Sports

MADISON – All good things must come to an end.

For Middleton’s boys basketball team, its dream of an unbeaten season disappeared last Friday night in a raucous Madison La Follette gym.

Senior star Gavyn Hurley scored a game-high 26 points, including sinking three free throws to force overtime for the Cardinals, who rallied from a nine-point deficit 7 minutes into the second half.

But senior guard Mason Kleinsmith drilled a 3-pointer to open the extra session, and the Lancers held on for a 75-72 victory over previously unbeaten and second-ranked Middleton in a Big Eight Conference matchup.

“Overall, we played well in terms of how hard we competed,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “We certainly didn’t play our best game, but La Follette had a lot to do with it.”

The dream season continues.

And right now, it appears very little can slow down the juggernaut that is Middleton’s boys swimming team.

The Cardinals won the Big Eight Conference meet which was held at Middleton High School last Saturday.

Middleton finished with 600 points to easily outdistance runner-up Madison West (447). Madison Memorial (445), Sun Prairie East (234) and Verona (159) rounded out the top five.

“We did a great job,” Middleton first-year coach Wes Lagerhausen said. “I’m happy with the racing and the camaraderie that was put on display at our final home meet of the season.”

Middleton won all three relays. And senior standout Nick Chirafisi set the conference record in the 200 freestyle.

When it comes to seeding meetings, there is always a good deal of angst.

You’re never quite certain how certain coaches will vote. Some people may see your team much differently than you do.

So when Middleton hockey coach Dan Truehl left his seeding meeting Sunday night, he was awfully pleased.

Middleton received the No. 3 seed in its sectional, giving the Cardinals a first round bye. Middleton will host either sixth-seeded Waunakee or 11^th-seeded Onalaska in a regional final on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

The sectional semifinals are Feb. 21 and the sectional finals are either Feb. 24 or 25.

“I think things broke how we thought and we were really pleased to have the (No.) 3 seed,” Truehl said. “It’s a very deep sectional, so you’re never quite sure how it will go. But it worked out for us.”

Middleton’s wrestlers finished in fourth place at the Big Eight Conference meet last Saturday.

Sun Prairie won the team title with 263.0 points, while Janesville Parker (228.0) was second. Madison East (157), Middleton (155.5) and Janesville Craig (152) rounded out the top five.

Middleton’s Bryce Falk finished first at 182 pounds, while Reese Miller finished second at 126. The Cardinals also got third place finishes from Aiden Dowd at 132 and Finn Grauwels at 145.

Here’s how Middleton fared at each weight class:

120 — Joe Cristoforo (9-24) placed 5th and scored 7.0 team points.

Middleton’s girls basketball team had a sensational week, winning all three games it played.

The Cardinals toppled visiting Stoughton, 78-66, on Jan. 31. Middleton then downed Janesville Parker, 65-34, on Feb. 2 and blitzed host Beloit Memorial, 79-42, last Saturday.

The Cardinals are now 13-8 overall and sit alone in fourth place in the Big Eight Conference at 11-5.

Here’s a recap of Middleton’s week:

• Middleton 78, Stoughton 66 — Audrey Deptula erupted for 31 points and powered the Cardinals past the Vikings. Brooke Michelotti added 16 points and Addy Gmur had 11.

Deptula drained four 3-pointers and had 18 of her points in the first half as Middleton took a 38-34 lead at the break. Michelotti also made four 3-pointers — including two in the second half — as the Cardinals pulled away.

Middleton’s girls gymnastics team continues to trend upward.

And the Cardinals proved that once again Saturday, finishing in third place at the eight-team Middleton Invite.

Verona/Madison Edgewood won the meet with a whopping 145.275 score. Wisconsin Rapids was a distant second (130.275), while Middleton (129.0), Madison United (124.875) and Sun Prairie (121.50) rounded out the top five.

“Hosting the Cardinal Invite is always a highlight for my girls,” Middleton first-year coach Alexis Lindahl said. “It's the ‘big meet’ environment while in the comfort of their home gym. The girls went out there with confidence, gave it their best, and their best paid off.”

Middleton’s Ana Bollig finished eighth in the all-around competition (32.90), while Eva Szczepanski was 12^th (31.50).

In a star-studded Big Eight Conference, there aren’t many lay-ups on the schedule.

When Middleton’s boys basketball team faces one of the league’s bottom-feeders, though, the Cardinals know they must take full advantage.

Middleton did just that on Jan. 31, rolling past host Madison West, 80-44.

The Cardinals improved to 17-0 overall and 14-0 in the conference, while the Regents fell to 3-15, 2-12.

“West is very talented, but very young,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “They also were short-handed in missing one of their best starters.

“So it was also an opportunity for us to take advantage of our strengths, something that hopefully transfers to other games and situations as we enter the final month of our regular season.”

Kevin Bavery rarely gets angry.

Middleton’s boys basketball coach is widely regarded as one of the more even tempered and nicer guys in his business.

But after Madison East trimmed a 14-point lead to four points last Saturday and forced Bavery to call a timeout, the Cardinals’ boss was about as irritated as he can get.

“He wasn’t real happy,” Middleton senior guard Gavyn Hurley said.

Moments later, Bavery’s aggravation quickly turned to delight.

Middleton embarked on a remarkable 22-3 run, pushed its lead to 23 points and cruised to a 67-45 win.

Hurley led the Cardinals with 19 points — including 10 during that decisive run — seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, while senior forward Owen Cooney added 12 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Will Comerford had 10 points, sophomore center Will Garlock had nine points and five rebounds and senior wing Kaden Fosdick had five points and six assists.

Middleton’s hockey team traveled 75 miles to Hartland Arrowhead Saturday night.

The Cardinals battled heavy snow and lousy roads just to get to Hartland.

And when the contest ended, the Cardinals probably wished they would have stayed home.

Arrowhead scored just 40 seconds into overtime and edged the Cardinals, 2-1. Middleton fell to 13-8 this season, while Arrowhead improved to 14-6.

“I thought that we played two of our best periods of the year against Arrowhead,” Middleton coach Dan Truehl said. “Unfortunately, we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”

The Cardinals outshot the Warhawks, 43-18, but couldn’t convert their multiple chances.

“When you outshoot a team 43-18 you don’t expect to lose,” Truehl said. “We have to find a way to produce more grade ‘A’ opportunities and capitalize on them.”

MADISON — On a cold, bitter winter evening, Middleton didn’t waste any time heating up the host Madison La Follette gym last Friday evening.

The Cardinals scored the game’s first 17 points and never trailed en route to a 70-57 victory over Madison La Follette in a Big Eight Conference girls basketball game.

“It’s real beneficial to start out strong because sometimes we let teams come back,” Middleton senior forward Addy Gmur said. “So that dominance, in the beginning, helped us at the end of the game.”

The Cardinals were seeking revenge for a loss on their home court on Dec. 2, when the Lancers rebounded from a 20-point deficit to upend Middleton 65-58.

But despite a late La Follette rally, there wasn’t going to be a fantastic finish for the Lancers this time, only a satisfying victory for Middleton to help the Cardinals improve to 9-8 overall, including 9-5 in the Big Eight.