You are here

Home › Sports › Girls basketball team making gains ›

February 2022

Thu
17
Feb
MTT News's picture

MHS falls to Brookfield Central

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 10:45

BROOKFIELD — The postseason doesn't begin for two more weeks.

Inside Brookfield Central High School last Saturday night, though, it felt like a sectional final was taking place.

Middleton and the host Lancers — two of the state’s elite programs — went blow for blow all night long. Central used a late 18-4 run, though, to pull away and post a 65-55 win.

Andrew Rohde — a 6-foot-7 senior wing and the frontrunner for Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball — was remarkable for the Lancers (16-5) with 40 points and eight steals. Rohde had 24 of his points in the second half, shot 12-of-23 from the field and knocked down five 3-pointers.

“We knew he was going to come out and score,” Middleton senior guard Logan Raffel said of Rohde. “We were hoping he might have an off night and miss some shots, but he did what he does. That’s why he’s frontrunner for Wisconsin Mr. Basketball. That makes sense.”

Thu
17
Feb
MTT News's picture

Hockey Cards set for the postseason

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 10:42

Middleton’s hockey team finished the regular season by splitting its final two games.

Now, the Cardinals can focus on the postseason.

Middleton fell to Madison Edgewood, 8-0, on Feb. 8. The Cardinals rebounded with a 9-0 win over Stoughton on Feb. 11.

Now, Middleton turns its attention to the postseason.

The sixth-seeded Cardinals opened the playoffs by hosting 11th-seeded La Crosse Aquinas Tuesday night. If Middleton prevailed there, it would either travel to third-seeded Verona or host 14th seeded Madison La Follette/East either Thursday or Friday.

Middleton’s final two games of the regular season were about as opposite as two contests could be.

Edgewood scored four first period goals and rolled past the Cardinals, 8-0. Middleton rebounded, though, with an impressive outing against Stoughton.

Thu
17
Feb
MTT News's picture

Middleton girls land No. 14 seed

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 10:40

This certainly isn’t where Middleton’s girls basketball team hoped to land.

But now that the Cardinals have learned their postseason path is remarkably daunting, they’ll do everything they can to shock the world.

Middleton received the No. 14 seed in its sectional and begins postseason play at third-seeded Sun Prairie in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal Feb. 25. That game will be at Sun Prairie High School beginning at 7 p.m.

If Middleton somehow upsets Sun Prairie, it would face either sixth-seeded Watertown or 11th-seeded Milwaukee Pulaski in a regional final on Feb 26.

The sectional semifinals and finals are March 3 and March 5.

For the first time ever, seeds were determined by computers — not humans. And many of the results had coaches across the state dazed and confused.

Thu
17
Feb
MTT News's picture

MHS wrestlers shine at regionals

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 02/17/2022 - 10:34

Middleton’s wrestlers enjoyed a terrific day at the Waunakee Regional.

The Cardinals crowned three regional champions and has six individuals advance to Sun Prairie’s Sectional.

Middleton’s Jonah Dennis won a title at 113 pounds, while Seth Howald (126) and Bryce Falk (170) also won championships.

In addition, Reese Miller was third at 120, Walker Hargrove was third at 132 and Elijah Vance was third at 138. That trio all advanced to sectionals, as well.

Beaver Dam/Wayland Academy won the eight-team regional with 204.0 points. Watertown was second (175.5), while Middleton (145), Sun Prairie (140) and Waunakee (125) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s day:

113 — Jonah Dennis (25-1) placed 1st and scored 25.0 team points.

Sun
13
Feb

MTT 06-22

Fri
11
Feb
MTT News's picture

Coaches unsure about seeding format

Submitted by MTT News on Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:49

There were coaches that loved trying to “sell” their teams to the crowd and earn a higher seed.

Others strongly disliked the “salesmanship” that was involved.

Some felt the voting was done fairly and with integrity. Others believed some coaches tried maneuvering positions to benefit their team.

Regardless, the days of coaches voting on the seeds for the WIAA postseason basketball tournament are over. For the first time ever, the seeds in each sectional will be determined by computers.

The girls tournament will be seeded this weekend, while the boys will be seeded on Feb. 19-20.

And as coaches enter this new world, their feelings seem to range from cynical to apprehensive to optimistic.

Fri
11
Feb
MTT News's picture

Madison West stuns Middleton

Submitted by MTT News on Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:46

Kevin Bavery and his boys basketball staff were recently lamenting their fortune — or lack thereof — in close games.

Nailbiters have been the Cardinals’ bugaboo this season, and that didn't change last Friday.

Madison West’s Marcus Gordon corralled a loose ball and drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key as time expired to lift the Regents past the host Cardinals, 65-62.

It was a devastating loss for Middleton, which dropped to 12-6 overall and fell out of first place in the Big Eight Conference at 10-3. The Cardinals’ six losses are by an average of 2.83 points per game.

West, which sits in ninth place in the conference, improved to 6-10, 5-9.

“A made or missed shot or free throw late is what draws everyone's attention,” Bavery said. “But every coach will tell their team the turnover on the first possession of the game, the missed blockout, the block call instead of drawing the charge … and so on are the differences in close games.

Fri
11
Feb
MTT News's picture

Wrestlers shine at Big 8 meet

Submitted by MTT News on Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:44

The postseason prep wrestling tournament run began with a flourish last Saturday with the Middleton Cardinals crowning four Big Eight Conference individual champions on the way to a third-place finish in the team standings.

Middleton first-year coach Joe Miller couldn’t have asked for a better debut for his squad, which finished fifth in the dual-meet conference standings, but has larger aspirations on the tournament trail.

“It was a good day, seven total champs four on varsity and on three JV,” Miller said. “Jonah (Dennis) got us going at 113 and Walker (Hargrove) won his first title at 132. We then went back-to-back at 160 and 170 with Gavin Gall and Bryce Falk. It was a great way to finish.”

Janesville Parker won the conference tournament title with 202 points and had one individual champion in sophomore Cayden Brandenburg at 145 pounds.

Fri
11
Feb
MTT News's picture

Hockey Cards earn No. 6 seed

Submitted by MTT News on Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:42

Middleton’s hockey team received the No. 6 seed in its sectional.

The Cardinals will host 11th-seeded La Crosse Aquinas in a regional semifinal Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. If Middleton wins there, it will either travel to third-seeded Verona or host 14th-seeded Madison La Follette/East on either Feb. 17 or 18.

The sectional semifinals are Feb. 22 and the sectional finals are Feb. 25 or Feb. 26.

“Naturally, you want to be the highest seed that you possibly can,” Middleton coach Dan Truehl said. “That said, we know that regardless of seed we’re going to have to beat the best in the area to go to state. The team is excited to finish our regular season this week before switching our focus to the playoffs.”

Fri
11
Feb
MTT News's picture

Girls basketball team making gains

Submitted by MTT News on Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:40

Last week was a breath of fresh air for the Middleton girls’ basketball team.

After losing six of seven games, including two in a row, the Cardinals opened the week with a 63-21 pounding of host Madison West before giving visiting Verona all it could handle last Saturday night.

Although Middleton dropped a 49-40 decision to the Wildcats, the Cardinals continued to make progress in all phases of the game.

“At halftime, we talked about how we know we can hang with these teams,” said Middleton senior wing McKenna Monogue, who paced the Cardinals with 11 points against Verona. “We know we can hang with Verona, (Janesville) Craig and (Madison) La Follette. We’re a good team, we just have to do the little things.”

That includes coming out strong on the opening tip, taking better care of the basketball and improved shooting from the floor and at the free throw line.

Pages