August 2025

Soon-to-be Middleton High School senior Griffin Schumacher, 17, has always felt at home on the water. Whether paddling the quiet bends of the Wisconsin River or navigating the choppier waves of Lake Mendota, his connection to Wisconsin’s waterways runs deep—and now, it’s fueling a mission.

Casual viewers of the Aug. 5 council meeting may have thought something strange was brewing when the president of Middleton’s Capital Brewery backed a plan to bring B-Cycle to Middleton — but the results will be tasty for bicycle rental enthusiasts.

Joe Poehls — a self-described “man of few words” — won’t say I told you so.

But deep down, Poehls knew.

As many wondered if Middleton’s football team was making the right call naming Joey Passaglia its starting quarterback in 2024, Poehls sat back with a quiet confidence that was proven correct over the next 11 games.

“We had a lot of belief in Joey,” said Poehls, Middleton’s co-head coach. “I know he was unproven at this time last year, but we had a pretty good feeling.”

That feeling was certainly proven correct.

And today, Middleton heads into its new season — one that begins with a trip to defending WIAA Division 1 state champion Bay Port on Thursday — with one of the top quarterbacks in the state.

Passaglia had a magnificent junior season, throwing 32 touchdown passes, just nine interceptions and finishing with a quarterback rating of 102.2 for a team that went 7-4 overall.

Good things come to those who wait.

Caden Gmur bided his time as he sat and watched top-seeded Middleton and second-seeded Ashton play to a 2-2 tie in regulation and head for extra innings in the Home Talent League’s Northern Section championship Sunday.

Then it was Gmur’s turn to shine.

The right-hander tossed two shutout innings in relief and led off the bottom of the 11^th inning with a double to fire up the host 29ers.

After Gmur moved to third base on a wild pitch, shortstop Hayden Hellenbrand played hero.

Hellenbrand beat out a two-out, ground ball to short and Gmur raced home with the winning run as Middleton rallied for a 3-2 win over Ashton in 11 innings at Sorenson-Bakken Field.