Sports

Middleton’s girls softball team has been extremely busy, of late.

And for the most part, the Cardinals have been extremely successful.

Middleton went 3-2 last week. And the Cardinals’ losses were both nailbiters against the top two teams in the Big Eight Conference.

Middleton defeated Janesville Craig, 14-5, on April 24, then split a pair of games with Madison Memorial the following day.

Sun Prairie East edged the Cardinals, 5-4, last Thursday. Then Middleton rebounded with a 12-3 rout of Madison East last Friday.

Middleton is now 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big Eight heading into a week the Cardinals had five more games on the schedule.

“Our team's confidence right now is incredibly high,” Middleton coach Brittany Carl said. “They believe they can compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime. I love that about this group.”

They wanted to bounceback.

They wanted to show their true colors.

Boy, did they ever.

Middleton’s boys golf team, which struggled at the Madison Edgewood Invite on April 24, rebounded in a big way 24 hours later.

The Cardinals went to the Morgan Stanley Invite held at University Ridge on April 25 and posted one of the lowest scores in school history.

Middleton shot a sizzling 294 and nipped Edgewood (299) for the title at the 13-team tournament. Madison Memorial (306), Waunakee (308) and Milton (311) rounded out the top five.

“We played so poorly the day before in the Edgewood Invite that the guys really wanted to bounce back and have a really good round at U-Ridge,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “At Blackhawk, we hit just 13% of the fairways off the tee. When you do that with tree lined fairways, it makes for a long day. Our guys came out focused and determined to play better at U-Ridge.”

Boy, did they ever.

The schedule has intensified.

And Middleton’s girls soccer team believes it’s ready for the challenge.

The Cardinals battled a trio of teams — including a pair of highly-regarded foes — last week and more than held their own.

Middleton routed Madison La Follette, 11-0, on April 26, then suffered a 1-0 loss to Madison West on April 27. The Cardinals then played Classic 8 Conference power Oconomowoc to a scoreless draw on April 28.

Middleton is now 4-1-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Eight Conference. Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week:

• Middleton 11, Madison La Follette 0 — Senior Maeve Carlson scored the first hat trick of her career as the Cardinals rolled past the Lancers.

Izzy Frantz and Zoe Sharaf both had two goals, while Addy Frantz, Autumn Suttle, Ursula Anstett and Sophie Kasel all had goals, as well.

Joe Poehls thinks of Tim Simon as a brother.

“A much older, big brother,” Poehls joked.

Simon calls Poehls a “good friend”, someone he added to Middleton’s coaching staff when he ran the program 14 years ago.

“Joe and I are very close,” Simon said.

It’s why the two believe they’ll function extremely well as interim co-head coaches of Middleton’s football program.

After Middleton’s two-month search to find a replacement for Jason Pertzborn proved futile, Cardinals’ athletic director Jamie Sims turned to Simon and Poehls on April 15. The two men were the longest tenured members of MHS’ football staff, and after brief deliberation, both quickly accepted the position.

SHOREWOOD HILLS — Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.  

Monday afternoon it was Charlie Jambor, Dain Johnson, James Baker, Michael Jagoe and Reis Von Ruden who got "tagged" to compete at the Madison Edgewood Invitational for Middleton’s boys golf team.

The Cardinals have already used eight different players in their line-up, showing off their talent and depth in the early going of the 2023 season.

All that talent, though, makes picking the line-up a bit tricky.

But Middleton coach Tom Cabalka, whose team is ranked third in the latest Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin poll, isn't complaining.

“It's a great problem to have,” Cabalka said. “Right now it's just trying to find the kids who can be the most consistent players.”

Monday, though, was not Middleton's day.

Middleton’s baseball team won two of three games last week and improved its record to 6-3 on the season. The Cardinals are also 3-3 in the Big Eight Conference.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

• Middleton 10, Madison East 0 (5) — Noah Schmitt and Marc Wareing combined on a three-hit shutout and the Cardinals rolled past the Purgolders on April 18.

Schmitt allowed two hits, struck out one and didn't walk a batter in three innings of work. Wareing gave up just one hit, one walk and struck out one in two innings of work.

Alden Cleary went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI to lead a 12-hit attack for Middleton. Wyatt Baird went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.

Jackson Rademacher scored three runs, while Hayden Hellenbrand, Max Glimme and Schmitt all had RBI.

• Middleton 15, Milton 14 — The Cardinals built a 15-5 lead after 5 ½ innings, then held on for dear life down the stretch.

Middleton’s girls track and field team defeated Madison La Follette, 104-37, on April 17.

The Cardinals’ boys lost, 81-60.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s top finishers:

GIRLS

• Elle Seager won the 100-meter hurdles, while Anie Nickel was second.

• Samara Bradtke won the 100-meter dash.

• Annie Sonju won the 1,600-meter run, Meredith Pansegrau was second and Lydia Schulz was third.

• Middleton’s 400- and 800-meter relay teams were both second.

• Andrea Wipperfurth was second in the 400-meter run and Hannah Machleidt was third.

• Katya Maeder won the 300-meter hurdles, while Addie Johnson was second and Audrey Alexander was third.

• Tait Haag was second in the 800-meter run, while Kyra Bately was third.

• Kara Meeteer won the 200-meter dash, while Jessica Bristol was second and Sulia Miller was third.

It was quick.

And it was painless — at least from the perspective of Middleton’s girls soccer team.

The Cardinals scored early, often and never slowed down during a 12-0 shellacking of Beloit Memorial on April 18. The game was stopped after 60 minutes due to the mercy rule.

Middleton won its Big Eight Conference opener and improved to 3-0 overall on the young season.

“While we only played 60 minutes, each player took advantage of the time on the field, working on lots of our team shape and tactics that will help us in the long run,” Middleton coach Mary Duffy said.

Senior Marley Mladucky and freshman Izzy Frantz both notched hat tricks for the Cardinals.

Mladucky scored Middleton’s first goal of the game, and added the Cardinals’ 10^th and 12^th goals of the contest. Frantz scored the first three goals of her season and her varsity career — compiling them all by the 41^st minute.

The boys state tennis tournament is two months away.

But the 32-team Dave Steinbach Classic hosted by Brookfield Central last weekend is every bit as stacked as state — if not more so.

That’s why Middleton was on cloud nine after winning the star-studded tournament last weekend.

The Cardinals went 5-0 overall and defeated Marquette, 4-3, to win the championship. Middleton also beat Waukesha West, DePere and Sussex Hamilton by 7-0 scores and toppled Brookfield East, 6-1, during the two-day event.

“It meant a lot to get the job done in a close 4-3 final against Marquette,” Middleton first-year coach Henry Johnson said. “We came out of the gates blazing yesterday and swept our first three opponents, en route to the semifinals. The guys then faced adversity in our final two matches, and we were fortunate to come out as the victors.”

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ impressive weekend:

The season is extremely young.

Tougher hurdles and greater challenges await.

Right now, though, Middleton’s girls softball team is proving that everything it hopes to accomplish this season is extremely realistic.

The Cardinals win their first four games of the season last week, including a pair of Big Eight Conference contests.

Middleton’s fast start left coach Brittany Carl smiling from ear to ear.

“Right out of the gate, I'm impressed with this particular group of student-athletes,” Carl said. “They have great chemistry. They challenge each other day in and day out in practice and aren't afraid to hold each other accountable in the best possible way.