Sports

Middleton’s girls softball team earned the No. 1 seed in their sectional.

If the Cardinals can now play to that level, they’ll remember the next two weeks for the rest of their lives.

Middleton, co-champions of the Big Eight Conference, received a first round bye. The Cardinals will host the winner of No. 8 Monona Grove and No. 9 Madison Memorial Friday at 5 p.m. in a WIAA Division 1 regional final.

“The team is focused and determined to be playing their best softball as we move into the postseason,” Middleton manager Cherie Hellenbrand said. “They are all feeling confident and understand they need to push themselves to play solid softball from start to finish. We are taking it one game at a time and enjoying every moment hoping to continue our season into June.”

The roster was greatly overhauled.

There were 12 new players, positional changes, and tactical adjustments.

Despite all of that change, one thing remained the same for Middleton’s girls’ soccer team this spring: success.

The Cardinals notched a pair of wins last week and clinched a share of their second straight Big Eight Conference title.

Middleton and Madison Memorial both went 8-1 in the league and finished ½-game ahead of third place Madison West.

“Last year we had experience, this year we have fire,” said Middleton junior standout Grace Douglas, a University of Wisconsin recruit. “Winning the Big Eight title again this year really brought out the importance of the game itself.

“On any given night any team can win. And this year we’re especially glad to show everyone that there are a variety of different teams that can achieve this kind of greatness.”

They lost 50% of their lineup from a year ago.

Their best player was sitting out the Big Eight Conference tournament.

But there seems to be no slowing the machine that is Middleton’s boys tennis program.

The Cardinals rolled to the Big Eight title on Wednesday, winning the two-day event with 50 points. Madison West was a distant second with 32 points, while Madison Memorial (26), Verona (26) and Sun Prairie (22) rounded out the top five.

Middleton captured first place in five of seven flights on its was to a fourth straight conference title.

“It was truly amazing,” said Dan Jin, who combined with Cody Markel to win a title at No. 3 doubles. “First of all, to be able to win the championship at five of seven flights is an incredible feat. Doing so without our best player (Jake Van Emburgh) is even better.

Verona — The slip of the tongue didn’t go unnoticed by Jack Jesse.

As Middleton’s standout long jumper was discussing the Cardinals’ third straight Big Eight Conference boys’ track and field championship last Friday, the questioner inadvertently used the term “repeat.”

“Three-peat,” Jesse said. “Make sure it says three-peat, because this is just awesome.”

Yes, it was another night of awesomeness for Middleton’s still ascending program.

The Cardinals added the latest chapter to their 2015 success story on a gorgeous night at Verona High School. Middleton finished with 173 points to easily outdistance runner-up Verona (124). Madison La Follette (74), Madison West (70) and Janesville Parker (66) rounded out the top five.

Their title dreams and championship aspirations were hanging by a thread. In many ways, their season was at a crossroads, as well.

Middleton’s girls softball team dropped the opening game of a doubleheader against Janesville Craig, 6-1, on Monday. That left the Cardinals tied for the Big Eight Conference lead with Verona, one game ahead of Craig in the loss column.

But Middleton did what all championship teams do — they rebounded.

The Cardinals rolled past the Cougars, 11-1, in the nightcap and remained tied for first in the league. Middleton and Verona are now tied for the conference lead with two games left in the regular season.

“Game two of the doubleheader proved our resilience,” Middleton senior shortstop Katie Fermanich said. “There's no doubt that Craig wanted that game just as badly, if not more than we did.

The first goal has been taken care of.

If the remaining objectives are achieved, Middleton’s boys golf team will truly have a season it will never forget.

The Cardinals won the Big Eight Conference dual meet season with a perfect 9-0 record. Middleton clinched the title thanks to a 310-381 win over Janesville Craig in a meet held at Bishop’s Bay Golf Course last Tuesday.

Emmet Herb led the Cardinals with a 76, while Joey Levin shot a 77. Brady Thomas carded a 78 and Nils Arneson shot a 79.

“Our No. 1 goal is to win conference,” Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said.

For the most part, the Cardinals rolled through their league schedule. Middleton’s greatest challenge, though, came May 4 when its five juniors missed a match against Verona and Madison West because they were taking the A.P. Exams.

Verona — As Tara Franklin did the Math, Middleton’s girls track and field coach knew the numbers didn’t quite line up.

Middleton, the defending Big Eight Conference champions, faced long odds to repeat last Friday in Verona. And no matter how many ways Franklin shuffled the numbers, they wouldn’t align in the Cardinals’ favor.

“I knew we were a longshot,” Franklin said. “We had to have a lot of P.R.’s to have a chance. It just didn’t quite work out.”

The Cardinals had a number of first-rate performances. In the end, though, Middleton settled for third place overall.

Sun Prairie rallied down the stretch and edged Beloit Memorial for the team title, 149.5-145.0. Middleton was third at 115.5, while Verona (77) and Madison Memorial rounded out the top five.

“I thought all the kids performed great,” Franklin said. “We just got beat by two really good teams.”

It’s taken the better part of two months.

But Middleton’s baseball team is beginning to show signs of being a dangerous team this postseason.

The Cardinals won two of three games in the past week and improved to 8-12 overall and 6-8 in the Big Eight Conference.

The Cardinals defeated Madison La Follette, 4-2, last Tuesday. Middleton then completed a season-sweep over three-time defending state champion Sun Prairie with a 5-4 win last Thursday.

The Cardinals then fell to Madison Memorial, 15-1, on Monday.

“I thought we had it turned around,” Middleton manager Tom Schmitt said. “Hopefully we can get our ducks in a row and get it rolling again.”

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week.

• Middleton 4, Madison La Follette 2 — Adam Nutting threw a complete-game as the Cardinals toppled the host Lancers. Nutting allowed just one earned run, struck out six and walked three.

A Big Eight Conference title certainly remains possible.

But for now, Middleton’s girls soccer team will have to wait.

That’s because the Cardinals dropped a 2-1 decision to Madison West last Thursday, leaving the Big Eight race a muddled mess.

The Cardinals and Madison Memorial share the top spot with 6-1 records. Madison West and Verona are tied for third with 5-1-1 marks.

Middleton could have won the title outright by beating West. Instead, things will be decided in the final week of the regular season.

“We all were very bummed and disappointed in the result and what we put on the field,” Middleton coach Mary Duffy said. “We left too many ‘if's’ on the field — something we have been trying to avoid. 

The WIAA Division 1 boys state track and field meet is just three weeks away.

But Middleton competed in a mini-state meet last Friday and showed that it’s certainly ready for the real thing.

The Cardinals won the 17-team, star-studded Myhrum Invitational at Hartland Arrowhead. Middleton finished with 93 points and edged runner-up Mukwonago (89.50). Oak Creek (66), Arrowhead (65.50) and Fond du Lac (65) rounded out the top five.

Middleton led Mukwonago by 2.5 points heading to the final event of the night. The Cardinals then finished third in the 1,600-meter relay, while Mukwonago was fourth.

That allowed Middleton to hold on for the win.

“It was a pretty exciting ending,” Middleton coach Isaac Mezera said.

There were plenty of exciting moments in this thrilling meet.

Perrin Hagge won the 1,600-meter run in 4:13.44 and broke Ricky Reusser’s school record in the process.