November 2013

Wed
06
Nov
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One Woman's Decision To Fund a Public Park

Lucille Taylor had long intended to leave the bulk of her estate to the City of Middleton for the creation of a new park. There was only one problem: the spry 82 year old – who mows her own lawn, shovels her own snow, and has been known to leap in and out of the cab of a large pickup truck when the need arises – appears to be a daunting foe for the grim reaper.

So Taylor, in a spare moment between volunteering at the senior center, weeding the community garden at city hall, and walking or biking throughout the Good Neighbor City, recently decided people would rather have their park sooner than later. She decided to give the city $100,000 to get the ball rolling.

When city administrator Mike Davis told Taylor she was on the verge of becoming something of a local celebrity, she responded with typical aplomb: “I thought I was just a plain old lady.”

Wed
06
Nov
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Football Cards ousted by Oconomowoc

 

OCONOMOWOC — Everything was set up for a night Middleton’s football team would never forget.

The Cardinals were playing their best ball of the year. They were healthy and had a sense of belief.

And perhaps most importantly, Oconomowoc standout quarterback Canton Larson was sidelined for the teams’ WIAA Division 1 Level 2 playoff game last Friday.

So after Middleton exited with a 27-24 loss to the Racoons, many of the Cardinals were admittedly stunned at what had just transpired.

“If you would have told me Tuesday or Wednesday they weren’t going to have (Larson), I would have thought it might be an easier game,” Middleton senior wideout Derek Rongstad said.

Middleton finished the year 8-3, while Oconomowoc improved to 11-0 and reached the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 1987.

Like Rongstad, senior right tackle Hayden Acker was stunned the year ended when it did.

Wed
06
Nov
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Fabulous 4th for girls XC team

 

Rachel Wians could very well be the poster girl for Middleton’s girls cross country team this fall.

From day one, the Cardinals preached development, improvement and peaking when it mattered most.

And no one exemplified that mantra more than Wians.

At last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 state meet at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids, Wians gave a memorable performance.

Wians finished 22nd overall — and 14th among individuals that were there with their team — and propelled Middleton to a fourth place team finish for the second straight year.

“I was super proud with my race,” said Wians, a junior. “I knew that I had to get out fast and maintain if I wanted to achieve my goal of an overall (personal record).

“Knowing it was my last race of the season I didn't want to have any regrets or what if’s. So I left it all out there on the course.”

Wed
06
Nov
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Boys XC team shines at state

 

The 2013 boys cross country season had been over for less than 24 hours.

And Middleton standout freshman Gus Newcomb already had a message for the rest of the state.

“The best teams in the state had better take note of us for next season,” Newcomb said. “Because our guns will be loaded come next fall.”

That was apparent the way the Cardinals finished off this season.

Middleton surprised many by simply qualifying for last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 state meet held at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The Cardinals then gave a solid performance and finished 15th at the 20-team event.

Stevens Point won the title with 83 points, while Madison West (124), Eau Claire Memorial (126), La Crosse Logan (156) and Madison La Follette (159) rounded out the top five.

Middleton finished with 381 points.

Wed
06
Nov
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Girls spikers ousted by Sun Prairie

 

The first set slipped away when they lost the last five points. The second set was a confluence of errors — hitting, service, and mental miscues.

By the time Amber Karn and her Middleton girls volleyball teammates caught their breath last Saturday, they were staring at the very real possibility Sun Prairie would sweep the Cardinals out of their own gym — a giant reality check for a team that had spent the previous day-and-a-half actively recruiting their classmates to come out and cheer them on to a state tournament berth.

“After we lost those first two games,” said Karn, a junior outside hitter, “we got together and said, ‘This is our house. Let's not have any regrets walking off this floor.’ ”

Wed
06
Nov
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Middleton swimmers win Big 8 Conference meet

 

When it all began back in August, Lauren Cabalka really had far more questions than answers.

Half of the roster was new. The lineup was in constant flux.

And Cabalka — Middleton’s girls swimming coach — was at best cautiously optimistic.

“We truly did not know how we were going to fill the holes we lost last season,” Cabalka said.

Here’s how: with talented youngsters and newcomers. And with veterans ready to take advantage of their chance.

In the end, the Cardinals never missed a beat.

Middleton continued its surprising season last Saturday, winning the Big Eight Conference meet for a fourth straight season. The Cardinals finished with 528 points to easily outdistance runner-up Verona/Mount Horeb (422.5) and the rest of the conference.

Middleton now hosts a WIAA Division 1 Sectional Saturday at 1 p.m. The state meet will be Nov. 16 at the UW-Natatorium.

Fri
01
Nov
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Girls spikers advance to sectional finals

 

 

WAUNAKEE — The pattern was eerily familiar. And déjà vu was the last thing Middleton’s girls’ volleyball team wanted Thursday night.

Twelve months ago, the Cardinals went to Waunakee for a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal. That night, the host Warriors won Games 1, 4 and 5 and ended Middleton’s season with a 3-2 win.

On Halloween night, Middleton was back in the exact same gym at the exact same point in the playoffs — a sectional semifinal. And amazingly, the first four games followed an identical pattern as the 2012 match did.

“We said in the locker room before the fifth game, ‘This can not be like last year,’ ” Cardinals sophomore outside hitter Logan Welti said. “We all remember that really well … and we tried to flush it out of our heads.”

They did — although there were plenty of harried moments.

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