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December 2023

Thu
28
Dec
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Middleton’s best of 2023

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/28/2023 - 14:40

Middleton athletics have been a force for decades now. What happened in 2023, though, in unprecedented.

The Cardinals won four WIAA Division 1 state championships — in both boys and girls swimming, boys soccer and boys volleyball. That’s the most state titles the school has ever held at one time.

As the calendar turns, we rank the 12 most impressive achievements of the year (one for each month).

We’ll look at No. 7-12 this week and No. 1-6 next week.

 

7. Baseball team full of surprises

Of all the terrific Middleton baseball teams in recent years — and there have been plenty — this wasn’t the one expected to break the drought.

There was just one starter back from the 2022 team that reached the sectional semifinals. There were no proven commodities on the mound. And as skipper Brent Jorgensen examined his roster back in March, he was left with a bevy of questions and very few answers.

Thu
28
Dec
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Middleton rolls past Edgewood

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/28/2023 - 14:35

The parts are largely new.

Just one starter returned.

There are three key transfers gobbling up major minutes.

And role players from last season have become major contributors.

As Middleton’s new-look boys basketball team hit the holidays, though, the pieces are beginning to fit. And week by week, the Cardinals look scarier and scarier.

Middleton rolled past Madison Edgewood, 69-49, on Dec. 21, notching its fifth straight win of the young season. The Cardinals head to the break 6-1 and sit alone in third place in the Big Eight Conference at 4-1 — one game behind league-leading Sun Prairie West (5-0, 6-1).

“I feel like yeah, the pieces are definitely starting to fit,” said 6-foot-11 junior center Will Garlock. “We had a rough one against (Madison) Memorial to start the year (a 50-34 loss). That was kind of like a shock. But we’re starting to get things figured out.”

That’s for sure.

Thu
28
Dec
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Swimmers cruise past Sun Prairie East

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/28/2023 - 14:32

Middleton’s boys swimming team rolled past Sun Prairie East, 112-58, on Dec. 19.

“I am excited to see the work we can do during the Winter Break and have some time away from meets,” Middleton coach Wes Lagerhausen. “We will bring a fresh mindset coming back afterwards.”

The Cardinals’ 200-yard medley relay team of Max Carter, Sam Wolf, Cowan Vitense and Ben Cutler Heiderscheit was first, while the foursome of Anton Peters, Colin Gabert, Miles Wagener and Cahner Vitense was third.

Middleton’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Vitense, Peters, Jackson Esteves and Cutler Heiderscheit was first, while the quartet of Evan Myers, Christian Hoyer, Charles Larsen and Liam Mair was third.

The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Carter, Esteves, Wagener and Wolf was first, while the foursome of Cahner Vitense, Myers, Samuel Keith and Ben Vavilov was third.

Esteves won the 200-yard freestyle, while Wagener was second and Kyler Mahoney was third.

Wed
27
Dec

Week 52

Thu
21
Dec
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Garlock powers MHS past West

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:56

The University of Wisconsin has come calling.

So has Marquette, Virginia Tech, Penn State and others.

On Dec. 14, Will Garlock showed why he’s the apple of so many eyes.

Garlock, a junior 6-foot-11 junior center at Middleton, erupted for a career-high 30 points and powered the Cardinals past host Madison West, 80-70. Garlock made 14-of-18 shots from the field, scored 28 of his points in the lane and added 10 rebounds.

“For us Will was a mismatch all night long,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “We continually talk about the need for him to get touches and how the opportunities for others will grow because he draws so much attention and is a great passer when the double teams come.

“In general we want the ball to get into the paint over and over again no matter who is getting the ball. But (Garlock’s) ability to finish at a high level makes it even more important for our offensive success.”

Thu
21
Dec
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MHS gymnasts hope for big year

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:52

Middleton’s girls gymnastics team has high hopes this season.

And the Cardinals got their year off to a terrific start with a 120.9250-118.050 dual meet win over Madison Memorial on Dec. 14.

“This season, I have higher expectations for the girls than I did last season,” Middleton second-year coach Alexis Cairo said. “Not only that, but the girls are also holding themselves to higher expectations this season, too.

“Our team was very young last year, as the majority of the team were freshmen and sophomores. I was also a first year head coach. I truly think we were all trying to figure things out together. This year, we know what we're capable of. We're ready.

Thu
21
Dec
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MHS wrestlers fourth at Waterloo

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:50

Middleton’s wrestlers finished in fourth place at the eight-team Waterloo Duals on Dec. 15.

The Cardinals went 2-3 at the event, with wins over Oak Creek and Lakeside Lutheran, and losses to Waukesha West, Sun Prairie East/West and Cuba City.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s five matches:

 

Middleton defeated Oak Creek, 41-40

Thu
21
Dec
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Three football Cards named all-state

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:48

Middleton landed three players on the Associated Press All-State football team.

Offensive lineman K.J. Peterson and inside linebacker Sam Pilof were named second-team all-state. Senior quarterback Gabe Passini earned honorable-mention all-state honors.

Peterson, a two-year starter and captain, was named the Big Eight Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year this fall. Peterson was also named all-region and first-team all-state.

Peterson anchored an line that helped Middleton’s offense average 35.7 points and 335.0 yards per game.

Tim Simon, Middleton’s co-interim head coach in 2023, was thrilled with Peterson’s season.

“Smart, athletic, great football I.Q. and the lead communicator on our O-Line,” Simon said of Peterson. “He has great feet, great technique, and a great tenacity to finish his blocks. He was a leader of our O-Line and a coach on the field.”

Thu
21
Dec
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MHS swimmers win Beloit Invite

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:45

Middleton boys swimming coach Wes Lagerhausen wasn’t thrilled when his Cardinals finished second at the Brookfield Invite on Dec. 9.

Lagerhausen was much happier last Saturday.

Middleton won the 14-team Beloit Memorial Invite, finishing with 595 points. Verona was second at 538, while Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial (497.5), Badger co-op (445) and Beloit Memorial (187) rounded out the top five.

Overall, the Cardinals won nine of 16 events. Sam Wolf won both the 400 IM and 100 backstroke, while Middleton captured three of four relays.

“Beloit went really well,” Lagerhausen said. “It was exciting to see some of the details we have been working on in practice start to show up at this meet. I look forward to continuing this trend into winter break.”

Thu
21
Dec
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Hockey Cards fall to state powers

Submitted by MTT News on Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:45

Middleton hockey coach Dan Truehl believes you must schedule the best to eventually become the best.

The Cardinals did just that last week and lost a pair of games against two state powers.

Middleton dropped a 2-0 decision to host Madison Edgewood — the No. 1 team in the state — on Dec. 14.

The Cardinals then fell to Hudson, 5-1, in a game played at the Hudson Civic Center last Saturday. Hudson reached the state semifinals last season.

The Cardinals are now 5-4 overall this year and 3-1 in the Big Eight Conference.

“Obviously, we would’ve liked to win one or both of those matchups, but we’ll take every bit of experience out of those games and correct the things that we’ll need come February when the games determine when our season will end,” Truehl said. “When I took over three years ago, we couldn’t get these games. That’s a testament to the young men who have played the past three years, and this current team.

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