Sports

It’s still early. No one is arguing that.

But the way Middleton’s softball team is playing bodes extremely well for what lies ahead.

The Cardinals rallied past Beloit Memorial, 13-3, last Thursday. Middleton then toppled host Madison Memorial, 3-1, Monday afternoon.

The Cardinals have now won four of their last five games and improved to 4-2 in the Big Eight Conference and 4-3 overall.

Middleton is also averaging 5.7 runs per game this year after scoring 4.1 a year ago. That’s a jump of 39.0%.

“I think we definitely have the potential to be a good hitting team,” Middleton first-year coach Cherie Hellenbrand said. “They’re working very, very hard and trying to overcome some bad habits that they had.”

That was certainly the case against Beloit Memorial.

Middleton appeared to be in trouble much of the day against the Purple Knights.

No one felt good about the final result.

But Middleton’s girls soccer team felt all right about the progress they made last Thursday.

The Cardinals dropped a 1-0 decision to powerful Waunakee. But Middleton felt as if it improved throughout, and that facing such a high-level opponent so early will pay dividends later in the year.

“Losing always makes you stop and think, and with this early loss, it will make us think,” Middleton coach Mary Duffy said. “But it will better prepare us for our upcoming difficulty in the regular season within our conference.

“We continued to like what we see in our players producing, and to see how many people are stepping up and producing good solid minutes for us. I told the girls we will continue to move and tweak our style and formation until we find the right combination to help us succeed in whatever situation we are in. 

Middleton’s boys track and field team has every intention of repeating as Big Eight Conference champs this spring.

And the Cardinals took their first step in that direction last Tuesday, rolling past Janesville Parker, 115-31.

“A great start for the team,” Middleton coach Isaac Mezera said. “We have a lot of season ahead of us, and I'm hopeful we’ll only get better.”

Middleton’s top performance came from Tanner Rahman, who set a personal record in the discus with a throw of 155 feet, 4 inches.

Rahman, who went to state in the discus last year, is now just 14 feet away from the school record.

“This was a massive P.R. for him,” Mezera said.

Andy Keeler won the high jump with a leap of 6-feet, 4-inches.

Hans Kunsch won the 110 hurdles (17.0) and the 300 hurdles (41.5).

Middleton’s girls track and field team started Big Eight Conference action in style last Tuesday, rolling past visiting Janesville Parker, 118-28.

“A good night overall and for our first dual meet of the season,” Middleton coach Tara Franklin said. “We were really happy with what the girls were able to do in the conditions we had.

“Even though we practice in any kind of weather, it is difficult to compete when the temps are in the mid-to-low 30's. But with no wind and the sun, we made the best of our home meet and it was quite successful!”

The Cardinals had first place finishes in 16 of the 18 events and swept the top three finishes in six different events.

Middleton’s Hanna Doctor, Hailee Milton and Abbey Webber went 1-2-3 in the 200 meter dash, while Jenny Phillips, Meta Williams and Jordyn Hellenbrand swept the 800.

This was not the way John Boyle anticipated spending his retirement.

It’s not the way Haley Boyle thought she’d spend her early-30s.

And it’s certainly not the way Mary Boyle’s golden years were supposed to be.

But Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t care about your plans. It doesn’t ask questions. It only takes names.

And the Boyle’s — one of Middleton’s first families for more than two decades — are feeling the effects.

Mary Boyle, now 61, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2010. The ensuing four years have been hell on the Boyle family, changing everything about life as they once knew it.

As a way to help fight this brutal disease, Haley Boyle — the oldest of three children — is chairing the local chapter of the “Blondes vs. Brunettes” football game. Two teams of women — divided to reflect the age-old rivalry between blondes and brunettes — will compete in a flag football game aimed at one day ending Alzheimer’s.

Cherie Hellenbrand is the ultimate competitor.

Middleton’s girls softball coach wants to beat you, whether its checkers, tiddlywinks or the sport she coaches.

The Cardinals almost gave Hellenbrand a perfect week. But despite winning two of three games, Hellenbrand was quite pleased.

That’s because Middleton faced three teams expected to be in the upper half of the Big Eight Conference and nearly pulled off a clean sweep.

Middleton defeated host Janesville Craig, 4-1, last Tuesday, then toppled visiting Sun Prairie, 8-7, on Wednesday. The Cardinals also fell to visiting Madison La Follette, 4-0, last Thursday, but ended the week feeling awfully good about the direction they’re headed.

“Two out of three, I can live with that … especially with who we’ve played in the conference,” Hellenbrand said. “We’ve played the top teams in the conference and we’ve held our own.”

Middleton certainly held its own against Craig.

Middleton’s boys golfers are expecting big things this season.

And after an impressive opening week, the Cardinals’ optimism certainly seems warranted.

Middleton shot a sensational 299 and won a Big Eight Conference triangular at Beloit Memorial last Wednesday. The Cardinals then won the rain-shortened Wisconsin Dells Invite last weekend with a one round score of 304.

“What is exciting about this bunch is that even though they have played well early, they all know that they have things that they can work on to get better,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “My expectations were high … but what is really exciting is that they have even higher expectations for themselves.”

With good reason.

The Dells Invite was supposed to run Friday and Saturday. But the second day was cancelled midway through after heavy rains and lightning.

Understandably, Tom Schmitt was an extremely happy camper Thursday evening.

Middleton’s manager had just watched his team dismantle Beloit Memorial, 7-2. The win lifted the Cardinals to a perfect 3-0 on the young season.

But it was more than Middleton’s unblemished mark that had Schmitt so excited.

In compiling a perfect start, the Cardinals have had sensational pitching, solid hitting, and for the most part, pretty solid defense.

Honestly, there’s not much more the demanding manager could ask for.

“It’s great to be 3-0. You can't be any better than that,” Schmitt said. “But it’s how we’re doing it. We’re playing really solid ball.

“This is a good group of kids, they’re working hard and their attitude has been great. That’s what you want.”

The Cardinals have been giving Schmitt everything he could possibly want, outscoring their first four opponents, 18-4.

There will be no bold proclamations.

No forecasts of greatness or predictions of success.

That’s not how Tom Cabalka operates.

But Middleton’s boys golf coach will most certainly bring a quiet confidence into the season — one that begins Friday at the Wisconsin Dells Invite.

“I’ll just say expectations will be high,” said Cabalka, who guided Middleton to the 2011 state title. “With what we have back, we certainly expect to be in the hunt.”

On paper, anyhow, Middleton brings back as much talent as any team in the Big Eight Conference. And perhaps more importantly, the Cardinals return a group that could have the firepower to return to state — a place Middleton hasn't been since 2011.

The Cardinals are led by senior Josh Haunty, who played No. 1 much of last season. Middleton also brings back the terrific sophomore trio of Emmett Herb, Brady Thomas and Joey Levin — who all played varsity as freshmen.

No goal seems too great.

No objective appears out of reach.

Middleton’s boys tennis team opens its season Friday at the Brookfield Academy Invite. And the Cardinals’ quest for the first WIAA Division 1 state title in school history certainly seems possible.

“Yes, we're setting our goals high,” Middleton second-year coach Deke Bradley said. “Winning conference and winning team state are our two biggest goals. We'll have to play our very best tennis at the right time to accomplish both, but we definitely feel like we'll be in the running.”
With good reason.

Middleton returns 10 of its top 12 players from last year’s team that won the Big Eight Conference title. The Cardinals also add standout freshman Jake Van Emburgh, who’s already one of the most gifted players in the state.