Sports

There were challenges from the jump.

Injuries, both early and often. Sicknesses.

And a sectional jam-packed with talent.

So while Middleton’s girls cross country team was hoping for more than a 17^th-place finish at last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 state meet held in Wisconsin Rapids, the Cardinals also knew that simply reaching the state meet made this season a smashing success.

“The season overall has had its ups and downs,” Middleton co-coach Lauren Dilley said. “Overcoming challenges has been a huge part of the season for these girls.

“No one can say being in the moment of these challenges is fun, but to see everything come together at sectionals and to see everyone race at the state meet after overcoming those challenges is something special.”

Neenah won the state championship with 71 points, edging runner-up Slinger (84). Bloomer (179), Menomonie (197) and Whitefish Bay (212) rounded out the top five.

MADISON — The bar is annually set high for Middleton’s boys soccer team.

Competing for conference and state titles are not only realistic, but expected goals.

With only one returning starter and three seniors with significant experience, though, one would have thought this would be a rebuilding season for the Cardinals.

But here they were on a brisk, fall Saturday afternoon making their fourth straight appearance in the WIAA Division 1 sectional finals against Big Eight Conference foe Madison West with a berth to state on the line.

Two-time defending state champion and second-seeded Middleton won’t get a chance for a three-peat, though, as top-seeded Madison West hung on for a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Cardinals at Lussier Stadium on Nov. 1.

Seeding?

Past results?

At this time of the year, they’re all irrelevant.

All that matters is how you’re playing when it matters most. And right now, Middleton’s boys soccer team is playing at an extremely high level.

The Cardinals rolled past visiting Oregon, 3-0, in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal on Oct. 30. Middleton, the No. 2 seed, advanced to a sectional final against No. 1 seed Madison West on Nov. 1.

“Oregon played us tough earlier in the season, so we knew their seed didn't matter,” Middleton coach Kevin Pauls said. “I thought we had good intensity and energy all week at practice and that transferred over to the game.”

Oregon started fast, putting pressure on the Cardinals out of the gate. But Middleton never flinched.

The beat goes on.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team continued their sensational season, rolling to the Big Eight Conference championship held at MHS on Nov. 1. The Cardinals finished with 740.5 points to easily outdistance runner-up Verona (540.5).

Middleton now travels to the Verona Sectional Saturday at 1 p.m., and the WIAA Division 1 state meet is Oct. 15 at Waukesha South High School.

“Our team did an excellent job with competing these past two weekends and I am proud of their efforts both in the water and with supporting one another,” Middleton coach Andrew Cotton said. “I am looking forward to two more great weekends of racing.”

There was a lot to like about the Cardinals’ performance at the conference meet.

Middleton’s 200-yard medley relay team of Tae Martin, Rian Jost, Brynn Sundell and Sulia Miller was first, while the foursome of Addy Hynes, Helen Machleidt, Addi Haack and Anna Dart was second.

The goal was never an unbeaten season.

No, the objective was always a gold ball.

Now, Middleton’s boys volleyball team has an opportunity to get two for the price of one.

The Cardinals rolled past Madison West, 25-15, 25-18, 25-23, in a WIAA sectional final last Saturday. Middleton now takes aim at its second state championship in three years.

The Cardinals improved to 36-0 overall and are the No. 1 seed at state, where they’ll face eighth-seeded Kenosha Indian Trail in a state semifinal Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

The state semifinals are Thursday and the state finals are Friday.

And if things go according to plan for the No. 1 ranked Cardinals, they’ll be hoisting a gold ball at some point on Friday evening.

VERONA — When Olivia Chellevold approached the starting line for the WIAA Division 1 cross country sectional meet last Saturday, the Middleton senior had two goals in mind.

A year after sitting out the meet while recovering from a fracture in her lower back, Chellevold was a strong contender for her second sectional title in three years and third trip to the state meet.

Chellevold made it look easy, cruising to the individual championship on the Coach Randy Marks cross country course at Stewart Woods. Chellevold covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18 minutes, 51.2 seconds to qualify for state for a third time.

Chellevold’s big day also helped Middleton qualify for state as a team for the first time since 2022.

Lake Geneva Badger is a perfect 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in the latest Wisconsin Football Coaches Association poll.

The Badgers have outscored their opponents, 449-118, and their closest game this season was a 22-point win over Beloit Memorial.

Middleton must now find a way to slow down that juggernaut when it travels to Badger for a Level 2 playoff game Friday at 7 p.m.

The Cardinals’ reaction?

“It doesn’t matter who we play. We’ll play the Packers,” said senior running back Elijah Jackson. “We just focus on ourselves and we’re going to prepare for the week and give it our best.”

Middleton, the No. 3 seed in its quadrant, should feel good about itself heading into its trip to second-seeded Badger.

Nine.

That was the number of offensive plays Middleton’s football team had in the entire first half of its WIAA Division 1 first round playoff contest against No. 6 seeded Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon last Friday.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, four of those plays were touchdowns and MHS added two more scores on special teams as it raced to a 42-0 halftime lead en route to a 63-8 home victory.

“We just got the job done either running the ball or passing the ball,” Middleton senior quarterback Joey Passaglia said. “We had some great blocks on the perimeter and on our outside zone plays. I think it was just a great team effort and a great team win.”

The No. 3-seeded Cardinals, who improved to 9-1 overall, advanced to play No. 2- seeded Lake Geneva Badger in a second round playoff matchup on Friday. Badger (10-0) advanced with a 42-7 victory over Oak Creek.

Two down.

Two to go.

That’s how it stands for Middleton’s boys soccer team after the Cardinals captured a WIAA Division 1 regional championship last week and moved two steps from state.

Third-seeded Middleton defeated 14^th-seeded Kettle Moraine, 2-0, in a regional semifinal on Oct. 21. The Cardinals then downed sixth-seeded Madison Memorial, 3-1, in a regional final on Oct. 25.

Middleton, the two-time defending state champions, now hosts Oregon in a sectional semifinal Thursday at 7 p.m. at Firefighter’s Park. If the Cardinals win there — and the seeds hold — they’d face top-seeded and No. 1 Madison West in a sectional final Saturday at 1 p.m. at Madison La Follette’s Lussier Stadium.

“A good week for us,” said Middleton coach Kevin Pauls, whose team improved to 16-3-2.

It most certainly was.

While the seeds suggested Middleton was a heavy favorite against Kettle Moraine, Pauls knew better than to overlook the Lasers.

They spent two months trying to find a branch of consistency to grab hold of.

And every time Middleton’s girls volleyball team felt it was close, it lost its grip.

The Cardinals believed they were putting all the pieces together after downing Tomah, 3-1, in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal on Oct. 23 for their fifth straight win.

But Middleton’s season came to an end, when host Onalaska downed the Cardinals, 3-0, in a regional final on Oct. 25.

Middleton finished the season 22-13.

“I think this team was really coming together at the end of the season,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “Our weekend at Luxemburg-Casco — where we won the 12-team tournament — was pretty special, especially for our 10 seniors.

“We had a poor offensive night for our last match, but we played well in so many other facets of the game. Tough way to end.”