Sports

They continued to dominate the Big Eight Conference.

They rolled to the regular season conference title, pushed their winning streak in the league to 81 matches, then won the conference tournament, as well.
So it was no surprise that Middleton’s boys volleyball team dominated the all-conference awards.

Senior outside hitter Cole Sweitzer was named first-team all-league and the conference’s Player of the Year. Senior libero Colton Tubbs was also named first-team all-conference.

Junior outside hitter Kaden Fosdick, junior rightside Ben Heise and senior middle hitter John Kruchten were named second-team all-conference. And junior setter/libero Alex Heuer, senior middle hitter Mike Roach and sophomore setter Brody Stuttgen were all named honorable-mention all-conference.

To the victor go the spoils.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team won the Big Eight Conference’s regular season crown. And justifiably, the Cardinals landed five players on the all-Big Eight Conference team.

Junior outside hitter Jordan LaScala and junior middle hitter Sierra Pertzborn were both named first-team all-conference. Junior setter Evin Jordee and junior libero/defensive specialist Eliana Ross were named second-team all-league, while sophomore defensive specialist/libero Amber Wahlgren was named honorable-mention all-conference.

“It was a fun season for sure,” said Middleton coach Maddie Vogel. “Honestly the best part of this season was the level of support everyone gave one another.

“I am proud of this team for that beyond anything else, because they fully relied on one another in times of pain and stress, and became stronger as a result. Truly a testament to their character and strength as a team and as individuals.”

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Alexa Richardson had spent the last 15 minutes fretting.

Richardson, Middleton’s girls cross country coach, was worried about the health of Maddie Ruszkiewicz, who collapsed and couldn't finish the WIAA Division 1 state meet last Saturday.

Richardson was unsure if her star-studded team had done enough to win a second straight state title. And Richardson was concerned about the mental state of her team, which had come to Ridges Golf Course as overwhelming favorites, but were now sweating things out.

Suddenly, one of the Madison Memorial coaches showed Richardson his phone. And Richardson was given a five-hour energy-like jolt.

Not only had the Cardinals won the state title. They did so in convincing fashion.

Middleton finished with just 61 points and easily outdistanced runner-up Madison West (150). Muskego (152), Whitefish Bay (159) and Menomonie (160) rounded out the top five.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — When they initially saw their name on the scoreboard, Middleton’s boys cross country team let out a groan.

That’s understandable, considering the Cardinals finished in the top-four at the WIAA Division 1 state meet every year between 2015-2020.

Upon further review, though, Middleton’s ninth place finish last Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course ranks among its most impressive finishes during a run of nine straight trips to state.

Middleton lost two of its top three runners from its 2020 squad. The Cardinals dealt with the death of teammate John “Jack” Miller last month.

And here they were, once again, racing with the best in the state.

Onalaska won the team title with 89 points, while Homestead (94), Wauwatosa East (148), Stevens Point (152) and Badger (169) rounded out the top five. Middleton finished with 270 points.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Blake Van Buren went the endzone and marked the spot of his historic tackle, one that will be remembered for years to come.

It was six inches shy of the goal line.

That’s how much room sat between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

In a WIAA Division 1 Level 2 playoff game last Friday, host Wisconsin Rapids scored a touchdown with just 4 seconds left and pulled within 21-20 of Middleton. The Red Raiders didn't hesitate and opted to go for two points and the win.

Rapids overloaded the right side of the line and gave the ball to all-everything running back Leo Brostowitz, who already had three touchdowns on the night. Cardinals defensive end Keda Seals beat his man and slowed down Brostowitz, then Van Buren — an all-state linebacker — shed a block and finished off the junior running back.

Four weeks ago, following a heartbreaking 26-21 loss to arch-rival Sun Prairie, Middleton football coach Jason Pertzborn stood in the middle of Otto Breitenbach Stadium and uttered the most prophetic line of the Cardinals’ season.

“I’ll bet you we see these guys again,” Pertzborn said that night.

Maybe Pertzborn should change his name to Nostradamus.

Last Friday, Middleton survived a late rally from host Wisconsin Rapids and defeated the Red Raiders, 21-20, in a WIAA Division 1 Level 2 playoff game. At the same time, Sun Prairie was posting a 35-20 win over visiting Fond du Lac.

Now, the two Cardinals who have battled for supremacy in the Big Eight Conference for years will meet in a Level 3 playoff game Friday at 7 p.m. in Sun Prairie. The winner will be just two victories from a state championship.

MCFARLAND — Rob Kleinschmidt didn't mince words.

Kleinschmidt, Middleton’s boys volleyball coach, gathered his team after their season ended with a loss to Kettle Moraine in the sectional finals last Saturday. And Kleinschmidt’s message was simple one.

“I just said, ‘Losing sucks,’ ” Kleinschmidt said. “There’s no way around it.”

That’s for sure.

Middleton had a sensational season, one in which it earned the No. 1 seed in its sectional and climbed to No. 4 in the latest Wisconsin Boys Volleyball Coaches Association poll. But third-seeded Kettle Moraine played sensational volleyball and toppled the Cardinals, 25-20, 26-24, 26-28, 25-15.

The Lasers, who were ranked sixth in the state, earned the No. 4 seed at state and now face fifth-seeded Westosha Central in a quarterfinal match Thursday. Middleton ended its season 21-6.

BARABOO — The promise of victory, but the sudden reality of defeat played out for the Middleton’s girls volleyball team in a pressure-packed Baraboo gym last Saturday night.

When junior middle Sierra Pertzborn recorded one of her team-high three blocks to secure a victory in the third set of its sectional championship match with Holmen, Middleton appeared poised to earn its first trip to the WIAA Division 1 state volleyball tournament since 2009.

Top-seeded Holmen, though, had other ideas and used a strong serve-receive game to rally for a 3-2 victory over the second-seeded Cardinals in the Baraboo Sectional.

The Vikings (29-2) used seven aces in the fifth set to earn their first-ever trip to state with the 23-25, 29-27, 22-25, 25-20, 15-11 victory.

DEFOREST – ‘Just take a deep breath and relax.’

That mantra proved to be just what Middleton’s girls volleyball team needed to move one step closer to securing their first WIAA Division 1 state tournament berth since 2009.

Junior outside hitter Jordan LaScala led the way with a team-high 16 kills as second-seeded Middleton defeated third-seeded Waunakee, 3-1, in a sectional semifinal match in DeForest on Oct. 28.

“We like to take deep breaths together and it helps,” said junior setter Evin Jordee, who closed out the first two sets with kills. “We just need to remain calm, and then we play extremely well.”

The Cardinals (37-4), who defeated the Warriors 25-14, 25-21, 24-26, 25-21 in the sectional semifinals, advanced to meet top-seeded Holmen (28-2) in the sectional championship match.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving won the Big Eight Conference meet held last Saturday at Verona High School.

The Cardinals won the meet with 628 points, while Madison West (573), Madison Memorial (377), Verona-Mount Horeb (323) and Sun Prairie (236) rounded out the top five.

Middleton had three of the top eight finishers in the diving competition. Avery Potrzbowski was third, Claire Jarugumilli was sixth and Megg Weiler was seventh.

Middleton’s 200-yard medley relay team of Lily Mair, Hannah Machleidt, Eva Anagnostopoulos and Ryanne Woodall was first, while the quartet of Ella Needham, Natalie Charles, Isabell Frommelt and Piper Garcia-Hall was fourth.

Middleton’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Woodall, Garcia-Hall, Emma Chandler and  Anagnostopoulos was first, while the foursome of Abby Ensenberger, Audrey Alexander, Abby Utter and Molly Haag was fourth.