Evan Bayer went the distance and Peter Brookshaw slammed a three-run homerun as the Prescott Pirates qualified for the state tournament with a 7-4 victory over Elmwood on Sunday. The Pirates opened the League tournament with a 6-1 win over Plum City. Dylan Gausman was the winning pitcher and helped his own cause with a three run home run in the fifth. In game two on Saturday the Pirates rode the left arm of Eric Munson to a convincing 10-2 win over Spring Valley. Peter and Mike Brookshaw combined for five hits and Hunter Daymond drove in three as the Pirates easily dispatched Spring Valley.

This is the 12th time the Pirates have advanced to the Wisconsin Baseball Association State Tournament. The Pirates won it all in 2014 and finished as the WBA Runners Up in 2007 and 2012. The Pirates enter the state tournament with an overall record of 11-3. The Pirates will play in the WBA State Tournament this coming weekend in Spooner.

Firehall Field will be hosting a handful of games this weekend when they host a round robin tournament associated with the Minnesota Blizzard. The is the most successful traveling and club baseball program in Minnesota and among the top select teams in the Midwest. Blizzard alumni include Stillwater native Nate Carlson who was the 3rd person chosen in this year’s Major League Draft and Prescott’s own Peter Brookshaw.

Next week the Prescott girls golf and cross country teams will officially begin practice. Coaches and players must follow a detailed list of protocols required by the health officials and the WIAA in order to move forward with competitions. When it comes to football and volleyball, the first day of practice is scheduled for September 7th.

In anticipation of the commencement of the WIAA football season the Wisconsin Sports Network has begun to publish football previews for all conferences in the state of Wisconsin. The brainchild of Travis Wilson and Mark Miller, the Wisconsin Sports Network was launched in 2002 and is identified as one of the top five independently run high school sports sites in the nation.

From the Department of Natural Resources…Deer hunting licenses are currently on sale for the 2020 deer seasons. One or more Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless deer harvest authorizations are included with the purchase of each deer hunting license and are available for selection through GoWild, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' license system. Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations are available for purchase starting Monday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. through GoWild. Local taxidermy legend Leroy Schommer says “he is busier than ever” as the 2020 fall hunting season approaches. Called by many as “the best in the business” the Prescott native has been running his Broad Street shop for over 40 years and has clients from all over Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Speaking of the outdoors, several area fishermen have noticed decreased trout populations in some local trout streams, in particular the Trimbelle. Some past studies have shown extreme flooding can have a detrimental effect on trout populations, yet other research shows the resiliency and ability of trout to survive high water events. Local anglers have said fishing “holes” on the Trimbelle are “markedly different now than they were two months ago.” Headshaker of the week. Firehall Field. It has become an unofficial destination for dog lovers. The same outfield where Nick Johnson, Alex Ross, and Steve Bowe chased down line drives to the gap, is the same place where Fido and Rex chase frisbees and balls thrown by eight year olds. It is a wonderful sight to see families and their excited four legged friends play the age old game of fetch. However, each year these family canines do more than chase after tossed toys. They leave their mark and unfortunately many families do not pick up after their pet. The seemingly endless “Battle of the Scat” continues all season. Just ask CAB Company volunteers how often they find themselves cleaning up the mess of those dog owners who refuse or are simply too lazy to pick up after their dog. Not cleaning up after your dog at Firehall Field? It’s a headshaker.