Sports

When you saw them last, Middleton’s girls golf team was doing what they do virtually every fall.

Chase a state championship.

The Cardinals had a memorable two-day performance at University Ridge and finished second at the WIAA Division 1 state meet. That marked the ninth time in Becky Halverson’s 10 years as Middleton’s coach that her Cardinals had a top-three finish at state.

Barring anything unforeseen, it should be more of the same this season.

Middleton returns four of its top six players from that team, including senior Vivian Cressman, who figures to be one of the state’s elite players. Halverson’s deep program always has potential contributors waiting in the wings.

And if everything goes according to plan, Middleton should be back in the state title hunt once again.

The Grateful Dead probably said it best

What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been.

That’s certainly how Middleton co-football coaches Tim Simon and Joe Poehls, and the rest of the Cardinals have felt since the 2022 season ended.

The past nine months have felt like nine years — or maybe 90.

But the Cardinals were back at it Tuesday morning — and again that afternoon — as the 2023 campaign began.

In the rearview mirror was a bullying scandal, a coaching change and more drama than any show you’ll find on Netflix.

In front of these Cardinals is a clean slate, a fresh start and the hope that comes with a new season.

“We all know the truth and we all love each other and everyone treats each other good,” said Middleton senior outside linebacker Sam Pilof, a Rutgers recruit. “So it was just really good to get out here and compete. It was good. It just felt really, really good.”

Middleton boys volleyball player Ambrose Engling was highly recruited heading into his upcoming senior season from schools like Princeton, USC, and UC-San Diego.

Engling eventually chose Princeton, and one reason is he loved the culture.

“It started around my U-16 year, and it picked up quickly,” Engling said recently. “The process of me starting to be recruited to committing to Princeton took less than a year.”

Engling is coming off a terrific junior season in which he was named first-team all-Eight Conference after leading Middleton in kills (233) and posting a kill percentage of .376. Engling also tied for the team lead in aces (45), was second in blocks (37) and fourth in digs (59).

Engling helped lead Middleton to the state tournament, where he posted a match-high 21 kills against eventual state champion Waukesha Catholic Memorial.

ASHTON – It has been a changing of the guard this season for the Middleton 29ers, like many other teams in the Home Talent League.

Despite numerous roster changes, an infusion of new, young talent has bolstered the 29ers, who have remained one of the elite programs in the Northern Section.

When they needed him most, though, veteran ace right-hander Drew Farrell brought his ‘A’ game in tossing a complete-game, eight-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over host Ashton last Sunday.

Middleton’s victory in the Northern Section Eastern Division regular-season finale secured the No. 2 seed for the 29ers in the HTL playoffs, which begin on Sunday. The 29ers, who finished the regular season 11-2, will host seventh-seeded Wisconsin Dells (6-7) at 1 p.m.

Brad Rogeberg got the outcome he was longing for.

When that goes into effect, though, remains a mystery.

Rogeberg lost his job as the head strength and conditioning coordinator at Middleton High School and as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator following the bullying scandal inside Middleton’s football program last season.

After a July 12 meeting, though, with superintendent Dana Monogue, principal Peg Shoemaker and athletic director Jamie Sims, Rogeberg was told he’ll be reinstated as the strength and conditioning coordinator.

“I’m really excited,” Rogeberg said Monday. “I’m just really looking forward to getting back to what I enjoy.”

While Rogeberg was giddy to get his weight room job back, it’s unclear when that will happen.

The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Communications Department issued a statement saying that while Rogeberg will eventually return to his prior duties, it’s uncertain when that will be.

As sports have grown and intensified over the past generation, the offseason can be almost as arduous as the regular season.

For Rob Kleinschmidt, those demands have led to change inside Middleton’s boys volleyball program.

Kleinschmidt, the Cardinals’ head coach since 2020, recently stepped down from that position and will become Middleton’s lead assistant. On the flip side, Dylan Griffith — a 2019 MHS graduate and a four-year assistant with the program — moves from the top assistant position to the Cardinals’ head coach.

“I've been head coach on several different levels and know what is required to be the head coach and leader of a program,” Kleinschmidt said. “It is a lot of work, both in-season and out-of-season. 

It was a tumultuous year inside Middleton’s athletic department.

There was a bullying scandal in the football program. The legendary Dave Miller, an assistant wrestling coach, and tennis coach Henry Johnson were fired by athletic director Jamie Sims in a pair of head scratching moves.

Along the way, Sims, superintendent Dana Monogue and principal Peg Shoemaker drew the ire of many in the community for the multiple firings and their lack of transparency. The once-proud football program also had multiple candidates turn down the vacant coaching position after Jason Pertzborn resigned in January.

Amazingly, all this drama did nothing to slow the Cardinal Train. Instead, Middleton did what it typically does — win and win big.

The Cardinals enjoyed success from August to June, capturing conference titles, sectional crowns and state championships along the way.

Each year, the Times-Tribune picks the best of the best.

BLACK EARTH – The Home Talent League took a page this season from Major League Baseball by adopting an extra-inning ‘ghost runner’ rule to help speed up the game.

Second baseman Keegan Fleischman took advantage of the rule change to drive in the eventual game-winning run with a lead-off double in the top of the 10^th inning as Ashton rolled to a 7-2 victory over host Black Earth in an HTL Northern Section Eastern Division game at Jerry Barsness Field on Sunday.

“We had a conversation with the umpires, me and Derrick (Rothwell) right before the inning started,” center fielder/co-manager Logan Ziegler said. “Runner on second, is there anyone out?  Is there a count? I used to play travel ball where you had one out, a 1-1 count, and a runner on second. But they said they were pretty much copying MLB rules. So it was runner on second, no one out.”

Ashton (9-2), though, didn’t need the help.

The battle for supremacy inside the Northern Section’s East Division has been intense all season. Things got even crazier Sunday when divisional leaders Middleton and Waunakee squared off.

When the dust settled, Middleton stayed atop the division, while Waunakee slipped back to the pack.

Middleton’s Brennan Schmitt had a walk-off, 10^th-inning single that scored Hunter Bindl and gave the host 29ers a 9-8 win. Middleton improved to 9-2 and stayed tied with Ashton atop the division, while Waunakee fell to 8-3.

“It was a good, team victory against a really good Waunakee team,” Middleton player/manager Jacob Ross said.

Middleton pounded out 12 hits, drew six walks and had three batters hit with pitches. Schmitt led the 29ers with three hits, two walks and the game-winner.

“We got contributions from the entire lineup,” Ross said.

It was a tumultuous year inside Middleton’s athletic department.

There was a bullying scandal in the football program. The legendary Dave Miller, an assistant wrestling coach, and tennis coach Henry Johnson were fired by athletic director Jamie Sims in a pair of head scratching moves.

Along the way, Sims, superintendent Dana Monogue and principal Peg Shoemaker drew the ire of many in the community for the multiple firings and their lack of transparency. The once-proud football program also had multiple candidates turn down the vacant coaching position after Jason Pertzborn resigned in January.

Amazingly, all this drama did nothing to slow the Cardinal Train. Instead, Middleton did what it typically does — win and win big.

The Cardinals enjoyed success from August to June, capturing conference titles, sectional crowns and state championships along the way.

Each year, the Times-Tribune picks the best of the best.