“It’s been an unbelievable ride, girls.”

Those were the opening words of an emotional Cardinal Coach Nick Johnson as he addressed his WIAA Division 3 State Softball Champion team at a welcome home ceremony Sunday morning on the Biggs Frey field at the Jackey Riley Softball Complex.

The team first was escorted through downtown by the Prescott Fire Department where fans of all ages showed their Cardinal pride.

With a big crowd assembled for the ceremony, Johnson looked back on the season, which ended in the team’s first-ever state championship.

“It wasn’t all butterflies and rainbows. It wasn’t always pretty. We’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve got kicked,” said Johnson. “But the girls always responded. It didn’t matter what happened. We finished the year losing four of our six games. We scored two runs in four days. We’re losing close games. We lost two big games to Ellsworth that cost us the conference championship.”

The team hit the reset button for the playoffs.

“We came together. We met. We talked. We said this is not going to define our season. It made us stronger, and it built us, and we used this momentum, and then we go on to win six straight games and now the rest is history,” said Johnson.

The Cardinals made it to the state title game in 2021, taking runner-up. Last year, they fell 2-0 in the sectional final to Somerset. In 2022, they fell in the opening game of sectional play to Baldwin, 8-7.

“We lost a big game two years ago to Baldwin here. They go to state. We lost to Somerset last year in a sectional final home game to go to state. It never hurt us. It never broke us. We use that stuff for momentum or offseason program work,” said Johnson. “These girls have dedicated 12 months to this game in the weight room. Their strength and conditioning, their offseason hitting, just so much work goes into it. We can’t be more proud of you for what you did and what you became. It’s just an unbelievable group of girls from top to bottom.”

Johnson singled out the incredible post-season senior pitcher Ella Stewart had.

“Ella did take the trophy home last night and slept with it in her bed,” Johnson joked. “Ella has waited her turn for multiple seasons. Ella came up last year. She started on JV. She worked her way up. She didn’t complain. She knew it was the best thing for her. We all knew what we got with Ella, what she was going to become and what she did become. I don’t think we all knew how unbelievable Ella was this season.”

In nine playoff games, Stewart gave up just three earned runs and struck out 55 batters.

“That’s unbelievable,” said Johnson. “Obviously Ellie was a monster factor of what we did this year, but it was a team effort.”

He also credited the team’s other senior, Megan Richter, who plays second base.

“She saved her best for last,” Johnson said.

Richter tripled to knock in three runs in the final inning to win the preliminary state game against Brodhead, 4-1, Friday.

“People will talk about Megan Richter for 30 years and what she did in the first game,” he said.

Johnson credited his assistant coaches with having the team prepared. He thanked the community for its support.

He said this team definitely will leave a lasting legacy on Prescott High School athletics.

“This builds programs, and you’re going to be a monster part of this for so many years to come that you don’t even know of right now, because of what you have accomplished. I’ll say one more time, it couldn’t happen to a better group of girls,” said Johnson.