Sports

MADISON — With 7-foot senior center Will Garlock out for the start of the season with an ankle injury, Middleton boys basketball coach Kevin Bavery knew the 2024-25 Cardinals would be a work in progress.

Last Saturday, Middleton was also missing senior starting forward Riley Kann and senior reserve forward Brennan Mauer — a pair of standout soccer players who were competing in a tournament.

Junior guard Jackson Guerrero did his best to help compensate for a depleted starting lineup with a career-best 20 points. That marked the second straight game Guerrero set a varsity career-high.

However, Middleton fell to host Madsion La Follette, 69-58, in a Big Eight Conference game.

The Cardinals — who also dropped their season-opener to visiting Madison Memorial, 74-69 — fell to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the league. The Lancers improved to 3-0, 2-0.

The season is just four games old.

There’s still a good 2 ½ months left in the year.

But early indications are this could be another banner year for Middleton’s boys hockey team.

The Cardinals brought back several key cogs from a group that tied for the Big Eight Conference championship last season and reached the sectional finals. Middleton has carried much of that momentum into this season and is off to an impressive 4-0 start.

“I really like this group,” said Middleton first year coach Jochen Hylbert. “From top line varsity all the way through my entire JV team, we have lots of very amazing student athletes.”

Middleton continued its hot start last week with a 5-2 win over the Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago co-op on Dec. 3 and a 7-3 win at Beloit Memorial on Dec. 5.

Leading the Cardinals this season will be senior forward Wyatt Ehrhardt and senior defender Eli Covey, who were both named first-team all-conference last year.

It took longer than they hoped.

But Middleton girls basketball team has broken into the win column.

The Cardinals put four players in double figures and defeated Madison West, 63-31, last Friday, Middleton is now 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big Eight Conference.

Rowan Borne led the Cardinals with 11 points and seven steals, while Emily Utter added 11 points. Macey Blazek had 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Brooke Michelotti had 10 points, five steals and four assists.

Rowan Borne also had a terrific game with eight points, nine assists and six rebounds, while Hailey Roepsch added four steals.

Middleton also dropped a 59-37 decision at Janesville Craig on Dec. 3.

Blazek led the Cardinals with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while Michelotti added 12 points and two steals. Borne had six rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Roepsch had five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Middleton’s boys swimming and diving team have great expectations this season.

And the Cardinals showed exactly why in their first two meets of the season last week.

Middleton won the Sun Prairie West Triangular on Dec. 6. The Cardinals rolled past Janesville Craig, 134-36, and downed the host Wolves, 125-44.

The Cardinals then won the star-studded, 12-team Nicolet Invite last Saturday.

Middleton finished with 483.5 points at Nicolet to edge runner-up Verona (451.0). Whitefish Bay (273), Nicolet (206) and Cedarburg (123.5) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ two meets.

NICOLET INVITE

Middleton won eight of the 12 events and captured first place at this high-level invite.

Middleton wrestlers finished in fourth place at the 16-team Watertown Early Bird Scramble last Saturday.

Sam Zanton won a championship at 157 pounds, while Alborz Dehnavi (150), Finn Grauwels (165) and Reed Falk (190) all added second place finishes. Aiden Bell added a fourth place finish at 138 and Pavil Jones was fifth at 144.

Mineral Point won the event with 639.0 points, while Hartford (537), Watertown (423), Middleton (369) and New London (340) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ performances:

120 — Kyle Mock (2-3) placed 14th.

The pieces for greatness appeared to be in place.

The parts for excellence all seemed to be there.

That was then, though. And this is now.

Middleton’s boys basketball team endured a turbulent offseason and has more questions than answers today. And when the Cardinals begin their new season Thursday at Madison Memorial, uncertainty is the prevailing theme.

Middleton 7-foot senior center Will Garlock — a University of Wisconsin recruit and one of the state’s dominant players — will be sidelined to start the year with a broken ankle he suffered in April. Garlock was on track to be ready for the season-opener, but suffered a setback that will keep him out the early portion of the year.

The Cardinals also expected to have junior point guard Isaiah Oliver — an honorable-mention all-conference player last season. But Oliver transferred to Northwest High School in Waukee, Iowa, in August after his father landed a job in the area.

The 2024 boys swimming and diving season had been over for, oh, perhaps 15 minutes.

As Middleton’s tremendous group basked in the glow of a second straight WIAA Division 1 state title, the Cardinals couldn't wait to dip their toes back in the water again.

“Our goal is to get back and do it again next year,” Max Carter said at the time.

Well, next year is here.

And the Cardinals certainly have the firepower and make it a three-peat.

Middleton juniors Max Carter, Caden VanBuren, Sam Wolf and Ben Cutler Heiderscheit are one of the dominant classes the state has seen in some time. And if the Cardinals make a run at a third straight title, that fabulous foursome will lead the way.

“My expectation for these four and all of my swimmers is to compete, improve and have fun throughout the season,” Middleton coach Wes Lagerhausen said. “If we are able to do this, we will continue to be a successful program.”

The boys hockey season has just begun.

But Middleton senior forward Wyatt Ehrhardt has already served notice that he’ll be one of the top players in the state of Wisconsin this season.

Ehrhardt had a remarkable eight goals in Middleton’s first two games and powered the Cardinals to a 2-0 start.

Middleton defeated Madison Memorial, 6-2, on Nov. 26. The Cardinals then downed Sauk Prairie’s co-op team, 7-4, on Nov. 30.

In Middleton’s win over Madison Memorial, Ehrhardt had four goals — including three in the second period. Eli Covey and Michael Garbuz added goals, as well.

Patrick Passini had two assists, while Everett Lamp, Taylor Park, Thomas Kydd and Ehrhardt all had assists, as well.

Middleton goalie Heuer Stutz had 18 saves and picked up the win.

Ehrhardt then had four goals and two assists in the Cardinals’ win over Sauk Prairie. Covey and Garbuz both added a goal and an assist, while Lamp had a goal, as well.

Improvement.

Progress.

Growth.

Middleton’s girls basketball team believes all of the above are certainly possible this season.

The Cardinals have gone 19-31 during Rashard Griffith’s first two seasons as head coach, and are 0-2 in the postseason. That’s in sharp contrast to the Jeff Kind-era where the Hall of Fame coach led Middleton to 12 state tournament appearances and three trips to the state finals during his 30 years at the helm.

But Griffith and the Cardinals believe better days are ahead.

Middleton returns a gifted group of guards, adds talented post Macey Blazek — a transfer student from just outside Nashville, Tenn. — and hopes to be one of the most improved teams in the Big Eight Conference.

Middleton’s boys soccer team had a year to remember, repeating as WIAA Division 1 state champs.

After another memorable season, the Cardinals were justly rewarded when it came to postseason awards.

Middleton senior midfielder Jimmy Murphy was named first-team all-Big Eight Conference and the league’s co-Player of the Year. Murphy was also named the state’s Player of the Year by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association.

Senior defender Josh Lee was named first-team all-Big Eight and first-team all-state. Senior forward Tony Murphy was named first-team all-Big Eight and honorable-mention all-state.

Sophomore defender Josh Lee was named second-team all-conference. And senior forward Riley Kann, senior midfielders Sawyer FitzRandolph and Quinn Davis, and senior keeper Liev Schiffman were all named honorable-mention all-Big Eight.