February 2023

MADISON – All good things must come to an end.

For Middleton’s boys basketball team, its dream of an unbeaten season disappeared last Friday night in a raucous Madison La Follette gym.

Senior star Gavyn Hurley scored a game-high 26 points, including sinking three free throws to force overtime for the Cardinals, who rallied from a nine-point deficit 7 minutes into the second half.

But senior guard Mason Kleinsmith drilled a 3-pointer to open the extra session, and the Lancers held on for a 75-72 victory over previously unbeaten and second-ranked Middleton in a Big Eight Conference matchup.

“Overall, we played well in terms of how hard we competed,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “We certainly didn’t play our best game, but La Follette had a lot to do with it.”

When it comes to seeding meetings, there is always a good deal of angst.

You’re never quite certain how certain coaches will vote. Some people may see your team much differently than you do.

So when Middleton hockey coach Dan Truehl left his seeding meeting Sunday night, he was awfully pleased.

Middleton received the No. 3 seed in its sectional, giving the Cardinals a first round bye. Middleton will host either sixth-seeded Waunakee or 11^th-seeded Onalaska in a regional final on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

The sectional semifinals are Feb. 21 and the sectional finals are either Feb. 24 or 25.

“I think things broke how we thought and we were really pleased to have the (No.) 3 seed,” Truehl said. “It’s a very deep sectional, so you’re never quite sure how it will go. But it worked out for us.”

Middleton’s girls basketball team had a sensational week, winning all three games it played.

The Cardinals toppled visiting Stoughton, 78-66, on Jan. 31. Middleton then downed Janesville Parker, 65-34, on Feb. 2 and blitzed host Beloit Memorial, 79-42, last Saturday.

The Cardinals are now 13-8 overall and sit alone in fourth place in the Big Eight Conference at 11-5.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

• Middleton 78, Stoughton 66 — Audrey Deptula erupted for 31 points and powered the Cardinals past the Vikings. Brooke Michelotti added 16 points and Addy Gmur had 11.

Deptula drained four 3-pointers and had 18 of her points in the first half as Middleton took a 38-34 lead at the break. Michelotti also made four 3-pointers — including two in the second half — as the Cardinals pulled away.

In a star-studded Big Eight Conference, there aren’t many lay-ups on the schedule.

When Middleton’s boys basketball team faces one of the league’s bottom-feeders, though, the Cardinals know they must take full advantage.

Middleton did just that on Jan. 31, rolling past host Madison West, 80-44.

The Cardinals improved to 17-0 overall and 14-0 in the conference, while the Regents fell to 3-15, 2-12.

“West is very talented, but very young,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “They also were short-handed in missing one of their best starters.

“So it was also an opportunity for us to take advantage of our strengths, something that hopefully transfers to other games and situations as we enter the final month of our regular season.”