September 2015

Tue
08
Sep
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Cardinals are off and running

There will be no rebuilding.

Without question, this will be a year of reloading for Middleton’s girls cross country team.

The Cardinals proved that at last Saturday’s Verona Invitational, finishing second among 26 teams.

Sun Prairie won the meet with 93 points, while Middleton was second (111). Madison Memorial (122), Madison West (123) and La Crosse Aquinas (240) rounded out the top five.

Middleton’s boys finished fourth among 25 teams.

“Finishing second at Verona sets a positive tone for the season,” Middleton co-coach Isaac Mezera said. “With the depth and work ethic this team has, we'll shoot to move the whole pack forward week by week. If that happens, we could be looking at turning some heads come conference and sectional time.”

Cardinals senior Sam Valentine was second overall, finishing the 4,000-meter race in 19 minutes, 19 seconds.

Tue
08
Sep
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Uneven start for soccer Cards

It wasn’t the start they hoped for.

But there were several things for Middleton’s boys soccer team to build upon.

The Cardinals dropped two of their first three games last week.

Middleton defeated Mount Horeb, 2-0, in its season opener last Thursday. But the Cardinals then fell to Neenah, 5-3, and to Hartland Arrowhead, 4-1, at the Arrowhead Quad last weekend.

“I don't like Middleton teams to give up nine goals in two games,” Middleton coach Ben Kollasch said. “We played well at times and showed how quickly we can score. It was really hot for these days and we can’t use that as an excuse for giving up that many goals. Some very good things came out of this weekend.”

Plenty of good came out of Middleton’s win over Mount Horeb.

Sophomore forward Drake Vandermause scored a pair of second half goals and the Cardinals pulled away from the gritty, gutty Vikings.

Tue
08
Sep
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Middleton swimmers dunk East

Middleton’s girls swimming team improved to 2-0 in the Big Eight Conference with a 137-31 rout of Madison East last Friday.

“This was our first away meet of the season, which can always be difficult to prepare for,” Cardinals coach Lauren Cabalka said. “Swimming at a pool that is not familiar can bring additional challenges — different blocks, different walls and a crowd that isn’t your own. I thought the girls set some good goals for this meet and remained focused all week leading up to the meet.”

Middleton’s quartet of sophomore Caroline Hippen, freshman Emily Keebler, junior Tryn Peterson and freshman Cora Mack won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:55.65.

The foursome of Mack, sophomore Chiara Pierobon-Mays, Peterson and freshman Hannah Aegerter won the 200-yard freestyle (1:42.38). And the quartet of senior Samantha Roll, Pierobon-Mays, Hippen and Aegerter won the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:43.09).

Tue
08
Sep
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Girls spikers 3rd at Mukwonago Invite

There is work to be done.

Lots of it.

But Middleton’s girls volleyball team has also shown many signs of promise to begin its season.

The Cardinals won their Big Eight Conference opener over Janesville Parker last Tuesday. Middleton then finished third at the Mukwonago Invite last Saturday.

“We are still trying to get our offense on track,” Middleton coach Franco Marcos said. “The start of the season is going the way I envisioned it. The timing between our hitters and setters is not quite there yet.”

The Cardinals had an impressive showing against Parker, rolling to a 25-20, 25-10, 25-13 win. 

Lily Welti had seven kills, five digs and two aces, while Mimi McMurray had 11 assists and two aces. Logan Welti added 10 kills, five digs and two aces, Elizabeth Keller had 19 assists and Meghan Bayer had eight kills and three blocks.

Tue
08
Sep
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Girls tennis team leads Big Eight

Middleton’s girls tennis team sits atop the Big Eight Conference following two more wins last week.

The Cardinals rolled past Madison La Follette, 7-0, last Tuesday. Middleton also defeated Sun Prairie, 4-3, last Thursday.

Cardinals freshman Michelle Chi rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles against the Lancers, while sophomore Kai Heineman notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 2. Junior Elizabeth Boettinger rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles, while junior Ally Hujanen posted a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 4.

In doubles play, seniors Kaisey Skibba and Abbey Webber rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 1, while freshman Maddie Clark and senior Lauren Coons posted a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2. Senior Amanda Huff and junior Jessica Wang also notched a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles.

In Middleton’s win over Sun Prairie, it notched wins at all three doubles flights and Hujanen posted a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles.

Tue
08
Sep
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Boys spikers start strong

Middleton’s boys volleyball team began its season with 25-12, 25-15, 25-19 win over Madison La Follette last Thursday.

Senior outside hitter Kevin McMahon led the Cardinals with nine kills, while senior setter Matt Caamal had 18 assists. Senior outside hitter Jacob Ross had four aces, senior Kyle Bradley-Bartleson had four digs and the trio of Blake Sprecher, Cole Spitler and Caamal all had two blocks.

“The gym was pretty hot and we got sluggish as the night rolled on,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “But we took care of business.”

Middleton raced to leads of 8-0 and 10-1 in the first game and rolled to an easy win. Sprecher was terrific serving, while Spitler and McMahon had big games, as well.

“We started out fast in Games 1 and 2 and got a lot of players playing time,” White said.  

Middleton fell behind in Game 2, 3-0. The Cardinals then rolled off eight straight points and cruised to an easy win.

Tue
01
Sep
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Boys spikers have high hopes

Ben White is one of the state’s best teachers of boys volleyball — both on and off the court.

White’s has led Middleton to the state tournament six times since 2006, guided the Cardinals to their only victories ever at state, and helped MHS win eight of the last nine Big Eight Conference titles.

White is always looking for ways to motivate his team, as well. And earlier this summer, he stumbled upon a passage he felt would resonate with his team.

“I read this great quote that said, ‘You can’t get to the top of the ladder in one step, but you can get to the bottom in one step,’ ” said White, whose team opens the season Thursday when it hosts Madison La Follette. “So we have to take a very simple approach and take the season step by step. If we do that hopefully we can reach some of the goals we set together.”

As always, the goals are sky high. Middleton returns a talented bunch, and has another batch of gifted players waiting in the wings.

Tue
01
Sep
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Middleton sneaks past Verona

With a number of talented new faces in the starting lineup, it figures to be awhile before Middleton’s defense reaches its full potential this season.

But after Friday’s performance, that could be a scary thought for Cardinals’ opponents.

Playing in just the second game of the season, Middleton’s defense completely stymied Verona’s formidable offense en route to a 7-3 victory in a Big Eight Conference showdown.

“It was a great team effort more than anything else,” Middleton defensive coordinator Tom Cabalka said. “They got us early with that field goal, but it was a great stand allowing only three points. And our offense did just enough to give us some rest and keep us going. Just a tremendous effort by all of our kids. Offensively, defensively, we were just real happy to come away with a win.”

Playing in a steady downpour, the Cardinals’ defense thrived, holding Verona to just 119 total yards of offense.

Tue
01
Sep
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Boys XC team thinking big

State title.

Middleton’s boys cross country team certainly understands those are just words. Nothing more, nothing less at this point in the season.

But truthfully, there are no more than a handful of teams in Wisconsin capable of bringing a coveted WIAA Division 1 state championship back to their school. And Middleton is undoubtedly one of those teams.

The Cardinals finished sixth at state a year ago. Now, Middleton returns four of its top-seven runners and welcomes track and field standout Perrin Hagge to the team.

With a deep and extremely gifted roster, anything and everything seems possible.

Tue
01
Sep
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Girls XC team looks to reload

Five gifted seniors are gone.

Several talented newcomers are ready to step in.

It’s a year of many unknowns for Middleton’s girls cross country team. But it’s also a year packed with great promise.

“Our first expectation would be for continual improvement throughout the season,” said Middleton co-coach Cindy Bremser, whose team opens the season at the Verona Invite Saturday. “If this happens from top to bottom we will be completive at all levels. 

“Our girls are hard workers and believe in our system, which will only contribute to our success. Many of these girls have worked hard and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Middleton, which fell one point shy of qualifying for state last year, should be in the hunt for a state berth once again.

Senior Sam Valentine is the Cardinals’ top returnee. Valentine ran at state as both a freshman and sophomore, then was slowed by a stress fracture last fall.

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