Sports

Middleton’s girls tennis team reached the championship match of last Saturday’s Verona Invite, where it fell to Brookfield East, 5-2.

The Cardinals notched wins over Madison West, Kenosha Indian Trail and Green Bay Notre Dame to reach the finals.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s performance at the tournament:

• Middleton 5, Madison West 2 — The Cardinals’ top three singles players — Netra Somasundaram, Lydia Sabat and Sophie Shi — all posted straight set wins. Middleton also got wins from its No. 1 doubles team of Ashley Andler and Keena Cheng, and its No. 3 team of Hannah Lister and Mia Balistreri.

• Middleton 7, Kenosha Indian Trail 0 — The Cardinals rolled to straight set wins at all seven flights.

Somasundaram, Sabat, Shi and Haley Klatt each notched singles wins. Middleton’s doubles teams of Andler/Cheng, Sarah Li/Sophia Pientka and Lister/Balistreri all posted comfortable wins, as well.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team posted a pair of impressive wins last week.

The Cardinals swept Madison East 25-12, 25-12, 25-20, on Sept. 19. Middleton then posted a grueling 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 win over Sun Prairie East on Sept. 21.

In Middleton’s win over Madison East, Laina Gustafson, Keaten Davis and Sadie Newcomb all had six kills, while Haley Stoffregan had 12 assists and Andrea Wipperfurth added 11 assists.

Abby Tubbs had eight digs and Alina Wisinski added six digs, while Stoffregan had four aces and Emma Tubbs had three aces.

“Madison East was a good match for us to get many players the opportunity to see the court and get some live action against a different opponent,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “We were able to see some of our younger players like Brooke Michelotti, Elyssa Ross and Alina Wisinski make contributions in a varsity win.”

Middleton followed that with a grueling, three-set win over Sun Prairie East.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team posted a pair of impressive wins last week.

The Cardinals swept Madison East 25-12, 25-12, 25-20, on Sept. 19. Middleton then posted a grueling 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 win over Sun Prairie East on Sept. 21.

In Middleton’s win over Madison East, Laina Gustafson, Keaten Davis and Sadie Newcomb all had six kills, while Haley Stoffregan had 12 assists and Andrea Wipperfurth added 11 assists.

Abby Tubbs had eight digs and Alina Wisinski added six digs, while Stoffregan had four aces and Emma Tubbs had three aces.

“Madison East was a good match for us to get many players the opportunity to see the court and get some live action against a different opponent,” Middleton coach Ben White said. “We were able to see some of our younger players like Brooke Michelotti, Elyssa Ross and Alina Wisinski make contributions in a varsity win.”

Middleton followed that with a grueling, three-set win over Sun Prairie East.

Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team came one step closer to clinching the Big Eight Conference dual meet title last Friday.

The Cardinals rolled past Madison East, 135-32, and improved to 6-0 in the conference.

“We swam very well vs. Madison East, and got a chance to see our girls swim some events they don't typically do,” Middleton coach R.J. Leiferman said.

Middleton’s first place finishes included:

• The 200-yard medley relay, where Audrey Alexander, Brynn Sundell, Sulia Miller and Piper Garcia-Hall were first.

• The 200-yard freestyle relay, where Hannah Machleidt, Lily Mair, Aoife Ryan-Kaiser and Anna Dart were first.

• And the 400-yard freestyle relay won by the quartet of Kaylee Burt, Garcia Hall, Ellie Eisele and Clara Kiehl.

• Sundell won the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly.

• Addy Palmer won the 200-yard IM.

• Irene Lee captured the 50-yard freestyle.

Middleton has ruled the Big Eight Conference in boys volleyball for 12 years.

The Cardinals extended their winning streak to 93 matches in Big Eight play when they swept Madison West 25-16, 26-24, 25-11 on Sept. 20.

But senior outside hitter Ambrose Engling said that isn’t enough for the Cardinals, who are in search of their elusive first WIAA state championship.

Engling said the Cardinals hope to use tournaments like their own Middleton Invitational to prepare them for their ultimate goal.

“We’ve had a lot of close matches, so it’s really great that we’re getting that experience now because we’ve gone undefeated in conference for about 12 years,” said Engling, who will attend Princeton University next year to play volleyball and study architecture or economics. “So we need those close matches. Most teams never go undefeated. All that matters is the state tournament at the end of the year.

They wanted more.

The good news is there’s still plenty of time to get it.

Middleton went to the Midwest Invite at Blackhawk Golf Course in Janesville last Saturday and finished 13^th out of 50 teams. The Cardinals, who entered the star-studded race ranked 10^th in the state, were hoping for more.

“Well, that was a rough one,” Middleton coach Brian Finnel said. “We were pretty disappointed in the performance.

“Finishing 13th and being ranked 10th was certainly not what we envisioned. I really thought we’d be top-five. A few of the teams ahead of us we beat earlier in the season, too. Definitely a surprise.”

Oconomowoc won the race with 102 points, while Middleton finished with 435 points.

“I have seen our improvement and the workouts have been quite well,” Finnel said. “This was definitely not a reflection of how good this team is. I know the team is doing some soul-searching and I am reflecting on righting the ship.

MADISON — When it was determined an hour before game time that star senior running back Bryce Falk would miss last Thursday’s Big Eight Conference game against Madison Memorial due to an injury, the Middleton Cardinals opted to unleash their not-so-secret weapon.

And the host Spartans had no answer.

Middleton senior quarterback Gabe Passini ran for 198 yards on 19 attempts and scored three touchdowns to spark the Cardinals’ 31-20 victory over Memorial at Mansfield Stadium.

Passini, who also completed 11 of 20 passes for 115 yards, tormented Memorial all evening.

“If he doesn’t have that type of performance, we don’t win this game tonight,” Middleton co-head coach Tim Simon said of Passini.

Cardinals’ senior starting left tackle Hudson Cleary agreed.

“His running is something special. It’s like something I’ve never seen,” Cleary said of Passini. “It seems like every time he gets hit, he gets another five yards.

Make it a perfect 10.

Middleton’s girls golf team won a 10^th straight Big Eight Conference regular season title last week, rolling to a perfect 9-0 mark in conference dual meets.

During Middleton’s decade of dominance, it’s posted a 90-0-1 record in conference dual meets.

“That says a lot about the girls that have come through this program,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson said. “I really can't say enough about the program that Dewey Stendahl started and was continued by Bill Curtin and Jeff Kenas.

“I am proud to continue building on what they had started and be able to be a part of it myself. I'm so proud of all the girls that have played for us and the commitment they have given to the program.”

The Cardinals also finished in third place at the 17-team Janesville Parker Invite last Saturday.

Middleton and Verona.

Verona and Middleton.

These two swimming giants have gone head to head multiple times this season, exchanging wins along the way. And the super powers could eventually be the two favorites at the state meet.

Last Saturday provided the latest battle, as Verona edged the Cardinals, 329.5-324.5, at the star-studded Waukesha South Invite. Rhinelander (233), Arrowhead (222) and Waukesha West/Catholic Memorial (202) rounded out the top five at the 16-team invite.

“The Waukesha meet was another great competition with Verona and we just missed out on winning the meet,” Middleton coach R.J. Leiferman said.

Per usual, the Cardinals and Wildcats were neck-in-neck throughout and Middleton received several terrific swims along the way.

During their 12 year stretch of greatness, it’s been rare when Middleton’s boys volleyball team has been challenged by a Big Eight Conference foe.

The Cardinals — who haven’t lost a conference match since Sept. 29, 2011 — have largely rolled over each and every Big Eight team they’ve come across.

Last week, though, Middleton was given a stern test.

The Cardinals were challenged by host Madison Memorial, but showed grit and determination on their way to a 25-20, 16-25, 30-28, 25-13 win on Sept. 13.

Middleton, ranked No. 4 in the state, pushed its conference winning streak to 92 straight matches with the victory over the eighth-ranked Spartans.

“Our match against Memorial was great for us,” Middleton coach Dylan Griffith said. “We knew going in that Memorial was having a great season and beat some pretty good opponents from around the state.