February 2015

It certainly hasn’t been the easiest of years for Middleton’s boys swimming and diving team.

First-year coach Sam Niesen has pushed the Cardinals harder than any time in years. Middleton’s training habits have been intensified.

For many, it’s been a tough change.

But it’s all beginning to pay off.

Middleton had a sensational day at its own sectional last Saturday. And the Cardinals qualified 10 individuals, three relay teams and two divers for the state meet.

“I think sectionals went very well,” Middleton senior Rory Slattery said. “We've all worked so hard this season, and it's great to be able too see all of it pay off.”

Four-time defending state champion Madison Memorial won the 12-team sectional with 426 points. Madison West was second (345), while Middleton (294), Sun Prairie (215) and Verona/Mount Horeb (193.5) rounded out the top five.

There were no surprises at this year’s postseason seeding meeting. Nothing shocking or astonishing.

And that was just fine with Middleton girls basketball coach Jeff Kind.

The Cardinals received the No. 3 seed in their sectional and host 14^th-seeded Madison West Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in a regional semifinal. If the Cardinals win there, they’d host either No. 6 Oconomowoc or 11^th-seeded Burlington on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in a regional final.

Janesville Craig and Verona received the top two seeds in the sectional, while Janesville Parker and Kenosha Tremper were seeded fourth and fifth, respectively. If the Cardinals advance through regionals, those are the teams that would most likely be waiting in sectionals.

“We were clearly the three (seed) going in and the whole thing shook out pretty much as expected,” Kind said. “There were a few appeals, but none were upheld.

Kevin Bavery could only scratch his head afterwards and wonder what could have been.

Middleton’s boys basketball coach had just watched his team fall short of a golden opportunity to take control of the Big Eight Conference race.

Instead, it was Madison Memorial that got to enjoy the spoils after rallying in the final minutes to stun the host Cardinals, 49-40, in a Big Eight Conference showdown before a packed house Thursday.

“I’m proud of how hard we played,” Bavery said. “But down the stretch, we lost our mental focus.”

The Spartans trailed by 10 points late in the third period, but outscored the Cardinals 27-9 in the fourth period.

“We’re really disappointed because we know we could have won and we should have won,” said Cardinals senior forward Ian Hokanson.

With its 12^th consecutive league victory, Memorial took over sole possession of first place in the Big Eight with a 12-3 mark (14-5 overall).

This article marks the start of a new Middleton Times-Tribune series profiling local eateries. While Middleton is by no means a large city, the dining options here rival those in much bigger urban hubs. Citizens can taste recipes from across the globe without leaving their area code. The series begins with a trip to Dhaba Indian Bistro, which opened three years ago and is thriving today.

When Dhaba Indian Bistro opened at 8333 Greenway Blvd. back in 2012, it was an immediate hit with area diners. This locally owned eatery boasts a wide array of dishes from northern India. (Proprietor Sumanjit Singh grew up in Punjab.)

Samosas, which are spicy turnovers filled with vegetables and cheese or spice and lamb. Seventeen types of Indian breads, ranging from ginger naan to whole wheat roti. Chicken, beef, lamb and goat curries, along with seafood and an abundance of lentils, eggplant, spinach and other vegetable dishes round out the menu.