NEW GLARUS - It didn't take long for the Brodhead-Juda Cardinals to get on the board during Saturday's WIAA Division 4 Level 2 game. On the game's first play from scrimmage, Alex Wallace took a swing pass from David Earleywine 76 yards for a touchdown.
"I liked the way we started out the game with a big play," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said. "It's something we thought we were going to have coming in and there it was wide open."
From there, Brodhead-Juda (9-2) never trailed, winning 49-14 against New Glarus-Monticello (8-3).
"I'm proud of our guys. Last year I thought we struggled physically," said New Glarus-Monticello head coach Jeff Eichelkraut, referring to the Cardinals' 47-0 route a year ago. "This year we matched them physically. We just had some breakdowns, and in the playoffs you just can't do that. That's the kiss of death."
New Glarus-Monticello answered Brodhead-Juda's first two touchdowns, the first of which sparked by a 45-yard fake punt run by Tyler Dorn. Dorn then ran it in from 4-yards out with 8 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Cardinals experienced a once-in-a-blue-moon drive in their second series.
Starting at their own 27, the Cardinals were flagged seven times for 50 yards but still managed to score on 16 other plays, capped by Jesse DeLorme scoring from three yards out with 11:56 left in the first half.
"That's certainly something we will be addressing this week," Matthys said of the penalties. "Some of it had to do with them moving around right before the snap and then I think we got a little frustrated. It's certainly something we have to take care of."
The Knights answered, running Dorn as the quarterback in a direct-snap-and-run offense.
"It seems like the guys get a lot more excited once I get into quarterback. I don't know why," Dorn said. "But it helps me get into space and see were my cuts are. Especially with Brodhead, they are so big and I have a split second to make my move. I thought offensively we played well - we were moving the ball well up and down. It was just a couple of breaks that hurt us."
Lukas Kolasch went back under center and flipped a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Gerber to again knot the score.
But the Cardinals continued to pound the ball on the ground and make the most of opportunities in the air.
"We knew they were going to put a lot in the box to try and stop our run," Earleywine said. "They were giving us one-on-one with Michael (Peterson) and coach basically put the ball in my hands and let me throw."
Earleywine threw for 217 yards and four touchdowns - two each to Wallace (three catches, 143 yards) and Peterson (five catches for 75 yards.) The Cardinals also ran for 209 yards. Dorn led New Glarus-Monticello with 183 yards rushing.
"I thought they (New Glarus-Monticello) came in with a great game plan," Matthys said. "We knew it would be tough for us to run inside. We had some problems, but I think that opened up the outside and allowed us to throw a little bit."
Wallace and Peterson both scored on pass plays in the second quarter and Brodhead-Juda led 28-14 at the break.
"We felt really good with where we were at early on, but then things just didn't go our way," Eichelkraut said. "We didn't help ourselves. We just had some breakdowns. That just kind of snowballed on us."
The second half started out disastrous for the Glarner Knights. After being forced to punt after just four plays, Dorn's kick was caught by a heavy gust of wind and landed at the line of scrimmage. Dorn and a teammate tried to corral the ball to down it, but allowed the pigskin to fall free. Wallace picked up the ball and dashed 30 yards for the score, making it a three score game.
"His dad's been an assistant in this program for 30-plus years. I think that's part of what you get with a coaches kid - he knows the game. It's a heads-up play," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said.
Wallace is glad his team has made it back to the third round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
"We came out with only two days of practice and we knew it was going to be a tough one," Wallace said. "Our first week (of practice) and first games were a really tough start to the season, but we fought it out. Now we're going to keep going."
Brodhead-Juda, which played three games in 10 days, now has a week to prepare for Nekoosa (6-3) in a game that will be on the road.
"It's a big difference to be able to get a chance to breathe and get our wits about ourselves. I told the kids and the kids, 'I don't want to see you tomorrow (Sunday).' I've seen them about 15 straight days in a row with maybe one day off," Matthys said. "I hope these kids enjoy this. They are playing great football right now. And one of the nice things is I think we are getting healthier. And giving our self another week of rest is only going to help us."
"I liked the way we started out the game with a big play," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said. "It's something we thought we were going to have coming in and there it was wide open."
From there, Brodhead-Juda (9-2) never trailed, winning 49-14 against New Glarus-Monticello (8-3).
"I'm proud of our guys. Last year I thought we struggled physically," said New Glarus-Monticello head coach Jeff Eichelkraut, referring to the Cardinals' 47-0 route a year ago. "This year we matched them physically. We just had some breakdowns, and in the playoffs you just can't do that. That's the kiss of death."
New Glarus-Monticello answered Brodhead-Juda's first two touchdowns, the first of which sparked by a 45-yard fake punt run by Tyler Dorn. Dorn then ran it in from 4-yards out with 8 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Cardinals experienced a once-in-a-blue-moon drive in their second series.
Starting at their own 27, the Cardinals were flagged seven times for 50 yards but still managed to score on 16 other plays, capped by Jesse DeLorme scoring from three yards out with 11:56 left in the first half.
"That's certainly something we will be addressing this week," Matthys said of the penalties. "Some of it had to do with them moving around right before the snap and then I think we got a little frustrated. It's certainly something we have to take care of."
The Knights answered, running Dorn as the quarterback in a direct-snap-and-run offense.
"It seems like the guys get a lot more excited once I get into quarterback. I don't know why," Dorn said. "But it helps me get into space and see were my cuts are. Especially with Brodhead, they are so big and I have a split second to make my move. I thought offensively we played well - we were moving the ball well up and down. It was just a couple of breaks that hurt us."
Lukas Kolasch went back under center and flipped a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Gerber to again knot the score.
But the Cardinals continued to pound the ball on the ground and make the most of opportunities in the air.
"We knew they were going to put a lot in the box to try and stop our run," Earleywine said. "They were giving us one-on-one with Michael (Peterson) and coach basically put the ball in my hands and let me throw."
Earleywine threw for 217 yards and four touchdowns - two each to Wallace (three catches, 143 yards) and Peterson (five catches for 75 yards.) The Cardinals also ran for 209 yards. Dorn led New Glarus-Monticello with 183 yards rushing.
"I thought they (New Glarus-Monticello) came in with a great game plan," Matthys said. "We knew it would be tough for us to run inside. We had some problems, but I think that opened up the outside and allowed us to throw a little bit."
Wallace and Peterson both scored on pass plays in the second quarter and Brodhead-Juda led 28-14 at the break.
"We felt really good with where we were at early on, but then things just didn't go our way," Eichelkraut said. "We didn't help ourselves. We just had some breakdowns. That just kind of snowballed on us."
The second half started out disastrous for the Glarner Knights. After being forced to punt after just four plays, Dorn's kick was caught by a heavy gust of wind and landed at the line of scrimmage. Dorn and a teammate tried to corral the ball to down it, but allowed the pigskin to fall free. Wallace picked up the ball and dashed 30 yards for the score, making it a three score game.
"His dad's been an assistant in this program for 30-plus years. I think that's part of what you get with a coaches kid - he knows the game. It's a heads-up play," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said.
Wallace is glad his team has made it back to the third round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
"We came out with only two days of practice and we knew it was going to be a tough one," Wallace said. "Our first week (of practice) and first games were a really tough start to the season, but we fought it out. Now we're going to keep going."
Brodhead-Juda, which played three games in 10 days, now has a week to prepare for Nekoosa (6-3) in a game that will be on the road.
"It's a big difference to be able to get a chance to breathe and get our wits about ourselves. I told the kids and the kids, 'I don't want to see you tomorrow (Sunday).' I've seen them about 15 straight days in a row with maybe one day off," Matthys said. "I hope these kids enjoy this. They are playing great football right now. And one of the nice things is I think we are getting healthier. And giving our self another week of rest is only going to help us."
