Prescott High School Head Wrestling Coach Nic Zajac and his charges open the season this Thursday in St. Croix Central. A Hastings High School graduate, Zajac brings an impressive resume to the coaching staff at Prescott High School. Zajac was an All State wrestler in high school and went on to wrestle at the University of Minnesota. Thursday’s first match is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

The #16 Kansas women’s volleyball team powered past Iowa State in four last Wednesday behind a dominant performance from Prescott alumnus Reese Ptacek, who finished with 13 kills. On Saturday, the Jayhawks ended their regular season with a victory over Central Florida and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the #4 seed. Ptacek and her Jayhawk teammates with host High Point University (North Carolina). The Jayhawks enter the postseason with an overall record of 22-10 and are ranked #16. Thursday’s opening round match begins at 6:30 p.m. 

Prescott girls basketball fans have been impressed with the perimeter defense of the Cardinals in their first two games. The relentless pressure of Hannah Schommer, Izzy Thoen, and Kennedy Holub created huge headaches for the Chippewa Falls McDonnell Macks last week who came to Prescott ranked #9 in Division 4. Violet Otto poured in a team high 30 points in her 2025-26 home debut and senior guard Hannah Schommer scored a career high 15 as Owen Hamilton’s charges picked up a huge non-conference win. 

Fans in the stands last week noticed some new coaching faces on the bench. One in particular, the Pride of Rhinelander Rick Montreal will be assisting Owen Hamilton this season. A member of the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame, Montreal ranks fifth all time in scoring for the Falcons. The high scoring guard was named Honorable Mention All American in 1991. Montreal finished his impressive Falcon career also ranked in the Top 10 all time in assists, free throw percentage, and three-point field goals. Cardinal basketball fans certainly remember Montreal as the former head coach of the New Richmond Tigers. 

Pierce County deer bunters were oohing and aahing at the recent bucks harvested by Prescott alumni Nick Swanson and Liam Flanagan. The two mature bucks were taken the first weekend of deer season. Flanigan’s behemoth was the first buck for the 2025 Cardinal grad. Congrats to both hunters. 

Speaking of outdoor activities, winter sports enthusiasts have reason to be optimistic with the recent blanket of snow. Recent years Mother Nature has frustrated cross country skiers, snow shoers, and snowmobilers who have had to travel to the far northern reaches of the Badger State or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to find enough snow for such winter activities. When it comes to cross country skiing, nearby Willow River State Park has approximately 10 miles of combined classic and skate-groomed trails, along with access to a warming shelter on Saturday and Sunday. 

Congratulations to the UW-River Falls Football team on trouncing Chapman University on Saturday by a score of 58-7. The Falcons will host perennial Division III power St. John’s University this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon. 

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: The DNR reminds bear and turkey hunters that applications for the 2026 black bear and spring turkey hunting seasons are due by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. Hunters can apply for harvest authorizations or purchase preference points toward future drawings, or edit an existing application, through Go Wild or an authorized license agent up until the deadline. Be sure to check out the goings on at Willow River State Park this winter season. 

And don’t forget that wonderful Christmas stocking stuffer - Wisconsin State Park sticker. 

Headshaker of the week. Sorry folks. Saturday was not football weather. The snow, the wind, the cold on Saturday made for horrible playing conditions in the Midwest. According to some, Saturday was “perfect football weather;” therefore, I urge the WIAA to swap the football and basketball seasons so coaches, players, and fans can enjoy football in 10-degree January weather. Be it the commentary from the guy sitting on a bar stool at the local watering hole or invoking the words of the late NFL Films Narrator John Facenda, last Saturday was not football weather. Believing so is a headshaker.