Congratulations to Kyra Dix on qualifying for the WIAA State Cross Country Championships in Wisconsin Rapids. This is the second consecutive year the Middle Border All Conference harrier has advanced to the state tournament. Last Thursday Dix placed third to earn another trip to Wisconsin Rapids. Teammates Amber Van Loon and Addyson Allsop also finished in the top 20 as Prescott finished fourth in the team standings. St. Croix Central won the team sectional title. Dix will race on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Ridges Golf Course with the Division 2 race scheduled for a 2:25 p.m. start. For the boys, senior Nolan Leask and freshmen Dawson Langer were the top runners for the Cardinals as Prescott finished ninth in the team standings. 

The stellar football career of Kobe Russell ended last Friday at Northwestern. The multi-talented three-sport athlete will take his football talents to North Dakota State next season. But the humble senior’s high school athletic career is far from over. The mild-mannered Russell now takes his talents to the basketball court where he and returning senior letterwinners Max Monteith, Jackson Matzek, and Eyan Miller look to challenge for another Middle Border Conference Championship. Expectations are high once again for 14th year Head Coach Nick Johnson. 

And speaking of basketball, the word up at Ptacek’s Coffee Club is that the Middle Border Conference will be as balanced as ever. Prescott, Amery, St. Croix Central, Ellsworth, Altoona, and Osceola, according to the local basketball aficionados, all have a chance to compete for the conference title. Osceola heads into the 2025-26 season as the defending conference champion. 

Prescott High School ninth grader Bryce Feran traveled to Iowa to compete in the Brian Keck Memorial Pre-Season National Tournament. Sponsored by USA Wrestling, the popular tournament was held in Des Moines, Iowa last week. The 106-pound ninth grader lost a tough 4-3 decision in his opening match to Mason Enquist of Colorado. After dropping his second match of the tournament to Gabriel Nettelton of Virginia, Feran defeated Isaiah Reed of Nebraska with a second period pin. The Prescott Cardinal Wrestling season under new Head Coach Nick Zajac begins practice on Nov. 10. 

Senior Madison Matzek and the Minnesota State cross country team finished second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Cross Country Championship last week hosted by Wayne State of Nebraska. With her 10th place finish Matzek was named NSIC All Conference. Matzek and her Maverick teammates will travel to Joplin, Mo. on Nov. 8 to compete in the NCAA Division 2 Regional. 

Speaking of the Matzek family, first year Head Baseball Coach Brad Matzek traveled to Cumberland this week for one of the seven fall meetings hosted by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. Northwest District Representative and Somerset Head Baseball Coach Zac Eichten will chair the meeting. District coaches will make nominations for district and statewide awards, including persons worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. 

Headshaker of the Week. There is little doubt that Halloween is a children’s “holiday.” The sights, the sounds, the food - all of it takes us back to the days of childhood. Unfortunately, like youth sports, adults have begun to take over the innocence and wonder of this treasured time of year. That being said, this Friday evening thousands of young children will travel door to door and utter the magical phrase “trick or treat.” Hopefully your treat or pillow bag will be filled with candy, good candy, and not pencils, my little pony stickers, or a handful of varied leftover tootsie roll treats tossed in your bucket. Everyone, have fun and be safe. But remember there is one requirement if you stop by my spooky abode. You have to have a costume. For the 17-year-old senior who wants to stop by and request some culinary delights, the light is on. However, throwing on your Christian Yelich or Jordan Love Jersey donning a team hat does not a costume make. Some of us can see that attire in the communion line at church on Sunday. So ring the doorbell with gusto and do so in full costume. I’ve got a Kit Kat waiting for you. But expecting “treats” without doing so incognito? Now that’s a headshaker.