Middleton’s sports programs have enjoyed tremendous success for decades now.

The Cardinals took things to a new level, though, during the 2023-24 school year.

Middleton won five WIAA Division 1 state championships — including four titles from the boys. That tied Hartland Arrowhead (2008-09) for the most D1 state titles in a single school year since the WIAA and WISAA merged back in 2000.

“It is so amazing to see the success stories of so many programs in our community,” Middleton boys volleyball coach Dylan Griffith said.

Griffith is spot on, which makes picking Middleton’s ‘Best of the Best’ harder than ever this year. But we’ll give it our best shot.

This week, we’ll honor the boys, and next week we’ll award the girls.

Team of the Year

Volleyball

Middleton boys soccer coach Kevin Pauls called it “amazing.”

Cardinals girls swimming coach R.J. Leiferman used terms like “exciting” and “proud.”

And MHS boys volleyball coach Dylan Griffith said he was “very happy.”

It’s easy to see why as Middleton’s athletic department made history during the 2023-24 school year.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association merged their organizations in the fall of 2000. In the time since then, Hartland Arrowhead set the record for most WIAA Division 1 state championships in one school year with five in the 2008-09 campaign.

Middleton matched that total during the 2023-24 school year, winning state titles in boys soccer, boys volleyball, girls swimming, boys swimming and boys lacrosse.

After tying Arrowhead for this historic achievement, those responsible for this remarkable feat were beaming.

They challenged for a Big Eight title before settling for second place.

They upset top-seeded Kettle Moraine in the sectional semifinals.

And they came within an eyelash of going to the state tournament for the first time in 11 years.

Middleton’s girls soccer team enjoyed a tremendous season in which it went 13-3-5 before falling to Waunakee in the sectional finals on penalty kicks.

So it was no surprise that 10 different Cardinals received all-Big Eight Conference honors.

Sophomore forward Isabel Frantz, junior midfielder Adelyn Frantz and senior defender Sophie Kasel were each named first-team all-Big Eight. Sophomore midfielder Maddie Kelm and junior defender Payton Rademacher were named second-team all-conference, while junior keeper Lydia Paulsen, freshman forward Trinnity Wyttenbach, sophomore midfielder Zoe Sharaf, senior midfielder Sam Von Ruden and junior defender Ursula Anstaett all received honorable-mention all-conference honors.

When the 2024 prep baseball season began, Middleton manager Brent Jorgensen had little idea what was in store.

Eight starters from his 2023 state qualifying team had graduated. Six of his seven all-conference players had also moved on.

So few knew what to expect from the 2024 Cardinals.

Turns out, there was nothing to fret about.

Middleton had another terrific season, going 16-10 overall, finishing in third place in the ultra-competitive Big Eight Conference and landing eight players on the all-conference team — one more than a year ago.

Junior pitcher Bennett O’Connor and senior outfielder Porter Blaha were named first-team all-conference. Junior designated hitter Ray Feinberg and senior utility player Kevin Sheehan were named second-team all-league.

They were supportive of each other.

They were terrific friends.

And they were sensational golfers.

Middleton’s version of the ‘Fab Five’ — Dain Johnson, Luke Weiss, Sammy Forslund, Reis Von Ruden and Charlie Jambor — helped the Cardinals enjoy a memorable season. And the quintet each received all-conference honors for their efforts.

Johnson, a senior, and Weiss, a sophomore, both were named first-team all-Big Eight Conference. Forslund and Von Ruden, both sophomores, along with Jambor, a senior, each received second-team all-conference honors.

Johnson also received third-team, all-state recognition from the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin, while Weiss, Forslund and Von Ruden earned honorable-mention all-state honors.

Middleton’s five standouts helped the Cardinals win the Big Eight Conference title, capture regional and sectional crowns, and finish seventh at the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

The Hitters Tennis and Pickleball Club in Middleton will host a Pickleball Championship to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) on June 29-30.

This two-day event will raise funds and awareness for the JDRF. The event promises a weekend of competitive play and community spirit, drawing pickleball enthusiasts from across the region to support a cause that impacts millions of lives.

JDRF is the leading global organization harnessing the power of research, advocacy, and community engagement to advance life-changing breakthroughs for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

“We’re thrilled to host this event and support JDRF’s mission to find a cure for type 1 diabetes,” said event organizer Greg Isermann. “Our club is committed to community engagement, and we believe this championship will bring together players and supporters for an incredible cause.”

Entry fee is $40 per person.

Divisions and Schedule of Play are as follows:

Middleton’s girls softball team had a sensational season, going 18-10 overall and reaching a WIAA Division 1 sectional final.

And the Cardinals were justly rewarded when the all-Big Eight Conference teams were announced.

Senior second baseman Mackenzie Zimmerman, sophomore catcher Hailey Stroede, junior pitcher Megan Button, and junior first baseman Grace O’Connor were all named first-team all-conference.

Sophomore infielder Annika Jafferis and senior outfielder McKenzie Pertzborn were both named honorable-mention all-Big Eight.

In addition, Zimmerman was named honorable-mention all-state by the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association.

Zimmerman led the Cardinals with 35 hits and batted a whopping .398 with a .456 on-base percentage. Zimmerman had three home runs, six doubles, three triples, 24 RBIs, scored 27 runs and walked 10 times.

Three years ago, as Parker Van Buren was beginning his volleyball career at Loyola University, he wrote down a list of goals.

Near the top of the list were the words: ‘First team all-American.’

“It seemed like an unrealistic goal when I wrote it down,” Van Buren said.

Hardly. Anyone that watched the 6-foot-9 Van Buren dominate during his days at Middleton High School understood what a rare talent he was.

And Van Buren has proved that to the country during his time at Loyola, where he was recently named a first-team all-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Van Buren, a 2020 Middleton graduate, is also the first MHS alum to receive Division 1 first-team All-American honors.

In addition, Van Buren was named the Player of the Year in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.

ASHTON – As the adage goes, it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

Ashton’s Home Talent League team took the opposite approach, though, Sunday, starting strong and never letting up.

Ashton shortstop Keegan Fleischman jumped on the first offering from Cross Plains starter Logan Schultz and lined a ball to right field for a base hit. That sharp single lit a fire under the A’s and led to a five-run, first inning outburst which helped Ashton cruise to a 6-1 victory over visiting Cross Plains on Father’s Day.

“I just wanted to be ready for that first pitch,” said Fleischman, who played at UW-La Crosse this spring. “If it was down the middle or around the plate, I’m swinging.”

Ashton player/manager Logan Ziegler said Fleischman’s first-pitch single was a great way to start the game.

Middleton’s boys Ultimate Frisbee team recently won their first-ever state championship. The Cardinals defeated 12-time defending state champion Madison West in the title game, 13-3.

Senior captain Koen Reiter led the Cardinals with six goals in the championship game and sophomore captain Evan Natzke had five assists. Sophomore Turner Booth led Middleton with two blocks, and the Cardinals had just three turnovers in the title game, including no drops.
Middleton, ranked No. 19 in the nation, put together the best season in team history, culminating in a state tournament where they outscored their opponents 65-8.

While the Cardinals had nine seniors many of their top contributors were underclassman, giving them hope of being nationally competitive in the future.

“It’s a great group of kids that grew a tremendous amount throughout the year,” coach Ryan Natzke said. “It was exciting to finally get a title and there’s a lot of good things ahead of us.”