Sports

The Big Eight Conference boys golf standings are more crowded than any time in recent memory.

But last Thursday, Middleton made sure it will be in the hunt for a fourth straight league title.

Middleton captured the tightly-contested Sun Prairie Triangular held at Sun Prairie Golf Course. Middleton shot a 322, while Verona carded a 324 and host Sun Prairie posted a 326.

Madison Memorial has yet to lose in the league, while Middleton has one loss. Both Sun Prairie and Verona now have two losses.

“This was huge for us,” Middleton coach Tim Cabalka said. “We’ve been right there with Verona and Sun Prairie all year long, so this was a huge win.”

For years, Cabalka has taken his team to Kwik Trip for a big slushy when they win a major invitational. Cabalka was so happy with this win, though, he pulled the van into Kwik Trip, much to the delight of his team.

Few softball teams anywhere are as vocal as Middleton’s.

Chants. Cheers. Sayings.

The Cardinals are an awfully boisterous bunch.

“Oh yeah,” said Middleton standout center fielder Rachel Everson. “We’re pretty loud.”

The good news for the Cardinals is their play on the field has been awfully loud inside the Big Eight Conference.

Middleton won three of four league games last week and improved to 9-3 in the conference. The Cardinals currently sit in third place in the conference, behind only Sun Prairie (12-1) and Janesville Craig (10-2).

Last week, Middleton swept a doubleheader from Madison East on Saturday, 11-2 and 12-2. The Cardinals lost to Janesville Craig, 6-2, last Thursday and rolled past Madison West, 13-3, last Wednesday.

“We kind of struggled earlier in the year,” Middleton junior shortstop/pitcher Lauren Banke said. “But I think we’re getting on a little bit of a roll right now.”

It’s been an up and down spring for Middleton’s track and field teams.

But with the meat of the schedule finally here, the Cardinals are peaking at the right time.

Middleton’s boys finished in third place at last Saturday’s Myhrum Invitational held at Hartland Arrowhead. The Cardinals’ girls were sixth out of 21 teams.

The Myhrum Invite features many of the state’s top teams and athletes, and many years, provides a preview of the state tournament.

“As a coaching staff we were absolutely thrilled on how it turned out,” Middleton’s boys coach Joe Line said. “This is the meet where we put the athletes in their best events.”

And the results were impressive — to say the least.

Host Arrowhead won the boys title with 89.5 points. Fond du Lac was second (78), while Middleton (74), Oak Creek (63) and Mukwonago (52) rounded out the top five.

Longtime Big Eight Conference baseball rivals Sun Prairie and Middleton will again unite in an effort to raise money for pediatric cancer research. The teams will meet during the Cardinals Strike Out Cancer game on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Sun Prairie High School.

The fourth annual fundraiser game will benefit the American Family Children’s Hospital pediatric cancer research efforts. In each of the past three years, these traditional baseball powerhouses have raised more than $10,000.

Admission to the game is free, although there is an opportunity for fans to make a charitable donation upon entry, or through an apparel purchase. Each team will wear a special Cardinals Strike Out Cancer baseball cap to honor those touched by cancer. The hats will also be available for fans to purchase at the game.  

The start wasn’t pretty.

But Middleton’s baseball team is digging itself out of an early hole.

The Cardinals won three of four games last week, including a pair of Big Eight Conference games.

Middleton won at Beloit Memorial, 3-1, last Tuesday and routed visiting Madison East, 15-2, last Friday. The Cardinals then split a doubleheader with Bay Port last Saturday, winning the opener, 4-2, and dropping the nightcap, 6-4.

Middleton is now 6-7 overall and 4-5 in the Big Eight Conference.

“The way we started, it was a good recovery,” Middleton manager Tom Schmitt said. “Now, we need to keep making things happen.

• Middleton 3, Beloit Memorial 1 — Derek Reisdorf threw a complete game, four-hitter to power the Cardinals past the Purple Knights last Tuesday. Reisdorf allowed just one earned run, struck out two and walked two.

“Derek pitched a whale of a game,” Schmitt said. “He kept them off balance.

Their scores are coming down.

Progress is being made.

And Middleton’s boys golf team is starting to show they can be a force over the final month of the season.

The Cardinals finished second at the 12-team Morgan Stanley Shootout last Thursday. Middleton then was third at the 18-team Onalaska Invite last Friday and second at the 10-team Sparta Invite last Saturday.

Middleton fired its lowest score of the year — a 321 — on its way to a second-place finish at the Morgan Stanley Invite held at University Ridge Golf Course.

Madison Edgewood won the event with a 306, followed by Middleton (321), Verona (326), Madison Memorial (327) and Sun Prairie (328).

Andy Zucker led the Cardinals with a 79, while Colin Butler carded an 80. Both Brett Wipfli and Ross Johnson added 81s.

Middleton’s boys and girls track teams both finished first at last Friday’s Cardinal Relays.

Middleton’s boys won the meet with 174 points, while Stoughton was second at 121. Waunakee (117), Monroe (88) and Oshkosh West (86) rounded out the top five.

On the girls’ side, Middleton finished with 131 points and edged runner-up Stoughton (122). Waunakee was third at 114, followed by Oshkosh West (106) and Monroe (97).

“It is always great to defend your home track,” Middleton coach Cory Christonvich said. “There was some great competition all night long and a really close battle for first place on the women's side.”

On the girls’ side, Middleton’s foursome of Madeline Pflasterer-Jennerjohn, Rachel Zander, Tai Pritts and Grace Peterson won the 400-meter relay field event. The Cardinals’ quartet of Zander, Autumn Delaney, Maya Huebsch and Anna Paulsen also won the 400-meter relay weightperson.

Middleton’s boys tennis team is off to a rip-roaring start.

The Cardinals won the Madison Memorial Invite last weekend, defeating Oshkosh West, 6-1, in the championship match on Saturday.

Middleton cruised past Sun Prairie, 6-1, in the semifinals Saturday. In Friday’s matches, the Cardinals nipped Madison Memorial and Homestead by identical 4-3 scores.

“These were our first matches of the season and a lot of teams already had four-plus matches under their belt,” Middleton coach Kalla Schaefer said. “You never know how those first couple of matches are going to go, but players came through right from the first match.”

In the title match, Middleton got singles wins from Ryan Gold at No. 2, Haiwen Dai at No. 3 and Nitin Somersanderam at No. 4.

Last week marked an exciting one for the Hibner Family.

First, Middleton softball coach Perry Hibner watched his team win four of five games during an action packed week. Then, Hibner’s oldest son got married last Saturday.

The Cardinals defeated Madison West, 11-2, last Monday and rolled past Madison La Follette, 15-4, last Tuesday. Middleton dropped a 10-5 decision to Sun Prairie last Wednesday, but rebounded with a 12-5 win over Beloit Memorial on Thursday and an 8-3 victory over Janesville Parker on Friday.

“I was pleased that we focused on the task at hand each day and didn't look too far ahead,” Hibner said. “After all the inclement weather we've had this spring, I think the girls were just excited to be playing every day.”

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week:

• Middleton 11, Madison West 2 — Senior Makenzie Kopp struck out 11 as the Cardinals beat the Regents last Monday at Jefferson Middle School. 

Tom Cabalka, Middleton’s ultra-successful boys golf coach, pictured the scenario before it even took place.

Cabalka, like most golf coaches, drives his team to their meets. And Cabalka knew this year rides would be substantially different than recent seasons.

“I think I’m going to get in the Suburban and look in the rearview mirror,” Cabalka said. “And then I’m going to say, ‘Who are you guys?’ ”

That’s a fair question.

Middleton lost more firepower than any team in the state. And Cabalka can be forgiven if he begins feeling nostalgic from time to time.

Gone are the trio of Emmet Herb, Joey Levin and Brady Thomas, who left an indelible stamp on the program. That threesome played varsity four straight seasons and led Middleton to top-five finishes at state each of the past three years, including a second place finish in 2016.