Sports

Middleton’s boys swimming team will have a blast from the past this season.
And what a blast it is.

Sam Niesen, one of the more accomplished swimmers in school history, has returned to be the Cardinals’ head coach. And Middleton — which began its season at the Brookfield East Invitational Tuesday — is expecting a terrific year under its new leader.

“So far, our time together has gone rather smoothly,” Niesen said. “There are a few things we need to work on as a team to improve, both in and out of the pool. But it’s obviously very early in the season and I’m not concerned about the long run.

“There are quite a few guys on the team that I see with a lot of potential, and I’m extremely excited to see what my coaching can do to break that out.”

If Niesen’s coaching skills come close to his swimming ability, the Cardinals will be in good shape.

It didn’t take long for Kari Steck to notice the difference.

Middleton’s girls gymnastics coach was in the gym an hour, maybe two, and the Cardinals’ boss could already see the change.

“The depth and determination this year is unlike any we've seen in a while,” Steck said. “From day one, we as coaches could tell it just felt different in the gym than it ever had before. It’s a special group of girls.”

Middleton opens its season Tuesday with a home meet against Mount Horeb at 6:30 p.m. And the Cardinals are expecting another special season.

Middleton had a memorable winter a year ago, winning Madison Memorial Sectional and finishing fourth at the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

Amazingly, Steck believes this year’s group will be even deeper than a year ago.

“The depth this year is fantastic,” she said.

Sophomore Madeline Pflasterer-Jennerjohn is Middleton’s top returnee.

Middleton’s hockey team wanted a big, early-season test.

And the Cardinals passed it with flying colors last weekend.

Middleton defeated Waunakee, 7-6, in overtime at the University School Tournament last Friday at Uihlein Ice Arena in Milwaukee.

The Cardinals and University School then battled to a 5-5 tie on Saturday.

“I was really impressed by our development in the short week,” Middleton coach Steffon Walby said. “We really played hard and showed a ton of grit.”

Middleton’s Wes Rock scored the game-winning goal against Waunakee. That capped an impressive offensive performance in which seven different Cardinals scored.

Middleton trailed, 6-5, late in regulation. But Jordan Hylbert’s goal with just 2:51 left in the third period forced overtime.

The Cardinals also got goals from Nolan Kouba, Casey Harper, Daylor Reifsteck, Colin Butler and Eric Karwoski.

They’ve been waiting for this type of performance for two years now.

So when Ian Hokanson went wild last Wednesday night, it provided a memorable evening for everyone inside Middleton’s boys basketball program.

Hokanson, a three-year varsity player and one of the few Cardinals with any experience, had the game of his life against visiting Madison Edgewood.

Hokanson erupted for a career-high 23 points, added six rebounds and led Middleton to a 66-58 win over the Crusaders. It was the season-opener for both teams.

“It was nice to see Ian attack the rim and get himself to the line as well as hit the three-point shot,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “He also led us in deflections (five) and in rebounds (six) showing how active he was on both ends of the court.”

Middleton senior post player Cole Jordee was forced to watch the closing minutes of the Cardinals’ thrilling season- and Big Eight Conference-opening girls basketball game from the bench on Tuesday night.

Jordee picked up her fifth foul in the final minute of regulation, and like fellow starter Grace Douglas who had fouled out earlier in the fourth quarter, had to flip the switch from participant to cheerleader.

However, that just made the Cardinals’ heart-stopping 85-80 victory in double overtime over Janesville Parker that much more exciting for Jordee and her teammates.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking. I wanted to be out there at the end,” said Jordee, who finished with six points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. “But I had to stay positive and cheer them on and be encouraging.”

Kevin Bavery grabbed one sheet after another from the cluttered desk inside his second floor classroom.

Each piece of paper contained information about one of his Middleton boys basketball players. Heights, weights, years in school, etc.

And as Bavery — Middleton’s ninth year coach — looked over each sheet, he echoed a similar sentiment.

“Yep, he’ll play,” Bavery said — over and over and over.

Yes, grab your program and keep it close by this year. Bavery plans to play 10, 12, maybe even more players each night this winter.

Middleton, which opens its season Wednesday with a home game against Madison Edgewood at 7:30 p.m., doesn’t appear to have one or two stars like past years. But the Cardinals do have several players with somewhat similar skill levels.
So Bavery will take a “strength in numbers” approach, play a dozen kids on most nights, and hope that style leads to big things.

It was one of the most amazing seasons in school history. One that will be marveled at for years to come.

Middleton boys volleyball senior outside hitter James Caldwell produced a season unlike many before him, leading the Cardinals to a Big Eight Conference title and a trip to state.

And that brilliance is why Caldwell was an easy pick as the Big Eight’s Player of the Year.

Middleton junior middle blocker Jordan Futch and senior outside hitter Andrew Gardner both received first-team all-league honors, as well. Senior setter Derek Kalvin was named second-team all-league, while freshman libero Thomas Robson and junior middle blocker Blake Sprecher were both named honorable-mention all-conference.

Caldwell was the headliner, though, for a Middleton team that overcame a bevy of obstacles and had a surprising run back to state.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team was young, inexperienced and unknown when the 2014 season began.

By the end of the year, the Cardinals were a group of battle-tested veterans capable of anything.

That’s why Middleton fared extremely well when it came time for postseason awards.

Junior outside hitter Logan Welti was named first-team all-Big Eight Conference and honorable-mention all-state.

Senior libero Amber Karn, senior setter Rachel Severson and senior outside hitter Audrey Hinshaw were all named second-team all-conference.

Verona finished with most all-conference selections (six), while Middleton and Sun Prairie tied for second (four).

The end result wasn’t what anybody had hoped for.

But there were plenty of bright spots for Middleton’s hockey team in its season-opener last Saturday.

The host Cardinals fell to Mequon Homestead, 3-2, in overtime. The Highlanders Joey Hobbs got the game-winner early in overtime.

“I definitely wanted a victory,” Middleton coach Steffon Walby said. “However we played a team that was very similar in talent as well as work ethic.

“When I made the schedule I wanted a team that was going to give us a good measure of where we were, and Homestead did that.”

After a quiet first period, Middleton’s Casey Harper scored just 57 seconds into the second period to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

“I thought that the overall game was more of a chess match than a hockey game,” Walby said. “We took the entire first period to feel each other out and to get the first game jitters out.”

Homestead scored twice in the third period and grabbed a 2-1 lead.

Jeff Kind has been around long enough to know that the only certainty is typically uncertainty.

That every year holds surprises, disappointments, stunners.

But Kind — Middleton’s veteran girls basketball coach — also knows a good thing when he sees it. And if everything breaks right, anything is possible.

That’s why Kind knows with a break or two, a friendly bounce or favorable roll, his Cardinals can challenge anyone and everyone that crosses their path this winter.

Middleton, which opens its season Tuesday with a home game against Janesville Parker, opened the year ranked No. 4 in the first wissports.com poll of the season. And Kind will do absolutely nothing to squash the lofty expectations that surround his team.

“I think we should be in the mix,” Kind said when asked about chasing a state title. “There’s a long ways to go and we don’t want to put a monkey on our backs.