The Prescott Cardinal wrestling team will be hosting a three-team triangular this Thursday at Prescott High School. Osceola and Amery come to town to take on Head Coach Nic Zajac’s charges with action slated to begin at 6 p.m. Wisconsin Grappler has freshman Bryce Feran as the #3 ranked wrestler in Division 2 at 106 pounds. Feran has an overall record of 18-5 and finished fourth in the Cannon Falls Invitational Tournament last Saturday. Fellow ninth grader Gunnar Doyle finished an impressive second in the same tournament and enters the week with an overall record of 16-7.  Four Cardinal girls wrestlers also competed in Cannon Falls and each one placed. Emma Schmitz, Lily Kern, and Alina Bauman all finished second and Addy Allsop ended Saturday in third place. Allsop enters the second week of January with an impressive overall record of 23-5.

The Freedom boys basketball team is the #1 ranked team in Division 3. The Irish head into this week with a record of 10-0 and feature Donovan Davis, the top Wisconsin recruit in the class of 2027. The 6’8” junior averages just under 25 points and 13 rebounds per game and has received scholarship offers from many schools including Wisconsin, Marquette, Iowa State, Colorado State, California, and Iowa. This Saturday the Prescott Cardinals will square off with the Irish at the La Crosse Center in the Midwest Players Classic. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. Incidentally, all of Freedom’s starters are underclassmen. Playing the #1 ranked team in Division 3 affords Head Coach Nick Johnson and his club a tremendous opportunity to continue to build their tournament resume. 

The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau boys basketball team is now the top ranked team in the WIAA Sectional I Tournament Bracket. The Redbirds have an overall record of 10-1 and are ranked #6 in Division 3. The Orioles of Stanley-Boyd are 8-1 and ranked #8. Wittenberg-Birnamwood is the only girls basketball team in Section 1 ranked in the Top 10. The Chargers are 11-0 and ranked #5 in Division 3. 

The Prescott High School fishing team competed in a statewide fishing challenge that began on Saturday, Jan. 3 and runs through this weekend. Heading into this week Prescott is in sixth place out of 35 teams in the small school division. Austin Johnson, Carly Johnson, Elyssa Stoekel, Emmit Stoekel, Maddox Hoerl, Xander Lahn, Charlie Nawrocki, Leo Rohl, and John Rohl all fished for Prescott High School. Team members are still oohing and aahing at the 14-inch crappie landed by freshmen Owen Johnson on Pine Lake on Jan. 3. 

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: The DNR will begin accepting reservations for sharp-tailed grouse viewing blinds at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area Sunday, Feb. 1. Sharp-tailed grouse viewing blinds are available from March 21 through May at Crex Meadows. Friends groups partner with the Wisconsin DNR to make blinds available for up-close viewing of the remarkable and entertaining mating dance of the sharp-tailed grouse. Reservations fill up quickly so those interested mark your calendars now. The early morning wake-up is well worth it to watch from just a few feet away as males show off, competing for the chance to mate. Located in western Burnett County, Crex Meadows Wildlife Area is visited by over 100,000 people each year. The fall migration and spring return of waterfowls draws thousands to the popular outdoor theater. 

Hard to believe Cardinal baseball alumni have begun or are ready to begin preparing for the 2026 season. Dakota County outfielder and pitcher Cole Platson began practice last week. The Dakota County Blue Knights will open the season on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at US Bank Stadium. Additionally, catcher and outfielder Joaquin Magee and Raiders of Central Lakes College (Brainerd) begin practice this week. Both Platson and Magee are 2025 Prescott graduates. Pitcher Cullen Huppert is poised to begin his second season at Southwest State (MN). The sophomore lefty is expected to get plenty of mound time with the Division 2 Mustangs who compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. 

According to the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association, 42 schools failed to turn in their surveys for the upcoming season. Head coaches are asked to provide player and team information to be included in the WBCA Yearbook, the premier pre-season baseball publication in the United States. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and 42 coaches did not think it was worth the time. Very, very sad. 

Headshaker of the Week. The last time the penalty “aiding” or “assisting the runner” was called in an NFL game was back in 1991. Additionally, a 2005 NFL rule change allows “the pushing of the runner;” however, “pulling the runner” supposedly remains a penalty. Hilarious. You have a better chance at seeing a clear photo of Bigfoot than seeing that penalty called. On Sunday there was nothing else on television so I decided to watch the final quarter of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars. With a minute to go in the game Buffalo trailed Jacksonville by four points. On fourth and short a quarterback sneak by Josh Allen confirms why reinstating the old rule needs to happen. Buffalo Lineman O’Cyrus Torrence literally picked up Allen and carried him four yards for the first down. It’s remarkable and ridiculous that the play is allowed. It’s a headshaker.