Sports

Mary Duffy understands more than many coaches that sports are about far more than wins and losses.

Oh, Duffy — Middleton’s girls soccer coach — has experienced more than her share of winning. Duffy, who’s beginning her ninth season as the Cardinals’ boss, has helped Middleton remain one of the state’s elite outfits.

But Duffy also understands the big picture, something she watched unfold before her eyes at an open gym in December.

“We had a few alumni from last year's team stop by during their winter break to say ‘Hi’ and instantly, the returning team flocked to them like they were still on the same team,” Duffy said. “They were thrilled to see their old teammates and spent the next 30 to 60 minutes catching up.

“I want them to look back at this time with this team and remember the friends, the hard work, the sweat, the tears and want to do it all over again.”

In many ways, the trip didn’t follow the designed script.

In others, it went better than anyone could have hoped.

Middleton’s baseball team traveled to Florida last week under the premise it would play four games. Instead, the Cardinals played one official game and had three scrimmages.

The good news from Middleton’s perspective is that its young and inexperienced team played like veterans.

In Middleton’s “official” game, it rolled past Trinity (Ill.), 11-0. The Cardinals also notched two wins over Rosemount (Minn.), 9-0 and 16-3, and downed Eastview (Minn.), 8-6.

They traveled roughly 2,700 miles round trip to get in some quality softball outside.

That’s what spring in Wisconsin will do to teams.

When they returned last week, Middleton felt as if it was a much-improved outfit from the one that left town.

The Cardinals played two “official” games and had two scrimmages, going 1-1 in both. And Middleton believes the experience of playing outside against live competition vs. a continuous stream of indoor practices will benefit it greatly. 

“Our goal was to get better while we were down there and we did,” Middleton manager Perry Hibner said. “You just can't simulate game-like conditions indoors. We weren't perfect down there and we didn't expect to be. But we are a better team now than we were a week ago.”

If the thudding action over the weekend was any indication, boxing is headed into a new golden age in Wisconsin.  

The Wisconsin Golden Gloves made its triumphant return Friday and Saturday, March 15-16 at the Marriott Madison-West in Middleton. While both nights’ cards were brimming with fights, a select few Tournament Bouts helped finalize the team that will represent Wisconsin at the National Golden Gloves Tournament later this year.

In its first year running the state’s Golden Gloves tournament, Bob Lynch Boxing Foundation put together the weekend’s action-packed cards, totaling 29 fights.

The 2018 season certainly wasn’t the norm.

And Middleton girls softball coach Perry Hibner doesn’t believe it will become the new norm.

The Cardinals finished 9-14 overall and seventh in the Big Eight Conference at 8-10. But Middleton brings back an experienced, talent-laden group that Hibner believes can challenge for a top-three spot in one of the state’s elite conference.

“We certainly weren't happy with our record last year,” said Hibner, whose team opens its season in Florida next week. “We lost a lot of close games. We were younger than we have been in past years, but we don't make excuses. The girls expect more of themselves and the coaching staff does as well."

Four of Middleton’s losses were by three runs, or less, last year. Now, Hibner is hoping the combination of a veteran group and some gifted newcomers helps the Cardinals become one of the league’s most improved teams.

Storm Murphy has always brought great passion, energy and vitality to the basketball court.

These days, Murphy brings the same liveliness to his interviews. And it’s easy to see why.

Murphy, a former Middleton High School standout who’s currently a sophomore point guard on Wofford’s men’s basketball team, has helped the Terriers produce the finest year in school history.

Wofford is 29-4 this season and has set a school record for wins. The Terriers have also won a school record 20 straight games and went a perfect 18-0 in the Southern Conference.

Wofford received a No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament — the highest seed in school history — and will meet 10th-seeded Seton Hall (20-13) Thursday at approximately 8:40 p.m. CST in Jacksonville, Fla.

Murphy, an endless ball of energy during his days at MHS, is bouncing off the walls again over the Terriers’ remarkable regular season and their chances for postseason success.

It’s spring break right now at North Dakota State.

And even with campus less congested than usual, this school of 15,000 students in Fargo, N.D. has been buzzing.

That’s because the Bison — which include former Middleton High School standout Tyree Eady — qualified for the NCAA Tournament last week. NDSU, the No. 4 seed in the Summit League, got hot at the perfect time, won the conference tournament and earned the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

“The entire community is extremely excited,” Eady said Monday. “Everywhere we go people notice and congratulate us. It's a very exciting time in Fargo.” 

With good reason.

NDSU (18-15) received a No. 16 seed in the East Region and faces North Carolina Central (18-15) in a First Four game Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. If the Bison win their opener, their reward is a date with No. 1 overall seed Duke on Friday in Columbia, S.C.

ASHWAUBENON — When they showed up for work just more than four months ago, the questions easily exceeded the answers?

Could anyone make outside shots?

Was there a point guard on the roster?

Could the post players improve?

Was the first round playoff exit in 2018 a hiccup or a sign of things to come?

By the time the year ended, Middleton’s magical, memorable girls basketball team had taken their faithful on an unforgettable joyride. And were it not for one painful, excruciating, unbearable inbounds play, the Cardinals would have brought a gold ball — and not a silver one — back to Middleton.

Bay Port’s Emma Nagel scored the game-winning basket with 2.4 seconds left lifting the Pirates to a 50-49 victory over the Cardinals in last Saturday’s state title game. And while Middleton’s players went through every available Kleenex in the Resch Center afterwards, they also realized what they accomplished was awfully unique.

ASHWAUBENON — In the moments immediately following the toughest loss of their collective lives, it took someone with great perspective, attitude and maturity to somehow look at the glass — and see it as half full.

Meet Charlotte Dunn.

Dunn, a senior point guard for Middleton’s girls basketball team, and the rest of the Cardinals just had a state championship ripped from their grasp at the Resch Center last Saturday night. Bay Port’s Emma Nagel broke free on inbounds play and scored with just 2.4 ticks left — a basket that eventually gave the Pirates a 50-49 win in one of the most dramatic and memorable WIAA Division 1 state title games in history.

Afterwards, Dunn battled through the heartbreak and found a way to fixate on the positives.

ASHWUAUBENON — Their upset bid was on life support.

Middleton’s girls basketball team had watched its nine-point lead vanish against No. 1 Mukwonago in the WIAA Division 1 state semifinals held at the Resch Center Friday night. And with the game now deadlocked, 50-50, with 4 ½ minutes left, the Cardinals knew their “now or never” moment had arrived.

“We looked up at that (score)board and we just wanted it,” senior post Hannah Flottmeyer said. “And we knew that we weren’t playing to lose. We were playing to win and so we just came together and wanted it.”

And they proceeded to get it.

Middleton went on a stunning 12-0 run, which helped it shock Mukwonago, 62-53. The Cardinals, seeded fourth among the four Division 1 participants, won their 14^th straight game and improved to 22-5. Mukwonago finished the year 24-2.