Sports

They were already one of the most talented and experienced teams in the state.

Then, Middleton’s girls cross country team added more gifted runners to the mix.

The Cardinals brought back six of seven runners from last year’s team that finished fourth at the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

Then at last week’s time trials, Middleton had three newcomers break through. The result is a team that should challenge for a state title this fall.

Middleton’s first test comes Saturday, when it begins the season at the Verona Invite.

“Running your fastest time at the end of the season is everyone’s goal,” said Middleton co-coach Cindy Bremser, who shares head coaching duties with Isaac Mezera. “It is natural to want to place higher than the previous year, and hopefully we can prepare each athlete to be their strongest at that time. A lot will depend on who returns from other teams and who will move up on our team.”

Ben White swears there isn’t a “reload” button at his office, his home, or under his dashboard.

White’s contemporaries in the Big Eight Conference — and the rest of the state — probably think he’s fibbing, though.

White, the most successful coach in the history of Middleton boys volleyball program, has led the Cardinals to seven conference titles in the last eight years. Middleton has also reached the WIAA state tournament five times since 2006.

In theory, this should be a rebuilding year inside the program after Middleton lost 11 players from last season’s state tournament team. But White and his Cardinals believe otherwise.

“Honestly the expectations don’t change,” White said last week. “The league is winnable and it will be our goal to win conference for the eighth conference title in the last nine years.”

White has done more than build a consistent winner at MHS. He’s built a family.

VERONA — ‘The Streak’ was almost five years old.

It was impressive, imposing and downright extraordinary.

But all good things must end, and for Middleton’s girls swimming team, the expiration date came last Friday.

The Cardinals, who hadn’t lost a Big Eight Conference dual meet since the 2009 season, were dunked by host Verona-Mount Horeb. The Wildcats nipped Middleton, 89-81, in a thrilling — and extremely loud — season-opener for both teams.

“We knew this was going to be one of our toughest tests of the season,” Middleton coach Lauren Wencel said. “To have it as the first meet of the season made it that much more difficult. We just were not mentally ready for this meet. That's all there is to it.  

“We match up to Verona very well in the pool and have the ability to beat a team like that. If you do not go in with confidence and poise, you will not beat them. We have a very young team and we’re just not quite there yet.”

Middleton’s girls volleyball team opened its season with a bang last week.

The Cardinals went to the Cobleigh Invitational in Wisconsin Rapids and won the tournament.

Middleton went 7-0 on the day, marking an extremely impressive start for a young and revamped team.

“This is a good start for the confidence level of this young team,” Middleton coach Franco Marcos said.

Middleton opened with a 28-26, 19-25, 16-14 win over defending tournament champion Fox Valley Lutheran. Logan Welti led the way with 15 kills and six digs, Rachel Severson had 11 assists and Audrey Hinshaw had nine kills and two blocks. Amber Karn and Morgan Schmitt both added two aces and six digs, while Cole Jordee had nine assists.

To many, Middleton’s boys soccer team was a mystery this season.

Fifteen seniors gone from a year ago. Untested and unproven players all over the field.

Well, four games into the young season, the mystery has been solved. These Cardinals have a chance for big things.

Middleton rolled to three extremely impressive wins last week and improved to 4-0 on the year.

The Cardinals routed Janesville Parker, 10-0, last Thursday. Middleton then bested Neenah, 4-2, last Friday and toppled Hartland Arrowhead, 4-0, last Saturday.

Neenah entered the weekend ranked third in the latest Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association poll, while Arrowhead was ranked fourth.

In the Cardinals’ rout of Parker, they raced to a 7-0 halftime lead. Middleton also finished with a 32-0 advantage in shots on goal.

Middleton’s girls golfers continued their torrid start to the 2014 season last Thursday.

The Cardinals shot a 330 and defeated Madison Memorial (351) and Madison La Follette (inc.) in a Big Eight Conference triangular held at Odana Hills.

“This was a big win for us,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “I think the girls put quite a bit of pressure on themselves for this one.

“We have seen Memorial's scores the past couple weeks and they have been pretty low. I could tell our girls’ nerves were getting to them on the first nine holes.”

Loren Skibba led the Cardinals with a 75, while Rachel Thornton carded an 83. Alexis Thomas fired an 84 and Morgan Narowetz shot an 88.

Middleton’s quartet shot 173 on its first nine, then shot 157 on the back nine. Skibba was seven shots better (41-34) and Narowetz improved by six shots (47-41).

VERONA — Death by 1,000 cuts.

This is how Middleton’s football team rolled to a highly impressive 32-9 win over host Verona Friday.

The Cardinals didn’t hit many home runs. They didn’t have an abundance of explosive plays.

Instead, Middleton simply hammered away at their arch-rival. Eventually, the overmatched Wildcats wore down as Middleton outscored Verona, 23-0, in the second half.

“I think we did wear them out,” said Middleton coach Tim Simon, whose team improved to 2-0. “Nothing big, nothing fancy. I just think we stayed really composed and had a really solid effort.”

Middleton junior running back Cam Maly led the way with four rushing touchdowns, giving him seven on the young season. While Maly did much of the heavy lifting, Middleton’s offensive line of (from left) Austin Collins, Kajuan Redus, Sean Benedict, Derek Ramsey and Eric Karwoski seemed to wear out the Wildcats’ aggressive front.

Franco Marcos is notorious for bold statements.

He doesn’t shy away from large proclamations. And he won’t run from those declarations throughout the year.

The thing is, more often than not, Marcos is right. And Middleton’s girls volleyball coach is hoping he will be correct again this year.

The Cardinals graduated eight seniors from last year’s team, including four all-conference players. That group reached the sectional finals before losing to Sun Prairie.

And while many expect Middleton to take a step back this season, Marcos certainly isn’t one of them.

“I like these kids a lot, maybe even more than last year’s team from a talent perspective,” said Marcos, who’s beginning his 19^th season as Middleton’s varsity coach. “A lot of kids that are eager to learn and I think with this group we could do some great things.

Gone is a senior class that experienced unparalleled success. A group that took a terrific program and made it even better.

Middleton’s girls swimmers won four straight Big Eight Conference titles behind a core that recently graduated. That class helped lead Middleton to third place finishes at state in 2013 and ’10, and fourth place showings in 2011-’12.

So when Middleton begins its season Friday at Verona at 5 p.m., it will have a dramatically different team — but many of the same goals.

“It's been a great four years,” Middleton coach Lauren Cabalka said. “You certainly cannot replace a senior class like the one we just lost, but the girls have put in a lot of time and hard work throughout the offseason to becoming better athletes and swimmers.  

They survived the first two meets of the season without their best player.
When she returned, a terrific Middleton girls golf team became downright dynamic.

Cardinals junior Loren Skibba returned to the lineup last Friday during a dual meet against Janesville Parker at Pleasant View. And Middleton responded by shooting a school-record 2-over-par, 146.

The Cardinals’ big day helped them climb to No. 2 in the latest Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin poll.

“Friday’s match against Janesville Parker was amazing to say the least,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “Loren was back for us and we got to see a sneak peak into our team's potential this season.” 

Skibba has been nursing a back injury early in the year. And the Cardinals will be cautious with her all year, making sure she’s ready for the postseason.

But Friday’s match showed just how good Middleton can be when it’s at full strength.