October 2014

They’ve waited all season for this moment.

For many, they’ve waited their whole lives.

Middleton’s football team is in position to win the Big Eight Conference championship for the first time since 2010. And the Cardinals can make that a reality Friday.

Middleton improved to 7-1 in the league last Friday following a 63-7 destruction of Beloit Memorial. The Cardinals lead Janesville Craig and Madison La Follette (both 6-2) by one game heading into the regular season finale.

The Cardinals now host the Cougars Friday at 7 p.m. with a conference title on the line. And if Middleton prevails, it will give the Cardinals the outright conference championship for the first time since 2004, which was Tim Simon’s first year as head coach.

The Middleton City Council in its first budget meeting swiftly authorized a proposed annual budget for publication.  A summary of all budgets is published on page 21 of this edition. 

The city will hold a public hearing on November 6 to consider residents’ input before voting on a final budget, scheduled for November 18.   

The 2015 budget proposal calls for a mill rate increase of 6.87% over the 2014 mill rate.  The total General Fund operating budget comes to $23,363,977 with a tax levy of $16,252,869 and non-levy sources totaling $7,111,108.

“Both the Finance Committee and Common Council remarked about how smooth the 2015 budget deliberations have gone,” said city Finance Director John Lehman.  “This is definitely reflective of all department directors, managers and other’s hard work, team efforts and support throughout the process.  I am very appreciative as well.”

VERONA — She finished 15th at state her freshman season, then she leapt 10 spots a year ago.

But for some reason, Middleton standout junior Loren Skibba didn’t fully believe greatness was in her future.

“There was always a mental hurdle,” Skibba said.

Not anymore. Not after Skibba hurdled the rest of the state.

At the WIAA Division 1 state girls golf meet held Monday and Tuesday at University Ridge, Skibba gave a memorable performance.

Skibba conquered the rain, wind and plummeting temperatures and won the state title. Skibba posted a two-day score of 3-over par, 147 which was good for a four-shot win over Anika Hitt.

Skibba joined Lindsey Solberg (2006) as just the second individual champion in school history. And Skibba’s score was the eighth-best in Division 1 history, an amazing achievement considering veteran observers all agreed this was the worst two days of weather the tournament ever had.

It wasn’t the bracket they wanted to wind up in.

But Middleton’s boys volleyball team made the most of it.

The Cardinals couldn’t escape pool play and wound up in the consolation bracket at the power packed Whitefish Bay Invite last Saturday. But Middleton made the most of its lot in life and won the consolation bracket.

“A very good way for us to end the day,” Middleton coach Ben White said.

Middleton was placed in an extremely difficult pool, but opened with an 18-21, 23-22, 18-16 win over Burlington. Cardinals senior Andrew Gardner had a huge kill late in the deciding game to propel Middleton.

“The great thing about Andrew is that pressure doesn’t really bother him,” White said. “He delivered a huge kill and that was a big win for us – our first win this year in a deciding set. And honestly, it was only our second match that went to a deciding set.”

Nicolet then toppled Middleton, 21-19, 15-21, 15-9.