The Prescott Cardinals girls’ basketball team overcame a slow start in their WIAA Sectional debut this season.

The high-powered Cardinal offense was sluggish at the start but kept pace with Arcadia, even taking the lead just before the midway point of the second half. The Raiders proved why they were the top seed in the Sectional, though, as they bested number two-seeded Prescott 47-39. The Raiders went on to defeat St. Croix Falls 52-49 in the Sectional Final and will play Platteville in the first round of the WIAA State Tournament.

The Cardinals finished their season as Middle Border Conference and WIAA Regional Champions with a 19-4 record. Isabella Lenz and Nicole Dahlman were both named to the Middle Border Conference First Team, and firstyear head coach Rob Radloff was the Middle Border Coach of the Year. Tori Benck was honorable mention All-Middle Border. Seniors Ashley Rieken, Mckenna Johnson and Faith Stiles played their last game for the Cardinal girls’ hoops team at the sectional event, and their presence will be missed next season, but it’s obvious that the Cardinals will be the Middle Border team to beat next year.

Lenz was also recently announced as a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s Division 3 All-State Team. According to wissports.net, Lenz averaged 24.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 4.3 steals per game this season and upon the completion of her junior season has tallied 1,357 career points. Only five players in the state averaged more points per game than Lenz in her junior campaign.

The sectional game was played at Altoona High School, which is always a loud environment. With big student sections for both teams and the Prescott High School Pep Band providing entertainment, this game was no exception.

Arcadia and Prescott both got off to slow starts and at the 12-minute mark the Raiders still led just 2-0. Dahlman was huge underneath for the Cardinals all night, snaring rebound after rebound and giving the Raiders trouble every time they tried to enter the lane.

Prescott finally got on the board, but Arcadia built a 7-3 lead. Lenz hit a free throw at the eight-minute mark to trim that lead to four.

Lenz got on track in the final minutes driving for a layup to cut the Raider lead to 9-7 with 3:31 left until halftime.

Dahlman then grabbed a big rebound to start the Prescott attack and scored underneath on the other end to tie the game.

Arcadia scored inside, and the Cardinals answered. Sydney Matzek was left unguarded on an inbounds play, and she drove for a basket. The game was tied 13-13 at the half.

Arcadia jumped up by six quick in the second half.

The Cardinals found Lenz open back door, and she scored through a double-team.

Lenz then scored on an inbound play. Arcadia went up by a bucket, and then Matzek broke loose for a basket on a fast break to keep the Cardinals within two.

Arcadia went up by seven points but the Cardinals hit a couple three pointers to get back in it. Dahlman picked up a big offensive rebound that she fired out to Benck, who hit a three to make the score 26-25 Arcadia with 12:18 left in the contest.

The Raiders called time out but couldn’t score. Dahlman hit a bucket inside to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game, 27-26.

It was short-lived. Arcadia heated up from the outside and led by 10, 37-27, with 6:38 left in the game.

The Cardinal defense kept the team in it, forcing three Arcadia turnovers, but the offense didn’t capitalize. The Raiders held on for the win and the Cardinal’s season came to a close in the Sectional Semifinal for the second straight year.

Lenz led Prescott in scoring and finished with 14 points. Dahlman scored 8 and led the team in rebounding with 13. Benck scored 5 while Rieken and Matzek each tallied six. Matzek led the team with five assists and Rieken chipped in another three. Dahlman defended the paint and led with two blocked shots.

“It was a hard-fought battle,” Coach Rob Radloff said. “It was 13-13 after the first half and the second half we got ahead a little bit, but they made a run and we didn’t have an answer to get back into the game. Kudos to Arcadia, they’ll be playing at State. Now we know what we have to do this offseason to be ready for next year.”

Although the Cardinals had bigger goals, Prescott finished the season 21-4 and brought home the Middle Border Conference Championship this season. Radloff was also named the MBC Coach of the Year after the Cardinals won the Conference for the first time in school history.

“For me it’s nice but it’s all about the players,” Radloff stated.

“Kudos to Ashley, Faith and Makenna. They put in a great four years for the program and they all had a good year. I’m fairly certain they had fun this year,” Radloff said about the seniors. Looking ahead, he said, “Our Junior Varsity team went 22-0 this year so there’s some young athletes that are ready to step up next season.”