from the Hip

Bravo to Prescott High School cross country runner Tyler Loucks on capping an im- pressive prep career with a 31st place finish in the WIAA Division 2 State Cross Country Meet last week in Wisconsin Rapids. The senior harrier ends his career as one of the most accomplished Cardinal cross country runners of the last 10 years.

Congratulations to Troy Ingli on receiving the WBCANorthwest District 1 Umpire of the Year. A graduate of Plum City High School, Ingli is a highly respected western Wisconsin umpire. Ingli has umpired for well over two decades and is identified as among the most professional and approachable in this region of the state. Ingli will now be considered for WBCA State Umpire of the Year Award to be chosen later this month. River Falls graduate and Fighting Fish player Brian Geibel was named Amateur Coach of the Year. Giebel has coached scores of youngsters over the last several years. Giebel played collegiately at UW-Stout.

Congratulations to 7-year-old Prescott resident Jaren Patnode on competing in Sun- day's national finals of Major League Base ball’s Pitch, Hit, and Run Skill Competition at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Jaren and approximately 30 other youngsters ages 7-14 qualified for the finals competition by winning regional contests in their respective age groups. The finals were held at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros. The talented Patnode finished in second place and most likely had the baseball experience of a lifetime. Prescott baseball fans may remember his father Shawn who was a standout pitcher for the Durand Panthers in the late 1990's. Hats ou to and a standing ovation to Jaren Patnode on this tremendous accomplishment.

Two Middle Border Conference football teams remain in the WIAA playous. Confer ence champion Ellsworth will be making a four-hour bus trip to take on the Columbus Cardinals this Friday. Rice Lake will also hit the road as they travel to #1 seed Onalaska to take on the Hilltoppers.

The Wisconsin Sports Network has the Prescott Boys basketball team ranked #7 in its Division III preseason poll.

The Wisconsin Wrestling Association will be holding its annual coaching clinic this weekend at the Hyatt Regency in Green Bay. The Association will also induct its newest members into the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Dave Brandvold of River Falls on his induction into the exclusive club. Speaking of wrestling, Ross Wargula will begin his first season as head wrestling coach at Prescott High School. Wargula also coached wrestling at St. James High School in St. James, Minn.

Parker Nielsen and the West Texas A& M Buualoes will open their season this com – ing weekend in Florida where they will play three-time NCAA Division II Champion Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, followed by a Sunday game against Florida Southern. Nielsen begins his junior season with the Buualos who are picked to win the conference and are ranked #6 in the most recent preseason poll.

Isabella Lenz and the Michigan Tech Huskies will open their season this Wednesday with an exhibition game at UW-Green Bay. Another 1,000 Prescott prep scorer, Haylee Yaegar and the UW-Stout Blue Devils will open their 2022-23 season at home next Tuesday against Gustavus-Adolphus.

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: The DNR recently announced that the 2023 Keep Wildlife Wild poster con- test is now open. Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades enrolled in public, private, parochial or home schools in Wisconsin are eligible to participate.

The Keep Wildlife Wild program began in 2014 to spread the word about our shared role in keeping all wildlife healthy in its natural habitat. The contest’s goal is to create a poster that teaches the importance of enjoying and observing wildlife in the wild and not keeping wildlife in homes or as pets. The poster contest is a fun way for kids to help spread the important message to keep wildlife wild. The DNR encourages students to learn how they can help keep wild animals in Wisconsin safe and healthy by visiting the Keep Wildlife Wild webpage. Judging will take place in February. Those who submitted designs will be notified by email of winners in March. The DNR will also announce winners in a statewide news release and Facebook post during the sixth annual Keep Wildlife Wild Week in April.

The Somerset School District is asking district voters this month to approve two referendum questions that would include install- ing turf on the football field, constructing two new artificial turf ball fields, and the addition of an auxiliary gymnasium.

Committee Chair Tanya Sponholz reminds everyone nominations are being accepting for 2023 induction into the Prescott Hall of Fame. Nominating forms can be found at the Prescott High School website. with hard cop- ies also available in the high school ovce. All nominations are due by June 1.

Headshaker of the week. Baseball games in November. It just doesn’t sound right. The Major League Baseball season should conclude in October. Either force the teams to play doubleheaders, eliminate the number of teams that qualify for postseason, or reduce the season to 154 games like it was decades ago. World Series games in November? It’s a headshaker.