Middleton golfers headed back to state
Middleton boys golf coach Tom Cabalka has been part of several big wins while guiding one of the state’s elite programs.
Cabalka led Middleton to the 2011 WIAA Division 1 state championship. Cabalka and the Cardinals have seven top-five finishes at state since 2010.
So when Cabalka talks about Middleton’s championship at the Onalaska Championship on June 1 as one of the biggest of his career, you know it was a special day.
The Cardinals shot a blistering 153 on the back nine at La Crosse Country Club and won the sectional with a 316-team score. Madison Memorial was second with a 317 and earned the second spot at the state meet, which will be held Monday and Tuesday at Blackwolf Run in Kohler.
“I have to say that it is one of the biggest wins that I have been a part of,” Cabalka said afterwards. “I’m extremely proud of how this group has played under the pressure of our regional and sectional play.”
Middleton, which also won the Madison West Regional, qualified for state for the 23rd time in school history. The Cardinals will now take aim at the sixth state title in school history and their second under Cabalka.
This was undoubtedly one of the state’s toughest sectionals, with Middleton, Madison Memorial and Waunakee all in the top-8 in the latest Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin poll. Verona, Holmen and Onalaska all received top-10 votes, as well.
“Once again, our sectional was loaded with very good teams,” Cabalka said. “We needed to play our best golf of the season to move on, and we did.”
It wasn’t easy, though.
After nine holes, Madison Memorial led the field with a 160. Middleton and Waunakee were tied at 163, while Holmen shot 164 and Verona was at 166. But the Cardinals found another gear on the back nine, where they went 10 shots lower than the front and won the sectional.
“Our guys were a bit discouraged with their play on the front nine, but played some really great, gritty golf on the back nine,” Cabalka said. “La Crosse Country Club is a great golf course and it was set up to really challenge the players. The greens were firm and fast with a great deal of undulation in them. All our guys came up huge on the back nine.”
Middleton got terrific performances from up and down the lineup to win the sectional.
Senior Alec Sosnowski, the Cardinals’ No. 1 player, shot a pair of 38s and finished fourth individually with a 76. Sosnowski double bogeyed the first hole, then played the final 17 at 2-over-par.
Sophomore Dain Johnson struggled on the front nine with a 42. But Johnson turned things around on the back, where he shot a 1-over, 37 and finished with a 79 that was good for seventh place individually.
Junior Robby Warda, Middleton’s No. 5 golfer, fired a pair of 40s and finished ninth overall with an 80. Warda’s score was huge considering the Cardinals have lacked consistency at the bottom of their lineup throughout the year.
And sophomore Charlie Jambor recovered from a front nine 43 and posted a 38 on the back side. Jambor’s 81 was good for 10th place individually.
Meanwhile, Verona (326), Holmen (328) and Waunakee (331) couldn't keep up with the Cardinals.
“I knew we had a great back nine and played better than the competition,” Cabalka said. “But I had no idea where we stood after the front nine. It wasn’t until coach (Ken) Levin told me on 18th green that if Alec could two-putt on the final hole we would win our sectional.”
A huge reason the Cardinals are advancing is they avoided the “blow up” hole throughout the day.
When Middleton played La Crosse Country Club earlier in the year, it had 17 double bogeys and a quadruple bogey. This time, the Cardinals had just two double bogeys and nothing worse.
“Three things are very important to us that we stress every day: eliminating three-putts, eliminating double bogeys and greater and up-and-down saves around the green,” Cabalka said. “The guys did extremely well in all those categories.”
And now they’re headed back to state.
June 1
Onalaska Sectional
At La Crosse Country Club, par 72
Team scores: Middleton 316, Madison Memorial 317, Verona 326, Holmen 328, Waunakee 331, Onalaska 342, Tomah 372, Baraboo 379.
Top 10 individuals: 1. *Charlie Erlandson, MM, 73; 2. **Jack Zimmerman, V, 73; 3. **Brennan Dirks, H, 75; 4. Alec Sosnowski, Mid, 76; 5, **Max Brud, Waunakee, 77; 6. Ethan Williams, MM, 78; 7. Dain Johnson, Mid, and Brady Piazza, W, 79; 9, Robby Warda, Mid, 80; 10. Charlie Jambor, Mid, Jackson Rhoades, H, and Max Breiling, O, 81.
Middleton scores — Alec Sosnowski 38-38 — 76; Dain Johnson 42-37 — 79; Robby Warda 40-40 — 80; Charlie Jambor 43-38 — 81.
* — won playoff
** — Denotes Individual Qualifier
