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, Fennimore Times, Boscobel Dial
Derek Digman, Sr., QB/DB, Platteville football
The Hillmen produced offensive fireworks to match the postgame display in beating Elgin St. Edward’s 49–14 at Greg True Field Friday night. Senior quarterback Derek Digman had a career day and a hand in every Platteville touchdown. He threw four touchdown passes, ran for two more, and intercepted a pass for another touchdown.
“Derek was a baller out there on Friday, he was making plays out of nothing and the thing I loved the most was he was being a great leader,” said coach Bryce Arneson, who earned his first career victory. “He was holding his guys accountable and was coaching them on the sideline, which I haven’t seen out of him until now. When you have seven total touchdowns, you are going to be a BIG part of the game no matter who you are.”
The Hillmen took almost half of the first quarter to go 75 yards in 11 plays, the last Digman’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Logan Day for the sophomore’s first career touchdown with 2:54 left in the first quarter.
Platteville then exploded for 28 second-quarter points, starting with a four-play 40-yard drive that ended with the first of Tashner’s three touchdowns from the 35-yard line nine seconds into the second quarter.
St. Edward’s the went 61 yards in eight plays, but ended up two yards short of the end zone on a play in which the Green Wave brought in an offensive lineman to run the ball, but ended up short of the goal line.
Digman then dialed up Tashner for a 32-yard touchdown pass to top off an eight-play 80-yard scoring drive with 4:44 left in the first and extend Platteville’s lead to 21–7.
One series later, Digman stepped in front of a Luciano Rolando sideline pass and ran 21 yards back to the end zone to extend the lead to 28–7. One series after that, Digman’s seven-yard scramble with eight seconds left in the first half extended the lead to 35–7.
Tashner started and ended Platteville’s next scoring drive, setting it up on an interception and ending it on a nine-yard touchdown catch with 8:07 left in the third quarter. Lucas Ludlum then got into the scoring act, catching a 42-yard touchdown pass from Digman with 5:33 left in the third. Digman was 16 of 22 through the air for 267 yards, and added 73 rushing yards.
HONORABLE MENITON (in alphabetical order):
Jacob Divall, Sr., QB, Lancaster football
Divall completed 19 of 33 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for a team-high 135 yards and two more scores to lead the Flying Arrows (2–0) to a dominating 42–0 shutout at Cuba City last Friday night. The Cubans ended Lancaster's 2021 season in the second round of the WIAA Division 6 playoffs.
Nora Jillson, So., Boscobel cross country
The sophomore sensation, who helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to the WIAA Division 3 cross country team state title a year ago, opened this year with a bang by winning the girls' race at last Saturday's Onalaska Gale Johnson Kick Off Invitational with a winning-time of 20.28.2. Jillson and the Boscobel girls placed fifth at the eight-team invitational.
Alex McDonald, Sr., WR/DB, Richland Center football
McDonald had three interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns to lead the Hornets to a 36–26 non-conference road win last Friday night. McDonald's first pick-6 with 1:53 left in the third quarter broke a 20–20 tie. He second interception to the house, from 23 yards out, put the game out of reach at 36–20 with just 3:58 left in the game.
Payton Millin, Sr., OH, River Ridge volleyball
Millin had 12 kills, 11 digs, seven aces and four blocks to lead the Timberwolves to a dominating 25–5, 25–18, 25–22 non-conference sweep of visiting Lancaster last Tuesday night to open the 2022 season. Millin then posted a team-high 43 kills, 54 digs, 19 blocks and a team-high 10 aces to lead River Ridge to a 5–0 record and a first-place finish at last Saturday's Argyle Six River Jamboree tournament.
Jesse Vesperman, Sr., Platteville, Wisconsin H.S. Rodeo
Vesperman won the steer wrestling competition, placed third in the trap shooting to win the Doug Knapp All-Around Cowboy award at last week's Lancaster High School Regional Rodeo. He also participated in the calf roping competition at the Lancaster rodeo. Vesperman is a two-year National High School Finals Rodeo qualifier.
