Sports

SUN PRAIRIE – Finn Patenaude isn’t afraid of a challenge.

That is why the Middleton junior plays varsity soccer in the fall and competes for Middleton’s club ski team in the winter, when he plays indoor soccer, as well. He also competes for a Madison-based Cyclocross team.

So when he opted to give track and field a try in middle school, Patenaude naturally gravitated toward the hurdles.

Good choice.

Patenaude recorded a pair of top-five finishes in the hurdles events at the 19-team Paul Frank Invitational hosted by Sun Prairie High School last Friday.

“I’ve played soccer my whole life. As a striker, an attacker, I love obstacles,” Patenaude said. “So when I went to my first track practice it was, ‘oh, I’ve got to try those’. That seemed easy for me.”

SUN PRAIRIE – Madilyn Vander Sanden welcomed the new track and field season, weather permitting, with new goals, new expectations and a different role on the Middleton girls track and field team.

Vander Sanden is off to a great start, surpassing her personal record in the shot put already this spring with a mark of 36 feet, 9 ¼ inches.

She didn’t set a new personal record last Friday when she competed at the 19-team Paul Frank Invitational at Sun Prairie High School. But Vander Sanden uncorked a toss of 34-8 on her second throw in the finals to finish in fourth place for the Cardinals.

Mosinee’s Brooke Baumann won the event with a throw of 36-0.

Middleton’s girls softball team continues to take care of business against the bottom half of the Big Eight Conference.

Now, the Cardinals have to solve the top half of the league.

Middleton won three of four games last week, starting with a 6-2 win over Madison East on April 26. Madison Memorial toppled the Cardinals, 5-1, on April 27, but Middleton responded by sweeping a doubleheader against Madison La Follette — 17-0 and 17-1 — last Friday.

“Thankfully, this team is resilient,” Middleton coach Brittany Carl said. “We accepted the loss, learned from it, and then we moved on.”

The Cardinals are now 8-4 overall and sit alone in second place in the Big Eight at 7-2.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week:

• Middleton 6, Madison East 2 — Bailey Flock threw a complete-game four hitter to power the Cardinals past the Purgolders.

Flock gave up just one earned run, struck out two and walked two.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

That’s how Middleton’s girls soccer coach Mary Duffy views scheduling.

Duffy loads the Cardinals up with one of the best non-conference schedules in the state. And the goal is to have Middleton ready for anything and everything when the postseason arrives.

Last week was another example of that as Middleton traveled to the Iowa Tournament of Champions. The Cardinals went 1-2 overall, but left knowing they can play with anyone and everyone.

Middleton also rolled past Beloit Memorial, 10-0, on April 26 and dropped a 1-0 decision to Madison Memorial on April 27. The Cardinals are now 3-4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Eight.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

It’s already been a memorable year for Middleton’s boys tennis team.

And the Cardinals added to their sensational season last week.

The Cardinals won three matches at the power-packed Brookfield East Invite held last Friday and Saturday. Middleton also notched Big Eight Conference wins over Sun Prairie and Verona.

The Cardinals improved to 14-0 on the season and are 6-0 in the Big Eight.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

• Middleton 7, Verona 0 — The Cardinals rolled to straight set wins at all four singles and all three doubles flights and downed the Wildcats on April 26.

Ian Connell, Jonathan Kim, Aarush Gupta and Alan Kanne all cruised to singles wins. In doubles play, Middleton’s duos of Kieran Gopal and Ilya Rice, Saketh Peddireddy and Jun Lee, and Neel Mukherjee and Bodi Russo rolled to straight set wins.

Middleton’s boys lacrosse team has heated up and rolled off three straight wins.

The Cardinals defeated WestSide, 15-3, on April 19. Middleton cruised past Sun Prairie, 14-3, on April 29 and toppled D.C. Everest, 12-5, last Saturday.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ recent games.

• Middleton 15, Westside 3 — Gabe Passini tied a school record with seven goals. Kevin Grelle had held the previous record.

"The win at WestSide was the beginning of something for the offense,” Middleton coach Sanford Erdahl said. “We knew that shifting Gabe Passini to attack would increase ball movement, but his tying the school record of goals in a game was a bonus.”

• Middleton 14, Sun Prairie 3 — Will O’Brien powered Middleton to a win over visiting Sun Prairie.

O’Brien won 83.3% of his faceoffs (15 of 18) and ranks among the state leaders in that category.

There are a lot of games still to be played.

When last week ended, though, just one team remained unbeaten in the Big Eight Conference baseball race.

Middleton.

The Cardinals swept a pair of games from Madison West and finished the week 4-0 in the conference.

That had Middleton and Janesville Craig (5-1) tied for first place in the league. Sun Prairie and Verona (4-2) were both one game back.

“Both games were very similar,” Middleton manager Brent Jorgensen said. “We didn’t do a lot of flashy things, but played aggressively and took advantage of several mistakes that West made. Conversely, we were able to minimize our mistakes and turn back most of their scoring chances during both games. 

‘I think that means we are starting to become a good team as we were able to put up two good wins without a whole lot of flashy things in the box score.” 

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

SUN PRAIRIE – It doesn’t matter how you start, but rather how you finish.

That is one lesson the youthful Middleton Cardinals’ softball team learned the hard way last week.

After rallying for a victory over visiting Janesville Parker on April 19, Middleton couldn’t stop a powerful Sun Prairie offense from taking charge.

Host Sun Prairie stormed back from an early five-run deficit to earn a 15-5 victory over Middleton in a game that was called in the bottom of the sixth inning on the mercy rule. 

“I was happy with the way we were swinging the bats,” Middleton coach Brittany Carl said. “It was a little bit of a slow start in the first and second. But in the third they were aggressive and doing their job at the plate, battling off two-strike pitches. At the end, we kind of petered out.”

Middleton (5-3 overall, 4-1 Big Eight) struck for five runs in the top of the third inning to grab a 5-0 lead.

Middleton’s boys golf team began the season ranked No. 1 in the state.

The start of the season has proven two things, though.

First, the Cardinals can certainly play up to that lofty ranking. Second, there are plenty of good teams across the state capable of knocking off the Cardinals from their lofty perch.

Last week was proof of that.

Middleton shot a sensational 298 at a Big Eight Conference triangular held at Bishop’s Bay on April 19. The Cardinals then finished sixth at 42-team Sheboygan North Invite held April 20 and 21 at Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits.

“What we do from now on matters,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “How much they want to get better is up to each player. We have struggled getting five players to score well in the same round. To be a quality team in June, we have to have good consistent play from all five players.”

Middleton’s boys tennis team stayed atop of the Big Eight Conference after notching a pair of wins last week.

The Cardinals defeated Madison Memorial, 6-1, on April 19. Middleton then toppled Madison West, 6-1, on April 21.

The Cardinals improved to 4-0 in the Big Eight and 9-0 overall.

“I’m really happy with the way we’ve started the season off,” Middleton coach Tony Mirasola said. “I’d say I’m happiest with our level of intensity and effort in the big matches. We certainly have lots of opportunities to improve, but it’s been a promising start.”

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s two wins:

• Middleton 6, Madison Memorial 1 — The Cardinals won all four singles matches and cruised past the Spartans.