Sports

BARABOO — Russell Wilson may have said it first. But imitation is certainly the sincerest form of flattery.

And Middleton’s boys golf team has no problem impersonating Seattle’s Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Shortly before the 48th Super Bowl in February, Wilson uttered the now famous phrase, “Why not us?”, then led his team to a memorable rout of Denver.

The Cardinals’ golfers have adopted that same phrase this spring, and a championship could soon be in their future, as well.

Middleton rolled to the title at Tuesday’s WIAA Division 1 Baraboo Sectional held at the Baraboo Country Club. The Cardinals shot a stellar 305 to finish first, while Holmen was second at 309 and also earned a trip to state.

Middleton, which has won four state titles since 1997 — will be making its first trip to state since the 2011 team captured gold.

OCONOMOWOC — He had a racket in his hand at the tender age of three.

By the time he was six, he was practicing 90 minutes a day.

Today, he’s one of the country’s elite tennis players in his age group.

After just one season, freshman Jake Van Emburgh is arguably the best tennis player in the history of Middleton High School. And by the end of this weekend, there may be no argument about it.

Van Emburgh will take aim at the WIAA Division 1 individual state title Thursday through Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Van Emburgh (21-1) is the No. 2 seed, behind only defending champion Felix Corwin of Brookfield East.

No Middleton player has ever won an individual state tennis title.

“That’s certainly the goal and one of the reasons I came out for high school tennis,” Van Emburgh said after winning the No. 1 singles title at the Oconomowoc Sectional last Thursday. “Hopefully I can make it happen.”

Ashley Stormer walked off the field at Olbrich Park on Tuesday afternoon with tears streaming down her face, but her head held high.

The Middleton senior pitcher had just thrown one of the best games of her four-year prep career, but in the process learned a bitter life lesson she will never forget.

“It’s a tough way to end but I’m so proud of my team,” said Stormer after Middleton suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Madison La Follette in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal game that eventually came down to a disputed umpire's decision earlier in the game.

“It’s been an amazing season. These girls are my family. They mean everything to me. We already had the talent, but coach (Cherie) Hellenbrand really taught us how to use it.”

Their timing seems right on the mark.

And if it continues, Middleton’s baseball team could be ready to embark on a memorable postseason.

The Cardinals, who have reached the state tournament six times since 2002, received the No. 2 seed in their regional. Middleton has a first round bye, then hosts either seventh-seeded Waunakee or 10th-seeded Tomah in a regional final Thursday at 5 p.m.

If the Cardinals advance, they will host a sectional on June 10. Holmen, the state’s second ranked team and the proud possessors of a 21-1 record, could be Middleton’s foe in a sectional final.

“I’d be lying if I said you don’t think about that,” Middleton senior standout catcher Jackson Keeler said of facing Holmen for a trip to state. “I mean, that would be great and a lot of fun.

“But we have to take it one game at a time and make sure we get there. It’s a fun thought, but it doesn’t mean anything unless we get there.”

Liz McMahon, Middleton’s gritty gutty goalie, jumped as high as she could for as long as she could.

Cardinals coach Mary Duffy had tears of joy streaming down her face.
And a wild crowd of more than 1,200 fans rushed the field.

In one of Middleton’s more memorable soccer games in years, the Cardinals toppled Madison Memorial, 2-0, last Friday.

The win gave Middleton the outright Big Eight Conference championship for the first time since 2008.

“It is not easy to win a Big Eight title and it hasn't been done for a while at Middleton, not in these girls’ careers before now,” an elated Duffy said. “It was pretty amazing. What a wonderful group of girls to win.”

McMahon was an integral part of Middleton’s girls basketball team winning a Big Eight title this winter. And McMahon said this experience was just as memorable.

The goal has been there since Ernest Winters stepped onto the track back in March.

And day-by-day, week-by-week, it’s grown more and more realistic.

Winters, one of the state’s elite sprinters, finished first in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at last Friday’s Madison Memorial Sectional. Now, Winters will gun for state titles in both of those events at the WIAA Division 1 state meet Friday and Saturday at UW-La Crosse.

“Yes my goal is to go out and to perform to the best of my ability,” Winters said. “I have a big chance for the 100 and the 200. I just need to execute those.”

Middleton certainly executed at sectionals, winning seven events and capturing the title with 125 points. Holmen was a distant second with 85 points.

The Cardinals are now sending nine individuals and three relay teams to state.

If it’s quantity you want, they’ve got it.

If it’s quality you desire, that’s also there.

Middleton’s girls track and field team is heading to the WIAA Division 1 state meet — which is being held Friday and Saturday at UW-La Crosse — with an abundance of talented athletes.

The Cardinals advanced five individuals and all four relay teams through the Madison Memorial Sectional last Friday. And now hopes are extremely high at state.

“The goal of sectionals, of course, is to qualify for state and be in the top three in your event and hopefully ‘peak’ at the right time,” Middleton coach Tara Franklin said. “The girls did just that.”

Boy, did they ever.

La Crosse Logan won the 18-team sectional with 99.5 points, while Sun Prairie (87.5) and Middleton (85) rounded out the top three. But Middleton has to feel good about the group it’s bringing to state.

Ashley Stormer picked the perfect time to pitch her best game of the season.

Amber Karn chose the right time to display her plethora of offensive skills.

And Middleton’s girls softball team selected the ideal time to play its finest game of the year.

Middleton was clicking on all cylinders and routed host DeForest, 10-0, last Thursday in a WIAA Division 1 regional final that was stopped after six innings due to the mercy rule.

Middleton, the No. 6 seed in the regional, improved to 17-7 and reached sectional play for the first time since 2011. DeForest, the No. 3 seed, ended the year 21-5.

The Cardinals now face second-seeded Madison La Follette in a sectional semifinal Tuesday at Olbrich Park. The sectional final is Thursday at 5 p.m. in Middleton.

OCONOMOWOC — Middleton’s boys tennis team won the Oconomowoc Sectional last Thursday and sent two singles players and two doubles teams to the WIAA Division 1 individual state meet. That tournament runs Thursday through Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

Middleton also earned a trip to the team state meet June 13-14 at Nielsen. Middleton opens with a quarterfinal match against Milwaukee Marquette, a program that has won the last seven state team titles.

At sectionals, Middleton freshman Jake Van Emburgh won his flight at No. 1 singles. Van Emburgh, the No. 2 seed at state, now carries a 21-1 record to state. Van Emburgh has a first round bye, then meets either Sun Prairie’s Keegan Moldenhauer (13-4) or Marquette’s Caleb Schifano (17-8) in a second round match Thursday at approximately 4:30 p.m.

It would have been easy for Charlie Stankiewicz to throw in the towel. To say enough is enough.

Fortunately for Middleton’s golf program, that never happened.

Stankiewicz battled and battled, but failed to earn a spot with the Cardinals’ varsity until this — his senior season. Now, he’s making it a year to remember.

Stankiewicz shot a 3-over-par 74 and captured medalist honors at the Middleton Regional Tuesday at Pleasant View Golf Course. Stankiewicz’s big day helped the Cardinals win the regional title and advance to Tuesday’s Baraboo Sectional.

“Good for Charlie,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “I’ve said it before, Charlie is our best ball striker, and when he hits it like he was (Tuesday) and puts it in the center of the green, he’s going to score well.”