Sports

Middleton junior center Will Garlock was named honorable-mention all-state in Division 1 by the WBCA.

The 6-foot-11 Garlock led the Cardinals in scoring (16.9), rebounding (8.5) and blocked shots (19) this season. Garlock also shot 66.5% from the floor (165-of-248) and knocked down 31.2% of his 3-point shots (10-of-32).

Garlock has NCAA Division I scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Marquette, Penn State and Virginia Tech and should be poised for a terrific senior season.

“Will has the highest ceiling of any player we've ever had here at Middleton, or I've ever had as a coach,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “He's a true 6-11, he has a high skill set in all phases of the game. He's gotten bigger and stronger and more skilled every year.

One of the top pitchers in the area returns.

Three other all-conference players are back.

And several critical returnees along with some exciting newcomers will all play vital roles.

Add it all up and you can see why Middleton’s girls softball team believes it could be ready for a tremendous season. The Cardinals — who went 18-10 and finished in fourth place in the Big Eight Conference last year — open their new season Friday when they face Madison Memorial at Jefferson Middle School at 4:30 p.m.

“I absolutely think expectations are higher,” said Middleton coach Brittany Carl, who’s beginning her fifth season. “We’re chasing a Big Eight title — 100%. We return the bulk of our team from last year and could not be more excited about that.

Like a lot of kids, Torin Pettaway is a football fan.

Until last summer, though, that’s all he was.

Not a football player. Just a fan.

The Middleton junior is not a beginner anymore. Now, he’s a Wisconsin Badger.

Pettaway didn’t play football until the fall of 2023, and on the heels of first team All-Big Eight Conference and Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Region honors, the 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end recently made a verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin.

The timeline is so unique, even Pettaway has to pinch himself sometimes.

“I think about it every day to be honest,” Pettaway said of his meteoric rise. “I’m just very blessed to be in the position that I’m in, and very grateful and humble at the same time.

“Six months ago you couldn’t pay me to think that I’d be here right now. It’s still kind of crazy to me.”

Middleton’s girls basketball team struggled through a rough winter.

But the Cardinals did land two players on the all-Big Eight Conference team.

Sophomore guard Brooke Michelotti and senior forward Kenzie Zimmerman were both named honorable-mention all-Big Eight.

Michelotti led Middleton with 11.2 points per game, highlighted by a 20-point outing against Janesville Craig on Nov. 28. Michelotti scored in double figures in 16 of 25 games, led the Cardinals with 51 3-pointers and shot 70.0% from the free throw line.

Michelotti was also fourth on the team in rebounds (3.4), tied for second in assists (1.5) and second in steals (1.4).

Zimmerman was second on the team in scoring (7.5) and second with 28 3-pointers. Zimmerman also led the Cardinals in assists (1.9) and steals (1.5) and was third in rebounds (4.4).

Middleton’s boys track and field team began the season with an eighth place finish at the 22-team Nelson/Daniels Classic held at UW-Whitewater last Saturday.

Oconomowoc won the meet with 64 points, while Kettle Moraine (36), Mukwonago (33), Madison West (32) and Franklin (29) rounded out the top five.

Middleton finished with 24.5 points.

Middleton’s girls were also 10^th out 21 teams with 26.5 points. Oconomowoc won the girls’ meet with 60 points.

Here’s where Middleton’s top performers finished:

BOYS

• Dante Pasello was second in the 800-meter run, while Jack Johnson was sixth.

• K.J. Peterson was fourth in the shot put.

• Will Whiteis was sixth in the 1,600-meter run.

• Matthew Arnold was seventh in the 400-meter run.

• Jake Leslie was sixth in the high jump.

• Middleton’s 3,200-meter relay team was eighth.

Their season didn’t go quite as well as they hoped.

But Middleton’s boys basketball team still fared well when it came to Big Eight Conference honors.

Junior center Will Garlock was named first-team all-Big Eight. Sophomore point guard Isaiah Oliver, junior forward Marquis Walker and senior guard Gavin Meister were all named honorable-mention all-conference.

Garlock was joined on the first team by junior wing Chris Davis Jr. of Sun Prairie West, senior forward JJ Douglas of Janesville Parker, sophomore guard Mike Wilson of Madison West, senior guard Camron Henderson of Madison East, junior wing Drew Murphy of Verona, senior forward Gavin Van Wie of Sun Prairie East and senior guard Carson McCormick of Janesville Craig.

Davis Jr. was named the league’s Player of the Year, while Steve Maselter of Sun Prairie East was named the league’s Coach of the Year.

When this journey began four months ago, expectations were sky high.

There was a Division 1 big man to build around. There were role players from the previous season excited for their opportunity to shine. And there were three transfers with unique skill sets joining the party.

For whatever reason, though, Middleton’s boys basketball team never could get the pieces to fit. And a year packed with promise ended quietly last Friday night.

Host Janesville Craig shot 60% from the floor and rolled past Middleton, 75-54, in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal.

The 10^th-seeded Cardinals, who began the year 6-1, dropped four of their final five games and finished a disappointing 13-12. Seventh-seeded Craig (18-8) went on to defeat second-seeded Waunakee on Saturday to win the regional championship.

Middleton senior football standouts Dom Frost and KJ Peterson were both named to the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game on July 20 at Titan Stadium at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Both Middleton players will compete for the South Large team All-Stars.

Frost was the Big Eight Conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and Defensive Interior Lineman of the Year after posting 53 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks in 2023. Frost, who will play collegiately at Bemidji State (Mich.), also forced a fumble, had one interception, and earned all-Region honors.

MADISON – The dynamic duo is just getting started.

Sam Zanton and Reed Falk have a lot to be proud of following their respective debuts at the 81^st annual WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling tournament, which was held last Thursday through Saturday at the Kohl Center.

Zanton (45-3), who had entered the state tournament with a perfect record, and Falk (30-5) achieved a remarkable goal. Both completed their stellar seasons on the podium representing Middleton as top six place winners.

Falk finished in fifth place at 190 pounds, while Zanton was sixth at 150 pounds.

“I know those guys don’t have much experience in multi-day tournaments, two, three-day tournaments like that,” said Middleton coach Kevin Meicher, who won the 126-pound state title as a freshman in 2016. “So, it was a bit tough for both Sam and Reed the third day. But I still love the way that they came prepared.”

Step by step.

Middleton hockey coach Dan Truehl has watched with great pride as his Cardinals have gotten better and better — and advanced further and further — during the impressive start to his tenure at MHS.

In Truehl’s first four seasons as Middleton’s coach, the Cardinals lost their first playoff game in 2021, reached the regional finals in 2022 and the sectional semifinals in 2023.

This year’s Cardinals reached the WIAA Division 1 sectional finals for the first time since 2016, where they dropped a 4-1 decision to Madison Edgewood last Friday at Sun Prairie Ice Arena.

If Middleton continues to take one step forward each season, next year’s group could reach the state tournament for the first time since 2011.

“Next year’s team brings back a lot of talent,” Truehl said after the loss to the Crusaders. “We’ve talked about this the past couple of years, but with every step we take forward, the expectations change.”