Sports

ASHWAUBENON — Back on top again.

It’s where the Middleton boys volleyball team had planned to finish at the start of the season. And the Cardinals did it in style, winning the WIAA state title by going undefeated.

Middleton fought off a pesky Germantown squad in the championship match to earn a 3-0 sweep, 26-24, 25-19, 25-21, on Nov. 8 at the Resch Center.

Middleton becomes just the second boys volleyball program in state history to post an undefeated season. Appleton North went 34-0 in 2012.

It was Middleton’s second state championship in the last three years. The Cardinals also finished as state runner-up in 2024.

GREEN BAY — Playing Middleton’s boys volleyball team can lead to a lot of sleepless nights.

Just ask Catholic Memorial coach Chandler North, who stayed up until 6 a.m. watching film before his Crusaders faced the Cardinals in a WIAA state semifinal on Nov. 6.

“Very rarely do you have to scout in the high school level where five options are coming at you at all times,” North said of the Cardinals. “You can see why they’re the top dogs, why they’re undefeated.”

Middleton proved that once again against the Crusaders. And not even an all-nighter by North and his coaching staff could change that.

Top-seeded Middleton had a terrific .288 attack percentage, was in control throughout and rolled past the Crusaders, 25-16, 25-21, 26-28, 25-22, at the Resch Center. The Cardinals improved to 38-0 and advanced to the state championship game for a third straight year.

GREEN BAY — “Pressure: pushing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man ask for.”

Queen and David Bowie sang those memorable lyrics in the tune, “Under Pressure” back in 1981.

Today, that theme still holds true with Middleton’s boys volleyball team.

The Cardinals are extremely aggressive servers and constantly send their foes out of system. Middleton’s service pressure was an enormous key in its 25-19, 25-21, 25-14 win over Kenosha Indian Trail in a WIAA state quarterfinal on Nov. 5 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

Senior outside hitter Caden Van Buren had five of Middleton’s 11 aces and sophomore libero Jude Gehrke added four aces as the top-seeded Cardinals rolled past the eighth-seeded Hawks.

LAKE GENEVA — Some sobbed like they were undergoing a root canal — without the novocaine.

Hugs lingered for several seconds. Saying goodbye was undoubtedly the hardest thing to do.

Forty five minutes after Middleton’s football season had ended with a 31-7 loss to Lake Geneva Badger in a WIAA Division 1 second round playoff game on Oct. 31, the Cardinals were still struggling with their final farewells.

It’s easy to see why, too, considering this tight-knit group shined both on and off the field.

“I would rather be on this team than any other team out there,” senior linebacker Tyler Vogt said. “This group of guys is just so special. It was such a special group. I’ve never seen a football team like this. I’m so proud of these guys. I love these guys.”

Middleton senior quarterback Joey Passaglia agreed.

There were challenges from the jump.

Injuries, both early and often. Sicknesses.

And a sectional jam-packed with talent.

So while Middleton’s girls cross country team was hoping for more than a 17^th-place finish at last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 state meet held in Wisconsin Rapids, the Cardinals also knew that simply reaching the state meet made this season a smashing success.

“The season overall has had its ups and downs,” Middleton co-coach Lauren Dilley said. “Overcoming challenges has been a huge part of the season for these girls.

“No one can say being in the moment of these challenges is fun, but to see everything come together at sectionals and to see everyone race at the state meet after overcoming those challenges is something special.”

Neenah won the state championship with 71 points, edging runner-up Slinger (84). Bloomer (179), Menomonie (197) and Whitefish Bay (212) rounded out the top five.

MADISON — The bar is annually set high for Middleton’s boys soccer team.

Competing for conference and state titles are not only realistic, but expected goals.

With only one returning starter and three seniors with significant experience, though, one would have thought this would be a rebuilding season for the Cardinals.

But here they were on a brisk, fall Saturday afternoon making their fourth straight appearance in the WIAA Division 1 sectional finals against Big Eight Conference foe Madison West with a berth to state on the line.

Two-time defending state champion and second-seeded Middleton won’t get a chance for a three-peat, though, as top-seeded Madison West hung on for a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Cardinals at Lussier Stadium on Nov. 1.

Seeding?

Past results?

At this time of the year, they’re all irrelevant.

All that matters is how you’re playing when it matters most. And right now, Middleton’s boys soccer team is playing at an extremely high level.

The Cardinals rolled past visiting Oregon, 3-0, in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal on Oct. 30. Middleton, the No. 2 seed, advanced to a sectional final against No. 1 seed Madison West on Nov. 1.

“Oregon played us tough earlier in the season, so we knew their seed didn't matter,” Middleton coach Kevin Pauls said. “I thought we had good intensity and energy all week at practice and that transferred over to the game.”

Oregon started fast, putting pressure on the Cardinals out of the gate. But Middleton never flinched.

The beat goes on.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team continued their sensational season, rolling to the Big Eight Conference championship held at MHS on Nov. 1. The Cardinals finished with 740.5 points to easily outdistance runner-up Verona (540.5).

Middleton now travels to the Verona Sectional Saturday at 1 p.m., and the WIAA Division 1 state meet is Oct. 15 at Waukesha South High School.

“Our team did an excellent job with competing these past two weekends and I am proud of their efforts both in the water and with supporting one another,” Middleton coach Andrew Cotton said. “I am looking forward to two more great weekends of racing.”

There was a lot to like about the Cardinals’ performance at the conference meet.

Middleton’s 200-yard medley relay team of Tae Martin, Rian Jost, Brynn Sundell and Sulia Miller was first, while the foursome of Addy Hynes, Helen Machleidt, Addi Haack and Anna Dart was second.

The goal was never an unbeaten season.

No, the objective was always a gold ball.

Now, Middleton’s boys volleyball team has an opportunity to get two for the price of one.

The Cardinals rolled past Madison West, 25-15, 25-18, 25-23, in a WIAA sectional final last Saturday. Middleton now takes aim at its second state championship in three years.

The Cardinals improved to 36-0 overall and are the No. 1 seed at state, where they’ll face eighth-seeded Kenosha Indian Trail in a state semifinal Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

The state semifinals are Thursday and the state finals are Friday.

And if things go according to plan for the No. 1 ranked Cardinals, they’ll be hoisting a gold ball at some point on Friday evening.

VERONA — When Olivia Chellevold approached the starting line for the WIAA Division 1 cross country sectional meet last Saturday, the Middleton senior had two goals in mind.

A year after sitting out the meet while recovering from a fracture in her lower back, Chellevold was a strong contender for her second sectional title in three years and third trip to the state meet.

Chellevold made it look easy, cruising to the individual championship on the Coach Randy Marks cross country course at Stewart Woods. Chellevold covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18 minutes, 51.2 seconds to qualify for state for a third time.

Chellevold’s big day also helped Middleton qualify for state as a team for the first time since 2022.