January 2026

The fight and intensity were there from the start.

Unfortunately the shooting wasn’t and it proved costly as Middleton’s boys basketball team dropped a 74-49 decision to rival Madison Memorial in a Big Eight Conference game at Memorial on Jan. 20.

The Cardinals connected on just 6-of-31 (19.4%) first half field goals, fell behind, 32-16, and never recovered.

“I think what we’re doing is right, the how just wasn’t very good,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “We got flustered. It’s the first time we’ve seen a matchup (zone). We haven’t seen hardly any zone out of anybody and we attacked it well early and normally if we get some of those shots, we hit. We didn’t hit and we had some simple things defensively we wanted to do that we just didn’t execute.”

Senior guard Andrew Qastin agreed.

Middleton wrestlers finished in second place at the 17-team Monroe Invite last Saturday.

Oconomowoc won the team title with 265 points, while the Cardinals were second with 147.5. Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus was third with 144.0, while Dodgeville (139) and Monroe (132.5) rounded out the top five.

Middleton received first place finishes from Sam Zanton at 157 pounds and Reed Falk at 190.  Finn Grauwels added a second place finish at 165.

Here’s how the Cardinals fared at each weight class.

113 — Matthew Francois (0-2) did not place

Champ. Rd of 16: David Arguelles (4-1) Jr., DAR pinned Matthew Francois (10-14) Fr., MIDD, 1:14.

Cons. Quarters: Nester Chagoya (7-12) Sr., MONR pinned Matthew Francois (10-14) Fr., MIDD, 2:01.

132 — Adler Plamann (2-2) placed sixth

Quarters: Mason Lease (14-13) Fr., OCON def. Adler Plamann (18-17) Jr., MIDD, 12-3.

Middleton’s girls gymnastics team had another terrific week.

The Cardinals defeated Madison Memorial, 134.025-130.10 on Jan. 22. Middleton then won the Southwestern Invitational on Jan. 24.

In the Cardinals’ win over Memorial, Middleton’s Aspen Goth won the all-around title with a 35.950, while Abby Arnold was third (32.275).

Goth was first on the vault with a 9.20, while Arnold was fourth with an 8.150. Izzy Bradford added an 8.150 and Reagan Holzheimer had an 8.10.

Goth was also first on the uneven bars with a 9.025, while Arnold was third (8.075). Middleton also counted an 8.0 from Aubrey Halverson and a 7.80 from Lauren Devine.

Eva Szczepanski led Middleton with a second place finish on the balance beam with an 8.475, while Goth was third at 8.425. Ana Bollig added an 8.175 and Arnold had a 7.450.

Acting on a request from an alder and one Public Comment speaker, the Middleton Common Council on Jan. 20 voted to postpone consideration of a fixed-base operator contract at the Middleton Municipal Airport.