Staff writer

To many the #51 means different things. Area Packer fans might envision Hall of Fame Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus throwing John Brockington for a loss. Conspiracy theorists might murmur softly at the coffee shop about the strange goings on at a United States military base in New Mexico. And others might view the integer as the first grand step toward retirement. But for Prescott Cardinal basketball fans today, 51 has a different meaning, a far different meaning. It’s the number of the new single game scoring record set by a Prescott girls basketball player. And the #51 means Isabella Lenz.

It has been quite a two weeks for Lenz. The junior guard joined Kollyn Eichman (Severson), Kaycee Charette, and Haylee Yeager as the only Prescott girls basketball players to score 1,000 points in a career.

“It was pretty exciting but in some ways I am glad it’s over with,” says Lenz on becoming the newest member of the Cardinals 1000 point club. “I think I relaxed a bit more and it allowed me to play a little better.”

A little better? Try a record setting 38 point performance against Amery, followed by the incredible 51 point game last week on the road at Somerset. For the year, the All Conference guard is averaging 26.1 points a game, is second on the team in rebounding, and leads the team in assists. The laser focused junior leads the Middle Border Conference in scoring and is ranked among the top scorers in the state of Wisconsin.

As tournament time is fast approaching Lenz believes the team is starting to click and doing so at the right time.

“I think we are starting to play really well as a team. It is all

Photo from Prescott Girls Basketball Facebook Page. about playing your best at tournament time,” says the ever so humble Lenz.

Currently Prescott finds themselves atop the Middle Border Conference with a 10-0 record and sport an overall record of 15-2. The Cardinals enter the second week of February as the #10 ranked team in Division III. Prescott is poised to capture its first conference championship in almost 20 years and hopefully gathering momentum for a long tournament run. Lenz and her teammates hope this year turns out to be very special.

“Our ultimate goal is to advance to the state tournament,” says Lenz. “I just remember how disappointed we all were when we lost in the Sectional last year and we’ve been talking about going to state since then.” A season ago, Prescott finished 20-4 losing to Hayward in the sectional semi-finals, a result that has left Lenz and her teammates with a bad taste in their mouths. “We had a good year last year and remember how disappointing it was to be eliminated. We are shooting for the state tournament in Green Bay,” say Lenz.

No stranger to the state tournament experience, Lenz played in the Softball State Tournament last June, calling it among the best experiences of her life. However, for Lenz advancing to the state basketball tournament would be the ultimate accomplishment. “I play three sports because I love all of them, but basketball is my favorite and advancing to state would be a dream come true.”

Along with basketball and softball, Lenz played volleyball for the Cardinals this fall. Sadly, the three sport athlete is beginning to disappear from high school, but thankfully the talented junior has not embraced this unsettling new trend. “I just love the competition,” says Lenz “and playing three sports has really helped me as a person and an athlete. What you learn in volleyball is different than in basketball and softball and it just makes you a better athlete.” Lenz was also a dancer when she was younger and believes participating in dance helped her with her strength and coordination. “If I didn’t play three sports I don’t know what I would do,” says Lenz.

“I guess I just like being busy,” says Lenz. And boy is she busy.

A member of the National Honor Society and Student Council, Lenz says it is important for her to be “doing something” all the time. “I guess it sort of makes me who I am and getting involved in things other than athletics is also fun.”

A top 10 student, Lenz does not shy away from difficult classes. Advanced Placement Classes are the norm for the junior who is just as talented academically as she is athletically. “I think taking difficult classes is also part of wanting to always do your best or ‘be your best self’. I always want to do better and believe that striving to do your best no matter how difficult it may be is really important.”

As the regular season ends and tournament time approaches, Isabella Lenz will be working on her free throws and her pull up jumper. She will be working on her Advanced Placement World History assignments. She will make motions during Student Council Meetings. And she will cause headaches for conference coaches and opponents on the court and the field.

Isabella Lenz has quite a resume. 1,000 career points. 51 points in a single game. A Top 10 Student. A member of the National Honor Society. High School Student Council Member. The consummate student athlete.

And…she’s only a junior.

Photo from Prescott Girls Basketball Facebook page.