Sports

Middleton’s boys hockey team had two players named to the all-Big Eight Conference team.

Senior forward Patrick Passini was named second-team all-conference, while sophomore forward Christian Schuster was named honorable-mention all-conference.

Passini led the Cardinals with 17 goals and tied for the team-lead with 27 points. Passini was also third on the team with 10 assists and tied for the team lead with 1.12 points per game.

Passini had three goals in an early season, 3-2 win over Verona. He also had three goal games against Eau Claire and Beloit Memorial, and had two goals in another meeting with Beloit.

Passini also had two assists in games against Madison Memorial and Oregon.

Schuster was second on the team in goals with 12 and second in assists (15). Schuster also tied for the team-lead in total points (27) and points per game (1.12).

DEFOREST — They stunned many in the basketball world by winning 22 games.

They shocked several in their own league by capturing a share of the Big Eight Conference title.

And they surprised others by winning a WIAA Division 1 regional title.

So moments after Middleton’s boys basketball team saw its season end with a 77-58 loss to Madison Memorial in a March 12 sectional semifinal at DeForest High School, Cardinals coach Kevn Bavery wasn’t focused on the micro.

This was a time to view things from 60,000 feet.

“We went in the locker room after the game, and honestly, we literally said nothing about the game,” Bavery said. “I just said, listen, I can’t even shed any tears right now, because I’m just so proud and I’m so honored. This is the most fun that I’ve ever had. It really is.

WAUNAKEE — The devil you know beats the devil you don’t.

That’s how Middleton’s boys basketball team seemed to feel late last Saturday night.

Madison Memorial was in the fight of its life, going to double overtime with Badger in a WIAA Division 1 regional final. Somewhat surprisingly, several of the Cardinals were pulling for their arch-rival Spartans.

“I liked how we played the last game against them,” MHS senior guard Jackson Guerrero said. “That should carry over.”

Sophomore forward Carter Parks felt the same.

“I'd rather see Memorial again,” Parks said. “I mean, we're tied with them 1-1 this year. Might as well go 2-1.”

Memorial did prevail, eventually escaping with a 107-99 win over pesky Badger. Now, the fifth-seeded Cardinals and top-seeded Spartans — separated by just 2.9 miles — will meet in a sectional semifinal Thursday at 7 p.m. at DeForest High School.

Expectations weren’t exactly great.

When Middleton’s girls gymnastics team began its campaign back in November, first-year coach Desiree Peterson didn't know what to expect from her young squad. When the season ended four months later, the Cardinals were undoubtedly one of the area’s surprise teams.

Middleton capped its season by sending junior Aspen Goth and senior Abby Arnold to the WIAA Division 1 individual state meet last Saturday at Wisconsin Rapids High School. Both Cardinals also had outstanding showings.

Goth finished 13^th in the all-around competition, while Arnold was 23^rd on the floor exercise.

“My first year as head coach went better than I had ever thought it would and that's because of this great group of girls I had the privilege of coaching and the amazing assistant coaches I had by my side all season,” Peterson said. “I wouldn't have been able to do this with them.”

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

Quarterback Joey Passaglia, linebacker Tyler Vogt and wide receiver Chase Rogers will represent the Cardinals.

Passaglia was the Big Eight Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and the league’s Quarterback of the Year. 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.

In Passaglia’s two years as a starter, he threw for 4,813 yards and 57 touchdowns.

WAUNAKEE — Carter Parks held a bag of ice on a nasty shiner he’d just acquired.

Parker Klein limped off the floor with a slight ankle injury after emerging from a scrum.

Jackson Guerrero, Luke Sheehan and Joey Passaglia — all standout football players — wound up on the hardwood floor almost as often as they were tackled last fall.

What began as a boys basketball game at Waunakee last Saturday turned into a knockdown, drag out, football-like affair. And Middleton proved it can excel under any conditions.

The Cardinals rolled past host Waunakee, 70-50, in a WIAA Division 1 regional final that was arguably their most physical contest of the year. Middleton, which prides itself on speed, athleticism and skill, showed it can hold its own in the trenches, as well.

It was 9 p.m. Friday.

And no one — and we mean no one — deserved a good night of sleep as much as Luke Sheehan.

Sheehan, a senior forward, spent 21 hours traveling from Madrid, Spain back to Middleton for the Cardinals’ WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal against Janesville Craig. Sheehan arrived back at MHS 10 minutes before tipoff, much to the delight of his teammates.

“I was sweating it,” Sheehan said.

Making matters worse was the Cardinals had to sweat out a 65-62 win over the Cougars. When it was over, all Sheehan wanted to do was plop down on his bed.

“The first half I was juiced up,” Sheehan said. “Second half, it was like I got hit by a tank. I was pretty tired. My body felt good, but my head was just like … all that travel got to me.”

With good reason.

Madrid is seven hours ahead of Middleton, so when Sheehan got to MHS at 6:50 p.m. CST, it was really 1:50 a.m. in Spain.

Their Houdini-act was now complete.

Middleton’s boys basketball team had escaped upstart Janesville Craig, 65-62, in a too-close-for-comfort WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal Friday night. And as the Cardinals took a minute to exhale, MHS coach Kevin Bavery also told them to savor the moment.

“Hey, tournament wins are hard,” Bavery said. “And we just said, ‘Welcome to tournament basketball.’ Hey, we're 21-4 (overall), but we’re also 1-0 and that's all that matters.”

That’s all that mattered on this night, as fifth-seeded Middleton survived against the gritty, gutty 12^th-seeded Cougars. Middleton advanced to Saturday’s regional final at fourth-seeded Waunakee (19-6) at 7 p.m., while Craig ended its year 11-14.

The Cardinals defeated the Cougars by an average of 20.0 points in their first two meetings, but had to sweat this one out until Craig’s Keyon’Dre Thornton sent a 3-pointer wide left with 2 seconds left.

For more than a week, Middleton boys basketball coach Kevin Bavery heard the chatter — over and over and over.

“All I've heard about is the seed, the seed, the seed,” Bavery said.

There’s good reason for that, as Middleton — which went 20-4 and captured a share of the Big Eight Conference title — was arguably the most under-seeded team in the state this postseason.

Middleton received the No. 5 seed in its WIAA Division 1 sectional and opens the playoffs by hosting 12^th-seeded Janesville Craig in a regional semifinal Friday at 7 p.m. If the Cardinals win there, they’ll meet the winner of fourth-seeded Waunakee and 13^th-seeded Mukwonago in a regional final Saturday at 7 p.m.

Despite the controversial seed — and all the noise that surrounded it — the Cardinals did all they could to put that topic in the rearview mirror and focus on the Cougars.

MADISON – Middleton junior standout Reed Falk knew a fast start was imperative if he hoped to secure an individual state championship at the 83rd annual WIAA Division 1 state tournament at the Kohl Center last Saturday.

After first-round losses the past two seasons relegated Falk to the consolation bracket, the third time proved to be a charm when Falk capped a perfect season with his first state championship.

Falk scored a first-period takedown to grab a lead he never lost on his way to a 10-3 victory over Jacob Hutchins of River Falls in their 190-pound championship match. Falk finished his magical season 51-0.

“It’s great. It’s the best feeling in the world. There’s nothing like it,” Falk said afterwards. “I’m beyond grateful for my teammates and coaches. I couldn’t have done it without them. I’m just happy to be here and get it done.”