Sports

ASHTON – Once right-hander Derrick Rothwell settles in, Home Talent League hitters know they have their work cut out for them.

Rothwell threw five strong innings for the host Ashton A’s against the Black Earth Bombers in a Home Talent League contest last Sunday.

But Black Earth capitalized on four errors and used a five-run seventh inning to pull away for an 8-4 victory over Ashton on a brisk, spring afternoon in a Northern Section Eastern Division game.

Black Earth right-hander Bryce Hopwood pitched six innings to pick up the victory, while veteran Jason Schreiber delivered a two-run single to help the Bombers rally from an early deficit.

“It’s early, we’re not quite where we want to be, but that will pick up,” Rothwell said of the A’s offense and defense. “Black Earth did a nice job of making the plays when they needed to be made, and we did not. That was the difference in the game today.”

The road is extremely daunting.

But Middleton’s girls soccer team knows it’s certainly capable of making some noise.

The Cardinals received the No. 10 seed in their WIAA Division 1 sectional and travel to seventh-seeded Oconomowoc for a regional semifinal on May 31. If Middleton pulls the upset, it would likely travel to second-seeded Kettle Moraine for a regional final on June 4.

The sectional semifinals are June 9 and the sectional finals are June 11.

Waunakee is the No. 1 seed in the sectional, followed by Kettle Moraine, Verona, Madison West, Madison Memorial, Waukesha South, Oconomowoc, Mukwonago, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Madison East, Janesville Craig, Badger, Beloit Memorial, Madison La Follette and Janesville Parker.

Middleton’s boys tennis team won the Big Eight Conference tournament on May 18-19 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

The Cardinals finished with 53 points to easily outdistance runner-up Madison Memorial (34). Madison West was third with 33 points, while Verona (29) and Sun Prairie (22) rounded out the top five.

Middleton won individual championships at all four singles flights and two of the three doubles flights.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ top performances:

• No. 1 singles — Ian Connell defeated Everett Reid of Madison West, 6-3, 6-1 in the title match.

Connell also defeated Janesville Craig’s Nolan Sullivan, 6-0, 6-0, in the quarterfinals and Madison Memorial’s Gokal Kamuth, 6-0, 6-1, in the semifinals.

• No. 2 singles — Jonathan Kim cruised past Madison Memorial’s Juan Gallego, 6-1, 6-0, in the championship match.

PRAIRIE DU SAC – It was a picturesque Sunday for baseball with temperatures in the low 70s on a sun-splashed afternoon.

Let’s play ball.

The visiting Middleton 29ers used a three-run third inning to take control en route to a 5-3 victory over the Sauk Prairie Twins in a season-opening Northern Section amateur baseball game at Chuck Hall Memorial Field.

“I was excited to come here,” Middleton manager Brandon Hellenbrand said. “Both teams played really good baseball and put on a heck of a show. We were fortunate enough to come out on top.”

Sauk Prairie finished a perfect 16-0 in the Northern Section a year ago, including playoff games, to advance to the final four for the second consecutive Home Talent season (2019 and 2021).

But Middleton’s one-two punch of center fielder Brandon Scheidler and shortstop/pitcher Drew Farrell made sure the Twins wouldn’t put together an unbeaten Northern Section season in 2022.

Middleton girls softball coach Brittany Carl has told people all year long that her Cardinals are capable of beating anyone they play.

Last Saturday, the Cardinals proved just that.

Middleton edged previously undefeated Chippewa Falls — the No. 3 team in the state in Division 1 — 4-3 during the Chi-Hi Invitational held at Chippewa Falls.

“We played some of our best softball,” Carl said. “We were disciplined, yet aggressive at the plate. We were loose.”

Middleton’s win over Chippewa Falls was the highlight of its week. Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ busy schedule:

CHI-HI INVITATIONAL

• Middleton 4, Chippewa Falls 3 — Falls entered the day 18-0, but Megan Button held it to two earned runs and notched the win. Button pitched all seven innings, struck out three and allowed nine hits.

Mackenzie Zimmerman led Middleton’s offense with two hits, including a solo home run.

The circumstances were not ideal.

But Middleton pivoted, adjusted and did its best to adapt.

The Cardinals finished third at the Big Eight Conference meet that unexpectedly wound up going two days last weekend.

The event — held at Monterey Stadium in Janesville — was postponed after lightning hit the area last Friday and resumed last Saturday. Middleton, like several other schools, had many athletes with conflicts that couldn’t return for the second day of the meet.

“They were very difficult circumstances with having the meet halfway done then postponed into Saturday and having a few athletes not able to make it to the second day due to other obligations,” Middleton coach Jay Schweitzer said. “Everyone was in the same position, so it’s just something we may need to look at as a conference if we want the weekend to be the backup date.”

Despite frustrations from the weather, the Cardinals had a solid outing.

So much for a return to normalcy.

After two seasons where COVID either killed the track and field season (2020) or altered it (2021), Middleton was excited for a return to the ordinary at the Big Eight Conference meet.

Mother Nature had other ideas, though.

With storms and lightning approaching Monterey Stadium in Janesville last Friday, the meet was suspended until Saturday. Several of Middleton’s athletes had conflicts and couldn't return, and the Cardinals eventually settled for fifth place.

Sun Prairie won the boys title with 145 points, while Verona was second at 127. Madison Memorial (108), Janesville Parker (95) and Middleton (87.5) rounded out the top five.

“At the end of the day, our coaching staff is so proud of each and every one of these kids,” Middleton coach Chad Kleifoth said. “They stepped up, gave all they had for our team, and we walked away with a fifth-place finish. 

The regular season is in the rearview mirror.

And now, Middleton’s boys golfers are hoping for a memorable postseason.

The Cardinals will head to the Big Eight Conference Tournament on Thursday. Middleton then heads to the WIAA Division 1 Madison West Regional at Odana Hills on Tuesday.

If the Cardinals advance through that, they’ll head to the Onalaska Sectional on June 1.

Before looking ahead, though, here’s a look back at how the Cardinals wrapped up a busy final week of the regular season:

• Big Eight dual vs. Madison La Follette — The Cardinals rolled past the Lancers in a dual meet on May 12 at Yahara Hills.

Middleton finished the Big Eight dual meet season with an 8-1 mark, one game behind champion Madison La Folette.

The girls soccer postseason seeding meeting will take place Sunday.

And with Middleton in arguably the state’s toughest sectional, Cardinals head coach Mary Duffy knows getting a high seed won’t be easy.

Until then, the Cardinals will continue trying to build the best résumé possible.

Last week, Middleton dropped a 2-0 decision to Verona on May 10. But the Cardinals rebounded with an 7-1 thumping of Janesville Craig on May 12.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week:

• Middleton 7, Janesville Craig 1 — Devan Utter had a pair of goals to lead the Cardinals past the Cougars.

“This is a game we needed to win and to win big,” Duffy said. “We have a tough sectional with tough opponents and we have to take care of the teams we know we are better than.” 

Erin Gonter, Dalina Jonuzi, Lydia Paulsen, Autumn Suttle and Marley Mladucky all had goals for the Cardinals, as well.

Middleton’s boys tennis team clinched the Big Eight Conference championship on May 10 with a 7-0 win over Madison La Follette.

The Cardinals finished a perfect 9-0 in the Big Eight and are 16-0 overall.

Ethan Bo, Middleton’s No. 1 singles player, rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win. Ian Gupta, Jonathan Kim and Aarush Gupta — the Cardinals No. 2-4 singles players — also cruised to 6-0, 6-0 wins.

Middleton’s top doubles team of Kieran Gopal and Ilya Rice posted a 6-4, 6-4 win. The Cardinals’ No. 2 doubles team of Saketh Peddireddy and Franklin Hu rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win. And at No. 3 doubles, Middleton’s Neel Mukherjee and Bodi Russo cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Middleton was at the Brookfield East Invite Monday, then headed to the Big Eight Conference meet Wednesday and Thursday. The Cardinals are then at the UW-Whitewater Invitational on Friday and Saturday.