Sports

Middleton’s boys Ultimate Frisbee team recently won their first-ever state championship. The Cardinals defeated 12-time defending state champion Madison West in the title game, 13-3.

Senior captain Koen Reiter led the Cardinals with six goals in the championship game and sophomore captain Evan Natzke had five assists. Sophomore Turner Booth led Middleton with two blocks, and the Cardinals had just three turnovers in the title game, including no drops.
Middleton, ranked No. 19 in the nation, put together the best season in team history, culminating in a state tournament where they outscored their opponents 65-8.

While the Cardinals had nine seniors many of their top contributors were underclassman, giving them hope of being nationally competitive in the future.

“It’s a great group of kids that grew a tremendous amount throughout the year,” coach Ryan Natzke said. “It was exciting to finally get a title and there’s a lot of good things ahead of us.”

Waunakee freshman Malia Zillman is one of the most athletic, agile and skilled goal keepers to pass through the area in quite some time.

If soccer doesn't work out for Zillman, though, she can always fall back on a career in psychology.

In a WIAA Division 1 sectional final at Burghy Soccer Stadium last Saturday, host Middleton and Waunakee went to a shootout in a scoreless game. And as each Cardinal approached for their penalty kick, Zillman had a message for them.

“I was just saying, ‘You can score. You can score. Put it in the net. Come on, you’ve got it,’ ” Zillman said. “Normally they’re used to goalies yelling at them, swearing at them and stuff like that. But I was telling them they can do it. Reverse psychology.”

Perhaps it was Zillman’s mental tricks, or her overall brilliance in the cage. But Zillman stopped all four of Middleton’s penalty kicks, allowing the Warriors to prevail, 2-0, on penalty kicks in the scoreless tie.

WALES — Walk tall and carry a big foot.

That’ how Middleton senior defender Sophie Kasel approached the biggest shot of her young life.

Kasel had a chance to play hero during Middleton’s WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal at Kettle Moraine on June 6 and took full advantage. The Cardinals led the host Lasers, 4-3, on penalty kids and Kasel had the opportunity to end things and send Middleton to its first sectional final since 2019.

Kasel took her sweet time approaching the ball, and the large Kettle Moraine crowd let her hear about it. Finally, Kasel fired a shot past standout keeper Erika Panella into the right corner of net giving the Cardinals a 5-3 win in penalty kicks in what had been a scoreless match.

“I’m not going to let anyone tell me what to do,” Kasel said of a crowd that was boisterous as Kasel approached her shot. “I move at my own pace and I get ready by myself.

PRAIRIE DU SAC — Bryce Duhr didn’t waste any time making an impact when Cross Plains took on perennial power Sauk Prairie in a Northern Section Home Talent Sunday League amateur baseball game.

Duhr deposited a curveball from Sauk Prairie starting pitcher Connor Leister over the right-field fence for a three-run home run in the top of the first inning.

But the euphoria from that blast didn’t last long for the visiting Businessmen.

Sauk Prairie used a six-run outburst in the second inning to storm back and hold off Cross Plains, 11-7, on a sun-splashed and windy Sunday afternoon at Chuck Hall Memorial Field.

Cross Plains manager Randy Meinholz said the Twins’ quick strike offense wasn’t a surprise.

“They are tough outs and always have been and probably always will be,” Meinholz said. “Sauk is Sauk. They’re just a tough team to beat.”

Drew Farrell has become the most senior member of Middleton’s Home Talent League team.

And much like a vintage Cabernet Sauvignon, Farrell seemingly improves with age.

Farrell threw a complete-game, four-hitter and led Middleton to a 3-1 win over host Black Earth in a game held last Friday.

The 29ers improved to 3-1 on the year, while Black Earth slipped to 2-3.

“Black Earth is a really tough team,” Middleton co-manager Jacob Ross said. “Playing Black Earth on a Friday night is something I personally, and our team as a whole, looks forward to each year because of the cool atmosphere. And it is always a really close, tight game.”

Farrell was the difference in this game, though.

Farrell walked just one, and after giving up a second inning run, blanked the Bombers the rest of the night.

SUN PRAIRIE — Time was running out on Middleton’s dream season when brothers Roan and Arjay Johnson stepped forward to etch their names in state lacrosse history.

The Johnson brothers rallied the Cardinals from a one-goal deficit with 1 minute, 27 seconds to play with a pair of goals, and Middleton defeated Neenah 7-6 at the Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a dream come true, really,” said Roan, a 5-foot-11, 157-pound sophomore midfielder. “Just growing up in the back yard with (Arjay) and playing catch, shooting the ball in the net. You just dream about moments like this, and it’s finally here. It’s so cool.”

Added Arjay, a 6-1, 245-pound junior attacker: “It’s history. It’s the first WIAA state lacrosse championship. It’s awesome that I’m a part of it and was able to be part of it with my brother.”

Middleton’s basketball program has produced a steady stream of college players in recent years.

The Cardinals have never sent anyone straight from high school into a Power 5 conference, though.

Will Garlock has changed all of that.

Garlock, a 6-foot-11, senior-to be at MHS, gave a verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin Thursday night and made his decision official Saturday.

“I’m really proud,” Garlock said Saturday afternoon. “I just felt really good about the coaching staff and the players. I built great relationships with them and just felt like it was the best place for me.”

Garlock said his final choices were Wisconsin and Iowa. Virginia Tech and Minnesota were also in his final four.

Garlock becomes the first player from the Big Eight Conference to go from high school to a Power 5 Conference (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, SEC) since Nick Fuller of Sun Prairie headed to Nebraska in 2013.

KOHLER — All signs pointed to greatness.

Middleton’s boys golfers had strung together a month of terrific play.

A Big Eight Conference title, along with regional and sectional championships had been achieved.

So after Middleton senior Dain Johnson finished the final hole of his stellar prep career late Tuesday — and reflected on the Cardinals’ seventh place finish at the WIAA Division 1 state meet held at Blackwolf Run — the MHS standout couldn’t help but be a little bummed.

“I think we’ll be a little disappointed because we always want to go out and win every single thing we play in,” Johnson said “But it’s nothing to be upset about. We had a phenomenal year and the team’s going to be so good for the next couple of years. There’s nothing to be down about.”

Middleton sophomore standout Sammy Forslund agreed — for the most part.

They waited 52 weeks for this moment.

When it finally arrived, Middleton’s boys golf team wasn’t going to let it slip away.

The Cardinals shot a sizzling 301 and won the Madison Memorial Sectional held at Blackhawk Country Club on May 29. Waunakee was a distant second with a 313 and earned the second trip to state.

One year ago, Middleton tied for second place at the Waunakee Sectional, but lost a playoff to Holmen for the final state berth. So this year provided sweet redemption for the Cardinals.

“The guys had been focused on this day since last year's sectional when things didn't go particularly well for us,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said. “They were not about to have a repeat day. 

“Moving on to state is a great accomplishment and the guys were quite excited. Playing really well right from the start of their day, it was a pretty relaxed round of golf. What was most impressive was how smart they played.”

Long gone were the toils of a 5-6 start to the season.

It was, however, that start which eventually fueled a path for Middleton’s softball team to reach a WIAA Division 1 sectional final against Sun Prairie East on May 30.

Middleton was undoubtedly ready for the challenge against top-seeded and eighth-ranked East.

But after taking an early 2-0 lead, Middleton’s bats went quiet and East battled back to eventually post a 3-2 win at Firefighters Memorial Park.

Like that, third-seeded Middleton’s (18-10) postseason run came to a close. But not before the program’s first trip to the sectional finals since 2009.

“We put Middleton back on the map,” head coach Brittany Carl said. “We haven’t played in a sectional final game in years. So for this group to bring it back is a legacy they’ll leave.”

Middleton never stopped doubting itself, despite the wins being hard to come by earlier this spring.