August 2016

They don’t rebuild inside Middleton’s boys volleyball program.

They reload.

It’s led to nine Big Eight Conference championships in the last 10 years and seven trips to state since 2006.

A few months back, though, Cardinals head coach Ben White wasn’t sure he’d be reloading in 2016.

“I'll be honest there was a point during the summer when I thought of this as a rebuilding year, but it's not,” White said. “It's a reloading. We have a great core of players.”

Middleton lost eight players from a team that won the Big Eight and qualified for the state tournament. But the Cardinals should be loaded for bear again.

Middleton brings back a handful of players that were vital cogs a year ago. And the Cardinals have a solid group of newcomers ready to make their mark.

The first Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin poll was released Sunday.

The poll had Hartland Arrowhead as the No. 1 team in Wisconsin and Middleton No. 2. On Monday, the Cardinals made a statement saying perhaps those spots should be reversed.

Middleton shot a 325 and won the 18-team Waunakee Invite held at The Meadows of Sixmile Creek. Arrowhead was second at 333, while Oregon was a distant third at 377.

Middleton edged Arrowhead by one shot for the state championship last fall. This year, the Warhawks nipped the Cardinals in two early-season events.

“It's always a confidence boost for us to play against Arrowhead and win,” Middleton coach Becky Halverson.  

Middleton senior Alexis Thomas captured medalist honors with a 72, three shots ahead of runner-up Alexa Holland of Arrowhead (75). Thomas struggled off the tees, but her short game was sublime.

On Middleton’s first offensive play from scrimmage in 2016, running back Dion Huff darted through a huge hole for a 25-yard gain. On the Cardinals’ next play, fellow running back James Pabst ran for another 13.

It was that kind of night for the Cardinals’ junior running backs as each took turns breaking big runs to lead Middleton’s football team to a resounding 31-3 season-opening victory over Madison Memorial in a Big Eight Conference game at Mansfield Stadium Friday night.

Of course it didn’t hurt to run behind an offensive line anchored by 6-foot-3, 320-pound right guard Kayden Lyles.

“Thanks to the O-line,” Huff said. “They just did their job and we got it done.”

Joining Lyles, a University of Wisconsin recruit, on the Cardinals sizable offensive line were left tackle Jarrett Horst (6-4, 270), left guard Daydrian Spears (5-10, 232), center Justin Sarbacker (5-9, 228) and right tackle Seth Craker (6-4, 243).

Middleton’s football program has largely been a pillar of excellence — both on and off the field — under Tim Simon for the past 12 years.

For the first time this offseason, though, Simon put together a handbook for his players that includes a mission statement, football specific goals and an overall philosophy.

There were six football goals, and most years, Middleton has aced the first five. They include competing for a Big Eight championship and ranking among the premier football programs in Wisconsin.
It’s the sixth and final goal that has given Simon and the Cardinals fits.

That reads: “Compete year in and year out to win the state championship.”

“We have a goal every year of winning a gold ball and playing in Camp Randall,” Simon said. “But we need to be more consistent in the playoffs than we have been.”

The Cardinals have done several great things under Simon.