from the Hip

BY CRIPE OLSON The Prescott Cardinal football team did more than hold their own against #1 ranked Eau Claire Regis on Saturday. With a ros – ter featuring sophomore, junior, and senior starters the Cardinals came within an earshot of tying the game late in the fourth quarter against the presumptive Cloverbelt Confer – ence favorite. Brady Block paced the team in tackles and also picked up a quarterback sack on Saturday. In his varsity debut soph – omore Teddy Bernick finished 16-28 for 108 yards. Fellow sophomore running back Bar – rett Temmers ran for 53 yards to lead Prescott in his first varsity game, and 10th grader Will Packard hauled in a team leading five passes for the Cardinals.

Head Coach Chad Salay and the Prescott girls golf juggernaut continue as the team won the weekend Tomah Invitational two weekends ago. Last Thursday, Ava Salay shot a sizzling 64 and Rhiana Stutz a 75 as the Cardinals rolled to a 23-shot victory in the Western Wisconsin Cup Tournament at Clifton Hollow. Earlier last week senior Ava Salay tied the course record with a tourna – ment best 66 at Pheasant Hills in Hammond. The Cardinals are the #1 ranked team in Di –

vision 2. Other scores from around the Middle Bor –

der. Preseason Middle Border Conference fa – vorite Rice Lake bested Menomonie 26-21. Amery fell to Grantsburg by a score of 17-16. Ellsworth pummeled Arcadia 52-0. Osceola blanked Hayward 26-0. St. Croix Central de – feated Spencer/Columbus Catholic by a score of 54-21. And Somerset humbled Bloomer by a score of 34-6. The Durand Panthers, Prescott's opponent this Friday, opened their season with a 22-21 win over Spring Val – ley. Last year the Panthers advanced to the WIAA Semi-Finals where they fell to eventu – al champion Colby by a score of 28-24. Head Coach Tracey Budworth and the Cardinals volleyball team will travel to the University of Wisconsin-Stout to participate in the Menomonie Volleyball Invitation – al. Over 30 teams from all five divisions will be participating in the two-day event. The Cardinals will participate in three more tour –

naments before they open the Middle Bor – der Conference season on Sept. 15 at home against Baldwin-Woodville. From the Wisconsin Department of Nat –

ural Resources: The DNR will host the sec – ond of several educational hunting webinars on Wednesday, Aug. 31 for members of the public who are new to hunting or curious about hunting. The webinar series is in part –

nership with the National Wild Turkey Fed – eration, Pheasants Forever and Becoming an Outdoorswoman. The series is designed for those interested in learning about hunting, fishing and trapping. Each episode will fea –

ture guest speakers sharing their experienc – es getting started with hunting and include discussions addressing common challenges faced by those new to hunting, fishing or trapping. This month's webinar – Wanna Go Hunting: What Can We Hunt? – covers the wide variety of hunting opportunities avail – able in Wisconsin and basic equipment needs to get started.

University of Wisconsin-River Falls ouen – sive lineman Austin Fox will wear #67 for the Falcons this season. Fox is a 2021 Prescott High School alumnus. Tight end Ben Rohl and defensive lineman Jake Olson are also listed on the Falcon roster. Aiden Russell, an – other Prescott alumnus, will wear #54 for the Northern State Wolves this fall. Speaking of UW-River Falls, the 1996 Of – fensive Player of the Year for the Falcons was 1992 Prescott alumnus Pat Simones. Anoth – er 1992 Prescott alumnus, Wade Oberpriller also had a stellar career at defensive tackle with the Falcons and is listed among the top career quarterback sack leaders in team his- tory. During the 2021 season there were 36 players in the NFL who are identified as being born in America's Dairyland. Over 200 play – ers from the Badger state have spent some time on the professional gridiron, including Prescott Hall of Famer and former Tennessee Titan Nick Schommer. Other western Wis –

consin NFL alumni include Baldwin-Wood – ville graduate Barry Rose who played for the Buualo Bills, Hudson alumni Kraig Urbik who played for the Steelers, Bills, and Dol –

phins, and fellow Hudson High School alum – nus Jim Bertelsen who was an All American at Texas and a Pro Bowl Running back for the Los Angeles Rams. Of course, any true Green Bay Packer fan is well aware of NFL Hall of Famer and New Richmond native Johnny Blood. And last, but not least, NFL aficionados well remember St. Croix Coun – ty's own Harvey Long who played in 1930 for the Frankford Yellowjackets. Headshaker of the week: The definition of the word uniform is remaining the same in all cases and at all times; unchanging in form or character. When it comes to the word "team" the definition of the word uniform hits the bullseye. But today, at all levels of athletics, uniform "accessories" or "add ons" appear to be as varied as any decorated Christmas tree. The last is seemingly headbands. Sweat bands. Arm sleeves. Leg sleeves. Taped wrists. Compression shorts. Eye black. Hair adornments. High socks. Low socks. Brace –

lets. Necklaces. It's too bad. And it's a head –

shaker.