The Prescott Cardinals boys hoops team was finally back in action Monday in Ellsworth after having been on a COVID break since January 12th.

Prescott led 62-61 with 1:50 to go when freshman Dallas Wallin went to the free throw line for two shots. The first fell and Ellsworth’s Mason Anderson took the rebound up the court trailing by two.

Panther sophomore Jurrell Gooden drove and tied the game from close range.

Cardinal sophomore Jordan Malmlov brought it up the court and shot it high off the glass, banking it in and taking back a two-point lead. Anderson tied it back up with 55 on the clock.

The Cardinals called a timeout with 38 seconds left to play, score 65 all.

Senior Walker Lenz inbounded to Malmlov, who was fouled and went to the line for a bonus throw. After the first one fell, the second one also found the net to take a 67-65 lead.

Anderson dribbled down the court and drove to the rim for two, once again tying the game.

A timeout stopped play with 20.9 seconds to play before the Cardinals inbound.

Malmlov was doubled on the inbounds, so Wallin dribbled it up the court before the Cardinals called their final timeout with eight seconds remaining.

Malmlov dribbled it around the key, looking for an opening. Ellsworth’s Gooden was playing tight man to man defense all night and he shadowed the Cardinal’s ballhandler, forcing him to take a contested shot deep from the right corner that softly bounced off the rim.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, it bounced right into the waiting hand of Wallin, who tipped it in as the buzzer sounded to win.

Malmlov led Prescott in scoring, finishing with 29 points and four steals. Along with the winning bucket, Wallin recorded a double-double with 12 points, 10 boards and three blocked shots. Junior Ben Rohl added nine points and a pair of steals, rebounds and assists. Senior Teddy Huppert also contributed eight points.

Prescott is on the road Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week, playing first at Amery before traveling to Somerset and Baldwin-Woodville.