MONROE - Five Monroe football players received second-team Badger South All-Conference honors recently.
Monroe senior Joe Hughes was named second-team all-conference on the offensive line and junior Jordan Montgomery received the honor at running back. Montgomery led the Cheesemakers with 423 rushing yards and had one touchdown.
On defense, senior Tyson Welsch was second-team all-conference at defensive tackle. The other second-team selections for the Cheesemakers were senior Sam Kind at linebacker and sophomore Nick Bansley at defensive back. Kind had a team-high 92 tackles and three interceptions and Welsch had 21.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Bansley had a team-best six interceptions, which ranks fourth in the state.
"We are very proud of the guys who got recognition," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. "When they put out the list by position with the statistics there is a lot of competition with another team in Watertown in the conference. It makes it that much tougher. An all-star team from the Badger South would be a great team."
Golembiewski isn't sure coaches should be the ones selecting the all-conference team in the future.
"I'm not sure how prepared other coaches were coming into it with the statistics," Golembiewski said. "A lot of coaches are getting prepared for the Level 1 playoffs or are getting ready for the Level 2 playoffs. That is where their focus is at. I would almost rather see the media vote for it. They are more in tune with the players and the statistics from the different teams."
The Cheesemakers dealt with a slew of injuries, but finished the regular season 4-5 and made the playoffs for back-to-back years for the first time since 2000-01. Monroe finished the season 4-6 and lost a first-round playoff game to New Berlin Eisenhower 34-6. On offense, the Cheesemakers averaged 12.9 points per game.
Three Monroe players received honorable mention all-conference on offense including junior offensive lineman Jacob Setterstrom, senior Dempzy Foley at fullback and Bansley at running back. The Cheesemakers also had a trio named honorable mention all-conference on defense, including Foley (defensive end), junior Jacob Amacher (linebacker) and Montgomery (linebacker).
Monona Grove, the Badger South Conference champion, had 12 players get first-team all-conference honors. The Silver Eagles are in the WIAA Division 2 state quarterfinals and will host second-seeded Waukesha West Friday. Monona Grove senior quarterback Alec Ogden was named the Badger South Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Monona Grove's Marcus Wallace and Stoughton's Jack Nelson were named co-offensive linemen of the year.
The co-defensive players of the year are Monona Grove linebacker Trenton Herber and Oregon's Sam Reynolds. The conference's defensive lineman of the year was Stoughton's Tommy McClain.
"If players don't get an award, I don't put a lot of stock into it," Golembiewski said. "For a player, it's more important to help your team win than individual statistics."
Monroe senior Joe Hughes was named second-team all-conference on the offensive line and junior Jordan Montgomery received the honor at running back. Montgomery led the Cheesemakers with 423 rushing yards and had one touchdown.
On defense, senior Tyson Welsch was second-team all-conference at defensive tackle. The other second-team selections for the Cheesemakers were senior Sam Kind at linebacker and sophomore Nick Bansley at defensive back. Kind had a team-high 92 tackles and three interceptions and Welsch had 21.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Bansley had a team-best six interceptions, which ranks fourth in the state.
"We are very proud of the guys who got recognition," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. "When they put out the list by position with the statistics there is a lot of competition with another team in Watertown in the conference. It makes it that much tougher. An all-star team from the Badger South would be a great team."
Golembiewski isn't sure coaches should be the ones selecting the all-conference team in the future.
"I'm not sure how prepared other coaches were coming into it with the statistics," Golembiewski said. "A lot of coaches are getting prepared for the Level 1 playoffs or are getting ready for the Level 2 playoffs. That is where their focus is at. I would almost rather see the media vote for it. They are more in tune with the players and the statistics from the different teams."
The Cheesemakers dealt with a slew of injuries, but finished the regular season 4-5 and made the playoffs for back-to-back years for the first time since 2000-01. Monroe finished the season 4-6 and lost a first-round playoff game to New Berlin Eisenhower 34-6. On offense, the Cheesemakers averaged 12.9 points per game.
Three Monroe players received honorable mention all-conference on offense including junior offensive lineman Jacob Setterstrom, senior Dempzy Foley at fullback and Bansley at running back. The Cheesemakers also had a trio named honorable mention all-conference on defense, including Foley (defensive end), junior Jacob Amacher (linebacker) and Montgomery (linebacker).
Monona Grove, the Badger South Conference champion, had 12 players get first-team all-conference honors. The Silver Eagles are in the WIAA Division 2 state quarterfinals and will host second-seeded Waukesha West Friday. Monona Grove senior quarterback Alec Ogden was named the Badger South Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Monona Grove's Marcus Wallace and Stoughton's Jack Nelson were named co-offensive linemen of the year.
The co-defensive players of the year are Monona Grove linebacker Trenton Herber and Oregon's Sam Reynolds. The conference's defensive lineman of the year was Stoughton's Tommy McClain.
"If players don't get an award, I don't put a lot of stock into it," Golembiewski said. "For a player, it's more important to help your team win than individual statistics."
