Sports

There will be no surprises.

No mysteries.

As Middleton’s No. 1 ranked boys volleyball team readies for its WIAA sectional, they’ll do so knowing they’re about to see several familiar faces.

Top-seeded Middleton hosted fourth-seeded Madison Memorial in a sectional semifinal Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Cardinals defeated the Spartans, 3-0, on Sept. 29.

If Middleton defeats Memorial again, it would host either second-seeded Madison West or third-seeded Madison Edgewood in a sectional final Saturday at 7 p.m. The Cardinals defeated Edgewood, 3-0, on Sept. 3 and downed Madison West, 3-0, on Sept. 18.

MADISON — Tyler Vogt, Middleton’s personable and remarkably gifted linebacker, was recently given a saying from his father, Kevin.

Vogt passed that on his coaches, who then shared it with the Cardinals.

The passage read: “Mediocre teams have rules. Great teams set standards.”

Middleton has certainly done that throughout a memorable 2025 campaign. And it’s paid off in spades.

The Cardinals routed host Madison West, 38-9, on Oct. 16 and clinched their first Big Eight Conference championship since 2015 — when Vogt and the current senior class were just second graders.

Middleton won its eighth straight game, finished the Big Eight season a perfect 7-0 and improved to 8-1 overall. The Cardinals then received a No. 3 seed in the WIAA Division 1 playoffs and will open the postseason by hosting sixth-seeded Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon in a Level 1 game Friday at 7 p.m.

Back in 2022, Middleton’s football team headed to Milwaukee Marshall for the first round of the WIAA Division 1 playoffs.

The Cardinals led, 41-0, by halftime, enjoyed a running clock the entire second half and rolled to a 55-0 win.

That’s been the norm for Milwaukee Public Schools, which have struggled immensely in the football playoffs this century. MPS teams are 16-149 in the postseason since 2000 — a 9.7 winning percentage.

So Middleton had to be excited Saturday morning when it learned it would be facing Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon in the first round of the playoffs. That game will take place in Middleton Friday at 7 p.m.

The Cardinals, who are 8-1 and champions of the Big Eight Conference, received the No. 3 seed in their sectional. Hamilton/Audubon, which is 0-7 all-time in the playoffs, is 4-4 after finishing in third place in the Milwaukee City-Richardson Conference and received a No. 6 seed.

They’ve aced every test.

Shined on every exam.

Now, Middleton’s boys volleyball team is ready for its final.

The Cardinals — who are 32-0, ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation — received the No. 1 seed in their postseason sectional. Middleton hosts eighth-seeded Madison East in a regional final Friday at 7 p.m., and if it wins there, will host either fourth-seeded Madison Memorial or fifth-seeded Madison La Follette in a sectional semifinal Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

The sectional final is at Middleton High School Nov. 1 at 7 p.m., where a date with second-seeded Madison West could take place.

The state tournament then runs Nov. 5-7 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

Poised.

Strategic.

And most importantly, fast.

Middleton’s cross country teams were all that — and more — as both squads posted third place finishes at the Big Eight Conference meet on Oct. 18 at Sheehan Park in Sun Prairie.

Madison West won the girls’ race with 56 points, while Verona (64) and Middleton (70) rounded out the top three at the nine-team meet. Middleton’s JV1 and JV 2 teams also finished second.

“With Madison West dominating the conference over the past few years, we were absolutely thrilled to take second on the JV side and only six points off of Verona on the varsity side,” Middleton co-coach Kelly Julian said. “While we’ll need near-perfect execution next week at sectionals to qualify for state, knowing we’re within striking distance of one of our biggest challenges was a huge confidence boost for the team.”

The quest for a three-peat has begun.

Middleton’s boys soccer team, which has won back-to-back WIAA Division 1 state championships, opened the postseason Tuesday. The third-seeded Cardinals (14-3-2) hosted 14^th-seeded Kettle Moraine in a regional semifinal.

If Middleton won its playoff opener, it would host either sixth-seeded Badger or 11^th-seeded Madison Memorial in a regional final Oct. 25.

The sectional semifinals are Oct. 30 and the sectional finals are Nov. 1.

Madison West, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 1, is the top-seed in the sectional. Beloit Memorial is the No. 2 seed, while Middleton, Madison East and Verona round out the top five seeds.

“As always, our sectional is brutal,” Middleton coach Kevin Pauls said.

Middleton finished the regular season with a 1-1 tie against Benet Academy (Ill.) on Oct. 14 and a 2-0 win over Lake Geneva Badger on Oct. 16.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team had an up and down regular season.

But the Cardinals closed the regular season in style by winning the Luxemburg-Casco Invite on Oct. 18.

“We cleaned up the passing, defense and serving,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “Our seed is already set for the postseason and this past week was about getting us momentum for the postseason.”

They certainly got it.

Middleton opened with a 25-13, 25-18 win over Shawano.

“Everyone contributed in some way in our win against Shawano,” White said.

Middleton then downed No. 12 Pewaukee, 25-23, 25-23.

The Cardinals trailed the second set, 23-20, but scored the final five points behind Lily Kulow’s serving.

“They run the fastest offense we have seen this season, which took a little bit of time for us to adjust to,” White said. “That match changed the complexion of the day as we found ourselves in the gold bracket for the first time this year.”

Middleton’s girls swimming team won a pair of meets last weekend.

The Cardinals defeated Madison East, 138-29, on Oct. 17.

Middleton then downed Muskego, 142-44, on Oct. 18.

Here’s a recap of those meets.

MIDDLETON 138, MADISON EAST 29

The Cardinals had first place finishes in the following events:

• The foursome of Tae Martin, Helen Machleidt, Abigail Frommelt and Olivia Rashid won the 200-yard medley relay.

• Nora Kilgore won the 200-yard freestyle.

• Dina Abdel-Megid won the 200-yard IM.

• Jane Garlock won the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.

• Brynn Sundell won the 100-yard butterfly.

• Clara Kiehl won the 100-yard freestyle.

• The quartet of Aoife Ryan, Addie Dorn, Kiehl and Quinn Dawson won the 200-yard freestyle relay.

• Martin won the 100-yard backstroke.

• Rian Jost won the 100-yard breaststroke.

MADISON — The glass was half full.

Things didn’t go quite how Middleton’s girls golf team hoped they would during Monday’s first round of the WIAA Division 1 state tournament, but Tuesday was a new day.

And the Cardinals refused to return to University Ridge in a sour mood.

“Last night, we were all talking, we were like, ‘Guys, we have nothing to lose now. We know we’re in fifth — let’s go out there and do our best,’ ” MHS senior Annika Jafferis said. “We had nothing to lose.”

Not only that, the Cardinals remembered how things went a year earlier, when they were in second place after day one only to see Prescott erase a nine stroke deficit and eclipse them for silver by a stroke.

“So our 10 shots behind second place coming into today,  they didn’t see that as something that was hard to (overcome),” Cardinals coach Becky Halverson said. “We agreed that little by little, anything can happen. 

Daunting.

Formidable.

Demanding.

The sectional for Middleton’s boys soccer team is all that — and even more.

But the Cardinals, who have won back-to-back WIAA Division 1 state championships, are as battle-tested as it gets. And Middleton is excited for the challenge that awaits.

The Cardinals received the No. 3 seed in their sectional and host 14^th-seeded Kettle Moraine in a regional semifinal Oct. 21. If Middleton wins there, it would host either sixth-seeded Badger or 11^th-seeded Madison Memorial in a regional final Oct. 25.

The sectional semifinals are Oct. 30 and the sectional finals are Nov. 1.

Madison West, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 1, is the top-seed in the sectional. Beloit Memorial is the No. 2 seed, while Middleton, Madison East and Verona round out the top five seeds.

“As always, our sectional is brutal,” Middleton coach Kevin Pauls said.