from the Hip

BY CRIPE OLSON Perhaps a few dozen Prescott people are aware a couple of Prescott High School alumni work for the Minnesota Twins. Former Cardinal athletes Alex Hover and Jacob Langer are both employed by the first place Major League Club. Hover, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, has been with the Twins since 2010 is a Senior Executive in the Premium Suite and Sales Department. Langer, who is also a LaCrosse graduate, works in the Group Ticket and Sales Office for the Minnesota club. Langer has been with the Twins since 2013 and previously served as an intern with the Green Bay Packers.

Speaking of professional baseball, the 2022 Draft takes place this week on July 17th and 18th. The top three Wisconsin draft prospects are Alabama Junior Lefthanded pitcher Connor Prielipp who is from Tomah, Clemson Junior Infielder Max Wagner is from Green Bay, and Milton High School Infielder Gavin Kilen.

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources…The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the release of a new report regarding the Ecological Status and Trends of the Upper Mississippi River System. Among the findings include the changing river due to evolving hydrology and invasive species, floodplain forest loss in all the study areas except south of the locked portion of the river, and an overall pattern of increasing bed elevation in Pools 4 and 8 indicating many backwater lakes have become shallower. The department has the full report on its website.

Prescott Head Football Coach and the 2022 Cardinals will be on the gridiron this week during the WIAA allowed summer sports contact days from July 18th-22nd. Prescott will be traveling to Holmen, Wisconsin to work out with the Mississippi Valley Conference School and Holmen will return the favor by coming to Prescott for practice on the 21st and 22nd. Players from both teams will done helmets only the first two days with players in full gear on Thursday and Friday. Teams will be working out on practice fields east of the high school. Spectators are welcome to attend both Thursday and Friday workouts. Teams will practice against each other from 10 a.m. to noon and 5:30- 7:30 pm on Thursday and Friday morning from 8:30- 10:30 a.m.

Prescott Hall of Fame Committee Chair Tanya Sponholz reminds everyone that nomination forms for the 2023 Induction Ceremony are available on the school district website. The 11-person committee will be accepting nominations until July 1st, 2023 with the next induction banquet scheduled for late September or early October 2023.

Hats off to Head Coach Mike Matzek and his 14-year old baseball team as they finished their Metro League Regular Season tied for first place with Ellsworth. Hats off to Head Coach Mike Westberg and his 13-year-old charges as they finished in the the regular season in second place with an impressive mark of 11-3.

Local foragers are raving about this year’s blackberry (blackcap) crop around the state. The popular wild berries can be found in abundance along most state park trails and near edges of wooded areas. The tasty berry is identified as the most valuable wild fruit crop in the state.

Prescott Athletic Director Andrew Caudill continues to upgrade and improve the Prescott Cardinals athletic website. Alumni spotlights of former Prescott athletes competing at the college level have been added to the website. Team histories and records are also expected to be added in the coming months. Bravo Mr. Caudill.

Headshaker of the week. While surfing through the cable channels recently I came upon a summer NBA basketball game (12 months of any sport is complete overkill) and watched for a few minutes. It was early in the second half when a player made the front end of a two-shot free throw. After he sank the first throw, he promptly did a chest bump. Are you kidding me? At least a high five, low five, or a fist bump require another player to complete the celebratory act. I liter- ally and figuratively nod my approval when a basketball or hockey player acknowledges an assist from a teammate by pointing to the player who gave them the opportunity to score. The chest thump is a solitary, individual “look at me” act, and is very off-putting. In fact, the celebratory chest thump in any sport is a headshaker.