SHOTS from the Hip

Congratulations to Nick Schommer on his upcoming induction into the Prescott Hall of Fame._A 2004 Prescott Cardinal alumnus, Schommer starred on both football gridiron and the baseball diamond in high school. A Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association First All State catcher, Schommer hit .506 his senior year, scored 39 runs, had 40 hits, and homered seven times for a team that finished the season 23-2._ A multiple all-conference selection in both sports, Schommer began his North Dakota State athletic career playing both baseball and football for the Bison._After one year on the diamond,_Schommer concentrated on football where he became a two-time First Team All-Conference Selection in his junior and senior seasons and capped his final year with the Bison by being named Third Team All American. A free safety for the Bison, Schommer was then chosen by the Tennessee Titans in the 2009 NFL draft where he played for two seasons._ At the end of his prep baseball career, Schommer was selected to play for the West in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association All Star game in Oshkosh in June 2004. His teammates on that All Star team included current San Francisco Giants Assistant Coach Mark Hallberg, and recently retired Major Leaguer Jordan Zimmerman who pitched for 13 years in the big leagues. Hallberg graduated from Barron High School and Zimmerman is an alumnus of Auburndale High School._ From the WIAA: The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association announced the hiring of Mel Dow as an associate director for the association today. He will fill the position vacated by Deputy Director Wade Labecki, whose retirement becomes effective Sept. 1._Dow’s responsibilities will include the administration, coordination of duties and tournament planning for the sports of baseball, wrestling and tennis.

Rick Montreal is the new Dean of Students at Prescott High School._ A graduate of Rhinelander High School, Montreal was previously an elementary school teacher and Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at New Richmond._The former Hodag (Rhinelander mascot) is also a member of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame._Montreal played for the Falcons from 1987-1991 and finished his career among the Top 10 All Time in scoring, assists, and free throw percentage. A guard in college, Montreal was a two-time All-Conference selection and also named Honorable Mention All American in 1991.__ The WIAA recently released the high school enrollment numbers for participating schools for the 2021-22 athletic calendar._ Here are the numbers for all Middle Border Conference schools._ The number in parenthesis is the enrollment from the previous year. Altoona 486 (461), Amery 473 (482), Baldwin-Woodville 456 (465), Ellsworth 488 (509), Osceola 518 (505), St. Croix Central 486 (446),_ Somerset 486 (486), Prescott 429 (422). New Richmond, who has moved to the Big Rivers Conference, will have an enrollment of 991._ Hats off to another longtime CAB Company volunteer Greg Harris on his landscaping work around the new storage shed at Firehall Field. A former CAB Company Friend of Baseball Award winner, Harris has donated untold hours of volunteer time at Firehall Field for over two decades._ With the recent departure of Wisconsin Athletic Director and “bringing back baseball roadblock” Barry Alvarez, Prescott alumnus and University of Wisconsin Club Baseball Head Coach Jeff Block hopes to visit with new Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, a former All American Offensive Lineman at Wisconsin. A tireless worker, Block is in the early stages of creating a proposal that will offer “little to no risk” on the part of the University. _ Block plans to approach former Major League Commissioner Bud Selig and others to support bringing back baseball to the state’s flagship university where the sport was dropped three decades ago._ Isabella Lenz, the all-time leading scorer in Prescott basketball history, has been in Houlton, Mich. since the first week of July readying for her first season as a member of the Michigan Tech basketball team._A four-time all conference performer in high school, Lenz has been doing “a lot of scrimmaging and weight training during the week,” as well as individual workouts on her own time._Michigan Tech is a member of the Great Lakes Interscholastic Athletic Conference. _ Headshaker of the week:_My guess is there are more than a few readers that are enjoying the Tokyo Olympics._ From track and field to gymnastics and basketball to volleyball, viewers have been tuning in to cheer on United States athletes._However, when it comes to event competitions, there are a few that cause me to scratch my head._The event at the top of the list – race walking. Yes… no one can deny the benefits of a morning, midday, or nighttime stroll._ But an Olympic event?_ Hard to imagine throngs of fans sitting on the edge of their couch during the final lap of a 50-kilometer race walk._ Race walking an Olympic event? It’s a headshaker. _