Sports

Middleton boys golf coach Tom Cabalka has called his current group of sophomores the most talented in school history.

That’s saying something, when you consider the Cardinals have been state champions four times and runners-up once since 1997.

But this spring, the sophomore trio of Brady Thomas, Emmet Herb and Joey Levin have come into their own. And now, the Cardinals appear ready for a memorable postseason.

Middleton kicked the second season off in style last Thursday, as its super sophs powered them to the Big Eight Conference title at Evansville Golf Club.

Middleton shot a 314 to easily outdistance runner-up Beloit Memorial (331) and the rest of the conference. Herb finished second individually with a 76, while Levin was third with a 78 and Thomas tied for fourth at 79.

When Matt Ash’s foot touched home plate, it seemed as if all the stars had aligned on the Middleton baseball team’s road to redemption.

Ash had scored on an opposite-field line drive by fellow senior Zach Kasdorf in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday, scoring the go-ahead run to put the Cardinals three outs from a victory that would put them in the thick of the Big Eight Conference title hunt heading into the final week of the regular season.

A victory that would earn a measure of revenge against the same Sun Prairie team that had beaten them by 12 runs a month earlier, just as Middleton had avenged a lopsided setback to Janesville Parker, the other team atop the league standings.

But Middleton failed to land the knockout punch necessary to floor a battle-hardened team like Sun Prairie, which has won the last two WIAA Division 1 state titles and the last four Big Eight crowns.

Middleton’s girls softball team received the No. 6 seed in its regional.

The Cardinals will open postseason play Tuesday by hosting 11^th-seeded Holmen in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal at 5 p.m.

“I was really happy with the seed,” Middleton manager Cherie Hellenbrand said. “I like how it lines up for us.”

If the Cardinals win Tuesday, they’ll face the winner of third-seeded DeForest and 14^th seeded Madison West in a regional final Thursday at 5 p.m.

If the seeds hold, Middleton would face second-seeded Madison La Follette in the sectional semifinals on June 3. The Cardinals wouldn’t meet top-seeded Verona until the sectional finals on June 5.

“Being on the opposite side of the bracket from Verona is a good thing for us,” Hellenbrand said. “We still have to play well, but I like our draw.”

The second season is just about here.

The Big Eight Conference boys golf tournament is Thursday at Evansville Golf Club. The WIAA Middleton Regional is Tuesday at Pleasant View, and sectionals are May 27.

And Middleton appears ready to make a memorable run.

The Cardinals had another terrific week and jumped to No. 1 in the latest Wisconsin Golf Coaches Association poll.

Middleton rolled to an easy win at the Janesville Craig Triangular last Tuesday.

The Cardinals finished third at the Madison La Follette Invite last Thursday with their JV team.

And Middleton struggled a bit Monday at the Spartan Invite, but still finished second.

“It’s always fun stuff … and now, you just hope your kids play well,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “It’s fun to see your kids get excited and play well. It’s just an exciting time.”

Their bats are heating up.

They’re getting the necessary help from other teams in the conference.
And if Middleton’s baseball team can continue its recent surge, anything seems possible.

The Cardinals notched a pair of huge Big Eight Conference wins last week. Middleton routed Madison West 14-1, last Thursday and cruised past Madison East, 19-1, last Friday in a game played at Sun Prairie.

Middleton also was swept by Watertown in a doubleheader Saturday. But the Cardinals’ two league wins — and Janesville Parker’s victory over Sun Prairie — have left the Big Eight up for grabs.

Parker and Sun Prairie share the conference lead with 12-2 records, while Middleton is 11-3 in the league. Middleton, which is also 14-6 overall, hosts Sun Prairie in a conference showdown Thursday.

Sun Prairie also travels to Janesville Parker on May 27.

There had been rough patches of late.

Unexpected road bumps and mishaps.

But Middleton’s girls softball team got back on track last week and once again seems poised to make some noise in what’s been a terrific bounce back season for the program.

Middleton routed Madison Memorial, 8-2, last Tuesday. The Cardinals then won a 13-12, eight-inning thriller over Beloit Memorial last Thursday.

The Cardinals improved to 13-7 overall and are in third place in the Big Eight Conference at 11-5.

“Our team does not have any one superstar, but 14 hard working players,” Middleton manager Cherie Hellenbrand said. “And the harder we work the luckier we seem to get.”

Middleton was a combination of lucky and good in its win over Beloit Memorial.

The Purple Knights led, 12-6, heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. But the host Cardinals rallied to force extra frames, then won it in the eighth.

It’s been a record-setting year for Middleton’s boys track and field team.
And the hits just kept coming last week.

Not only did Middleton win the Monona Grove Invitational for the first time in school history. The Cardinals scored 142.50 points, which was the highest total in the meet’s 55-year history.

Yowza!

“We were strong in almost every area of the track, putting points on the board in every event except the shot put,” Middleton coach Isaac Mezera said. “The other cool thing is only six guys on the team did two events. Everyone else did just one event. It was a chance, again, to show the depth of the squad and to let guys truly focus on just one thing.”

To show just how dominant Middleton was at this 20-team event consider the Cardinals nearly doubled runner-up Racine Park (79). Stevens Point was third (75.33), while West Bend West (64.33) and Madison Memorial (63.50) rounded out the top five.

In the classic television show “Seinfeld”, the neurotic George Costanza often spoke of “going out on a high note.” The premise is to leave at your apex, a showmanship trick that originated in Las Vegas.

Middleton’s girls track and field team did exactly that last Saturday.

Due to future scheduling issues, it’s unlikely the Cardinals will attend the Monona Grove Invitational in upcoming seasons. So if this was indeed Middleton’s swan song, it was a grand exit.

The Cardinals piled up 196 points and rolled to the title for the seventh time in the past eight years. Monona Grove was a distant second (138.5), while Verona was third (112) at the seven-team meet.

“It was bittersweet,” said Middleton coach Tara Franklin, who’s a Monona Grove alum. “The good thing is that tradition carried the girls through.”

Tradition — and remarkable depth.

In most cases, Middleton limited its girls to just one event. And the results were sublime.

Middleton’s boys tennis team won the Big Eight Conference dual meet championship with a perfect 9-0 record.

The Cardinals won four league matches in the past week to cap an unbeaten season in league play.

Middleton defeated Janesville Craig, 7-0, last Tuesday and rolled to a 7-0 win over Madison La Follette last Thursday. The Cardinals toppled Madison West, 5-2, last Friday and cruised past Janesville Parker, 7-0, on Monday.

In between, Middleton dropped a 6-1 decision to Brookfield East — the state’s No. 1 ranked team — last Wednesday.

The Cardinals now take aim at the conference tournament title, which was scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

“We're the front runner for conference, the favorite to win,” Middleton coach Deke Bradley said. “I think as long as we play well, we should be fine.  

VERONA — In less than a month, Middleton’s boys golfers hope to find themselves at University Ridge.

That’s where the WIAA Division 1 state tournament is held.

If the Cardinals make it through a rigorous postseason and navigate their way to state, look out.

Middleton showed the rest of the state exactly that last Wednesday and Thursday. The Cardinals shot a lights-out 598 and rolled to a 41-shot victory at the Morgan Stanley Shootout.

Cardinals senior Josh Haunty shot a 1-over-par 145 over the two-day event to earn medalist honors. Middleton sophomore Brady Thomas carded a 149 and tied for second.

The win helped Middleton jump to No. 2 in the latest Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin poll.

“This win gives us the confidence that we can play well at the venue where it matters most,” said Cardinals senior and No. 1 golfer Josh Haunty. “But none of that matters if we don't get through our tough sectional.
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