Only a handful of Wisconsin High School basketball players can say they played in the state tournament, let alone the last game of their high school careers. Senior Dallas Wallin wrapped up a stellar prep career at the Kohl Center last week finishing with 1,723 career points and 900 rebounds. The four-year letter winner will be remembered as one of the best ever to play on the hardcourt at Prescott High School. And of course, who will ever forget the hair. Congratulations Mr. Wallin on an outstanding career. 

Thoughts of Prescott High School spring sports teams spending the bulk of practice outside at Firehall Field disappeared this week as Mother Nature reminded us that spring does not officially start until March 21. Teams will be vying for indoor gym time all week. 

No matter to Cardinal track and field coaches Emily and Carl Calabrese. After competing at UW-Stout earlier this week, the Cardinals will travel up the road to the Knowles Center to compete in an indoor invitational track meet involving more than two dozen schools from all divisions. Good luck the Cardinals thinclads this Saturday. 

The Prescott baseball and softball teams will be hosting a spring Play Ball Banquet this Friday at the Old Ptacek’s Event Center. The featured speaker will be Dave Sinykin of KFAN Sports Radio. Doors open at 6 p.m. with plenty of raffle prizes available. All proceeds will be used to support baseball and softball in the community. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the door. 

Hats off to the handful of volunteers who did some early field work at Firehall Field last week. Under the tutelage of legendary baseball field maintenance guru Jim “Juice” Johnson, home plate and the pitching mound received face lifts courtesy of members of the Cardinals baseball team along with adult volunteers Jason Bayer and Mike Kosmalski. 

Congratulations to Bradley University bound Lila Posthuma on being named Division III Honorable Mention All State by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. 

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: The 2024–2025 Guide To Wisconsin’s Fishing Regulations is now available online. These regulations, which include changes to walleye/sauger bag limits on inland waters and new registration rules for small tournaments, will go into effect on April 1, 2024. All residents and non-residents over 16 must have a 2024–2025 general fishing license to fish in Wisconsin. Annual resident licenses cost $20 each, or purchase a spousal license for $31 so you and your spouse can fish together. All fishing licenses and stamps can be purchased online via Go Wild, at a registered sales location or at DNR Service Centers. You can find these general fishing regulations as well as the trout fishing regulations online and at locations where licenses are sold.

Word among fans at the WIAA State Tournament last week is that attendance at high school basketball games around the state is down. Statistics show attendance at high school sporting events are down all over the country. At the Kohl Center last week, the three-day state tournament attendance was 71,106, which is an actual increase of 7,000 from a year ago. Before Covid-19, attendance numbers were at or slightly above 80,000 for the three-day event for the better part of a decade. There are fears nationwide this unsettling trend will continue. I wonder why? 

Speaking of the WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament, Mineral Point was the only public school to win a state title. The Pointers defeated Kenosha St. Josephs in the Division IV championship by a score of 65-64. Milwaukee Marquette, Wisconsin Lutheran, Milwaukee Thomas More, and Marshfield Columbus Catholic all won a championship, leading to lots and lots of grumbling from fans who maintain there should be a separate state tournament for private schools as there used to be over three decades ago. 

Headshaker of the week: A Wisconsin head varsity basketball coach was terminated after intentionally throwing a basketball at a player during practice. The player was hit in the head and suffered a concussion. As a result of the incident, the coach was rightfully fired. Now that’s a headshaker - not that he was terminated, but that he threw a basketball at a player.