For a team that has achieved so much, the Middleton Cardinals seem to be developing an affection for the number zero.

Zero, as in the number of points given up in a 38-0 whipping of Madison Memorial Friday night at rain-soaked Mansfield Stadium. Zero, as in the number of losses Middleton has stacked up against six wins.

Zero, as in the probable number of people who thought the Cardinals would be undefeated into October.

"I wouldn't have believed it,'' said Middleton cornerback Dan Lohr said. "But I knew after the first game we had a chance.''

After knocking defending Big Eight champ Sun Prairie off its perch in the season premiere, the Cardinals have maintained their position at the top of the charts.

And they're doing it the old-fashioned way, with a stingy defense that recorded its third shutout of the season and has only given up three touchdowns in six games.

The Middleton defense allowed less than 50 yards of total offense to Memorial (1-5 overall, 1-4 Big Eight), and aided its own offense by providing outstanding field position all game long. The Cardinals' average starting field position was inside Memorial territory.

The Spartans coughed the ball up four times, including three turnovers inside their own 35-yard line.

"We can't turn the ball over that many times on our half of the field and keep a good team like that out of the end zone and off the scoreboard,'' said Memorial coach Gary Kolpin.

The Cardinals, who are ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division 1 poll, wasted no time getting on that scoreboard, as wideout Ryan Oliversen found the end zone on Middleton's second play from scrimmage.

Three different Cardinals rushed for scores before Oliversen added another TD catch late in the third. But it was his first jaunt into the end zone that set the tone.

"The way we've been playing, we have this big target on our back and everybody's coming out trying to beat us,'' Oliversen said. "It's important for us to come out right away and show them that we're not looking past them.''

Middleton also had trouble hanging on to the ball in the rain, as the Cardinals had three turnovers of their own. Coupled with 76 yards in penalties, Middleton didn't ice the game until scoring on its first three possessions of the second half, aided on one by an onside kick.

"Not all games are going to be pretty,'' said Middleton coach Kurt Gundlach. "Nobody said they all had to be pretty, as long as you get a good solid win out of it.''

That they did. But with the prospects of a second Big Eight title in three years and an unblemished record impossible to ignore, the Cardinals say they're just focused on being undefeated through the seventh game -- next Friday vs. Janesville Parker.

"Week to week,'' Lohr said. "(We're) just looking one week at a time.''

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