Sports

Middleton’s girls gymnastics team finished fourth at the WIAA Division 1 Sun Prairie Sectional last Saturday.

The Cardinals failed to qualify any gymnasts — or as a team — for the state tournament.

Verona/Edgewood won the team title with a 145.450 score. Sun Prairie was second (137.450), while Madison Memorial (134.7250), Middleton (131.650) and Waunakee/DeForest (121.1750) rounded out the top five.

Middleton senior Megg Weiler was 13th in the all-around (32.975), while junior Jayden Mathias was 15^th (32.025).

Junior Lucy Hellenbrand was 13^th on the beam (8.60), Weiler was 18^th (8.150), freshman Zoe Gurtner was 20^th (8.125) and freshman Buna Karanezi was 24^th (7.80).

Senior Laney Seffrood was 14th on the floor (8.875), Hellenbrand was 24^th (8.40), Weiler was 27^th (8.20) and Mathias was 29^th (8.150).

Middleton girls snowboarding team recently finished second at the state meet.

Junior Chloe Larson took first place as an overall individual competitor, was second in the giant slalom, and third in both the Boardercross and Slalom.

Senior Emma Chandler took second place as an overall individual competitor and second place in the Boardercross.

The girls team brought 3 returning members of last year’s State Championship team (Senior Lauren Laufenberg, Larson and Chandler) and four members that were new to the team this year.

With strong finishes in the Giant Slalom and Boardercross races, Middleton held on through a particularly challenging Slalom course to claim Silver. 

Middleton’s boys had a tougher outing in terms of scoring, but with three of the seven state participants experiencing the event for the first time, set a solid foundation for future years. 

WAUKESHA — As they exited Waukesha South High School last Saturday, Middleton’s boys swimming team basked in the glory of a terrific afternoon.

The Cardinals notched first place finishes in two relays, had several outstanding performances in individual events and finished fourth at the WIAA Division 1 state meet. Brookfield Central/East won the team championship with 208 points, while Arrowhead (188), Madison West (182), Middleton (175) and Sun Prairie (173) rounded out the top five.

The Cardinals then paused for a second and realized next year could be even better. With the majority of their point scorers expected back and a gifted freshman class on the way, things could be even better for Middleton in 2023.

“We won the state championship my freshman year and I'd love to see us win it again my senior year,” Middleton junior standout Nick Chirafisi said. “It can happen. Plan on us bringing the heat.”

There was excitement, enthusiasm — and a little bit of trepidation.

Middleton’s boys basketball team learned Sunday afternoon that it received the No. 5 seed in its WIAA Division 1 sectional.

The Cardinals were excited to have such a solid seed in their 18-team sectional. But Middleton’s postseason path could be a beast.

Middleton (15-8) hosts 12^th-seeded Wauwatosa East (9-11) in a regional semifinal on March 4 at 7 p.m. The Red Raiders are the defending Division 1 state champions and are led by University of Virginia recruit Leon Bond.

If the Cardinals win there, they’ll either travel to fourth-seeded Arrowhead (16-6) or host 13^th-seeded Verona (11-11) in a regional final on March 5.

If the seeds hold, Middleton would face top-seeded Brookfield Central (18-5) in a sectional semifinal on March 10. And the sectional final on March 12 would be against second-seeded Madison La Follette (15-4).

SUN PRAIRIE — Joe Miller is not only an advocate for his sport, but he is also an optimist at heart.

So, while the Middleton wrestling coach will be relegated to only his duties as an announcer and sideline interviewer at the WIAA Individual State Wrestling Tournament this weekend at the Kohl Center, he is looking forward to double duty as soon as next season.

“It’s disappointing that we didn’t qualify anyone for state,” said Miller, who completed his first season as the Cardinals head coach at the Sun Prairie Sectional last Saturday. “But we were third at conference, third at the regional. We wrestled pretty good up until (Saturday). In the month of January, we were doing great. We had four conference champs, three regional champs and six sectional qualifiers. It was a good run.”

Only the top two finishers in each weight class advance to the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

It didn't end the way they hoped it would.

Few things that end rarely do.

But as Middleton’s hockey team stopped and reflected on the year they just completed, they had every reason to be beaming with pride.

Middleton fell to Verona, 5-0, in a WIAA Division 1 regional final last Thursday. That came on the heels of the Cardinals downing La Crosse Aquinas, 4-0, in a regional semifinal Feb. 15.

Middleton finished the year 16-8, a remarkable achievement considering the Cardinals played just three games and had fewer than 15 practices during the COVID-plagued 2021 season.

“I’m incredibly proud of this group,” Middleton coach Dan Truehl said. “In some respects, we had to start all over. The senior class was our rock and the culture that we’ve started to build is going to benefit us this offseason and in the upcoming years.

Jeff Kind’s message is simple.

It’s the same one he preached two years ago when he had one of the top girls basketball teams in the state. And it’s one he’ll stress today when his Cardinals are a No. 14 seed in their WIAA Division 1 sectional.

“The message going into the tournament is that everyone is 0-0 right now regardless their seed,” Kind said. “It was our message when we were highly seeded and it’s the same now. Focus on getting to 1-0.”

That, of course, will be an immense challenge.

Middleton travels to third-seeded Sun Prairie for a regional semifinal Friday at 7 p.m. If Middleton can pull off the upset, it would face either sixth-seeded Watertown or 11^th-seeded Milwaukee Pulaski in a regional final Saturday at 7 p.m.

The sectional semifinals are March 3 and the sectional finals are March 5.

Middleton is definitely limping into the playoffs after dropping a pair of games last week.

Middleton’s girls gymnastics team finished in fourth place at the Big Eight Conference meet.

Verona/Madison Edgewood won the meet with a 144.050 team score. Sun Prairie (139.050), Madison Memorial (134.20), Middleton (130.80) and Janesville Craig (130.125) rounded out the top five.

“Coming into our conference meet we had a few girls that we lost to injuries,” Middleton coach Cullen Steck said. “Our season motto of "next gymnast up" held true once again as we had some of our younger girls step up into some major roles on the varsity roster.”

Middleton’s Jayden Mathias finished 10^th in the all-around competition (33.90) and Megg Weiler was 11^th (33.350).

Mathias was seventh on the beam (9.20), 14^th on the vault (8.450), 15^th on the bars (7.80) and 19^th on the floor (8.450).

The Jamie Sims-Ben White team didn't last for long.

Sims was named Middleton High School’s athletic director in June, 2020. At that same time, White was named the Cardinals’ assistant athletic director and student activities coordinator.

In recent days, both men have taken new jobs.

Sims was officially named the new principal at Sun Prairie West High School Monday night. He will stay on as Middleton’s A.D. until June 30.

“We are excited to have Principal Sims join the Sun Prairie Area School District,” Sun Prairie Superintendent Brad Saron. “I am confident in his ability to lead as principal of our new high school and know he will create a positive school climate for Sun Prairie West students.”

White, meanwhile, left the district last week to work for the American Cancer Society.

While most school districts have just one athletic director, Middleton plans to continue with two.