Sports

The best boys volleyball team in Wisconsin this season — and arguably the finest in state history — did what you’d expect when it came to postseason awards.

They dominated.

Middleton, which won the state championship with a perfect 39-0 record, landed six players on the all-Big Eight Conference team and placed five on the all-state team.

Senior outside hitter Caden Van Buren was named first-team all-Big Eight Conference, the league’s Player of the Year, and the 2025 state Player of the Year by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association.

It was another memorable season for Middleton’s girls golf team.

And the Cardinals were rewarded, as all five of their golfers were named all-Big Eight Conference, as well as all-state.

Senior Annika Jafferis was named the Big Eight’s Player of the Year and was named second-team all-state by the Wisconsin Golf Coaches Association. Senior Sydney Weiss, junior Addy Schnarr and sophomore Stela Flad were named first-team all-Big Eight and honorable mention all-state. And senior Addie Sloan was named second-team all-Big Eight and honorable-mention all-state.

In addition, Middleton’s Becky Halverson was named the Big Eight’s Coach of the Year after the Cardinals went 9-0 in the league, won the conference tournament by 48 strokes and finished fourth at the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

“All five girls played huge roles in a special season,” Halverson said.

Middleton’s girls volleyball team had five players named all-Big Eight Conference.

Senior setter/rightside Andrea Wipperfurth and sophomore middle hitter Ruby Clooten were named first-team all-conference. Senior defensive specialist Elyssa Ross and senior outside hitter Sadie Newcomb were named second-team all-league, and senior outside hitter Lily Kulow was an honorable-mention all-conference selection.

Wipperfurth, a three year varsity starter, led the Cardinals with 615 assists, an average of 6.5 assists per set. Wipperfurth was also second on the team in aces (37), second in digs (218), fifth in kills with 93 and had an impressive kill percentage of .179.

“Stat stuffer,” Middleton coach Ben White said of Wipperfurth. “Serving, hitting, digging and setting. She could do it all on the volleyball court.

They’ve passed every test they’ve encountered.

Aced every exam that’s come their way.

And now, Middleton’s girls swimming and diving team seems poised to win their third straight WIAA Division 1 state title.

The Cardinals won the Verona Sectional on Nov. 8 with 417 points, outdistancing runner-up Verona (352). Oregon (262), Madison West (260) and Madison Memorial (238) rounded out the top five.

The WIAA Division 1 state meet will now be held on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Waukesha South High School.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s top finishers at sectionals and their seeds at state.

• Middleton’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of senior Sulia Miller, senior Clara Kiehl, sophomore Abigail Frommelt and sophomore Jane Garlock finished first. That foursome is now seeded first at state, as well.

ASHWAUBENON — Back on top again.

It’s where the Middleton boys volleyball team had planned to finish at the start of the season. And the Cardinals did it in style, winning the WIAA state title by going undefeated.

Middleton fought off a pesky Germantown squad in the championship match to earn a 3-0 sweep, 26-24, 25-19, 25-21, on Nov. 8 at the Resch Center.

Middleton becomes just the second boys volleyball program in state history to post an undefeated season. Appleton North went 34-0 in 2012.

It was Middleton’s second state championship in the last three years. The Cardinals also finished as state runner-up in 2024.

GREEN BAY — Playing Middleton’s boys volleyball team can lead to a lot of sleepless nights.

Just ask Catholic Memorial coach Chandler North, who stayed up until 6 a.m. watching film before his Crusaders faced the Cardinals in a WIAA state semifinal on Nov. 6.

“Very rarely do you have to scout in the high school level where five options are coming at you at all times,” North said of the Cardinals. “You can see why they’re the top dogs, why they’re undefeated.”

Middleton proved that once again against the Crusaders. And not even an all-nighter by North and his coaching staff could change that.

Top-seeded Middleton had a terrific .288 attack percentage, was in control throughout and rolled past the Crusaders, 25-16, 25-21, 26-28, 25-22, at the Resch Center. The Cardinals improved to 38-0 and advanced to the state championship game for a third straight year.

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.

LAKE GENEVA — Some sobbed like they were undergoing a root canal — without the novocaine.

Hugs lingered for several seconds. Saying goodbye was undoubtedly the hardest thing to do.

Forty five minutes after Middleton’s football season had ended with a 31-7 loss to Lake Geneva Badger in a WIAA Division 1 second round playoff game on Oct. 31, the Cardinals were still struggling with their final farewells.

It’s easy to see why, too, considering this tight-knit group shined both on and off the field.

“I would rather be on this team than any other team out there,” senior linebacker Tyler Vogt said. “This group of guys is just so special. It was such a special group. I’ve never seen a football team like this. I’m so proud of these guys. I love these guys.”

Middleton senior quarterback Joey Passaglia agreed.

There were challenges from the jump.

Injuries, both early and often. Sicknesses.

And a sectional jam-packed with talent.

So while Middleton’s girls cross country team was hoping for more than a 17^th-place finish at last Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 state meet held in Wisconsin Rapids, the Cardinals also knew that simply reaching the state meet made this season a smashing success.

“The season overall has had its ups and downs,” Middleton co-coach Lauren Dilley said. “Overcoming challenges has been a huge part of the season for these girls.

“No one can say being in the moment of these challenges is fun, but to see everything come together at sectionals and to see everyone race at the state meet after overcoming those challenges is something special.”

Neenah won the state championship with 71 points, edging runner-up Slinger (84). Bloomer (179), Menomonie (197) and Whitefish Bay (212) rounded out the top five.

MADISON — The bar is annually set high for Middleton’s boys soccer team.

Competing for conference and state titles are not only realistic, but expected goals.

With only one returning starter and three seniors with significant experience, though, one would have thought this would be a rebuilding season for the Cardinals.

But here they were on a brisk, fall Saturday afternoon making their fourth straight appearance in the WIAA Division 1 sectional finals against Big Eight Conference foe Madison West with a berth to state on the line.

Two-time defending state champion and second-seeded Middleton won’t get a chance for a three-peat, though, as top-seeded Madison West hung on for a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Cardinals at Lussier Stadium on Nov. 1.