Prescott 1,000-point scorer Violet Otto is among the top 10 scorers in the state of Wisconsin. The St. Cloud State-bound sharpshooter scored 39 points last week at Amery and is on pace to have one of the most prolific single season scoring seasons in Cardinal girls basketball history. Otto is averaging 28 points per game heading into the week before the holiday break. 

Sports writer of “Bound Wisconsin” Travis Wilson recently published a very interesting article regarding scoring trends in girls and boys basketball over the last 15 years. Rule changes from switching from four quarters to two halves, implementation of the mercy rule, and an increase in the number of games were all a part of Wilson's final data analysis. The results show the differences are much more pronounced in girls basketball. In 2010, the average margin of victory in boys games was just over 15 points and in 2024 the margin jumped to 19 points. For the girls, the average margin of victory is now 23 points, almost six points higher than in 2010.  One longtime local official noted a handful of years ago that when it comes to competitive basketball conferences, “there no longer is a middle. The gap between top teams and the bottom teams is getting bigger and bigger.” Fans in the stands are seeing this play out. Wilson’s data, at least in girls basketball, appears to support the argument of a widening gap in girls basketball. We do know participation in girls basketball has declined over the last decade. And anecdotally, the gap between the haves and have nots appears to be widening. Let’s hope this trend ends soon. 

In the Middle Border Conference Prescott has the smallest listed enrollment at 396. Altoona ranks at the top with 561 high school students. 

Senior linebacker and Prescott alumnus Jack Olson had six tackles and had the only quarterback sack as the River Falls Falcons advanced to the NCAA Division III Semifinals with a 46-21 victory over Wheaton College. The Falcons will host Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, Md.) this Saturday with the winner advancing to the national championship game on Jan/ 4, 2026, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Incidentally, Canton is home to the NFL Hall of Fame. 

Sophomore forward Lila Posthuma and her Bradley University teammates open Missouri Valley Conference action this Thursday when they host the Salukis of Southern Illinois University. Bradley enters the league with an overall record of 6-4. Posthuma is a 2024 Prescott High School graduate. 

Speaking of college athletes, only six out of 100 high school athletes go on to play college sports. And 33% of those who begin playing college sports end up quitting for any number of reasons. Among the most common are waning passion for the sport, loss of playing time/not being a starter, or the difficulties of balancing athletics and academics in college. Also, parents it is important to remember almost everyone on the college team roster was their leading scorer in high school, played shortstop and batted third, or was named all conference. 

Many basketball aficionados are puzzled that the Prescott boys basketball team is among the Top 10 ranked teams in Division 3. On the other hand, enthusiasts are not surprised that six of the top 10 schools are private schools. 

The Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association reports 80 head baseball coaches have not filled out their respective surveys for the 2026 Yearbook. The dubious list includes some schools in western Wisconsin. 

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: The DNR is hosting its annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend Jan. 17-18, 2026 to share the fun and excitement of winter fishing. Winter Free Fishing Weekend gives families, friends and newcomers an opportunity to give fishing a try or introduce another to the sport. Fishing offers more than just a chance to hook a fish – it is a great way to connect with nature, share time with loved ones, learn about Wisconsin’s aquatic resources and put some delicious food on your table. During Winter Free Fishing Weekend, residents and non-residents may fish most state waters without purchasing a fishing license, trout stamp or salmon stamp (see exceptions regarding trout waters). All other 2025-2026 Hook and Line regulations including bag limits, size limits and species restrictions remain in effect.

Headshaker of the Week. Perhaps it is all those youth ribbons your child won while they played in weekend basketball tournaments. Maybe it's being the lead scorer in a couple summer AAU basketball games. Or possibly batting leadoff for your summer club fastpitch softball team. We know parental complaints about playing time at the high school level have increased significantly over the past 30 years. It matters not the sport, parents who want the best for their kids struggle looking at playing time through an objective lens. Sadly, the same phenomenon is reportedly rearing its ugly head at the next level. Reportedly there has been a significant increase in parents complaining about playing time in collegiate sports. Huh? At the college level? Now that’s a headshaker.