Sports

Middleton’s girls swimming team won its own invitational last Saturday.

The Cardinals finished with 354 points and edged Verona/Mount Horeb (342). Madison West (326), Madison Memorial (316) and Sun Prairie (292) rounded out the top-five at the 11-team invite.

“Our goal for this meet was to have fun with a different meet format,” Cardinals coach Lauren Cabalka said. “It is a time of the season when ‘fun’ isn't always happening during practice, and meets like this provide an opportunity for us to come together as a team in a different way. 

“Every event was a relay, which makes the focus 100% on the team rather than on individual performances. The girls swam very well. Once again, we displayed strength in areas where we typically have not.”

​Middleton’s 800-yard freestyle relay team of freshman Hannah Aegerter, senior Samantha Roll, freshman Cora Mack and sophomore Caroline Hippen was first in 7:52.64.

It’s already been a memorable year for Middleton girls cross country standout Sam Valentine.

And last Saturday, Valentine added another chapter to her story at the star-studded Stoughton Invite.

Valentine won the meet by finishing the 5,000-meter course in 18 minutes, 37 seconds. Valentine’s big day helped Middleton finish second at the 13-team invite.

“Sam Valentine continues to be the top athlete on our team, but also able to compete with the top athletes in the state,” said Middleton coach Cindy Bremser. “She won the race with her strength and pulling away after the second mile.”

Appleton North won the girls title with just 29 points, while Middleton was second at 70. Sun Prairie (94), Stoughton (126) and Waunakee (165) rounded out the top five.

There were no moral victories.

Middleton’s boys volleyball program is well past that stage.

Instead, the Cardinals left their own invite Saturday both frustrated and agitated. Middleton dropped three of four matches and is still looking for ways to get over that proverbial hump.

“If you are an extreme optimist you’ll say you were so close and proved you were right there with the top teams,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “But truthfully, at this point we should be done being right there and instead should be beating the top teams. 

“Last year we all knew where the set was going with the match on the line. Right now we don’t have the closer. Someone needs to want to be Trevor Hoffman, have “Hells Bells” playing in their head and say ‘give me the ball.’ ” 

Kimberly defeated Middleton, 23-22, 14-25, 15-11, in the opening match of the day.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team finished fourth at last Saturday’s Menomonee Falls Invite.

The Cardinals opened the day with a 25-21, 25-9 win over Bayport. Logan Welti had seven kills and seven digs, Elizabeth Keller had two aces and 10 assists, and Lily Welti had six kills.

“We started a little slow and changed gears as the match went on,” Middleton coach Franco Marcos said.

The Cardinals then defeated Kettle Moraine Lutheran, 22-25, 25-15, 15-10. Lily Welti had nine kills, Jessi Nonn had three aces, while Logan Welti had five kills and two aces. Keller added two aces and 25 assists, Meghan Bayer had seven kills, and both Gabie Buechner and Molly Zeinemann had four kills.

Middleton then finished pool play with a 25-20, 28-26 loss to Greendale.

Lily Welti had eight kills, Logan Welti had five kills and Bayer had four kills. Mimi McMurray added 10 assists and Nonn had two aces.

The Big Eight Conference boys soccer title will be decided in the next week.

And Middleton’s surprising group is still happily operating from the drivers seat.

Middleton notched three critical wins last week — two inside the conference and one outside the league. The Cardinals improved to 5-0-1 in the Big Eight and 9-2-1 overall.

Middleton holds a slim lead over second place Madison West (4-0-1, 10-1-2) and the teams met Tuesday for first place in the league. The Cardinals also travel to third place Beloit Memorial (3-2-1, 16-3-1) Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

“This is a critical point in the Big Eight Conference,” Middleton coach Ben Kollasch said. “The next two games should essentially determine the winner of the Big Eight. We have shown we have what it takes to earn big wins. Now we just have to keep getting the job done.”

Middleton certainly got the job done last week.

It’s been said timing is everything.

Payton Hodson — and Middleton’s girls golf team — most certainly agree.

Hodson, a sophomore, shot a season-best 79 last Wednesday. And that helped the Cardinals win the WIAA Division 1 Portage Regional.

Middleton posted a 324-team score, while Verona was second at 325.

“Payton Hodson really stole the show,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “To have a number five spot come in with a score in the 70’s is amazing. I am so proud of her.” 

Senior Loren Skibba led Middleton with a 76, which was good for second individually. Junior Alexis Thomas added an 82 and was fifth, while junior Morgan Miles shot an 87 and tied for seventh.

But Hodson — who plays in the No. 5 position — was the star on this day.

Hodson made three birdies, stayed out of trouble, and went 40-39 during her memorable performance. Hodson also tied for third individually.

Forget about the past and focus on the present.

After tasting defeat for the first time against Madison Memorial last week, Middleton’s football team effectively turned the page and grinded out a 27-14 Big Eight Conference victory over Madison West last Friday.

“Inside you could tell people weren’t over that loss,” said Cardinals junior defensive back C.J. Fermanich. “I don’t think we should have lost that game and everybody really wanted to come back and get this win especially with Homecoming and just make it all feel better. I think it did.”

Cardinals senior wideout Mitch Bacon agreed.

“We knew we had to move on right away and move on to this game so that’s what we did,” Bacon said. “Obviously, this showed that we didn’t think about it too much.”

As the ball hung in the air, Middleton girls golf coach Becky Halverson turned to standout junior Alexis Thomas.

Almost in prophetic fashion, White said, “That looks really good. Be good.”

It was.
Thomas holed a 52-degree wedge from 95 yards out for an eagle on the 11^th hole at the Big Eight Conference tournament last Thursday. That shot helped Thomas capture medalist honors and sparked the Cardinals to a conference title in a meet held at Evansville Golf Course.

Thomas shot a 1-over-par 73 to win the individual title, while teammate Loren Skibba shot a 76 and finished second.

That dynamic duo helped Middleton post a 323-team score, 10 shots better than runner-up Verona (333).

The Wildcats won the conference tournament a year ago, so Middleton was thrilled to reclaim the crown.

They’ve put themselves in a position they desired.

Now, Middleton’s boys soccer team will try finishing what it started.

The Cardinals lead the Big Eight Conference with a 3-0-1 league mark and are 7-2-1 overall. With the meat of the conference schedule ahead, Middleton will try capturing a Big Eight title.

“We have players contributing in unexpected ways and in unexpected roles and they are still thriving,” Middleton coach Ben Kollasch said. “This team, so far, has epitomized the theory that Middleton never rebuilds, just reloads.”

Middleton notched a 4-1 win over Madison La Follette last Tuesday and a 2-0 win over Eau Claire Memorial last Saturday. In between, the Cardinals completed a previously suspended game against Madison East and rallied for a 2-2 tie with the Purgolders.

Now comes the daunting part of Middleton’s schedule.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team lead the Big Eight Conference.

And the Cardinals are showing no signs of letting anyone into the race.

Middleton cruised past traditional power Madison Memorial, 120-50, last Friday. The Cardinals are now 6-0 in the league with only three conference meets remaining.

“This was another solid meet for the team,” Middleton coach Lauren Cabalka said. “Every week, we review what went well in the previous week and where we have room to improve and the girls were incredibly focused on continuing to perform at a high level. 

“Practices are getting more intense and physical and mental exhaustion is certainly setting in, so it is getting more and more difficult to perform at a high level consistently. I have been very impressed with the girls’ ability to defy tired bodies and minds and show improvement every week.”

Middleton swept all three relay events.