in double figures for the winners.

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Rianna Dye, F, Platteville girls basketball
Dye hits a left-handed layup off a pass from sophomore point guard Avery Richard at the buzzer to beat Barneveld 51–50 in Nov. 19's season-opener for both teams. Dye finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Two nights later, Dye and Richard did it again, teaming up for the game-winning layup with 1.1 left in a 51–49 win at Mineral Point. Platteville rallied from a 49–46 deficit with 1:09 left to play after forcing a defensive five-second call and a game-tying 3-pointer from Claire Huser from the right wing with 53.6 seconds left. Dye blocked Bree Swenson’s layup attempt with 26 seconds left, then Hillmen coach Brandon Temperly called a timeout with 9.8 seconds left to setup the final play. Dye also had 11 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday's 51–42 win over La Crosse Aquinas this past Tuesday night.

Jayce Halverson, So., G, Dodgeville boys basketball
Halverson poured in a career-high 28 points and snatched seven steals in a 64–50 season-opening win over Wisconsin Heights Tuesday night.

Wesley Kraisinger, Sr., F, Highland boys basketball
Kraisinger posted a monster double–double of 22 points (11-19 FG) and 16 rebounds to lead the Cardinals to a 79–57 win over visiting Iowa–Grant in Highland's season-opener Monday night.

Tannah Radloff, Sr., F, Prairie du Chien girls basketball
Radloff hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored a game-high 22 points to lead Prairie du Chien to a 58–37 non-conference victory over New Berlin Eisenhower at the Eisenhower Thanksgiving Classic last Saturday. Radloff, who is averaging 15.3 points per game for the D3 #9-ranked Blackhawks (4–0), scored 12 points in a 51–22 non-conference over Mount Horeb last Monday, and led PdC to 51–26 non-conference win at Fennimore Saturday night.

Elliott Thornton, Sr., F, River Ridge boys basketball
Thornton did most of his damage in the paint, finishing with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from the free throw line to lead the Timberwolves to a 52–31 season-opening non-conference win over Fennimore last Tuesday night. He also pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds, including six on the offensive end, to go along with a team-high five steals.
SUPPZ.COM SWNEWS4U ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: River Ridge's Erin Adrian
River Ridge pitcher fans 16 batters and slugs two homers in win over De Soto
Erin Adrian
River Ridge sophomore pitcher Erin Adrian struck out 16 batters and hit a pair of homers in a 7–4 win over De Soto last Friday. - photo by A.J. Gates
Updated: Apr 3, 2025, 6:45 PM
Published: Apr 3, 2025, 6:46 PM

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday or Friday throughout the calendar year.

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

Erin Adrian, So., P, River Ridge softball
River Ridge kicked off the prep softball season with a pair of non-conference victories last week under head coach Wade Winkers, who is beginning his third stint as the Timberwolves' head coach. Returning all-conference sophomore pitcher Erin Adrian led the way in both games, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI doubles in last Thursday's 11–1 season opening victory at Darlington. She also collected the win in the pitcher's circle, giving up one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out seven. 

One day later against visiting De Soto, Adrian was on fire, striking out 16 and walking just won, while allowing three earned runs on six hits. At the plate, Adrian went 3-for-4 and blasted a pair of home runs, a solo shots in the third and sixth innings. 

Adrian and the Timberwolves (2–0) are set to host River Ridge Thursday afternoon before traveling to Wauzeka–Steuben Friday afternoon.

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Kayahna Furrer, Jr., P, Fennimore softball
Furrer struck out 17 batters and tossed a two-hit shutout, and aided her own cause with a two-run homer and a RBI double in Fennimore's 7–0 season-opening victory over Pecatonica last Tuesday. Furrer then struck out 10 and allowed three unearned runs on five hits in a 4–3 victory over Highland last Thursday, before smashing a pair of homers and driving in four runs in Friday's 9–7 non-conference victory over Reedsburg.

Maddy Hill, Jr., P, Lancaster softball
Hill went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate, and struck out seven an allowed two unearned runs on four hits in four innings of work to collect the win in Lancaster' 14–3 season-opening victory over Darlington Monday afternoon.

Addy Schauff, Jr., 2B, Cuba City softball
Schauff and the Cubans opened the 2025 softball season last week by going 2–2 at the Gulf Shores Classic in Alabama. Schauff finished the two-day event 6 for 13 with a double, a homer, four runs scored and five RBI in four games. Scauff went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in a 5–3 win over Morristown (Tenn.) last Tuesday. She then went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI in an 8–2 win over Glenwood (Ala.) last Wednesday.