Katelyn Valenta of Grafton girls soccer was the winner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Piggly Wiggly high school athlete of the week poll from April 6 to April 11.

The Black Hawks started the 2026 season with a 3-0-0 opening week and Valenta was a key component in that hot start. The junior scored six goals and racked up two assists for the week, including a hat trick in a Grafton victory over Ozaukee.

Bitsy Palicka of Sussex Hamilton softball was the runner-up in the poll. Palicka and the top-ranked Chargers stormed out of the gate with a 5-0 start and Palicka was massive in a 4-0 week for the Chargers. The sophomore registered eight hits in four games with 11 runs batted in at the plate and also recorded a pair of victories inside the circle against Arrowhead (2-0) and Middleton (13-0) with 22 total strikeouts.

Other nominees included Samantha Davis of Whitnall softball, Luke Breitzman and Matthew Nolan of Greendale baseball and Alex Newcomer of Homestead boys track and field.

You can make a nomination for a future player of the week by sending an email with statistics and context on an athlete’s performance to mwhitlow@gannett.com and zbellman@gannett.com. Do not send votes to these addresses.

Catholic Memorial's Lauren Schmidt (3) elevates for a header during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Heritage Christian's Lucy Engl (18) lines up a kick against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Grace Keller (11) traps a pass during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Sophia Stemo (10) controls possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Heritage Christian's Nadia Balderas (1) sends the ball downfield against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Emma Reilly (9) takes a shot against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Margaret Sisk (17) takes a shot against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Heritage Christian's Hailey Keckeisen (6) sends the ball downfield against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Emma Reilly (9) traps a pass during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Ella Pollak (24) makes a pass against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Grace Keller (11) inbounds the ball during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Lauren Schmidt (3) controls possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Catholic Memorial's Lily Schleifer (20) works to control possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.Heritage Christian's Gabriella Aguirre (14) battles Catholic Memorial's Lydia Stemo (6) during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.1 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Lauren Schmidt (3) elevates for a header during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.1 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Lauren Schmidt (3) elevates for a header during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.2 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Heritage Christian's Lucy Engl (18) lines up a kick against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.3 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Grace Keller (11) traps a pass during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.4 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Sophia Stemo (10) controls possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.5 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Heritage Christian's Nadia Balderas (1) sends the ball downfield against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.6 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Emma Reilly (9) takes a shot against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.7 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Margaret Sisk (17) takes a shot against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.8 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Heritage Christian's Hailey Keckeisen (6) sends the ball downfield against Catholic Memorial during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.9 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Emma Reilly (9) traps a pass during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.10 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Ella Pollak (24) makes a pass against Heritage Christian during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.11 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Grace Keller (11) inbounds the ball during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.12 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Lauren Schmidt (3) controls possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.13 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Catholic Memorial's Lily Schleifer (20) works to control possession during the game against Heritage Christian on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.14 / 14Catholic Memorial girls soccer defeats Fox Valley Lutheran, 8-0Heritage Christian's Gabriella Aguirre (14) battles Catholic Memorial's Lydia Stemo (6) during the game on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Catholic Memorial Sullivan Campus in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Catholic Memorial won the game, 8-0.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Katelyn Valenta wins Piggly Wiggly high school athlete of the week poll