MONROE - Senior Hayden Arneson wrestles in the winter at 220 pounds. He may be one of the smallest lineman on the Monroe football team, but it's an underdog role he welcomes with open arms.
Arneson is a starting defensive end for the Cheesemakers. He has scored two touchdowns - one on a botched snap on a punt he recovered in the end zone and a second touchdown on a fumble recovery.
"I'm not the biggest or fastest guy," Arneson said. "I've always been a lineman. I was a nose guard in Blaze football. I used the swim move a lot. I've always been a lineman at heart."
As a weakside defensive end, Arneson works in tandem with senior defensive end Dylan Beaver who plays the tight end side and junior defensive tackles Joe Crubaugh and Tyson Welsch. The quartet on the Cheesemakers' defensive line is charged with the challenge of putting pressure on the quarterback and tying up blockers so Monroe's linebackers can fly around and make tackles.
Arneson is in his second year as a defensive end and he enjoys earning the reward of pressuring the quarterback by stopping the run.
"You are closer to the ball and can show more," he said of his position at defensive end. "Defensive lineman usually don't make a lot of tackles. When a defensive lineman makes a tackle, you get noticed."
The stingy Cheesemakers' defense is giving up just 10.4 points per game and has forced 13 turnovers this year (seven interceptions and six fumble recoveries). Monroe is limiting teams to just 106 yards rushing per game. Not only has the defense been stout, but the Cheesemakers are forcing turnovers and scoring on defense and special teams at a high rate. Part of the success, Arneson said, is because of the defensive line.
"He's an amazing lineman," Arneson said of Welsch. "He's strong and a very good athlete. We call him Big Red. Tyson stuffs the middle and he and Joe Crubaugh are athletic. I feel like our linemen get noticed when we are out there. I think that should happen more."
The Cheesemakers are forcing more than one turnover per game on average. It's giving the offense the advantage to run more plays and capitalize on golden field position.
"The lineman and I love to get those sacks and put pressure on the quarterback," Arneson said. "I can trust the defensive backs like Alex, Carter (Sawdey), Brayden (Zettle) and Sam (Kind) to get the interceptions."
The Cheesemakers have scored two defensive touchdowns this season and three special teams touchdowns this year.
"If you look at the probability of winning a football game when you score on defense and special teams, it increases your chances of winning the game," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. "That is the choke hold on the other team when you can put up points other than offense."
Golembiewski has been impressed by the Cheesemakers ability to stymie opposing offenses.
"Coach (Tom) Witt is doing a great job and they are running the same system they ran last year under Witt's tutelage. It's probably the most fundamentally sound of are three phases. They are good tacklers. It's not always about how strong you are to make a tackle: It's about how fast you can get in position to make the tackle."
With two regular season games left before the playoffs, Arneson understands his time as a prep football player is dwindling.
"There are two more regular season games left and it's scary to think, but this may be the last time I play football," he said. "I always thought we would make the playoffs. I never thought we could win a conference title. We put in a lot of work and the work has paid off. I love football and it's so much fun when you are winning."
Arneson is a starting defensive end for the Cheesemakers. He has scored two touchdowns - one on a botched snap on a punt he recovered in the end zone and a second touchdown on a fumble recovery.
"I'm not the biggest or fastest guy," Arneson said. "I've always been a lineman. I was a nose guard in Blaze football. I used the swim move a lot. I've always been a lineman at heart."
As a weakside defensive end, Arneson works in tandem with senior defensive end Dylan Beaver who plays the tight end side and junior defensive tackles Joe Crubaugh and Tyson Welsch. The quartet on the Cheesemakers' defensive line is charged with the challenge of putting pressure on the quarterback and tying up blockers so Monroe's linebackers can fly around and make tackles.
Arneson is in his second year as a defensive end and he enjoys earning the reward of pressuring the quarterback by stopping the run.
"You are closer to the ball and can show more," he said of his position at defensive end. "Defensive lineman usually don't make a lot of tackles. When a defensive lineman makes a tackle, you get noticed."
The stingy Cheesemakers' defense is giving up just 10.4 points per game and has forced 13 turnovers this year (seven interceptions and six fumble recoveries). Monroe is limiting teams to just 106 yards rushing per game. Not only has the defense been stout, but the Cheesemakers are forcing turnovers and scoring on defense and special teams at a high rate. Part of the success, Arneson said, is because of the defensive line.
"He's an amazing lineman," Arneson said of Welsch. "He's strong and a very good athlete. We call him Big Red. Tyson stuffs the middle and he and Joe Crubaugh are athletic. I feel like our linemen get noticed when we are out there. I think that should happen more."
The Cheesemakers are forcing more than one turnover per game on average. It's giving the offense the advantage to run more plays and capitalize on golden field position.
"The lineman and I love to get those sacks and put pressure on the quarterback," Arneson said. "I can trust the defensive backs like Alex, Carter (Sawdey), Brayden (Zettle) and Sam (Kind) to get the interceptions."
The Cheesemakers have scored two defensive touchdowns this season and three special teams touchdowns this year.
"If you look at the probability of winning a football game when you score on defense and special teams, it increases your chances of winning the game," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. "That is the choke hold on the other team when you can put up points other than offense."
Golembiewski has been impressed by the Cheesemakers ability to stymie opposing offenses.
"Coach (Tom) Witt is doing a great job and they are running the same system they ran last year under Witt's tutelage. It's probably the most fundamentally sound of are three phases. They are good tacklers. It's not always about how strong you are to make a tackle: It's about how fast you can get in position to make the tackle."
With two regular season games left before the playoffs, Arneson understands his time as a prep football player is dwindling.
"There are two more regular season games left and it's scary to think, but this may be the last time I play football," he said. "I always thought we would make the playoffs. I never thought we could win a conference title. We put in a lot of work and the work has paid off. I love football and it's so much fun when you are winning."
