Down one precious sibling, it took a true band of brothers to deliver what hasn't been achieved in 42 years Monday night.
As it turns out, Mitch McArdle is an awful lot more than varsity football's answer to Wes Welker.
Much like the Patriots wideout shows no fear over the middle, McArdle battled and scrapped for two early offensive rebounds in Monroe's 62-54 victory that clinched an outright Badger South title.
On the first, the 5-8 McArdle outworked Wildcats forward Sky Waters near the baseline and kicked to Mitch Tordoff who made good on a shot from downtown that staked Monroe to an 11-4 lead.
Down the stretch, McArdle hit six of his nine free throws and was both visibly and audibly displeased when he failed to tickle the twine.
Every team's gotta have one of those. The constructive chippiness of Brock Bidlingmaier may have been lost in last year's graduation, but McArdle is making enormous strides in filling those enigmatic shoes.
"He's a big help, comes off the bench with a lot of energy," Monroe senior Tony Cates said. "That fuels all of our guys."
And who would've known Cullen Sampson would deliver the same sort of shot in the arm on the hardwood as he did on all terrains for Hirsh's hounds this past cross country season?
"Other guys have to step up and it's been by committee," head coach Pat Murphy said. "We talked about what guy would step up and Cullen Sampson didn't flinch. This is the first big game he's been a part of."
With ice water coursing through his veins, Sampson delivered the 3-pointer from the left angle late in the third quarter that built Monroe's third-quarter run to 14-2.
While neither Chase Sellnow nor Matt Turek appeared in the scoring column, they did the dirty work, banging bodies down low with the cagiest Wildcat, 6-4 junior Jason Ziemer.
Another role player who doesn't spend a lot of time in the scoring column but threw the first interior punch was Jake Gross. The senior tugged down an offensive rebound and banked home the putback to open the game's scoring.
Gross's second-chance body blow, along with the ensuing buckets by Cates, opened the perimeter for a flurry of jabs from Monroe's literal duo of brothers, freshman Bryan and junior Mitch Tordoff.
When Brett Stangel woke up Saturday morning and his right leg had doubled in size, the text messages began to fly. After a frustrating 47-44 loss to Freeport Saturday night, the concerns appeared validated.
But that was from the outside looking in. Once Murf's gang got their game clicking from the inside out Monday night, the Wildcats hardly had a chance.
"It wasn't one guy. It was multiple sources," Murphy said.
And that's how it will have to be the rest of the way if the Cheesemakers want to keep leaving their mark during their pursuit for a second consecutive Division 2 title.
As it turns out, Mitch McArdle is an awful lot more than varsity football's answer to Wes Welker.
Much like the Patriots wideout shows no fear over the middle, McArdle battled and scrapped for two early offensive rebounds in Monroe's 62-54 victory that clinched an outright Badger South title.
On the first, the 5-8 McArdle outworked Wildcats forward Sky Waters near the baseline and kicked to Mitch Tordoff who made good on a shot from downtown that staked Monroe to an 11-4 lead.
Down the stretch, McArdle hit six of his nine free throws and was both visibly and audibly displeased when he failed to tickle the twine.
Every team's gotta have one of those. The constructive chippiness of Brock Bidlingmaier may have been lost in last year's graduation, but McArdle is making enormous strides in filling those enigmatic shoes.
"He's a big help, comes off the bench with a lot of energy," Monroe senior Tony Cates said. "That fuels all of our guys."
And who would've known Cullen Sampson would deliver the same sort of shot in the arm on the hardwood as he did on all terrains for Hirsh's hounds this past cross country season?
"Other guys have to step up and it's been by committee," head coach Pat Murphy said. "We talked about what guy would step up and Cullen Sampson didn't flinch. This is the first big game he's been a part of."
With ice water coursing through his veins, Sampson delivered the 3-pointer from the left angle late in the third quarter that built Monroe's third-quarter run to 14-2.
While neither Chase Sellnow nor Matt Turek appeared in the scoring column, they did the dirty work, banging bodies down low with the cagiest Wildcat, 6-4 junior Jason Ziemer.
Another role player who doesn't spend a lot of time in the scoring column but threw the first interior punch was Jake Gross. The senior tugged down an offensive rebound and banked home the putback to open the game's scoring.
Gross's second-chance body blow, along with the ensuing buckets by Cates, opened the perimeter for a flurry of jabs from Monroe's literal duo of brothers, freshman Bryan and junior Mitch Tordoff.
When Brett Stangel woke up Saturday morning and his right leg had doubled in size, the text messages began to fly. After a frustrating 47-44 loss to Freeport Saturday night, the concerns appeared validated.
But that was from the outside looking in. Once Murf's gang got their game clicking from the inside out Monday night, the Wildcats hardly had a chance.
"It wasn't one guy. It was multiple sources," Murphy said.
And that's how it will have to be the rest of the way if the Cheesemakers want to keep leaving their mark during their pursuit for a second consecutive Division 2 title.
