Sports

GREEN BAY — Joey Passaglia knew what could happen next. And he knew that the Middleton football team’s 157-mile, 2 1/2-hour bus ride home would feel excruciatingly longer if this kept up.

There were 7 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals’ season opener at Bay Port on Aug. 21, and things were, as the Middleton senior quarterback admitted afterward, spiraling.

The Cardinals had just been stopped on a fourth-down play inside the Bay Port 5-yard line — a call that had Middleton co-head coaches Joe Poehls and Tim Simon co-blowing a gasket when the officiating crew didn’t even initially bother to call for a measurement — and the reigning WIAA defending Division 1-champion Pirates had turned that debatable call into an 80-yard Matt Stevens-to-Ethan Orlando touchdown on the next play from scrimmage.

Their theme is empowerment.

And Middleton’s girls cross country team believes the message behind that premise can lead to big things on the trails this fall.

“We want the team to trust each other, the training process and themselves,” MHS co-coach Kelly Julian said. “Our competitive goals won’t develop into fruition if they lack confidence.

“We want them to have ownership in their decisions and believe they are capable of something special this season — because they are.”

It certainly appears that way.

The Cardinals struggled through a 2024 season where injuries hit hard and they settled for a seventh place finish at sectionals. This year, Middleton is healthier, appears to have a deeper roster and will be gunning for its first trip to state since 2022.

For the first time in more than a decade, Brian Finnel’s schedule was open on the final weekend of the cross country season.

Finnel, Middleton’s boys coach, led his Cardinals to the state tournament 11 straight years between 2013-2023. Middleton fell short of that goal last year, though, finishing third at a star-studded sectional

The Cardinals — who begin their new season Thursday at the Hartland Arrowhead Invitational — hope to start a new streak this fall.

“Missing out on state last year was definitely tough, and it’s been a motivator for both the athletes and coaches,” Finnel said. “This group is probably a little stronger than last year’s team.

“A season ago, we leaned heavily on our depth, but we didn’t quite have that front-runner presence. This fall, we should be stronger up front, which changes the dynamic in a good way. The key question will be how our depth develops behind those top few runners?”

It wasn’t easy.

Nothing is at this time of the year.

But Middleton’s Home Talent League team found a way to add another chapter to their remarkably successful 2025 story.

The 29ers scored three runs in the top of the 10^th inning and defeated host Fort Atkinson, 5-3, in the first round of the Final 4 round robin tournament. Verona defeated Monona, 6-4, in the other Final 4 game.

Middleton, which improved to 15-0 this season, hosts Monona Sunday at 1 p.m., then hosts Verona on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. in the second and third round of the Final 4.

The 29ers survived a thriller with Fort Atkinson thanks to a big 10^th inning.

Drew Farrell opened the inning with a walk, then Nolan Smith sacrificed courtesy runner Easton Harris to second. Alden Cleary followed with a double to right that scored Harris to give Middleton a 3-2 lead.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team rolled past Sun Prairie West, 135-28, in their first meet of the year on Aug. 22

The quartet of Tae Martin, Rian Jost, Brynn Sundell and Sulia Miller were first in the 200-meter medley relay. The foursome of Miller, Clara Kiehl, Addi Haack and Jane Garlock won the 200-meter freestyle, and the team of Abigail Frommelt, Martin, Sundell and Garlock won the 400-meter freestyle relay.

Frommelt won the 200-meter freestyle and the 400-meter freestyle, while Sundell captured the 200-meter IM and the 100-meter butterfly. Garlock was first in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle, while Martin won the 100-meter backstroke and Jost was first in the 100-meter breaststroke.

Joe Poehls — a self-described “man of few words” — won’t say I told you so.

But deep down, Poehls knew.

As many wondered if Middleton’s football team was making the right call naming Joey Passaglia its starting quarterback in 2024, Poehls sat back with a quiet confidence that was proven correct over the next 11 games.

“We had a lot of belief in Joey,” said Poehls, Middleton’s co-head coach. “I know he was unproven at this time last year, but we had a pretty good feeling.”

That feeling was certainly proven correct.

And today, Middleton heads into its new season — one that begins with a trip to defending WIAA Division 1 state champion Bay Port on Thursday — with one of the top quarterbacks in the state.

Passaglia had a magnificent junior season, throwing 32 touchdown passes, just nine interceptions and finishing with a quarterback rating of 102.2 for a team that went 7-4 overall.

You could search the planet for the rest of your time here and you might never find someone as cheerful and positive as Tyler Vogt.

Smiling. Happy. Laughing. Optimistic.

That’s Vogt — 24/7/365.

Middleton’s senior standout linebacker is the type of leader coaches dream of. He’s also the kind of unique talent that keeps offensive coordinators awake at night.

So as Middleton readies for a new season that begins Thursday with a trip to defending WIAA Division 1 state champion Bay Port, the Cardinals know they’re remarkably fortunate having someone like Vogt leading their defense.

“Tyler, in my time here, is one of the best captains we’ve ever had,” Middleton co-coach Joe Poehls said. “He’s one of the best leaders we’ve ever had. He’s an incredible young man.”

Tim Simon, Middleton’s other co-coach, echoed those thoughts.

Good things come to those who wait.

Caden Gmur bided his time as he sat and watched top-seeded Middleton and second-seeded Ashton play to a 2-2 tie in regulation and head for extra innings in the Home Talent League’s Northern Section championship Sunday.

Then it was Gmur’s turn to shine.

The right-hander tossed two shutout innings in relief and led off the bottom of the 11^th inning with a double to fire up the host 29ers.

After Gmur moved to third base on a wild pitch, shortstop Hayden Hellenbrand played hero.

Hellenbrand beat out a two-out, ground ball to short and Gmur raced home with the winning run as Middleton rallied for a 3-2 win over Ashton in 11 innings at Sorenson-Bakken Field.

Middleton’s girls golf team had a terrific start to its season, finishing in third place at the 27-team Washington County Invite on Aug. 14.

Defending WIAA Division 1 champion DSHA won the meet with a sensational 300. Brookfield East (318), Middleton (330), Arrowhead (331) and Bay Port (335) rounded out the top five.

Senior Annika Jafferis led the Cardinals with an 80 that included 11 pars. Senior Sydney Weiss fired an 81 that included birdies at the par-4 fifth and 18th holes.

Senior Addie Sloan carded an 82, highlighted by a 38 on the back nine. And sophomore Stella Flad shot an 87.

• On deck: Middleton was at the two-day, 36-hole Brookfield Central/Menomonee Falls Invite Aug. 18-19.

The Cardinals had a Big Eight Conference triangular with Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West on Aug. 20, then head to the Green Bay Notre Dame Invite at Thornberry Creek Golf Course Friday at 9 a.m.

Pick a number, any number.

And you’re likely to leave impressed.

Middleton’s Becky Halverson has spent 11 years as the girls golf coach at Middleton High School. Here are some of the mind-blowing numbers the Cardinals have assembled in that time:

11 — Big Eight Conference titles under Halverson.

10 — Middleton’s top-3 finishes at state during Halverson’s tenure.

3 — WIAA Division 1 state titles under Halverson.

99-0-1 — Middleton’s record in Big Eight matches under Halverson, a remarkable .995 winning percentage.

Those magnificent numbers are likely to expand this season, as the Cardinals bring back a solid nucleus and have a gifted group ready for their chance. Middleton begins its new season Thursday when it travels to the Washington County Invite in Hartford.