Sports

MADISON — Perhaps nothing in football displays toughness, grit and strength quite like the 4-minute offense.

The offensive team tries running out the clock, typically by pounding the ball. The opposing defense almost always knows what’s coming.

So it’s mano a mano, may be the best man win.

On Sept. 4, with its season at a tipping point, Middleton’s football team won the 4-minute battle — and the war — with host Madison Memorial.

The Cardinals grinded out the final 5 minutes, 52 seconds, made sure the surging Spartans didn’t touch the ball again and left Mansfield Stadium with a thrilling 28-20 victory.

Middleton, desperate for a win after dropping its first two games of the season, improved to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Eight Conference. Memorial fell to 1-2, 0-1.

Middleton boys cross country coach Brian Finnel felt he had the makings of a terrific team this fall.

Believing is one thing. Having it come to fruition is another.

In the case of the Cardinals’ runners, though, it appears Finnel was spot on.

Middleton went to the Arrowhead Night Classic on Aug. 29 and captured first place at the star-studded, 19-team event. The Cardinals finished with 94 points, edging runner-up Menomonee Falls (99) and third-place Muskego (104) for the team title.

“I was pretty elated that we won the Prime Time Timing Night Race Invitational,” Finnel said. “That was a big win for the team, especially edging out Menomonee Falls and Muskego for the title.

“It builds some great confidence that we can hang with some of the best teams in the state. I’m anticipating all three of us to be in the top-10 when the first week’s rankings come out.”

Middleton’s girls also performed well, finishing in seventh place out of 19 teams.

Go big or go home.

That’s the choice Middleton’s football team made in the final moments of their game at Kenosha Indian Trail on Aug. 28.

The Cardinals eventually went home, but not with the result they wanted.

Middleton scored a late touchdown and closed within 24-23 against the host Hawks. The Cardinals two-point conversion failed, though, and MHS exited with a painful, one-point loss.

Middleton fell to 0-2, while KIT improved to 2-0.

“It just felt like the right time to go for two,” Middleton co-coach Tim Simon said. “We had just put together a great drive and had the momentum. It just didn't work out.”

The Cardinals led most of the night, before KIT struck for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and grabbed a 24-17 lead.

Middleton answered, though, with an impressive drive that wound up in the endzone — thanks to some good fortune.

New personnel, same results.

Middleton’s boys volleyball team, which has won two of the last three WIAA Division 1 state championships, suffered substantial losses to graduation.

It appears the Cardinals haven’t missed a beat, though.

Middleton began its new season last week with wins over No. 2 Milwaukee Marquette and No. 5 Sussex Hamilton at the Arrowhead Quad.

The Cardinals then went 5-0 and won the Kettle Moraine Invite last Saturday.

“Many of these guys are in a starting role for the first time with our varsity squad and it was really fun to see them not waiver at any point,” Middleton coach Dylan Griffith said. “We knew everyone wanted to beat us and there were a few close moments, but their ability to fight through adversity was a treat to watch.”

And how.

Team First. You Second. Me Last. 

That’s the motto Middleton’s girls volleyball team is carrying into the fall, and the Cardinals believe if they follow that plan of attack, big things could await.

The Cardinals began their new season Tuesday hosting Madison East. And first-year coach McKenzie Johns is highly encouraged by what she’s seen so far from her Cardinals.

“This is one of the most coachable groups of athletes I’ve ever worked with, not to mention the accountability the girls hold for each other from early morning lifts, to in-practice and even outside of practice,” Johns said. “Everyone dreams of a state run and that’s every coaches dream.

“(MHS athletic director) Brad Crandell and I had the conversation that Middleton is the largest school in Wisconsin. With girls volleyball being one of the most competitive sports at Middleton, it’s time to work. It’s time to hit the ground running.”

There have been just four times in state history where a Division 1 school won at least four straight WIAA girls state swimming titles.

Arrowhead is the only school to win five in a row, accomplishing that impressive feat from 2002-06. Madison West won four in a row on three occasions, winning crowns from 1980-83, 1989-1992 and 1995-98.

Middleton, winners of three straight state titles, is trying to enter that rarified air this season. And the Cardinals had a tremendous start last week, winning the star-studded Badger State Splash at Sun Prairie East on Aug. 29, and also rolling past host Sun Prairie East, 152-34, on Aug. 27.

Here’s a recap of those events.

Badger State Splash

The Cardinals rolled to the team title at this 22-team invite.

The golf was secondary.

The scores were somewhat irrelevant.

Instead, fundraising, camaraderie and togetherness were once again the story at the fifth annual Coaches vs. Cancer Team Scramble — co-hosted by Middleton and Waunakee — on Aug. 24 at Maple Bluff Country Club.

The 24 teams combined to raise nearly $40,000 for the American Cancer Society. Middleton led the way raising $11,841.

“I’m so proud of the girls for coming together to support such an important cause,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “The event means a lot to us, and I’m grateful they get to be part of it.”

Madison Edgewood and Bay Port tied for the championship with 63s, while Sussex Hamilton (64), DeForest (65) and Milton (65) rounded out the top five (65).

Middleton tied for seventh with a 67.

Things looked bleak, dismal, almost hopeless.

As John Belushi said in the 1980 classic film ‘Animal House’, though, “Nothing is over until we decide it is!”

That was the story for Ashton in the semifinals of the Home Talent League tournament Sunday afternoon.

The host A’s trailed Columbus, 7-0, in the bottom of the seventh inning and their season was clearly on life support. Ashton struck for six runs, though, in the bottom of the seventh, forced extra innings, then pulled off an improbable 9-8 win in the 10^th inning when Dylan Carrington’s sacrifice fly scored Luke Ballweg with the game-winning run.

Ashton improved to 16-2 and advanced to this Sunday’s championship game.

Columbus, which never trailed until the final at bat of the game, struck for a run in the top of the 10^th to take an 8-7 lead.

Middleton’s boys soccer team has great expectations again this season.

And the Cardinals showed why last weekend.

Middleton headed north and defeated Stillwater (Minn.), 2-0, on Aug. 27. The Cardinals then tied powerful Hudson, 0-0, on Aug. 28.

Here’s a recap of those two games.

• Middleton 2, Stillwater (Minn.) 0 — Cormac Carlson and Benny Sans had goals as the Cardinals won their season opener.

“We controlled most of the game and were happy with our possession,” Middleton coach Kevin Pauls said. “Stillwater played a very direct game that we struggled to defend in the past, but I was happy with the play of our backline thwarting all of their chances … and we generated a lot of good chances.”

They sure did.

In the 12^th minute, Vassilios Anagnostopoulos beat multiple defenders down the left side, found Carlson in the middle of the field and he buried a shot to give MHS a 1-0 lead.

The majority of the 2025 team — arguably the greatest in state history — has graduated.

Caden Van Buren, named the 2025 state Player of the Year by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association, took his immense volleyball talents to Loyola University. All-state players Bryce Stuttgen, Will Hoffman and Vance Ferry have also moved on.

If we’ve learned one thing about Middleton’s boys volleyball program, though, the next batch of standouts is never far behind.

And that’s what Cardinals’ fourth-year coach Dylan Griffith is hoping will unfold this fall.

“This team is going to be dangerous,” Griffith said. “Even though we lost a ton of talent, there is certainly no shortage of talent still in our team.

“As talented as we've been the last few seasons, I think this year we might be the deepest we've been. They've got big goals for themselves and they're not afraid of the challenge and process that it takes to get there.”