Sports

The names have changed.

The expectations have not.

Middleton’s offense was one of the finest in the state last year, averaging 35.4 points per game. The Cardinals also averaged 23.9 points in the first half, then often put things on cruise control as they established a running clock in four of their  11 games.

Honorable-mention all-state quarterback Gabe Passini is now at Butler. First-team all-state offensive lineman K.J. Peterson — and three other starters from Middleton’s best line in at least a decade — have also graduated.

Inside the state’s top programs, though, when one group of standouts leaves, the next one emerges. And Middleton — which is tied with Arrowhead for the longest streak of playoff appearances among Division 1 schools with 27 — expects its offense to keep humming along in 2024.

The Cardinals’ offense will face a stiff test when they begin their season against Bay Port Thursday at 7 p.m.

Drew Cooney sees it every day.

The size. The speed. The strength.

As Cooney, Middleton’s standout senior tight end, tries finding openings in the Middleton defense, he has one prevailing thought.

“We’ve got some dogs,” Cooney said of Middleton’s defense.

Middleton definitely has its fair share of talent on the defensive side of the ball. And the Cardinals hope their defense becomes elite as they chase their first Big Eight Conference title since 2015.

Middleton opens its new season Thursday when it hosts traditional state power Bay Port at 7 p.m.

“I think we have a lot of young guys ready to step up and some older guys  who are definitely going to step up,” said senior safety Harrison Armstrong, one of Middleton’s five captains. “It should be a really fun season. Lots of challenges, but I think we’re going to be pretty good.”

Tim Simon doesn’t say much to move the needle.

And that’s certainly by design.

Middleton’s co-head football coach, now in his 34th year with the program, would rather be vanilla than rocky road.

Simon didn’t say anything shocking or outlandish last week when discussing goals for his 2024 Cardinals. But he was forthright.

“Verona’s been the top dog the last couple of years,” said Simon, whose program last won the Big Eight in 2015. “We want to be the top dog.”

Sun Prairie divided into two schools and left the Big Eight Conference after the 2021 season, and the Wildcats have capitalized on the Cardinals’ exit.

Verona has won the last two Big Eight titles and is 14-0 overall in the conference in that time. The Wildcats return as the conference favorites once again in 2024.

The Cardinals’ goal will be to knock off Verona this year and bring the conference title back to Middleton.

When it comes to quarterback play, the Green Bay Packers are the envy of the NFL.

From Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, the Packers are poised for four decades — or more — of elite quarterbacking play.

In many ways, Middleton is the Packers’ parallel when it comes to prep girls golf.

When Jill Reis left, Heidi Hinners took over. When Hinners graduated, Lindsey Solberg grabbed the reigns.

The list is endless, too, from Allison Van Hueklem, Loren Skibba, Alexis Thomas, Kate Maier, Ellie Frisch and Vivian Cressman, the Cardinals have had someone ready to lead their next group of standouts for more than a quarter century now.

MHS coach Becky Halverson isn’t sure who that player will be this fall. But history tells her someone will emerge, and odds are, the Cardinals will find themselves where they always do — among a handful of teams vying for a state title.

Jochen Hylbert has taught at Middleton High School for 18 years now.

He knows the students, the families and the ins-and-outs of the district.

Most importantly, though, Hylbert knows hockey.

Add it all up and you can see why Hylbert was chosen as Middleton’s next boys hockey coach. Hylbert replaces Dan Truehl, who stepped down following the 2024 season after his responsibilities intensified at his day job.

“I have worked at Middleton High School going on 18 years and I know most of the players from having them in my elective classes and I just have always really enjoyed supporting our hockey program,” said Hylbert, a Physical Education and Health teacher at MHS. “I am very honored to continue this tradition of MHS hockey and explained that … when I was selected as head coach.”

ASHTON – There are plenty of reasons to attend a Home Talent League baseball game in Ashton.

The cornfield behind the left field fence provides a ‘Field of Dreams’ like atmosphere.

There are plenty of brats hot off the grill and cold beverages available along with a 50-50 raffle that is second to none in the HTL.

But nothing beats the main event, watching the home team A’s playing a solid brand of baseball that keeps the fans coming back.

First baseman Luke Ballweg did just that Sunday afternoon, lining a two-run single that helped second-seeded Ashton rally from a late two-run deficit and edge third-seeded Middleton, 5-4, in the second round of the Northern Section playoffs.

The victory sent the A’s (11-3) into the Northern Section championship at Sauk Prairie (13-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. The top-seeded Twins rallied for an 11-8 victory over fifth-seeded Reedsburg.

The Midleton Gators finished in second place at the All-City Swim Meet held  at Shorewood Hills from Aug. 1-3.

Ridgewood won the 13-team meet with 2,637.0 points, while Middleton was second at 2,236.50. Parkcrest (1,856.50), Seminole (1,795.50) and High Point (1,726.50) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a list of the Gators that had top-eight finishes:

FIRST PLACE

• Boys 11-12 200-yard medley relay — Eric Kim, Dmitriy Pronin, Aaron Dopp, Cameron Dula

• Girls 13-14 200-yard medley relay — Taetem Martin, Gianna Gabert, Abigail Frommelt, Jane Garlock

• Boys 15-19 200-yard medley relay — Max Carter, Sam Wolf, Ben Cutlet Heiderschelt, Jackson Esteves

• Boys 11-12 50-yard freestyle — Cameron Dula

• Girls 13-14 100-yard freestyle — Jane Garlock

• Boys 15-19 100-yard freestyle — Sam Wolf

• Girls 13-14 100-yard backstroke — Taetem Martin

• Boys 15-19 100-yard backstroke — Max Carter

Brady Schmitt was stellar on the mound.

The offense pounded out 12 hits.

And the defense was flawless.

Add it all up and you can see why Middleton’s Home Talent League team was dominant in its biggest game of the year, rolling to a 12-2 win over visiting Waunakee in the opening round of the Northern Section playoffs Sunday afternoon. The game was stopped after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Third-seeded Middleton improved to 10-3 and will travel to second-seeded Ashton (10-3) for a second round game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Schmitt worked five scoreless innings before Waunakee scratched two runs across in the sixth. Schmitt picked up the win after allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings, while striking out three and walking three. Drew Farrell worked a scoreless seventh, striking out one and allowing just one base hit.

CROSS PLAINS –- ‘Baseball is a game of inches.’

You won’t get an argument from the Cross Plains Businessmen.

That saying was never more appropriate than in the opening round of the Home Talent League Northern Section playoffs on Sunday afternoon.

Just when it appeared the host Businessmen were going to erase a four-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning, a page ripped out of a Ripley’s ‘Believe it or Not’ episode suddenly ended their season.

No. 5 seeded Reedsburg converted a strange game-ending double play to stun fourth-seeded Cross Plains, 9-8, in an amateur baseball game that left the hometown fans and players alike wondering what they had just witnessed.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Reedsburg manager Don Molitor said with a smile, while shaking his head. “Today was one of those days.”

CROSS PLAINS — With two weeks left in the regular season, the Cross Plains Businessmen were wondering if they would even qualify for the Northern Section playoffs, let alone host a home game.

But a lot can change in two weeks.

The Businessmen received a strong pitching performance from right-hander Logan Schultz, pounded out 14 hits and rolled past Black Earth, 7-1, in a Home Talent League Northern Section regular season finale on Sunday.

Cross Plains also defeated Waunakee, 6-3, last Saturday and jumped up to the fourth seed in the section. The Businessmen (8-4) will host Reedsburg (8-4) in the opening round of the Northern Section playoffs on Sunday at 1 p.m. Cross Plains won the tiebreaker for fourth place and the right to host a first-round playoff game after defeating Reedsburg, 10-5, on May 17.