from the Hip

Posted 6/21/22

SHOTS from the Hip Brava to Liz Rohl and Taylor Graf on being named Second Team Medium Schools (Division 2 and 3) All State by the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association. Earlier last week …

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from the Hip

Posted

SHOTS from the Hip

Brava to Liz Rohl and Taylor Graf on being named Second Team Medium Schools (Division 2 and 3) All State by the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association. Earlier last week Rohl, Graf, and Senior Maddie Miller were named First Team All District.

Congratulations to Justin Syverson on being named Honorable Mention All State by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. What is unique about the WBCA All State team is the state commit tee chooses players from all four divisions. The association has deftly resisted pressure from many, including parents, fans, and coaches, to switch to small and large school All State teams or recognize players for All State within each division. WBCA President Jon Hamilton of Westby said last week, “We believe having all players placed in one group gives the WBCA true All State Teams.”

Speaking of the WBCA All State Baseball Team, 14 players have signed to play NCAA Division 1 baseball, including five players from Whitefish Bay High School. Incidentally, two of the five players from Whitefish Bay are underclass

men and one of them is Milwaukee Brewer Manager Craig Counsell’s son Jack, who will be playing at Michi gan next year. His brother Brady is currently playing at Minnesota.

Three Prescott Cardinal baseball opponents this season came home with some hard ware from the WIAA State Baseball Tournament in Appleton. Eau Claire Regis defeated Bangor 12 3 to win the school’s second state title in baseball, St. Croix Falls fell 8 4 to Cuba City in the Division 3 championship, and in Division 2 Jefferson lost 6 5 to Denmark in the final game of the tournament.

Owen Hamilton has been named the new head coach for the Prescott girls basketball program. The 2017 Prescott graduate has served as an assistant coach for the last two seasons.

The Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association will host the 39th annual All Star Clas sic in Oshkosh this weekend. The four team round robin tournament features 72 of the best senior baseball players from around Wisconsin. Past participants include current Major Leaguers Daulton Varsho (Marshfield) of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kyle Cody (Chippewa Falls McDonnell) of the Texas Rangers. Former Major Leaguers who also played in the All Star Classic include Jarrod Washburn (Webster), Jordan Zimmerman (Auburndale) , Matt Erickson (Appleton West), Dave Gassner (Hortonville), Joe Randa (Kettle Moraine), George Williams (La Crosse Central), Eric Hinske (Menasha), Bob Wickman (Oconto), and Scott Servais (Westby).

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re sources: Following several recent black bear sightings across the state, the DNR is reminding the public to take pre cautions to avoid potential conflicts this summer. Although black bears are most common in the northern half of the state, populations have been slowly expanding south over the last decade. Wisconsinites are encouraged to take the same bear precautions no matter what part of the state. While bear sightings in southern Wisconsin remain rare, the sightings in Waukesha and Washington counties this sum mer are a reminder that bears can be found in any county. Sightings usually increase in early summer when young bears strike out on their own for the first time. Bear breed ing season also occurs in early summer resulting in many male bears wandering around in search of a mate.

The Prescott Cardinal high school coaching staff is in the process of exploring the possibility of playing a future base ball doubleheader in southwest Wisconsin and integrating a trip/practice at the field used in the 1989 hit movie “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner and Ray Liotta. Based on the book “Shoeless Joe” by W.P. Kinsella, The Field of Dreams “field” is located out side of Dyersville, Iowa, about two hours south of La Crosse. Stay tuned for further developments.

Headshaker of the week. Sunflower seeds. The bane of any high school groundskeeper. Just ask CAB Company Friend of Baseball Award winners Randy Hansen, Dennis Gagnier, or Dallas Eggers on what their opinion of the oft used snack by baseball players at Firehall Field. De spite repeated requests to stop the invasive snack from find ing its way inside the fence at Firehall Field, sunflower shell casings carpet the dugout floor and are pockmarked on the turf in front of each dugout. Eating sunflower seeds and gobbling their shells here, there, and everywhere at Fire hall Field despite being asked not to do so. It’s a headshaker.

By Cripe Olson