Sports

Tue
23
Feb
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Wrestlers aiming high at state

This has always been the plan for Kevin Meicher.

When Meicher began wrestling as a kindergartner, there were flashes of greatness. When he began competing in national tournaments as a sixth grader, his vast potential was evident.

Now, Meicher gets a chance to display his immense skill set on the state’s grandest stage.

Meicher, a freshman at Middleton High School, won the championship at 126 pounds at the WIAA Division 1 Waunakee Sectional last Saturday and qualified for the state tournament. Meicher (39-3) will meet Union Grove’s Brett Kieslich (40-9) in a first round match Thursday at 3 p.m. at the UW Kohl Center.

“With Kevin, this has always been the expectation,” Middleton coach Kent Weiler said. “Coming in, we knew he was good. But he’s trained hard and had a great year.”

So has teammate Chris Rogers, a junior who will be making his second straight appearance at state.

Tue
23
Feb
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Girls basketball team shares Big 8 crown

The odds were stacked against them from the start.

Few believed a Big Eight Conference championship was possible this winter for Middleton’s girls basketball team. Instead, Verona was a consensus favorite to win the league.

But history has shown that overlooking Jeff Kind’s Middleton program isn’t wise. And that was certainly the case in 2015-’16.

Middleton notched a pair of wins last week and captured a share of the conference title. The Cardinals and Verona finished the year 17-1 in the Big Eight, three games ahead of third place Janesville Craig.

Middleton clinched a share of this year’s title thanks to an 87-74 win over visiting Janesville Craig last Saturday. The Cardinals also rolled past Beloit Memorial, 76-37, last Thursday.

Tue
23
Feb
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Swimmers 7th at state

Led by sophomore Michael Draves and a podium-finishing 400-yard freestyle relay, Middleton finished a solid seventh at the WIAA Division 1 boys state swimming and diving meet Saturday at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.

Middleton, which had been ranked in the top 10 of Division 1 programs most of the year, validated that ranking.

The Cardinals scored 123 points and were edged out of sixth place by the Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial co-op (125 points). Fifth-place Franklin beat had 132 points, just nine ahead of the Cardinals.

Madison Memorial won its sixth straight title with 314 points, while Madison West was second at 202.

“We had a very solid overall meet,” said Middleton head coach Sam Niesen, a former standout swimmer at MHS.

Tue
23
Feb
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Gymnasts 2nd at Big 8 meet

Middleton and Sun Prairie.

Sun Prairie and Middleton.

The two Big Eight Conference powers traded blows all season long — and they might not be done yet.

Sun Prairie landed the latest shot, edging Middleton for the Big Eight Conference title last Saturday. Sun Prairie won the meet with 139.0750 points and snuck past Middleton, which posted a 138.950.

Madison Memorial was a distant third at 134.050.

The two conference powers will go their separate ways at sectionals this weekend, but could meet again at the state meet March 4-5.

“We weren’t disappointed with second,” Middleton coach Kari Steck said. “We simply wanted the girls to go out and do their best and have fun. They did both.

“Sun Prairie and Middleton have been neck and neck all year, and losing by 0.15 is so close. We would rather have it be close than a five-point loss, so we considered it a very successful meet.”

Sun
21
Feb
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Middleton's boys BB team earns No. 2 seed

Middleton boys basketball coach Kevin Bavery was on a local radio show last week when the host said he thought the Cardinals should be the No. 3 seed in the WIAA Division 1 Sun Prairie Sectional.

Bavery quickly quipped that he was glad the radio host wouldn’t be at Sunday’s seeding meeting.

Instead, Bavery brought enough firepower to the meeting and Middleton emerged as the sectional’s No. 2 seed. The Cardinals will open the postseason by hosting 15th-seeded Kenosha Bradford in a regional semifinal March 4.

Sun Prairie earned the No. 1 seed, followed by Middleton, Madison Memorial, Muskego, Madison East, Oconomowoc, Madison West, Janesville Craig, Verona, Watertown, Badger, Kenosha Tremper, Beloit Memorial, Kenosha Indian Trail, Kenosha Bradford, Janesville Parker and Madison La Follette.

Sun
21
Feb
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Middleton one win from title

The long drought is almost over. And for Middleton’s boys basketball team, the end can’t come soon enough.

Middleton routed Beloit Memorial, 66-43, last Friday. The Cardinals are now just one win away from clinching at least a share of the Big Eight Conference title for the first time since the 2000-’01 season.

The Cardinals improved to 18-3 overall and 14-3 in the league. Middleton shares the top spot of the conference with Sun Prairie (17-4, 14-3). Beloit fell to 6-11, 8-13.

Junior forward Tyree Eady led the Cardinals with 15 points, while junior guard C.J. Fermanich recorded a ‘double-double’ with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Brogan Brunker added eight points, seven rebounds and three steals, while senior guard Kevin Ripp and junior Jack Smith chipped in with six points each. Junior guard Storm Murphy added five assists and three steals.

Sun
21
Feb
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Middleton edges Madison West

Just hours before Middleton’s boys basketball team headed to Madison West last Tuesday, Cardinals coach Kevin Bavery used words like “scary” and “dangerous” to describe the Regents.

He was right.

Middleton was pushed to the limit in a critical Big Eight Conference game before escaping with a 71-70 win.

Cardinals junior guard Storm Murphy hit a floater with 15 seconds left that gave Middleton a 71-70 lead. West then missed two shots in the final five seconds and the Cardinals survived.

“No doubt it was an escape,” Bavery said. “But at this time of the season, a win by one or a win by 31, there is no difference and we’ll take it.”

Middleton improved to 17-3 overall, 13-3 in the Big Eight and stayed tied atop the league with Sun Prairie. West is 9-8 in the league and 11-10 overall.

Tue
16
Feb
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Middleton knocks off Madison Memorial

The 18 players that make up Middleton’s boys basketball team gathered together for a “Come-to-Jesus Moment” last Friday afternoon.

Differences were discussed. Issues were addressed. This players-only-meeting had one overriding goal: to reverse the Cardinals’ recent slide.

“We just got together and focused on the areas we had gotten too relaxed in,” said junior forward Tyree Eady. “We were winning all those games at the start, and now we started losing. Our mistakes were more noticeable now. We had to get it fixed.”

Mission accomplished.

In a showdown for first place in the Big Eight Conference, Middleton went to league power Madison Memorial and stunned the Spartans, 77-63, last Saturday. Cardinals junior point guard Storm Murphy scored a game-high 26 points, while Eady added 25.

Mon
15
Feb
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Girls basketball team gets No. 2 seed

The path is daunting, like it is every year.

But that hasn’t stopped Middleton’s girls basketball team before. And the Cardinals will be hoping for similar success this time around.

Middleton received the No. 2 seed in the WIAA Division 1 Janesville Craig Sectional.

The Cardinals host 15th-seeded Madison West Feb. 26 in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. If Middleton advances there, it would host either seventh-seeded Janesville Parker or 10th-seeded Madison East in a regional final on Feb. 27.

The sectional semifinals are March 3 and the sectional finals are March 5. The sectional final will be held in Janesville Craig, as long as the Cougars aren’t in the game. If Craig is a sectional finalist, the game will be moved to a neutral site.

Mon
15
Feb
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Swimmers psyched for state

They are peaking at the perfect time.

They are lowering their times and setting personal bests.

Now, Middleton’s boys swimming and diving team believe big things await at the WIAA Division 1 state meet Saturday at the UW Natatorium.

The Cardinals finished third at last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 Middleton Sectional and seem ready for big things at state.  The state diving competition begins at 10 a.m. and the swimming starts at 3 p.m.

Middleton was seventh at state last year, and believes a much better finish is quite possible this time around.

“I'm optimistic that we can hit further down into that third or fourth range if we swim to our capabilities,” Middleton coach Sam Niesen said. “This is going to be a fast state meet with more than a few records being broken, so I'll be doing everything I can to prepare them this week.”

The Cardinals were certainly prepared at last Saturday’s WIAA Middleton Sectional.

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