Peter Brookshaw and the North Dakota State baseball team wrapped up the regular season winning two of three games this weekend against Eastern Kentucky._The Bison finished with an overall record 38-16, the second most wins in team history._As the #2 seed in the Summit League Conference Tournament, the Bison will play the #2 seed Omaha Mavericks this Thursday at 6 p.m._ Also on Thursday, #1 seed Oral Roberts will square off with #4 seed South Dakota State._The winner of the conference tournament will qualify for the 64-team NCAA Division 1 Tournament._ The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse have agreed to continue planning for the State Track & Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse on June 24-26. The State Track & ield Championships and all spring sports were canceled in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The schedule of the State Meet will be altered this year from its traditional format to accommodate continued COVID-19 guidelines. The meet will be held over a threeday period with events for both girls and boys conducted in one day for each of the respective three divisions._ Head Coach Nick Johnson and the Prescott softball team are ranked #5 in the most recent Wisconsin State Softball Coaches Poll. Other area Division 3 teams ranked in the top 10 include Heart of North Conference schools Bloomer and Northwestern. Prescott played Bloomer on May 15 and dispatched the Blackhawks by a score of 8-1. The Cardinals remain one of the favorites to advance to the state tournament next month. Prescott’s showdown with Baldwin-Woodville will be Thursday, May 27 in Baldwin._The Middle Border Conference leaders are ranked #2 in Division 2 in the latest state poll._ The latest Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association state ranking has Denmark ranked as the #1 team in Division 2; in Division 3 Coleman holds the top spot; in Division 4 Boyceville is ranked #1 with three-time defending champion Webster ranked #2. In the big school division, Sun Prairie sits atop the Division 1 poll.

Prescott tTack & Field competed at St. Croix Central in Hammond last Tuesday in a Middle Border Conference quadrangular._ The Cardinal girls dominated the meet earning 103 team points followed by St. Croix Central (67.5), New Richmond (61), and Ellsworth (32.5). The Prescott boys finished fourth behind New Richmond (97.5), Ellsworth (71.5), and St. Croix Central (57)._Several Prescott athletes earned individual titles, including Grace Carlson (100-meter dash), Abby Syverson (200), Ella Johnson (800 and pole vault), Tori Benck (long jump and triple jump), Nicole Dalman (shot put), and Aiden Russell (high jump)._ Prescott relay teams continued their winning ways with the girls winning the 4×100 (Carlson, Jessie Urman, Syverson, Benck), 4×200 (Carlson, Urman, Syverson, Benck), and 4×400 (Johnson, Sophie Ripley, Urman, Matzek)._ Prescott boys captured relay titles in the 4×100 (Gergen, Grant Stanton, Russell, Andrew Lee) and 4×200 (Stanton, Gergen, Russell, Kyle Budworth).__ Congratulations to Middle Border All Conference Lineman Austin Fox on being chosen to play in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All Star Game in Oshkosh later this summer. The WFCA All-Star Games will be held Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 17 at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh. Fox will be playing in the small school All Star game on Saturday, July 17 beginning at 2 p.m. Isaiah Randall of Baldwin-Woodville is the other Middle Border Conference representative chosen to play in the game._ Minnesota High School coaching icon and Hall of Fame Craig Anderson was on hand last Saturday as Prescott hosted the Pine Island Panthers. Currently the Executive Director of the Minnesota High School Coaches Association, Anderson retired from coaching five years ago, but remains actively involved in baseball in Minnesota and around the country._ Prescott and the Pine Island baseball connection began three decades ago when Anderson skippered the Panthers and Prescott was led by Hall of Fame Coach Steve Block. Hired by former Prescott Superintendent Carroll Lehman while he was an administrator, Anderson developed one of the best programs in Minnesota, winning over 350 games during this storied career._There are few nicer and classier people in baseball than Craig Anderson. _ When it comes to a “crafty left hander,” Osceola pitcher Lucas Shedivy checks all the boxes._The junior southpaw allowed three hits and struck out three Cardinal hitters in six innings as Osceola took sole possession of first place in the Middle Border Conference._One week earlier, Sedivy tossed a two-hit shutout against St. Croix Falls, giving the Saints their only loss of the year._Whether the count was 01, 2-0, 2-1, or 3-1, Shedivy was able to throw curveball after curveball for strikes.

Sadly, the Cardinal have lost two more games on the schedule as a rainout has forced Cumberland to move a conference doubleheader with Barron to Saturday, June 5, replacing Prescott’s scheduled doubleheader with the Beavers on that day._Prescott hopes to scramble to find another team to play.

Headshaker of the week. Ask any athletic director in the Middle Border, around the state, or around the country and the answer is the same._“We can’t find enough umpires.”_Spring sports postponements usually occur because of Mother Nature, but not this year._ Sadly, umpire scarcity sees no signs of waning. _The vast majority of working crews in the Middle Border have been umpiring for more than two decades._ Those in their 20’s donning the gear are virtually non-existent._Among the primary reasons for the dearth of umpires at the high school level – adult harassment. _ Those who complain and berate umpires constantly? Well done. It’s a headshaker._