Sports

Their start has turned heads across the Big Eight Conference — and the state, for that matter.

Now, Middleton’s boys basketball team gets a pair of big-time tests this week.

The Cardinals improved to 4-0 overall and in the league last Friday with an 81-39 destruction of Madison La Follette. Now, things intensify this week when Middleton hosts Sun Prairie (3-0, 4-0) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Madison Memorial (3-1, 3-1) Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

“Sun Prairie and Madison Memorial were my top preseason picks in the Big Eight Conference, along with Madison East,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said.

Middleton has entered that discussion now, thanks to its impressive start. And the Cardinals continued to roll with a strong showing against the Lancers.

Junior forward Tyree Eady, the Big Eight’s leading scorer at 25.2 points per game, led the Cardinals with 23 points and six steals. Junior guard Storm Murphy added 19 points and six assists.

Middleton’s hockey team has jumped to No. 4 in the latest Wisconsin Prep Hockey poll. And the way the Cardinals have performed this season, their upward climb hasn’t ended.

Middleton rolled to three more wins last week and improved to 9-0 on the season.

The Cardinals toppled Sun Prairie, 3-1, last Tuesday. Middleton then blanked Madison La Follette/East, 13-0, last Thursday and downed Madison Memorial, 6-1, last Saturday.

Middleton’s win over the Spartans was especially sweet after Memorial defeated the Cardinals in a sectional final last year.

“That game was a good measuring tool for us as coaches to see and get a sense of where we are as a team,” Middleton coach Steffon Walby said of the Memorial game. “I felt that we didn't have any passengers, and that everyone brought their ‘A’ game.”

Sun Prairie certainly brought its ‘A’ game to Middleton last Tuesday.

Sam Niesen is quick to admit he had some doubts.

Niesen, Middleton’s boys swimming coach, watched his team struggle in their season-opener two weeks ago.

Since then, though, the Cardinals have made immense strides. And Middleton continued its upward trend last week.

Middleton bested Sun Prairie, 111.50-58.50, and toppled Janesville Parker, 130-40 at its own triangular. The Cardinals also finished second to Madison West at the Janesville Parker Relays last Saturday.

“We had a rough start in our first meet,” Niesen said. “But it has been a solid uphill climb ever since.

“A lot of the boys that don’t swim year-round are starting to get into shape, and they're really starting to impress me with how quickly they’re dropping time. We've got a good group of talent to work with, and I can tell that they're getting excited about their capabilities in the pool.”

Three state qualifiers have graduated.

There is youth and inexperience across the roster.

But there’s also an immense amount of talent.

Middleton’s wrestlers proved just that last Thursday, posting an impressive 43-33 win over Verona.

“It was a good win,” Middleton coach Kent Weiler said. “They should have never beaten us last year. 

“This just means that we put a better team together last Thursday. We have a long way to go.”

But the Cardinals showed they're certainly on the right track.

The meet started at 152 pounds, and after losing there, Middleton’s Maxwell Mayhew pinned Ryan Weiss in 1:16.

Verona earned a pin at 170, then Middleton’s Caleb Cymbalak pinned Reagan Stauffer in 1:16.

Middleton’s Gavin Adler notched a pin in 1:08 at 195 pounds, then Verona won at both 220 and heavyweight.

Middleton got hot at the lower weights, though.

Nine months ago, Middleton’s boys basketball team came to Madison East and saw its season end in heartache.

Just two weeks into the 2015-’16 campaign, it’s clear these Cardinals are older, wiser, better.

In an early-season showdown of Big Eight Conference heavyweights, Middleton used a pair of huge runs to topple the host Purgolders, 93-75. The Cardinals took control of the game with a 17-0 run early in the first half, and when East pulled within five points midway through the second half, Middleton uncorked a 16-0 burst.

It was a far cry from the WIAA Division 1 regional final in March, when the Purgolders edged the Cardinals, 56-53.

“All year, all summer that motivated us,” said Middleton junior forward Tyree Eady. “We felt like we shouldn’t have lost that game. We really wanted to get them back.”

Eady was a big reason why the Cardinals got measure of revenge. Eady pumped in a career-high 29 points and added nine rebounds and five steals.

Middleton’s girls basketball team was maybe 25 minutes into its season opener. And that’s when Bria Lemirande realized the method to the madness could yield enormous dividends.

Lemirande is the point guard for the Cardinals’ undersized, but remarkably speedy girls basketball team. And midway through the second half of the Cardinals’ first game of the year, their fast, aggressive, grueling style began paying off.

The opposing players from Stoughton struggled getting back on defense. Heads began to hang. The Vikings’ had lost their aggression.

Middleton, which trailed by eight points at halftime, stormed back for a 77-70 win. The Cardinals haven’t stopped rolling since.

There’s an old saying that speed kills — and these Cardinals are proof of that. Middleton knows just one gear — fifth.

Start fast. Finish strong.

Middleton’s boys basketball team did both last week and won its first two games of the season.

The Cardinals opened the year with an 82-73 road win at Janesville Parker last Thursday. Middleton followed that with an impressive 79-65 win over visiting Verona last Saturday.

Junior forward Tyree Eady scored a game-high 25 points in Middleton’s win over Parker. Junior guard Storm Murphy added 24 points and six rebounds, while junior guard C.J. Fermanich added 12 points.

Junior forward Myron Ashford added seven points, while junior Daydrian Spears added six points.

“(Parker) had two games under their belts,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said of the Vikings. “They are big, physical and athletic with a prolific shooting guard. Any time you travel on a weeknight to Janesville or Beloit and come away with a Big Eight Conference victory you are pleased.”

Kari Steck would make one heck of a poker player.

Middleton’s girls gymnastics coach never tips her hand. And Steck always keeps her cards close to the vest.

When discussing goals and possibilities each and every season, Steck is more Bill Belichick than Rex Ryan.

“As always, the end goal in mind is for the girls to have a memorable and healthy season,” Steck said. “If that includes a Big Eight championship and a trip to state, we’ll be happy. However, it’s more important to me that the girls grow as young women and as a team.”

Don't be surprised if all of the above happen.

That’s become the norm under Steck.

Middleton has qualified for state each of Steck’s first four seasons, highlighted by a fourth place finish in 2014 and a fifth place finish last year.

The Cardinals were also second in both the Big Eight Conference’s regular season and postseason tournament last year. Middleton then won its own sectional.

One quarter of their season is complete.

They have dominated every foe and passed every test.

If you’re a Middleton hockey fan, there’s a lot to like right now.

The Cardinals improved to 6-0 last week with a pair of impressive conference wins. Middleton rolled past Janesville, 7-1, last Tuesday, then drilled Beloit Memorial, 5-1, last Saturday.

Middleton has won its first six games by a combined score of 34-9.

“The coaching staff is very pleased with our quick start,” Middleton coach Steffon Walby said. “In all fairness, we have allowed the team to pick up where they left off last year. The seniors have had a great attitude and a hunger that has helped. The underclassmen have certainly followed the senior’s examples.
“Tony Wuesthofen has been solid in net, and we have played great team defense in front of him. Special teams have been better than last year, and we have found the scoring touch early on.”

It was a grueling, challenging first week of the season for Middleton’s boys swimming and diving team.

It was also a rewarding one.

After a rough start to the week, Middleton finished by winning the Nicolet Sprints last Saturday. The Cardinals finished with 340.5 points to easily outdistance runner-up Shorewood (277.5). Grafton (244), Cedarburg (242) and Marquette (228) rounded out the top five.

Middleton also had a fourth place finish at the Brookfield Invite last Tuesday and dropped a 126.5-43.5 decision to Madison Memorial last Friday.

“This is a good stepping stone for the rest of the season,” Middleton coach Sam Niesen said. “I've been working them extremely hard and seeing how they prepare themselves to swim while they're sore. I'm happy with a lot of the times I've been seeing and I'm once again very excited to see how well we can taper down towards the end of the year.”

Middleton’s relay teams shined at Nicolet.