Sports

Middleton has a lengthy history as one of the top baseball schools in Wisconsin.

The Cardinals have reached the state tournament 14 times, had countless players compete collegiately and had a handful play in the minor leagues.

Middleton never had a player reach the major leagues, though — until now.

Alan Roden, a 2018 Middleton graduate, learned this week he made the Toronto Blue Jays opening day roster. Toronto begins its 2025 season by hosting Baltimore Thursday afternoon.

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity,” Roden said Monday afternoon. “And I’m extremely grateful for everyone that has helped me get to this point.”

The 25-year-old Roden had a sensational spring, batting .423 with a 1.287 OPS. Roden, the No. 5 prospect in Toronto’s farm system, is expected to play all three outfield positions and do some designated hitting.

Middleton’s hockey team had a terrific season, tying for the Big Eight Conference championship for a second straight year.

The Cardinals were justly rewarded, landing six players on the all-conference team.

Senior forward Wyatt Ehrhardt and senior defenseman Eli Covey were named first-team all-conference. Junior forward Patrick Passini and senior defenseman Ethan Glimme were both named second-team all-league, while senior forward Misha Garbuz and senior defenseman Thomas Sutcliffe were both named honorable mention all-conference.

Ehrhardt was one of the top scorers in the state, leading the Cardinals in goals (41), assists (32) and points (73). Ehrhardt finished eighth in the state in goals, 15^th in assists and ninth in total points.

In addition, Ehrhardt was named the eighth recipient of the Jeff Sauer Humanitarian Award

Middleton’s girls basketball team landed three players on the all-Big Eight Conference team.

Senior center Macey Blazek and junior guard Brooke Michelotti were both named second-team all-conference. Junior guard Rowan Borne earned honorable-mention all-conference honors.

Michelotti led the Cardinals in scoring with 12.2 points per game. She scored 20 points, or more, in three games, pouring in 23 points against both Oregon and Sun Prairie East, and scoring 20 against Janesville Craig.

Michelotti reached double figures in 17 games and made a team-high 47 3-pointers. Michelotti also finished fourth on the team in assists (1.6) and fifth in rebounds (3.2).

Blazek, a transfer from Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., came to Middleton last summer when her father, A.J., was hired to coach the University of Wisconsin’s offensive line. And what a boost Blazek gave the Cardinals.

Wyatt Ehrhardt, a senior at Middleton High School, has been named the eighth recipient of the Jeff Sauer Humanitarian Award, the Coach Sauer Foundation announced.

The award was presented March 6 at the Wisconsin High School Coaches Association dinner in Middleton.

The annual award hopes to encourage community service among girls and boys high school hockey players in the state of Wisconsin. It is named after the legendary former University of Wisconsin coach and hockey ambassador who passed away in Feb., 2017.

The Jeff Sauer Award’s goal is to recognize good high school hockey players being great people.

Ehrhardt is a worthy example.

Ehrhardt, the Cardinals’ captain scored 41 goals and had 73 points during the regular season.

The United Soccer Coaches announced the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award recipients for high school programs competing in the fall season.

Middleton’s boys — who won a second straight WIAA Division 1 state championship — received a bronze award.

Eleven fall high school boys and girls teams received the United Soccer Coaches Platinum Team Ethics Award for completing the entire 2024 fall season without receiving either a yellow or red card.

WALES — Kevin Bavery stood inside an empty locker room in what was now a completely vacant Kettle Moraine High School.

Bavery’s 19^th season as the boys basketball coach at Middleton High School had just ended.

His Cardinals had fallen to No. 1 Kettle Moraine, 66-48, in a WIAA Division 1 regional final last Saturday.

Many years, when the finality of a season arrives, Bavery wonders what could have been. He questions whether his Cardinals should have advanced further in the postseason.

This was not one of those times.

“They were better than us,” Bavery said of the Lasers. “They were just better.”

Indeed they were.

Kettle Moraine showed why it’s the top-ranked team in the state, while improving to a perfect 26-0. Middleton finished its inconsistent season 15-11.

The first seven games of the season were a painful endeavor for Middleton’s boys basketball team.

Center Will Garlock was out with an ankle injury. The Cardinals were inexperienced at most positions. And Middleton began the year 2-5.

If there was a silver lining, it’s that Middleton learned to play without the 7-foot Garlock.

The dividends of that were evident in the Cardinals 81-68 win over visiting Beloit Memorial in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal last Friday played in front of a raucous, full house at MHS.

Garlock was limited to just 17 minutes due to foul trouble. But the Cardinals didn’t miss a beat, outscoring the Purple Knights by 12 points in the 19 minutes Garlock was on the bench.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Twelve months ago, a back injury had Aspen Goth on the sidelines more than on a gymnastics mat.

Today, Goth has proven to be one of the top gymnasts in Wisconsin.

Goth, a sophomore at Middleton High School, went to the WIAA Division 1 state individual meet last Saturday at Wisconsin Rapids High School and shined.

Goth finished 14^th in the all-around competition and also posted a ninth place finish on the uneven bars, a 10^th place finish on the vault and an 11^th place finish on the floor.

In all, it was a terrific debut at the state meet for Goth.

“Being that Aspen is only a sophomore, I think this was an exciting opportunity for her to experience the state competition,” Middleton coach Alexis Cairo said. “She was nervous — and rightfully so — but ultimately she put up a good fight.”

The Middleton High School Alpine Ski Team wrapped up its season with strong performances at both the conference and state championships.

The girls secured a first-place finish at the conference meet on Feb. 10, while the boys team claimed second place.

Seven athletes from each team qualified for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Alpine Racing Association (WIARA) State Championships, held at Mt. La Crosse on Feb. 16-17.

Representing Middleton at state for the boys were, seniors Owen Winkelmann and Will Seaborg, juniors Eli Knutowski, Wesley Ward, Drew Lindsey and Griffin Schumacher, and freshman Colin Burke.

The girls were represented by senior Rita Vavilov, juniors Sydney Weiss and Maggie Kirker, sophomores Ava Lindsey, Stella Schroeder and Opal Kunkel, and freshman Emily Fredricks.

MADISON — As the 1977 hit song by Meatloaf goes, ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’.

Such was the fate of the trio of Middleton High School wrestlers who competed at the 82^nd annual WIAA individual state wrestling championships at the UW-Kohl Center last weekend.

Junior Sam Zanton earned a repeat berth on the podium with a fourth-place finish at 157 pounds, while sophomore Reed Falk also earned a second straight place on the podium, finishing sixth at 190 pounds.

Meanwhile, junior Finn Grauwels fell one match short of qualifying for the fifth-place match at 165 pounds.

“Next year we can get all three of us on the podium,” Zanton said. “I think we can definitely do it.”

While Middleton is still after its first individual state wrestling champion since coach Kevin Meicher won the Division 1 title at 126 pounds as a freshman in 2016, it was an extremely successful season for the Cardinals overall.