Sports

State championships in boys volleyball, as well as boys and girls swimming.

Conference championships everywhere you turn.

And several individuals that earned trips to state tournaments.

All of those were achieved during another banner year for Middleton sports in 2025.

As the calendar turns, the Times-Tribune ranks the 12 most impressive achievements of the year (one for each month).

1. Boys spikers capture gold

Back on top again.

It’s where the Middleton boys volleyball team 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 in Green Bay.

Middleton baseball manager Brent Jorgensen called Jamie Guerrero an “icon.”

Cardinals basketball coach Kevin Bavery used the term ‘Team Dad.’

And former Middleton baseball skipper Tom Schmitt called Guerrero “one of a kind.”

Guerrero was all that and more, which is why his passing on Dec. 23 hit the Middleton community like a ton of bricks. Guerrero, a long time youth coach and assistant coach in the district, had a lengthy battle with cancer.

He was 53.

“Jamie vowed to be the same person and not let cancer or treatment take away his spirit,” Jorgensen said. “He lived up to his word. He brought energy, excitement, and always kept the focus on his family, his friends, and the kids he coached and mentored.

“The Jim Valvano words that ‘cancer cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul’ fit perfectly. Jamie stayed true to himself and left behind an incredible legacy.”

Schmitt agreed.

MADISON – Jackson Guerrero has earned a reputation as a lock down defender.

But that doesn’t mean Middleton’s senior guard is lacking any offensive skills.

Far from it.

Guerrero recorded a rare four-point play in the second half that helped Middleton storm back from a 14-point deficit en route to a convincing 74-61 victory over the host Madison La Follette Lancers in a Big Eight Conference boys basketball game on Dec. 17.

Middleton improved to 5-0 overall and in the Big Eight, while La Follette fell to 4-3, including 2-2 in conference play.

“Jackson was the (co)-Defensive Player of the Year in the conference last year,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said of Guerrero, who led the Big Eight in steals a year ago and has the Cardinals’ career school record for steals in his sights. “But he really showed the all-around game he really has. He can shoot deep. He’s uncanny.”

Middleton’s wrestling team won a triple dual against Sun Prairie East and Madison West on Dec. 18.

Middleton defeated East, 65-6, and toppled the Regents, 66-12.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ two wins.

• Middleton 65, Sun Prairie East 6 — Middleton got pins from Grady Hargrove at 138, Aiden Bell (150), Cougar Harkins (157), Sam Zanton (165), Finn Grauwels (175) and Reed Falk (285) and rolled past Sun Prairie East.

Middleton’s Matthew Francois (113), Adler Plamann (132), Tavish Frank (144), Pavil Jones (190) and Mason Martin (215) all received forfeits.

• Middleton 66, Madison West 12 — The Cardinals’ Maximus Schultz (126), Adler Plamann (132), Grady Hargrove (138), Aiden Bell (150), Sam Zanton (165) and Pavil Jones (175) all posted pins.

Middleton’s Matthew Francois (113), Cougar Harkins (157), Finn Grauwels (190), Reed Falk (215) and Mason Martin (285) all received forfeits.

Middleton’s girls basketball team split a pair of games last week.

The Cardinals defeated Janesville Craig, 77-72, on Dec. 16. Middleton then fell to Sun Prairie East, 57-55, on Dec. 19.

Middleton is now 6-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big Eight Conference.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week.

• Middleton 77, Janesville Craig 72 — Freshman Anna Reinhard poured in a game-high 23 points as the Cardinals defeated the host Cougars on Dec. 16. Reinhard added three steals and three rebounds.

Craig led, 42-37, at halftime before the Cardinals rallied in the second half.

Junior Teagan Kadow added 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, while senior Brooke Michelotti had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Senior Hailey Streode had a terrific all-around game with nine points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals, while senior Rowan Borne added eight points.

Middleton’s boys swimming team downed Madison Memorial, 135-35, on Dec. 19.

“The meet went really well,” Middleton coach Wes Lagerhausen said. “It was a nice way to start our winter break training.”

Middleton won every race for both varsity and JV and was second in 10 of 11 varsity events.

“It was a great team effort overall,” Lagerhausen said. “It shows our depth as well as the talent we have on the team this season. I am looking forward to winter break training and the second half of the season.”

Middleton’s top two finishes included:

FIRST PLACE

• The quartet of Max Carter, Sam Wolf, Caden Van Buren and Ben Cutler won the 200-yard medley relay.

• Espen Morner won the 200-yard freestyle.

• Henry Zanton won the 200-yard IM.

• Wolf won the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.

• Van Buren won the 100-yard butterfly.

Middleton’s boys swimming team downed Madison Memorial, 135-35, on Dec. 19.

“The meet went really well,” Middleton coach Wes Lagerhausen said. “It was a nice way to start our winter break training.”

Middleton won every race for both varsity and JV and was second in 10 of 11 varsity events.

“It was a great team effort overall,” Lagerhausen said. “It shows our depth as well as the talent we have on the team this season. I am looking forward to winter break training and the second half of the season.”

Middleton’s top two finishes included:

FIRST PLACE

• The quartet of Max Carter, Sam Wolf, Caden Van Buren and Ben Cutler won the 200-yard medley relay.

• Espen Morner won the 200-yard freestyle.

• Henry Zanton won the 200-yard IM.

• Wolf won the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.

• Van Buren won the 100-yard butterfly.

Tenacity, relentlessness, desire.

Middleton’s boys basketball team showed off all of those characteristics as it overwhelmed Sun Prairie East from start to finish and rolled to a 90-51 win in a Big Eight Conference game last Friday night.

Middleton also downed Janesville Craig, 83-62, on Dec. 9 and are off to a surprising 4-0 start. Sun Prairie East fell to 0-5.

“The nice thing about this group is we don’t kid about anything,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “We know their record, we know our record, we know what the expectations are, but this is your choice to decide … they really understand.

“We tell them over and over again, they don’t know how good they can be and it all starts with how hard are you going to run and how relentless can we be. I keep saying that the next step is to get to a point where they’re running so hard offensively that we’re going to run for more easy baskets and we got some tonight.”

Middleton’s girls basketball team continued its strong start last week.

The Cardinals rolled past Janesville Parker, 78-53, on Dec. 8. Middleton also downed Sun Prairie West, 68-57, on Dec. 10.

The Cardinals are now 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Eight Conference.

Here’s a recap of the Cardinals’ week.

• Middleton 78, Janesville Parker 53 — Rowan Borne had 20 points and led three Cardinals in double figures as Middleton rolled past the Vikings. Borne also had a team-high 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Junior Lucy Drye had 15 points, six steals and five assists. Drye made 4-of-5 field goals, 2-of-3 3-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws.

Freshman Anna Reinhard added 14 points and three rebounds, while sophomore Molly Schulz had six points and six rebounds.

Senior Hailey Stroede added seven rebounds and junior Teagan Kadow had four steals. Middleton finished with 24 steals as a team.

Middleton’s wrestling team won a triple dual against Janesville Craig and Madison East on Dec. 11.

The Cardinals defeated the Cougars, 45-27. Middleton also rolled past Madison East, 56-15.

Here’s a recap of those two meets.

• Middleton 45, Janesville Craig 27 — The Cardinals got pins from Matthew Francois at 113, Grady Hargrove (144), Sam Zanton (165), Pavil Jones (175) and Finn Grauwels (190). Mason Martin (215) and Reed Falk (285) both won by forfeit and Adler Palman notched a 14-4 win at 132.

• Middleton 56, Madison East 15 — The Cardinals rolled past the Purgolders, getting pins from Adler Palman at 132, Luke Antony (138), Grady Hargrove (144), Aiden Bell (150), Sebastian Leon (157), Sam Zanton (165), Finn Grauwels (175), Pavil Jones (190), Reed Falk (285) and Matthew Francois (113).

Middleton 45, Janesville Craig 27