Sports

Brady Schmitt was stellar on the mound.

The offense pounded out 12 hits.

And the defense was flawless.

Add it all up and you can see why Middleton’s Home Talent League team was dominant in its biggest game of the year, rolling to a 12-2 win over visiting Waunakee in the opening round of the Northern Section playoffs Sunday afternoon. The game was stopped after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Third-seeded Middleton improved to 10-3 and will travel to second-seeded Ashton (10-3) for a second round game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Schmitt worked five scoreless innings before Waunakee scratched two runs across in the sixth. Schmitt picked up the win after allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings, while striking out three and walking three. Drew Farrell worked a scoreless seventh, striking out one and allowing just one base hit.

CROSS PLAINS –- ‘Baseball is a game of inches.’

You won’t get an argument from the Cross Plains Businessmen.

That saying was never more appropriate than in the opening round of the Home Talent League Northern Section playoffs on Sunday afternoon.

Just when it appeared the host Businessmen were going to erase a four-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning, a page ripped out of a Ripley’s ‘Believe it or Not’ episode suddenly ended their season.

No. 5 seeded Reedsburg converted a strange game-ending double play to stun fourth-seeded Cross Plains, 9-8, in an amateur baseball game that left the hometown fans and players alike wondering what they had just witnessed.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Reedsburg manager Don Molitor said with a smile, while shaking his head. “Today was one of those days.”

CROSS PLAINS — With two weeks left in the regular season, the Cross Plains Businessmen were wondering if they would even qualify for the Northern Section playoffs, let alone host a home game.

But a lot can change in two weeks.

The Businessmen received a strong pitching performance from right-hander Logan Schultz, pounded out 14 hits and rolled past Black Earth, 7-1, in a Home Talent League Northern Section regular season finale on Sunday.

Cross Plains also defeated Waunakee, 6-3, last Saturday and jumped up to the fourth seed in the section. The Businessmen (8-4) will host Reedsburg (8-4) in the opening round of the Northern Section playoffs on Sunday at 1 p.m. Cross Plains won the tiebreaker for fourth place and the right to host a first-round playoff game after defeating Reedsburg, 10-5, on May 17.

The regular season went extremely well.

Now, Middleton’s Home Talent League team is hoping for similar success in the postseason.

The 29ers rolled past Wisconsin Dells, 9-1, last Friday and finished the regular season 9-3 overall. Middleton earned the No. 2 seed in the Northern Section and will open playoff action against seventh-seeded Waunakee Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sauk Prairie is the No. 1 seed in the Northern Section, followed by Middleton, Ashton, Cross Plains, Reedsburg, Mazomanie, Waunakee and Wisconsin Dells.

Middleton’s Drew Farrell threw six scoreless innings to earn the win. Farrell struck out eight, allowed five hits and walked just one.

Easton Zempel gave up one run in the final three innings. Zempel allowed three hits, struck out five and walked one.

The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game will be held July 20 at Titan Stadium at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

And former Middleton standouts Dom Frost and KJ Peterson will compete for the South Large All-Stars.

Frost was the Big Eight Conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and the Defensive Interior Lineman of the Year after posting 53 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. Frost, who will play collegiately at Bemidji State, also forced a fumble, had one interception, and earned all-Region honors during the 2023 campaign.

“Dom was a good, steady player (in 2022) and became a dominant player this year,” Middleton co-coach Tim Simon said after the 2023 season. “We lined him up on the opposite side of Sam Pilof knowing teams would try to run away from Sam. Opposing teams found out that wasn't going to work. Dom absolutely controlled his gaps with great force and technique and made other teams have to double team him.”

ASHTON — Faced with a depleted roster, the Ashton A’s would have preferred a different day than last Saturday to host league-leading Sauk Prairie Twins in a key Home Talent League Northern Section matchup.

The game that was originally set for May 26 and postponed due to inclement weather, was unfortunately rescheduled for a steamy afternoon in July with several starters missing from both teams.

While Ashton eventually lost a wild 16-10 Sunday League HTL battle to Sauk Prairie, A’s player/manager Logan Ziegler couldn’t have been prouder of how his team persevered.

“I really appreciated my team’s efforts,” said Ziegler, who started in center field and finished 2-for-5, including a double. “We only had 10 guys. They all stepped up, played their hearts out and never gave up. That’s what you love to see as a coach.”

Middleton girls soccer standouts Sophie Kasel and Adelyn Frantz were both named honorable-mention all-state by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association.

Kasel, a senior defender, was a four-year varsity player and two-year captain. She finished the year with four goals, four assists and two-game winning goals.

Kasel was an elite defender who kept Middleton’s season alive by jumping into goal and making a memorable save against Kettle Moraine during a mad scramble in the sectional semifinals. Middleton went on to win that game on penalty kicks.

“Sophie is calm, cool, collected, even when forwards are charging at her with the ball or when they are attempting to take the ball at her feet,” Middleton coach Mary Duffy said of Kasel. “I love watching how she uses body fakes and hesitation moves to get forwards to take a mis-step in their attempt to get the ball. At times it looks like there is an invisible string that connects the ball to her foot. 

Brady Schmitt and Caden Gmur shined on the hill.

Hayden Hellenbrand led an offense that pounded out 11 hits.

And Middleton’s Home Talent League team routed Plain, 9-0, on Sunday.

Middleton improved to 8-3 and is tied for second place in the Northern Section. The 29ers finish the regular season by traveling to Wisconsin Dells Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The postseason begins July 28.

In Middleton’s win over Plain, Schmitt threw five scoreless innings to pick up the win. Schmitt allowed five hits, struck out three and didn't walk a batter.

Gmur then threw the final four innings, allowing two hits, striking out two and walking two.

Hellenbrand powered the offense with three hits, including two doubles and two runs scored. Connor Smith added two hits and had an RBI, while Dylan Klock had two RBIs and scored two runs.

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, which 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.

Last week, we honored the boys, and this week we recognize the top girls.

Team of the Year

Girls swimming

Tait Haag resisted the temptation to become a scoreboard watcher.

CROSS PLAINS — It was a day that would have made Norm Esser proud.

In a pre-game ceremony at Baer Park Sunday, the late Cross Plains resident was recognized for his contributions to the community with the dedication of the park’s refurbished shelter in his honor.

Three of Esser’s grandsons then started for Middleton, which earned a hard-fought 7-4 victory over host Cross Plains in a Northern Section Home Talent Sunday League amateur baseball game.

“I woke up and it was one of those days where you just have to sit there and think about life in general,” said Middleton shortstop Hayden Hellenbrand, one of Esser’s grandsons who played a key role in the win.

“It was pretty special with the shelter being named after my grandpa for all he did for this community and Cross Plains as a whole. To get to play in the game was pretty special. There wasn’t a better guy to have the shelter named for, but it’s also a good day when you win.”