MAZOMANIE — Any time that local communities Black Earth and Mazomanie face off, bragging rights are on the line.

When fourth-seeded Mazomanie hosted fifth-seeded Black Earth in the first round of the Home Talent League’s Northern Section baseball playoffs on Aug. 2, though, it was also ‘win or go home’ time.

“A lot of us have grown up playing baseball together our whole lives,” Black Earth catcher Danny Watkins said. “Seeing them across the field, it’s a big game.

“We play good baseball. We beat Middleton this year. We can beat anyone.”

The visiting Bombers proved just that, jumping out to an early lead, then rallying to escape with a thrilling 7-5 victory over the host Mustangs at Lions Park to advance to Sunday’s semifinal round.

Black Earth (7-7) will play at third-seed Ashton (12-2) in search of its first appearance in the championship playoff round since 2014.

The Cross Plains Stingrays won the Tri-County Conference championship at Sauk Prairie High School on July 25-26.

The Stingrays rolled up 1,170 points to easily outdistance runner-up Sun Prairie (961). Baraboo (844.50), Mount Horeb (844) and Wisconsin Dells (836) rounded out the top five at the eight team meet.

Here are the Stingrays that posted top-three finishes:

Boys 8-and-under 100-yard medley relay

3. Will Nagy, Gunnar Cliff, Leo Diercks and Gordon Danzinger, 1:30.76.

Girls 11-12 200-yard medley relay

3. Nellie March, Emma Danzinger, Frankle Beuthin and Evelyn Cree, 2:07.46.

Girls 13-14 200-yard medley relay

1. Emma Nelson, Kenley Marx, Grace Mays and Addison Danzinger, 1:53.56.

Boys 13-14 200-yard medley relay

2. Wesley Dubis, Caius Bonti, Imran Razvi and Blake Roth, 2:00.13.

Cross Plains’ Home Talent League team surprised host Wisconsin Dells in the opening round of the playoffs on Aug 2.

Devine Romine threw seven strong innings and Bryce Duhr drove in a pair of runs to power the seventh-seeded Businessmen past second-seeded Wisconsin Dells.

Cross Plains will now travel to top-seeded Middleton for a Northern Section semifinal game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Romine allowed three runs in seven innings and earned the win. Dan Karnick hurled two scoreless innings to notch the save.

Cross Plains broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run seventh inning and surged to a 4-1 lead. Dells answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Businessmen added an insurance run in the top of ninth and held on.

Will Doherty went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Hunter Schram was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Porter Blaha went 2-for-4 and scored a run, and Kyle Pape scored a pair of runs.

ASHTON — Two full-stretch, diving catches in right field. A two-out, two-run game-tying homer given up in relief of starting pitcher Brady Schmitt.

And a single to right to help fuel a four-run rally in the top of the 10th inning.

By the time Drew Farrell took the mound in the bottom of the 10th Sunday, he was running on fumes.

In 90 degree heat, with the Home Talent League’s Northern Section East Division regular season championship on the line, Middleton’s longest-tenured player had given everything he had.

He needed to get three more outs to put away pesky Ashton.

But he didn’t have much left in the tank — emotionally or physically.

“It was truly a roller coaster,” Farrell said.

One with a happy ending.

Farrell survived a rocky, bottom of the 10th and Middleton escaped with a dramatic 8-6 victory over the A’s at St. Peter’s Field.

One big swing of the bat provided the spark.

After that, Middleton’s Home Talent League team continued putting logs on the fire.

Shortstop Hayden Hellenbrand led off Sunday afternoon’s game at rival Cross Plains with a solo homer, the first of three runs in the top of first inning for the 29ers. Middleton then scored at least a run in all but three frames, resulting in a sizzling 9-1 victory over the Businessmen at Baer Park.

The 29ers improved to 10-2 and will play at Ashton (11-1) on July 26 for the East Division championship in the HTL’s Northern Section. Middleton defeated the A’s, 7-4, in their first meeting on June 28.

For the rematch to have championship ramifications, though, the 29ers knew they couldn’t look past Cross Plains (4-8). And the key was taking it one at bat at a time.

Middleton’s state champion boys golf team landed four players on the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin's all-state team.

Senior Sammy Forslund was named first-team all-state, while seniors Luke Weiss and Reis Von Ruden were named second-team all-state. Senior Berrin Reiter was named honorable-mention all-state.

Milton’s Kade Weiland was named the state’s Player of the Year. The rest of the first-team all-state selections included Peyton Albers of Waunakee, Arrowhead’s Jonathan Amtmann, DePere’s Grant Lawson, Owen Purdin of Oregon, Seymour’s Vince Sigl, Ryan Swanson of River Falls and Edgerton’s Owen Wegie.

Forslund, who will play at UW-Eau Claire next season, led the Cardinals with a 73.22 average. Forslund broke par in four rounds and was Middleton’s top finisher — or tied for low score — in nine events.

Forslund saved his best for last, shooting 3-under-par, 141 at the two-day state tournament and finishing seventh individually.

Middleton’s girls sports programs have ranked among Wisconsin’s best for several years now.

And that certainly didn’t change during the 2025-26 school year.

Middleton’s girls swimming team won a state title. The Cardinals’ girls golfers were fourth at state.

And several teams and individuals enjoyed memorable seasons.

That made picking Middleton’s ‘Best of the Best’ as hard as ever.

Last week, we picked the top performances on the boys side. This week, we’ll award the top girls.

Team of the Year

Girls swimming

The shirts said it all.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team — winners of two straight WIAA Division 1 state championships — arrived at the 2025 state meet inside Waukesha South High School with shirts that read: “Let the Storm Rage On.”

Boy, did it ever.

Four Middleton football players will compete in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Former MHS standouts Joey Passaglia, Tyler Vogt, Chase Rogers and Oliver Wenning will all play for South Large All-Star team. That game is Saturday at 4 p.m. at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh.

Passaglia, Vogt, Rogers and Wenning helped Middleton go 9-2 overall and win the Big Eight Conference with a perfect 7-0 mark in 2025.

Passaglia was the Big Eight’s Offensive Player of the Year and the conference’s Quarterback of the Year last season. He was also named all-Region and honorable-mention all-state.

Passaglia threw 25 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. He threw for 2,318 yards, completed 69.2% of his passes and averaged 12.0 yards per completion.

Passaglia also ran for 456 yards, had five rushing touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per rushing attempt.

It was a long wait for Alan Roden.

When the former Middleton High School star got his chance to shine, though, he took full advantage.

The Minnesota Twins called up Roden from Triple-A St. Paul on July 7. One day later, Roden delivered a two-out, bases-loaded, walk-off single in the ninth inning to lift Minnesota to a 6-5 win over Cleveland at Target Field.

“It’s really exciting,” Roden told reporters after the win. “I’m so happy to contribute to the team and this organization, to win us a game. It means a lot.”

The 26-year-old Roden was sent to St. Paul coming out of spring training, in part because he still had Minor League options remaining. He then suffered a shoulder injury and missed six weeks.

When Roden returned, though, he did what he’s always done — hit.

Back on track.

That’s how Middleton’s Home Talent League team felt Sunday afternoon after defeating Cazenovia, 2-0.

The 29ers ended a two-game losing streak and improved to 9-2 in the Northern Section’s East Division. Ashton, which rolled to a 22-0 win over Reedsburg on Sunday, leads the division at 10-1.

Brady Schmitt threw a three-hit, complete game shutout to propel Middleton past Cazenovia. Schmitt struck out nine, didn't walk a batter and threw strikes on 71 of 94 pitches (75.5%).

Schmitt didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, overcame two Middleton errors and had just one inning where Cazenovia put two base runners on.

Cazenovia’s Garrett Jennings and Micah Salisbury combined to hold Middleton to seven hits. But the 29ers got all the runs they needed when they struck for two in the second against Jennings, the eventual losing pitcher.