Sports

Middleton’s wrestlers defeated Sun Prairie East/West, 53-18, in a dual meet on Dec. 10.

Middleton wrestlers Kyle Mock at 113 pounds, Alborz Dehnavi (150), Sam Zanton (157), Finn Grauwels (165) and Reed Falk (190) all notched pins.

The Cardinals’ Pavil Jones earned a 19-3 win at 144 pounds. And MHS wrestlers Lucian Borseth (120), Grady Hargrove (132) and Adler Plamann (138) all received forfeits.

106: Double Forfeit

113: Kyle Mock (MIDD) over Jackson Bescup (SPWE) (Fall 4:55)

120: Lucian Borseth (MIDD) over (SPWE) (For.)

126: Double Forfeit

132: Grady Hargrove (MIDD) over (SPWE) (For.)

138: Adler Plamann (MIDD) over (SPWE) (For.)

144: Pavil Jones (MIDD) over Lou Swingen (SPWE) (TF 19-3 4:21)

150: Alborz Dehnavi (MIDD) over Dion Mehmeti (SPWE) (Fall 2:41)

157: Sam Zanton (MIDD) over Naim Allen (SPWE) (Fall 0:59)

165: Finn Grauwels (MIDD) over Benjamin Gore (SPWE) (Fall 3:52)

Sophia Ynclan is one of the better shooters in the Big Eight Conference.

Middleton’s senior guard put those skills on display last Thursday.

Ynclan made five 3-pointers, scored 23 points and helped power the Cardinals to a 62-54 win over Madison East.

The Cardinals, who lost their first six games of the year, won their second straight contest. Middleton is now 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the conference.

Ynclan’s 23 points were a career-high and she added eight rebounds. Senior post Macey Blazek had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and junior guard Brooke Michelotti added 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

In addition, junior guard Rowan Borne had eight points, three steals and six assists.

Valerie Richardson led Madison East with 20 points.

Middleton built a 35-22 halftime lead, then held off a second half charge by the Purgolders.

Middleton’s football team landed several players on the all-Big Eight Conference team.

Junior quarterback Joey Passaglia, senior defensive linemen Quone Burks and Torin Pettaway, and senior outside linebacker Corbin Falk were all named first-team all-conference.

Burks was also named first-team all-state and the Big Eight’s Defensive Interior Lineman of the Year, while Pettaway was named the league’s Defensive End of the Year.

Senior offensive linemen Amare Calvin and Jacob Cushman, senior tight end/fullback Drew Cooney, junior running back Elijah Jackson, senior wideout Troy Teff, junior wideout Chase Rogers, junior linebacker Tyler Vogt, junior safety Oliver Wenning and junior punter Jackson Guerrero were all named second-team all-conference.

MADISON — With 7-foot senior center Will Garlock out for the start of the season with an ankle injury, Middleton boys basketball coach Kevin Bavery knew the 2024-25 Cardinals would be a work in progress.

Last Saturday, Middleton was also missing senior starting forward Riley Kann and senior reserve forward Brennan Mauer — a pair of standout soccer players who were competing in a tournament.

Junior guard Jackson Guerrero did his best to help compensate for a depleted starting lineup with a career-best 20 points. That marked the second straight game Guerrero set a varsity career-high.

However, Middleton fell to host Madsion La Follette, 69-58, in a Big Eight Conference game.

The Cardinals — who also dropped their season-opener to visiting Madison Memorial, 74-69 — fell to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the league. The Lancers improved to 3-0, 2-0.

The season is just four games old.

There’s still a good 2 ½ months left in the year.

But early indications are this could be another banner year for Middleton’s boys hockey team.

The Cardinals brought back several key cogs from a group that tied for the Big Eight Conference championship last season and reached the sectional finals. Middleton has carried much of that momentum into this season and is off to an impressive 4-0 start.

“I really like this group,” said Middleton first year coach Jochen Hylbert. “From top line varsity all the way through my entire JV team, we have lots of very amazing student athletes.”

Middleton continued its hot start last week with a 5-2 win over the Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago co-op on Dec. 3 and a 7-3 win at Beloit Memorial on Dec. 5.

Leading the Cardinals this season will be senior forward Wyatt Ehrhardt and senior defender Eli Covey, who were both named first-team all-conference last year.

It took longer than they hoped.

But Middleton girls basketball team has broken into the win column.

The Cardinals put four players in double figures and defeated Madison West, 63-31, last Friday, Middleton is now 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big Eight Conference.

Rowan Borne led the Cardinals with 11 points and seven steals, while Emily Utter added 11 points. Macey Blazek had 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Brooke Michelotti had 10 points, five steals and four assists.

Rowan Borne also had a terrific game with eight points, nine assists and six rebounds, while Hailey Roepsch added four steals.

Middleton also dropped a 59-37 decision at Janesville Craig on Dec. 3.

Blazek led the Cardinals with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while Michelotti added 12 points and two steals. Borne had six rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Roepsch had five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Middleton’s boys swimming and diving team have great expectations this season.

And the Cardinals showed exactly why in their first two meets of the season last week.

Middleton won the Sun Prairie West Triangular on Dec. 6. The Cardinals rolled past Janesville Craig, 134-36, and downed the host Wolves, 125-44.

The Cardinals then won the star-studded, 12-team Nicolet Invite last Saturday.

Middleton finished with 483.5 points at Nicolet to edge runner-up Verona (451.0). Whitefish Bay (273), Nicolet (206) and Cedarburg (123.5) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ two meets.

NICOLET INVITE

Middleton won eight of the 12 events and captured first place at this high-level invite.

Middleton wrestlers finished in fourth place at the 16-team Watertown Early Bird Scramble last Saturday.

Sam Zanton won a championship at 157 pounds, while Alborz Dehnavi (150), Finn Grauwels (165) and Reed Falk (190) all added second place finishes. Aiden Bell added a fourth place finish at 138 and Pavil Jones was fifth at 144.

Mineral Point won the event with 639.0 points, while Hartford (537), Watertown (423), Middleton (369) and New London (340) rounded out the top five.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ performances:

120 — Kyle Mock (2-3) placed 14th.

The pieces for greatness appeared to be in place.

The parts for excellence all seemed to be there.

That was then, though. And this is now.

Middleton’s boys basketball team endured a turbulent offseason and has more questions than answers today. And when the Cardinals begin their new season Thursday at Madison Memorial, uncertainty is the prevailing theme.

Middleton 7-foot senior center Will Garlock — a University of Wisconsin recruit and one of the state’s dominant players — will be sidelined to start the year with a broken ankle he suffered in April. Garlock was on track to be ready for the season-opener, but suffered a setback that will keep him out the early portion of the year.

The Cardinals also expected to have junior point guard Isaiah Oliver — an honorable-mention all-conference player last season. But Oliver transferred to Northwest High School in Waukee, Iowa, in August after his father landed a job in the area.

The 2024 boys swimming and diving season had been over for, oh, perhaps 15 minutes.

As Middleton’s tremendous group basked in the glow of a second straight WIAA Division 1 state title, the Cardinals couldn't wait to dip their toes back in the water again.

“Our goal is to get back and do it again next year,” Max Carter said at the time.

Well, next year is here.

And the Cardinals certainly have the firepower and make it a three-peat.

Middleton juniors Max Carter, Caden VanBuren, Sam Wolf and Ben Cutler Heiderscheit are one of the dominant classes the state has seen in some time. And if the Cardinals make a run at a third straight title, that fabulous foursome will lead the way.

“My expectation for these four and all of my swimmers is to compete, improve and have fun throughout the season,” Middleton coach Wes Lagerhausen said. “If we are able to do this, we will continue to be a successful program.”