Congratulations to Head Coach Chad Salay and Assistant Coach Darren Reiter for guiding the Prescott girls golf team to its third consecutive WIAA State Championship. Bravo to seniors Ava Salay, Rhi Stutz, Maddie Reiter, Madasyn Rundquist, and Mabel Rohl as they finish their careers with the most accomplished WIAA sponsored athletic team in Prescott High School history.

Outgoing CAB Company executive board members Dallas Eggers and Jim Johnson put the finishing touches on Firehall Field this week. With asphalt roller in hand, Eggers rolled all the infield grass edges and the baselines as Firehall Field gets ready for its long winter’s nap.

The Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association will hold its area fall district meetings over the next two weeks. Coaches will select assistant coach, media person, umpire, and distinguished service district awards for deserving individuals. Those selected as district winners will then be nominated for the respective statewide award. State award winners will be announced in late November or early December.

Ellsworth’s Bo Hines has rushed for 1,298 yards this season to lead the Middle Border Conference. Incidentally, the Prescott Cardinals were the only defense to hold the talented senior Panther running back to under 100 yards. Amery Junior Koy Hopke also rushed for over a thousand yards finishing with 1,205 on the ground for the Warriors. Through the air Baldwin-Woodville quarterback Masen Werner has thrown for 1,409 yards and 20 touchdowns this season to lead all Middle Border Conference signal callers.

The shortage of game ovcials continues to cause problems for high school athletics all over the United States. Along with coaching shortages, the number one reason why ovcials hang up the whistle or give up the clipboard are the same – abusive parents and fans. The coaching and ovcial shortage crisis has auected the athletic associations of all 50 states and shows no signs of waning.

Sadly, nine states will implement some form of a shot clock for the fast-approaching high school basketball season. Georgia, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington will use either a 30- or 35-second shot clock this season. Next year Minnesota will do the same. Could it be the influence of the NBA or the NCAA? Or perhaps it’s the constant pressure placed upon high school associations by the ridiculously powerful club teams of the AAU. Unfortunately, my guess is Wisconsin will end up following suit and employ a shot clock within the next three years. It will be another blow to what has already become the waning importance of playing on a team with the kids you sit next to in the classroom.

This Saturday marks the end of the 2022 inland trout fishing season. However, Jan. 1 gives zealous trout anglers an opportunity to land the popular game fish during the catch and release season that lasts until May 6 of next year.

According to the Travel Wisconsin Fall Color map there is still time to enjoy the colors of autumn in Pierce, St. Croix, and Polk counties. Get outside and enjoy the month of October, obviously the most beautiful time of the year.

Speaking of coaches, there will be three new head boys basketball coaches this year in the Middle Border. Thomas Mackey will be the new skipper in Amery, Derek Staley will be in charge in Ellsworth, and Matt Bailey will take over the reins at St. Croix Central. First Year Head Coach Owen Hamilton will be the only new head girls basketball coach in the Middle Border this season.

UW-Eau Claire sophomore wrestler Joe Schulte is poised to begin his second season with the Blugolds. A 2020 graduate of Prescott High School and a WIAA State Tournament qualifier, Schulte will wrestle at 197 pounds this season. Schulte finished a stellar high school career with a record of 125-15. Other area college wrestlers including Augsburg University grapplers Sam and Charlie Stuhl will compete for an Aggie team that will be one of the best NCAA Division III teams in the nation. Charlie and Sam both graduated from Ellsworth High School where they had exemplary high school careers.

Headshaker of the Week: Ordinarily professional sports are too easy to identify as the subject of this part of the column. However, how laughable it is for NFL referees throwing the flag for roughing the passer penalties. And who the signal caller is certainly has an impact on whether or not the flag is thrown. What is even more eye rolling is when fans of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodger, or Pat Mahomes fail to see the hilarious inconsistency in the application of the rule. The majority of roughing the passer penalties in the NFL today? They are headshakers.