Last week was spring break for the students in the Prescott School District. Families headed to the airport and traveled to Texas, Arizona, Florida, the Caribbean and other places well below the Mason-Dixon Line. Many students stayed in the 54021 zip code readying themselves for the fast approaching spring sports seasons. Others spent the break glued to televised college or high school basketball tournament games, perused countless hours of Tik Tok videos, or played video games with their closest friends. However, last week I witnessed a scene that today would be the equivalent of seeing Bigfoot. While driving past the Intermediate School there were two boys on the playground playing catch with the football. But they were doing more than playing catch. They took turns playing wide receiver and quarterback. First, they would draw the wide receiver pattern on the football. Second, the quarterback would bend over an imaginary center as his friend lined up wide left or wide right. Three, the young signal caller yelled “hut hut.” Four, the wide receiver would execute a down and out, a curl or post pattern drawn on the football moments earlier. Five, the quarterback would throw the ball to the receiver who hauled in the pass for either a first down or a touchdown. For this senior, it was a living, breathing Norman Rockwell painting. It harkens me back to the “good ol days” when things were a lot simpler. Two young boys, without uniforms, with muddy shoes, and no supervising adults outside playing football - just being kids. What a wonderful scene it was. 

This Thursday the Prescott Fastpitch Association and Crazy About Baseball will be hosting the annual spring play ball banquet at the Old Ptacek’s Event Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with all proceeds used to support baseball and softball in Prescott. Raffle prizes, silent auction items, games, and other activities will take place during the evening. River Falls based Comedian Todd Andrews will be the featured speaker of the annual event. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the door. 

The Prescott baseball team began practice this week. The Cardinals are coming off a 19-6 season and are picked by conference coaches as one of the favorites in the Middle Border Conference. The conference is loaded with pitching this season led by senior Brett Stokke and junior Kellen Smith of Altoona, Seniors Brecken Ponath and Eli Babler of St. Croix Central, junior Mason Schmidt and senior Kane Donnelly from Somerset, junior Jacob Maxon of Amery, senior Carson Cole from Osceola, and seniors Dain Pechacek and Cole Platson of Prescott. 

The Prescott baseball team will be doing some community service work for the town of Prescott this week. Past service projects have included filling and piling sandbags along the river, raking and sweeping Prescott streets, picking up tree branches and other debris at the Prescott cemetery, and doing yard work for senior residents. 

The North Dakota State College of Science softball team recently named freshman right-hander Ella Stewart pitcher of the week. Making five appearances during the week of March 17, Stewart earned one win and had an ERA of 1.31. The 2024 Prescott grad pitched 10 2/3 innings, allowed two earned runs, scattered seven hits, allowed one base-on-balls, and struck out 11. Heading into this week Stewart has an overall record of 3-2 with a team leading earned run average of 1.15 and has struck out 49 hitters in 36 ⅔ innings. 

UW-Stout infielder Liz Rohl has played in all 16 games for the Bluedevils this spring. The 2023 Prescott grad is fourth on the team in runs batted in and fifth in total bases. Rohl also golfs at UW-Stout. Another Prescott softball alumnus, Rebecca Heinze is hitting an impressive .545 for the Macalester Scots this spring. 

The undefeated University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks (8-0) are the #1 ranked team in the most recent NCAA Division III Coaches Poll. The Eagles of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse are ranked #19 and Gustavus-Adolphus College of Minnesota is ranked #21. 

Headshaker of the week. Congratulations to Cochrane-Fountain City on winning their first WIAA State basketball title in school history. The Pirates won the championship with a 60-54 victory over Sheboygan Lutheran. The post-game celebrations and euphoric moments culminate in the awarding of the gold ball to the players and coaches of the championship team. Unfortunately, as WIAA officials presented the Division 5 championship trophy, the Cochrane-Fountain City Head Coach received it, hoisted it above his head, and in a stationary position, held it aloft and shook it like a baby rattle for several seconds. It was akin to the late actor and 2nd Amendment activist Charleton Heston clutching a rifle and holding it above his head at an NRA Convention shouting “From the Cold Dead Hand!” Finally, the head coach reluctantly turned the trophy over members of the team so they could enjoy the hardware.  It was a headshaker.