BASEBALL: Sun Prairie 14U team photo • B2 SP OPTIMIST CLUB: Remembering a legacy • B3 Tuesday, AugustPORTS 4, 2020 Sun Prairie Star Section B S COLUMN

No equipmentNo handout. ‘Friday No 7 a.m. practices. Night No Friday Lights’ in the fall willfootball leave team, and huge I would have tovoid say they have been Night Lights in the fall. some of the most enjoyable Friday’s I have spent in my Wait, what? Did I just write that? Seissing Up three-decade career. Head coach Brian Kaminski and Monday was supposed to be the official start of the fall staff have built one of the premiere programs in the state, sports season in Wisconsin as 257 high schools across and I have had a front-row seat. To not be able to have the state would have been handing out equipment in Sports that week-to-week interaction with BK and the young preparation for the 2020 season. By Jeff Seisser men that pour their hearts out for the game they love is Instead, COVID-19 has put a halt to that. Football, along Star Sports Editor going to leave a tremendous void. with boys and girls cross country, girls golf, boys soccer, Amplifying that loss of fall Friday night’s is the fact girls swimming, girls tennis and volleyball will have to wait that the Cardinals were about to unveil their new digs, for spring — hopefully — to have a shot at their seasons. myself, I would have been brought to my knees as sports Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field. Right now The Big Eight Conference became the first to declare were a huge part of my life. the stadium is about 90% complete (I suggest you take a it would not hold any conference events or determine They continue to be today, obviously. Later this drive by and see it) equipped with two huge press boxes, champions. Yes, that means Sun Prairie will not be playing month I will be celebrating my 30th year in the sports a Daktronics scoreboard with a videoboard, over 4,000 high school sports this fall, electing to try and play them journalism field, the first four years of them being an seats and field turf featuring both the Cardinals logo and in the spring. And that started a trend as the Badger and assistant before being promoted to a sports editor in the logo of the future Sun Prairie West Wolves. Rock Valley Conferences followed suit late last week. 1994. Twenty-seven of those years were spent in Fort I will continue to “get by” this fall, writing about whatever Nothing, I mean nothing like this has ever happened, Atkinson at the Daily Jefferson County Union where I I can that involves Sun Prairie athletics and student- to me or any one of you. I can only imagine how saw my share of terrific games and athletes, but nothing athletes. Again, I feel your pain and wish you the best as devastating it was last spring when student-athletes stood out more than those Friday’s under the lights. things begin to get better … and they WILL get better. were told that their seasons in baseball, softball, track The last three years I have had the ultimate privilege Till now, I’m looking forward to Friday Night Lights ... and the like would not be canceled. As a former athlete of being the beat writer for the Sun Prairie Cardinals in the spring.

BUCKS BREWERS HIGH SCHOOL Badger BucksLAKE BUENA VISTA,fall tothe fourth Rockets quarter before Fla. (AP) — Russell Lopez scored the first four Westbrook scored 31 points of a 7-0 run that Conference points and the Houston was capped by a 3 from Cain out Rockets used strong Middleton to make it 112- defense down the stretch 104 with about 3 minutes postpones for a 120-116 victory over remaining. the Milwaukee Bucks on But Houston scored Rock Valley Sunday night. the next nine points, It was the 36th straight highlighted by a 3 and follows suit game with at least 20 a steal from P.J. Tucker By Jeff Seisser points for Westbrook, and a block by Harden on [email protected] who led Houston’s offense Antetokounmpo, to go The latest fall sports on a night James Harden on top 113-112 about a dominos fell late last week. scored 24. minute later. Both the Badger Harden called their “Usually when we’re up Conference and Rock defense on Sunday night six two minutes to go, we Valley Conference will “very important” to the usually close the game follow the Big Eight victory. out,” Antetokounmpo Conference’s July 20 “Throughout the course said. “But we didn’t do decision and will cancel fall of the game we played that today, so we’ve got to sports competitions and some really good defense,” learn from it and got to championships. he said. “They’re a good keep moving.” “The COVID-19 offensive team but we got Lopez ended Houston’s AP photo/Gene J. Puskar pandemic has certainly stops when we needed to.” run with a basket in the ’ Lorenzo Cain drives in a run with a single off Pittsburgh Pirates posed challenges for Houston tied an NBA paint to make it 114-113 relief Nik Turley during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh last planning events of all record for most 3-point with less than a minute Monday. Cain has decided to sit out the remainder of the season due to the COVID-19 scare. types throughout our attempts in a regulation to go. nation, state and local game with 61, making 21 Westbrook made two communities,” the of them, and forced 22 free throws before a statement read. “The goal turnovers. shot by Antetokounmpo Brewers decides not to play rest of the Badger Conference, “I think our execution, left Milwaukee up 116- first and foremost, our certainty in what 115 with 16.5 seconds of season; St. Louis series called off this weekend has been manager continues to be the health we wanted to do wasn’t remaining. By Steve Megargee postponed because said. “We completely and safety of our school where it needs to be Westbrook made two Associated Press multiple members of the respect the decision and district communities. and that starts with me,” more free throws and Milwaukee Brewers Cardinals tested positive support the decision. This “Since all member Milwaukee coach Mike Danuel House stole a pass outfielder Lorenzo Cain for the novel coronavirus. is something that Lorenzo schools are not able Budenholzer said. “So, I from Antetokounmpo has decided not to play “The Brewers had been thinking about to participate fully in think a lot of tonight’s on and was fouled. He added the remainder of the 2020 organization was very and discussing with his conference contests during m e .” two free throws to leave season. understanding and family for some time. This the current fall season Giannis Houston up 119-116 with Cain, a married father of supportive of my decision, is the first he had brought dates as scheduled, Badger Antetokounmpo had 14 seconds left. three young sons, said he and I thank them for it to our attention, but Conference competitions 36 points, 18 rebounds Middleton missed two made the decision “after that. I wish all of my great as we understood the will not be held and and eight assists for 3-point attempts after careful consideration and teammates the best of decision and understood conference champions will Milwaukee. He joined that to allow Houston to discussion with my family.” luck this season and look the decision-making not be named.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as hold on for the victory. “With all of the forward to getting back process, it’s something The Badger’s North and the only players to have Harden liked the uncertainty and on the field in 2021. Please that’s been on his mind South conferences include 15 games with at least 30 tenacity his team showed unknowns surrounding stay safe,” he said. and ultimately he believes 16 schools that are located points, 15 rebounds and in fighting back from the our game at this time, I The two-time All-Star’s this is the right thing in seven different counties. five assists in a season in late deficit. feel that this is the best decision was announced for him to do and we Among them are three the last 50 years. “Things weren’t going decision for me, my as the Brewers’ scheduled understand that.’’ schools relatively close to Khris Middleton scored our way, we weren’t wife, and our three kids,” home opener against St. Cain was 6 for 18 with Sun Prairie: Waunakee, 27 points and Brook making shots, but we just Cain said Saturday in a Louis was postponed for a two RBIs in his first DeForest and Monona Lopez added 23 as the stuck with it,” he said. statement released by the second straight day five games this season Grove. Bucks missed a chance to Westbrook agreed. Brewers. “He felt this was after batting .260 with In a statement released clinch the best record in “Adversity showed up Milwaukee’s entire by the Badger Conference, the Eastern Conference. something that he needed 11 homers, 48 RBIs and three-game series against to do,” Brewers general Milwaukee led by one in See BUCKS, Page B2 St. Louis at Miller Park See CAIN, Page B2 See BADGER, Page B2

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