April 2015

The Alzheimer’s Association Blondes vs. Brunettes flag football game will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at Keva Sports Center.

The two teams, divided based on the age-old rivalry between blondes and brunettes, aims to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease among a new generation.

Funds raised will benefit the care, support, advocacy and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. According to the Alzheimer's Association 2015 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women.

A volunteer event driven by young women, the first Blondes vs. Brunettes game was held in Washington D.C. in 2005. Since its inception, Blondes vs. Brunettes has expanded to more than 35 cities, including Boston, Buffalo, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York. Together, Blondes vs. Brunettes have raised more than $5 million in an effort to tackle Alzheimer’s disease. 

It’s called the Watertown Invitational.

But they might as well change the name of it to the Middleton Invite.

For the fourth straight year, the Cardinals cruised to the championship of the Watertown Invite last Friday. Middleton finished with 156 points and easily outdistanced runner-up Baraboo (125) to win the nine-team invitational.
“Baraboo gave us a good run for our money,” Middleton coach Isaac Mezera said. “But in the end we were just too deep for them.”

Middleton dominated up and down the lineup.

Nnamdi Okoli won the 100-meter dash in 11.1 seconds, while teammate Noah Meeteer was second (11.3). Okoli also won the 200-meter dash (22.9), while teammate Griffin Gussel was third (23.3).

Jack Radar won the 3,200-meter run (9:59.7) and Jack Jesse won the long jump (21-6 ½). Meeteer also won the pole vault (13-0).

Middleton’s girls softball team has designs on winning a Big Eight Conference championship this spring.

But if that’s going to happen, the Cardinals can’t stumble against mid-level teams inside the league.

The Cardinals did exactly what they were supposed to and rolled past Madison West, 8-2, last Tuesday. But Middleton stubbed its toe and dropped a 4-3 decision to Beloit Memorial last Thursday.

The Cardinals fell to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big Eight. Middleton is now fourth in the conference standings, but just one game behind league-leading Janesville Craig (6-1, 7-2).

“The loss to Beloit was extremely disappointing,” Middleton manager Cherie Hellenbrand said. “The hits just didn't fall in the gaps. We will move forward as a team, learn and grow from it.”

Middleton played extremely well in its win over Madison West.

Middleton’s girls soccer team had a wild week.

When the Cardinals’ string of five games had ended, they had gone 2-1-2 and were tied for first place in the Big Eight Conference. Middleton is now 5-2-3 overall and 3-0 in the league.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ busy week:

• Middleton 2, Verona 0 — Megan Sullivan scored in the 55^th minute and Grace Douglas added an insurance goal in the 83^rd minute as the Cardinals rolled past the host Wildcats last Tuesday.

“It took us a little while to figure out the speed because of the turf and because the field is so much bigger,” Middleton coach Mary Duffy said. “We moved Douglas into the center mid so that she could cover more ground offensively and defensively, which allowed us to squash any of Verona’s offensive movement.”

• Middleton 6, Madison East 0 — Macey Kalscheur scored two goals to power the Cardinals past the Purgolders last Thursday.