Sports

Hours, days, a full week after the fact, Ben Kollasch still couldn't believe what he just saw.

Kollasch, Middleton’s boys soccer coach, took his team to the postseason with high hopes and lofty dreams. Instead, the third-seeded Cardinals were eliminated in the first round of the WIAA Division 1 playoffs by 14^th-seeded West Allis Hale, 3-2, last Tuesday.

Middleton, which had climbed as high as No. 2 in the state polls earlier this season, ended the year 11-5-3. And after starting the season 9-0-1, the Cardinals finished the season 2-5-2.

“I did think we were back on track,” Middleton coach Ben Kollasch said. “I think that, at one time this season, we deserved the No. 2 ranking.

“We also never found a way to make a notable win we could hang our hat on, a win to define our season and look back on to remind us how tough we could be. We never defined our season in a positive light without the grit to create one of those big wins.”

The Big Eight Conference meet didn’t go as well as they planned.

But Saturday provides a chance for redemption.

Middleton’s girls cross country team finished third at the Big Eight meet held at Leeson Park in Beloit.

Now, the Cardinals have to regroup quickly with the WIAA Division 1 DeForest Sectional slated for Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

Middleton has finished fourth at state the last two seasons. And the Cardinals know it will take a huge effort Saturday to return for the state meet in Wisconsin Rapids.

“Our girls are gamers,” Middleton co-coach Isaac Mezera said. “We have four seniors on the sectional team with a wealth of race experience, a junior who is primed for her best race yet, a sophomore who never quits, and a freshman who just found another gear. I think if we keep the right attitude and execute another perfect race, we'll end our season up in Wisconsin Rapids.”

Never has third place felt so good.

That’s how Middleton’s boys cross country team felt after the Big Eight Conference meet last Saturday in a race held at Leeson Park in Beloit.

Madison West and Madison La Follette — the state’s top two teams — were first and second, as expected. But Middleton was third, a spot many others in the league were gunning for.

“When the top two teams in the state are in your conference, finishing third is very satisfying,” Middleton co-coach Cindy Bremser said. “We knew going into the meet there were several teams that wanted that third position and it was very close.”

It sure was.

West finished with 36 points and La Follette had 48 — easily outdistancing the rest of the field. Middleton was third at 120, while Sun Prairie (123) and Verona (130) rounded out the top five at the 10-team event.

Ben White has been waiting for this moment all year long.

Spunk. Gusto. Passion.

Middleton’s boys volleyball coach has wanted to see these qualities from his team. And White finally got his wish last Saturday.

At the Middleton round robin, the Cardinals went 3-1 with wins over state-ranked teams Waukesha West and New Berlin. The Cardinals also defeated Nicolet, before losing to Appleton North.

“We finally played with energy. Finally!” White said after the tournament. “It took many weeks and many attempts to get the energy out of the boys and I don’t know what finally did it, but I’m not complaining. We played with energy and intensity on Saturday.”

Middleton opened the tournament with a 25-16, 25-12 win over Waukesha West, the 11^th-ranked team in the state. Just one week ago, West upset Brookfield East, the No. 2 team in the state.

The second season is here.

But before Middleton’s girls volleyball team heads to the postseason, the Cardinals had to finish up the regular season.

Middleton went to the Big Eight Conference tournament last Saturday and finished fourth overall. The Cardinals were just 2-4 overall on the day.

“It was not the finish that we expected,” Middleton coach Franco Marcos said. “We had Homecoming on our minds.”

Middleton opened with a 25-22, 25-18 win over Janesville Parker. KateLyn Robson had four aces, while Cole Jordee had two aces, three blocks and five assists. 

Middleton then downed Madison East, 25-6, 25-9.

Robson had three aces and seven assists, while Morgan Roberts had four aces. Audrey Hinshaw had five kills, Amber Karn had three aces and nine digs, and Jordee had two aces, three blocks and four assists. 

Sun Prairie then defeated Middleton, 25-23, 25-12. Logan Welti had six kills and Karn had seven digs. 

They danced and sang as “Build Me Up Buttercup” blasted throughout Breitenbach Stadium.

They hugged and high fived as Usher’s “Take That and Rewind It Back” roared through the air.

And they paused to soak it all in when “We Are the Champions” came on.

Yes, Friday night was party night for Middleton’s football team. That’s what undisputed Big Eight Conference championships can do for people.

The Cardinals hammered visiting Janesville Craig, 41-0, on Homecoming and claimed their first outright Big Eight title since 2004.

The Cardinals finished the regular season 8-1 and edged Madison La Follette (7-2) for the league title. Janesville Craig, which was trying to forge a tie atop the league, finished the regular season 6-3.

“This is just amazing,” Middleton senior tight end Mitchell Herl said. “I’ve played with most of these guys since the fourth grade and we just have amazing team chemistry. This is just a great moment.”

They’ve waited all season for this moment.

For many, they’ve waited their whole lives.

Middleton’s football team is in position to win the Big Eight Conference championship for the first time since 2010. And the Cardinals can make that a reality Friday.

Middleton improved to 7-1 in the league last Friday following a 63-7 destruction of Beloit Memorial. The Cardinals lead Janesville Craig and Madison La Follette (both 6-2) by one game heading into the regular season finale.

The Cardinals now host the Cougars Friday at 7 p.m. with a conference title on the line. And if Middleton prevails, it will give the Cardinals the outright conference championship for the first time since 2004, which was Tim Simon’s first year as head coach.

VERONA — She finished 15th at state her freshman season, then she leapt 10 spots a year ago.

But for some reason, Middleton standout junior Loren Skibba didn’t fully believe greatness was in her future.

“There was always a mental hurdle,” Skibba said.

Not anymore. Not after Skibba hurdled the rest of the state.

At the WIAA Division 1 state girls golf meet held Monday and Tuesday at University Ridge, Skibba gave a memorable performance.

Skibba conquered the rain, wind and plummeting temperatures and won the state title. Skibba posted a two-day score of 3-over par, 147 which was good for a four-shot win over Anika Hitt.

Skibba joined Lindsey Solberg (2006) as just the second individual champion in school history. And Skibba’s score was the eighth-best in Division 1 history, an amazing achievement considering veteran observers all agreed this was the worst two days of weather the tournament ever had.

Loren Skibba has spent her life going low.

That’s what happens when you’re one of the state’s elite high school golfers.

But Monday was different for Middleton's standout junior. Historically different.

Skibba shot a 3-under par, 69 on the first day of the WIAA Division 1 state meet held at University Ridge. Skibba — who matched her career-low — leads Verona’s Jessica Reinecke and Homestead’s Anika Hitt by five shots heading into Tuesday’s final round.

Skibba’s 69 was also just one shot off the Division 1 record set by Milton’s Ashton Stair in 2010.

“Loren's round was stellar,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “She stayed focused and confident and showed everyone her ability. I would say this is a career round for her.”

Skibba’s big day has the Cardinals knocking on the door of a state team championship, as well.

It wasn’t the bracket they wanted to wind up in.

But Middleton’s boys volleyball team made the most of it.

The Cardinals couldn’t escape pool play and wound up in the consolation bracket at the power packed Whitefish Bay Invite last Saturday. But Middleton made the most of its lot in life and won the consolation bracket.

“A very good way for us to end the day,” Middleton coach Ben White said.

Middleton was placed in an extremely difficult pool, but opened with an 18-21, 23-22, 18-16 win over Burlington. Cardinals senior Andrew Gardner had a huge kill late in the deciding game to propel Middleton.

“The great thing about Andrew is that pressure doesn’t really bother him,” White said. “He delivered a huge kill and that was a big win for us – our first win this year in a deciding set. And honestly, it was only our second match that went to a deciding set.”

Nicolet then toppled Middleton, 21-19, 15-21, 15-9.