By,
Rob Reischel
Middleton Times-Tribune
Kurt Gundlach was relaxing inside the Middleton High School locker rooms late
Thursday evening, and you got the feeling that the perma-grin plastered across his face
wasn't disappearing anytime soon.
''I can't believe how well our defense played,'' the Cardinals football coach said. ''And
our offense? Wow!''
Wow is right.
In an enormous game in the Big Eight Conference race, Middleton, ranked sixthin the
latest Associated Press Division 1 poll, gave a colossal performance. The Cardinals held
visiting Madison Memorial to (-15) total yards, put up 424 yards of total offense
themselves and destroyed the upstart Spartans, 44-7.
Middleton improved to 5-1 in both the Big Eight and overall and now sits 1/2 game
ahead Madison La Follette, Janesville Parker and Sun Prairie (all 4-1) in the league
standings. Memorial, aiming to become the first Madison school to reach the postseason
since 1995, dropped to 3-2 in the league and 4-2 overall.
''I think we're really starting to gel on both sides of the ball,'' said Middleton junior
tailback Kyle Brodd, who rolled up 229 total yards and three touchdowns. ''There's no
doubt we're playing our best football of the year right now.''
Memorial certainly wouldn't argue with that.
The Spartans entered the game with the league's second-ranked scoring offense led by
junior tailback Martin Howard, who came in averaging 154 yards per game. But the
Cardinals dominated in the trenches and Howard never had room to run.
In fact, the potential all-state tailback's longest run of the night was six yards, he lost
yardage or gained nothing on six of his 11 carries and finished the evening with -3 yards.
''He's a great back and it was tough to get ready for him because you can't simulate his
speed,'' said Middleton defensive lineman Jake Criscione. ''But it's tough to run if there
aren't any holes.''
As Howard struggled, so did the Spartans.
Memorial's first first down of the night didn't come until nine minutes remained in the
fourth quarter, and if it wasn't for a 78-yard kickoff return from Howard, Middleton
would have blanked its third opponent of the year.
''This was our best game of the year as a defense,'' said Middleton senior linebacker
Kevin Buechner. ''We were pretty dominant.''
As was the offense.
In the first half alone, Middleton racked up 324 total yards and averaged 9.0 yards per
play.
Brodd's star shone the brightest as he ran for a 1-yard score, caught a 73-yard TD
strike from quarterback Jeremy Ziegler on a go route and made a pair of nifty moves on
a 55-yard scoring scamper as Middleton built a 31-7 intermission advantage.
''We've got some big play players who made some big plays,'' said Ziegler, who threw
for 149 of his 158 yards and both touchdowns in the first half. ''I think we're just really
starting to click.''
Which seems to be perfect timing for the Cardinals heading into their showdown Friday
at Janesville Parker (4-1, 5-1).
''We picked the perfect time of the year to start playing like this,'' Gundlach said. ''I
really couldn't be happier right now.''
As evidenced by the perma-grin that was going nowhere fast.