The Prescott girls basketball team is starting to feel like a team of destiny.

After Prescott defeated Somerset 66-65 in its home regional semi-final game on Friday, Feb. 25, the Cardinals turned around, went on the road, and defeated Baldwin-Woodville in the WIAA Division 3 Regional Final game to advance to sectionals on Thursday, March 3.

Prescott’s #3 seed in its region of the playoff bracket guaranteed a first-round bye. Because of that, the Cardinals had a week off between their last regular season game and their first playoff game. Prescott head coach Joan Korfhage was straightforward in her concerns regarding the

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The 2021-22 Prescott girls basketball team and Prescott student section celebrate with the WIAA Division 3 Regional Championship trophy after defeating Baldwin-Woodville 54-50 on the road on Saturday, Feb. 26. Photo by Reagan Hoverman REGIONAL TITLE

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time off.

“I always think it’s hard to skip that first (playoff) game,” Korfhage said. “Yeah, there is for sure (a fear of rust), because you’re sitting around. With the games getting moved back to Wednesday (because of the winter storm) we didn’t even know who we were playing.”

When the first-round games had finally been completed a day late, Korfhage saw that her squad was going to have to play the Somerset Spartans, a team that had won seven of its previous eight games this season and was running hot. Korfhage spoke about wanting to avoid Somerset.

“Somerset was a team that I really didn’t want to have to face in the playoffs,” Korfhage said. “They have been playing really good ball with a lot of energy.”

That Friday night matchup in Prescott between the Spartans and the Cardinals was exactly what Korfhage didn’t want to see and quite frankly, the first half showed why she didn’t want to play Somerset.

With seven minutes remaining in the first half, Somerset led 21-19. In the closing seven minutes of the opening frame, Somerset outscored Prescott 14-7 to take a 35-26 lead going into the intermission. The Spartans’ strong first half came on the back of junior center Heather Gaikowski, who had 10 points and three offensive rebounds in the first half.

Prescott’s nine-point halftime deficit had been shaved to a six-point deficit with nine minutes to play in regulation. That’s when Prescott junior Rylie Radloff began heating up. She made a corner threepointer in front of the Prescott bench, and then after a Somerset layup at the other end, Radloff made another threepointer from the same spot After a stop on the defensive end, Prescott snagged the rebound and got an outlet pass up the floor to Radloff. Trailing by two, she pulled the trigger and buried another deep threepointer to take a 45-44 lead, Prescott’s first advantage since 14-13 with 10 minutes to play in the first half.

The Cardinals completed the comeback, in large part because of the three-point shooting ability of Radloff. After a wild final 50 seconds of regulation, the game was tied 53-53 and overtime began.

Prescott senior guard Brynley Goehring was critical to the Cardinals’ success in the fourminute overtime period. While trailing 62-60 with less than 30 seconds remaining, Goehring made a corner three to take a 63-62 lead. She then made a great defensive play and stole the inbound pass to give her team possession.

Goehring was fouled with 18 seconds to play and made one of two at the free throw line to take a 64-62 lead. That’s when Somerset freshman guard Lucy Nichols made a corner three to take a 65-64 lead with five seconds remaining.

As Prescott moved down the floor, Radloff caught the ball and was fouled with one second to play. Prescott trailed by one and Radloff went to the free throw line to shoot the one and one. She made both free throws, giving Prescott a 66-65 lead. Somerset’s last-second full-court shot was no good and Prescott survived and advanced to the next round.

After the game, coach Korfhage spoke about Radloff’s clutch shooting and overall performance in the regional semi-final game.

“The player of the game has to be Rylie (Radloff),” Korfhage said. “She did an awesome job defensively and I think she hit six threes as well. We’ve seen that she has a good outside shot, we’ve just been waiting for it to click, and it did tonight.”

Radloff’s final stat line included six threes and two free throws for a total of 20 points, not to mention a playoff victory. After the game, Radloff spoke about her performance and the last-second free throws to win the game.

“(The free throws to win) were probably the most nerveracking thing I’ve ever had to do,” Radloff said after the game. “I just told myself, just like practice, keep going. I took a deep breath right when I shot it and they went in.”

Her Friday night shooting performance was no accident. Radloff said that when the winter storm hit Prescott on Tuesday, she went to the gym and continued working on her craft. She spoke about how that decision impacted the game against Somerset.

“On Tuesday with the snow, I was like, ‘I don’t have practice, so I’ll go to the gym,’” Radloff recalled. “So, I went to the gym for two hours and shot with my dad. I said I was going to keep shooting until I feel good. I tweaked my shot and even marked my fingers. I believed in myself and the team and I did what I did.”

Prescott defeats Baldwin-

Woodville 54-50 in Regional Championship

After Prescott’s thrilling Friday night victory, the Cardinals had a short turnaround to the WIAA Division 3 Regional Championship game at Baldwin- Woodville on Saturday, Feb. 26. The third-seeded Cardinals went on the road to play the second-seeded Blackhawks.

While Prescott and Baldwin- Woodville played the first 17 minutes of the first half nearly dead even – Prescott led 19-18 – the final minute of the half completely changed the game in the Cardinals’ favor.

With one minute left, Goehring made a three-pointer to take a four-point lead. Less than 30 seconds later, junior three-point specialist Izzy Matzek buried a three from the left wing. Then with 10 seconds remaining in the half, sophomore forward Lila Posthuma grabbed an offensive rebound, kicked it out, and junior guard Katrina Budworth made another three.

Prescott’s 9-0 scoring run in the final minute of the first half gave the Cardinals a 10-point halftime lead. Throughout the second half, Baldwin-Woodville made scoring runs that challenged Prescott, but when the final buzzer sounded, Prescott had won 54-50 and claimed the Regional Championship. Korfhage spoke about the win.

“That was closer than I would have liked to see,” Korfhage said. “We’re taking it one game at a time this whole year. Brynley (Goehring) made some clutch shots and went 2/3 on free throws at the end. It just feels good (to win the regional title).”

Prescott’s now only two games away from going to the state tournament. The Cardinals’ next test is on Thursday, March 3. They will again be at Baldwin-Woodville High School, this time for a neutral site game against the topseeded Saint Croix Falls Saints. It’s a sectional semifinal game that is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

Prescott junior Rylie Radloff buries a corner three-pointer during the Cardinals home regional semi-final game against Somerset. Radloff was critical in the Cardinals’ one-point win to advance to the regional championship game. Photo by Reagan Hoverman