Boys spikers roll in state quarterfinals

GREEN BAY — “Pressure: pushing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man ask for.”

Queen and David Bowie sang those memorable lyrics in the tune, “Under Pressure” back in 1981.

Today, that theme still holds true with Middleton’s boys volleyball team.

The Cardinals are extremely aggressive servers and constantly send their foes out of system. Middleton’s service pressure was an enormous key in its 25-19, 25-21, 25-14 win over Kenosha Indian Trail in a WIAA state quarterfinal on Nov. 5 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

Senior outside hitter Caden Van Buren had five of Middleton’s 11 aces and sophomore libero Jude Gehrke added four aces as the top-seeded Cardinals rolled past the eighth-seeded Hawks.

“It's a big thing in our gym is serve and pass, right?” Van Buren said. “So it's a few things you do right away at every single point. So we want to put a lot of pressure on them. We know that's how we play better, like that's how we that's how we win big. Serving is a big part of that. So I think we had a good serving night.”

Middleton continued its magical season, improving to 37-0 and advancing to the state semifinals against fifth-seeded Catholic Memorial (27-9). Indian Trail ended its season 26-12.

Van Buren, a Loyola recruit, had a tremendous all-around match, finishing with 12 kills, a .435 kill percentage and six digs. Senior setter Bryce Stuttgen had 30 assists, while senior middle blocker Will Hoffman had eight kills and an .800 attack percentage, and Gehrke added 11 digs.

Middleton’s serving was vital, though, setting up the Cardinals’ attack throughout.

“Serving pressure is a huge part of our system,” Middleton coach Dylan Griffith said. “We have to be able to put pressure on another team to try to take them out of their own system.”

Pressure is so important to the Cardinals that Griffith is content to live with some mistakes along the way. Middleton had 16 service errors against KIT — a number Griffith would like to be a bit lower. But the Cardinals’ coach certainly wasn’t going to discourage his team from staying aggressive.

“You know, obviously there's a fine line,” Griffith said. “I mean, at the end of the day, we want these guys to be in the mindset of being aggressive and being able to kind of feel free when they go back out there in the service line, so we're not going to dwell on it.

“I mean, of course, I would love a few more to go into court than not. But honestly, a lot of the time it dictates a lot of our momentum so that we can get an ace. Even though it might not be a run, it kind of puts the other team back on their heels a little bit too. So it's a little bit the mental side.”

Middleton had the Hawks on their heels throughout.

In addition to the Cardinals’ own offensive prowess, they held the Hawks to an -.076 attack percentage in a match that was completed in just 65 minutes.

“I'd give it a ‘B’,” Stuttgen said of the Cardinals’ performance. “I think there were times when we shined, and there are times where we didn't. Communication wasn't great, but I mean, at the end of the day, we got the win.”

Van Buren agreed.

“I think there's a lot of things that we can improve on, clean up, but that gives us some confidence … knowing that we have a lot to clean up, and we can be better,” Van Buren said. “But it's a state win, so we're not going to be mad about it at all. We're going to celebrate it.”

There was a lot to celebrate — especially when it came to Middleton’s serving.

In the first set, the Cardinals went on a 7-0 run and surged to a 9-3 lead with Gehrke rolling off six straight service points. Gehrke had four aces in that run, while Hoffman and senior outside hitter Vance Ferry both had six kills.

“Jude just served incredible, hit the right spots,” Griffith said. “So we're happy when we can get that result for sure.”

Middleton’s lead grew to 17-8 after three straight service points from senior libero Josh Tubbs, before the scrappy Hawks battled back within 22-18. Middleton got a big kill, though, from Hoffman, an ace from Tubbs and a kill by Van Buren on set point.

Middleton finished the first set with a sizzling .259 kill percentage, while KIT’s attack percentage was .000.

The Cardinals fell behind, 5-1, in the second set when the dynamic Van Buren put on a serving clinic. Van Buren had three aces and eight service points during a 9-0 Middleton run that gave the Cardinals a 10-5 lead and completely altered the set.

Again, KIT wouldn't go away and closed within three points on multiple occasions. But junior rightside Jonah Johnson had kills on Middleton’s last two points of the set and the Cardinals took a commanding lead.

“Obviously, it's tough in any state tournament match to come out on the winning side, so props to Indian Trail,” Griffith said. “They put on a heck of a game. They certainly forced us to kind of settle in through the match as it went on. They kept it, kept the game close through majority of the sets, and thankfully, we were able to kind of pull away towards the end of those.”

Once again, it was Gehrke’s turn to shine behind the service line in the third set.

Middleton led, 15-13, when Gehrke began serving. When he finished, the Cardinals’ lead had ballooned to 24-13.

Hoffman, Johnson and Ferry had kills at the outset of Middleton’s 9-0 run. Then senior outside hitter Will Schmitt came off the bench and had a huge kill to make it 24-13.

After KIT earned a sideout, senior middle blocker Clark Lewandowski had a tip kill on match point and the Cardinals were moving on.

“So glad for how we responded and finished in the third set,” Griffith said. “I think we played a lot better, played more in line with how we typically play and we want to play. So we're proud of them for making that adjustment going into the last set and ultimately closing out the match.”

While Van Buren shined again, and Middleton’s serving was stellar, Stuttgen was vital in making the entire operation go. With a bevy of riches to choose from, Stuttgen seemingly makes the right decision time and time again to keep the Cardinals’ offense humming along.

“I mean, it definitely helps when there's four guys on the court that are, like, always going to get a kill,” Stuttgen said. “The opportunity presents itself. So, I mean, yeah, it gives me a lot of confidence knowing that my hitters are going to put it down, especially in stressful times.

“But I'm glad I get to play with so many great players that are just, I mean, really hard workers. So especially in practice, I get to, you know, kind of work on new things, and I know that everybody that I'm giving the ball to is going to get a kill.”

Van Buren, who was competing in his seventh state tournament match, believes Stuttgen is the key to the Cardinals’ attack.

“I think Bryce is the best setter in the state and he works really well in our system, knowing that you can't set just one person to win a state championship,” Van Buren said. “It's never going to work like that.

“Bryce does a tremendous job, you know, spreading it out and making sure that we're giving the defense a really difficult look. I think that's kind of a chess match of volleyball. Their blockers are always on their toes, not knowing where Bryce is going to set the ball right. And then that helps us get one on one opportunities, and then be able to put the ball away.”

Now that the Cardinals put away the Hawks, it was onward and upward for a team that knows the Resch Center well.

Middleton won the state championship in 2023 and finished second last season. The Cardinals brought back every player that competed at last year’s state tournament, and know that experience is key in this season’s pursuit of a title.

“It's a huge thing,” Van Buren said of Middleton’s experience. “I think in any state tournament, everyone wants you know, more experience. It's going to help you.

“I think the experience can help with the mental side a lot, but also, you know, the game, and knowing that not everything needs to go right. You know it's not ever going to be perfect, but we can keep moving on, keep moving forward, and then we can create something special.”