Congratulations to freshman Bryce Feran for advancing to the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament in Madison this weekend. The talented ninth grade grappler finished second in the Osseo Sectional and will wrestle at the Kohl Center this Thursday. Feran, who heads to Madison with an impressive record of 44-9, will wrestle Rice Lake senior Michael Sirek who enters the state tournament with a record of 36-5. The last Prescott wrestler to advance to the state tournament was Nolan Thomley in 2024. 

The victory by the Prescott boys basketball team on the road in Altoona on Friday gave St. Croix Central a two-game lead in the Middle Border Conference standings with three games to play. But most prognosticators agree the conference title race is far from over. St. Croix Central finishes the regular season with three tough road games - Amery, Altoona, and Osceola. The Cardinals travel to Somerset, play host to Osceola, and wrap up the season on the road against Baldwin-Woodville. And Altoona finishes conference play with three home games: Osceola, St. Croix Central and Ellsworth. There’s lots of basketball drama remaining. 

Head Coach Owen Hamilton and the Prescott girls basketball team will enter next week’s WIAA Tournament as the #2 seed. The Cardinals will host the winner of the game between St. Croix Falls and Ellsworth at home on Friday, Feb 27. The Cardinals wrap up the regular season hosting conference champion and #3 seed Baldwin-Woodville. Prescott gave Baldwin-Woodville their only conference loss, winning at Baldwin in mid-January by a score of 46-33. 

Prescott High School senior Emelia Berg competed in the WI High School State Ski & Snowboard Championships this past weekend in La Crosse. Berg competed in three events: She finished fifth in the slalom race with over 100 competitors. In the Giant Slalom Berg finished 20th out of more than 120 races. A high honors student, Berg has traveled to and from La Crosse each Wednesday since the beginning of January to compete in races as a member of the Northern Co-op Team, racing with girls from Eau Claire, Somerset, Hudson and Holmen. Additionally, along with high school racing, Berg is a member of Team Afton through the United States Ski and Snowboard Association. After this weekend’s state tournament, Berg will head west to race in Breckenridge and Keystone, Colo. for the Western High School Alpine Nationals the week of March 15 in Loveland, Colo. 

Congratulations to Violet Otto on surpassing 500 points this season. The St. Cloud State recruit enters the week with 531 points, averaging just over 24 points a game. Bella Lenz is the last Cardinal girls basketball player to exceed the half century mark. Lenz, a four-time high school and three-time college all conference guard, scored 593 points during the 2019-20 season. Haylee Yeager, a 2018 Prescott grad, scored 503 points her senior season and also accomplished the impressive feat. 

Prescott Head Baseball Coach Brad Matzek and his club are ranked #21 in Division 3 in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association preseason rankings. The Cardinals are the defending Middle Border Conference champions and return a host of players from last year’s regional championship team. The Somerset Spartans are the #10 ranked team in Division 2 and are picked as the conference favorite this year. Prescott and Altoona are expected to challenge the Spartans for the top spot this spring. 

Cole Platson and the Knights of Dakota County open their 2026 season this week with two games against Williston State College of North Dakota at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. A 2025 Prescott graduate, Platson expects to see time on the mound and in the outfield for the Knights this season. 

From the Department of Natural Resources: The DNR is seeking basic and advanced hunter education volunteers to teach and certify basic hunter education students and teach hunters of all experience levels practical outdoor skills. Volunteer opportunities are available in all parts of the state. Becoming a volunteer instructor is a great way to shape the future of hunting in Wisconsin, get hands-on teaching experience, work closely with DNR staff and engage with your local community. Also, the Winnebago System Spearing Season opened this weekend.  

Headshaker of the Week: At the annual Wisconsin State Baseball Coaches Association Clinic in Madison last weekend, registration numbers dropped below 500. It was only a few years ago that WBCA Treasurer Tom Wilson reported that coach registrations had exceeded 700. As mentioned last week, apparently TikTok and YouTube Videos appear to be enough for today’s generation of baseball coaches. Maybe I should employ the same type of thinking when it comes to traveling? Perhaps this Friday I’ll take a virtual visit to the Grand Canyon, followed by an afternoon trip to Cambodia to gaze at the famous Temple Angkor Wat, and then wrap up the day with a casual evening stroll around Stonehenge. It’s the same as being there, right? Deciding not to attend one of the premier baseball coaching clinics in the country? That’s a headshaker.