MADISON - Not every Wisconsin high school team can finish their season at Camp Randall Stadium. And of those that do make it to the state championship, half will go home with a loss.
Such is the case with the Brodhead-Juda Cardinals. On Thursday, the Cardinals struggled in the second half in the WIAA Division 4 title game, ultimately falling 41-21 to Kewaunee.
"We really worked hard for our goal," senior Gavin Garrett said after the game. "It's great that we got here, and a lot of teams would be grateful to be here. But either way you look at it, it's depressing that it's your last game. This is the last time (seniors) will put on pads."
Brodhead-Juda took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter and went into halftime tied 14-14. But in the second half, the Cardinals could not stop the Storm's ground game - specifically Craig Christman, who had 169 rushing yards, including 139 after the break.
"They made a few adjustments and ran right at us," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said. "In the first half they really tried airing the ball out a little bit. Bottom line is we ran the ball hard at them in the first half but had to play from behind in the second half and play catch-up."
Kewaunee opened the game with a bang. Quarterback Doug Delebreau connected with Mike Lux on a 66-yard touchdown pass. Brodhead-Juda quickly answered when junior QB David Earleywine hit tight end Joey Jordan for a 10-yard score on third-and-6.
"I was excited because that brought us back to even. It was a big momentum swing because we had come out a little flat," Earleywine said. "Every guy has dreamed since he was a kid to be playing up at Camp Randall for the state championship."
Brodhead-Juda had turned the ball over on downs on its second drive, stalling out Kewaunee's 17-yard-line. But on the Storm's drive following the Cardinals touchdown, Delebreau and Christman fumbled the exchange on a handoff, and Cardinals senior Blair Chapman jumped on top of the ball.
A steady pace of Jesse De Lorme and Alex Wallace running the ball put Brodhead-Juda into the red zone before long. On second down from the four, Wallace waltzed into the end zone. Earleywine then hit Wallace for the two-point conversion on a pass play and the Cardinals held their only lead of the game with 7:04 left in the second quarter.
"That's why it's a four-quarter game for a reason," senior Alex Wallace said. "We did our best and I'm proud of our guys."
Brent Reimer tied the score minutes later on a 16-yard dash up the middle.
Brodhead-Juda opened the third quarter with a three-and-out and Kewaunee went on a nine-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with an 11-yard TD run by Christman.
A 49-yard kick return by Trent Jordan put the Cardinals on the Kewaunee 40, but back-to-back penalties - holding and intentional grounding - had Brodhead-Juda facing a difficult third down from its own 25. Earleywine threw deep downfield, but Kewaunee's Jordan Schmidt made a tippy-toe catch on the sideline for the interception.
"(Penalties) hurt you as bad as turnovers. Penalties were probably the thing that stung us the most tonight. They just killed us on field position more than anything," said Mattys, whose team was penalized five times for 68 yards. "We played pretty well, but we didn't play our A-game. And that's what it's going to take to beat a team like Kewaunee."
Earleywine finished the day with four interceptions, three of them to Schmidt.
"We knew we were going to have to throw the ball. I would not have liked to end my season with a 4-pick game, but one got batted into the air and they made a couple of great plays on other ones. They are a great team and defensively they were stellar," Earleywine said. "That's the most trouble I've had with a defense all season."
Christman scored moments later from the goal line, but the Cardinals weren't done. Trailing 28-14, Earleywine connected with Chapman on a 64-yard post on third down. On the very next play, De Lorme bullied his way into the end zone, making it 28-21 with 1:30 left in the third. But that was the last scoring opportunity Brodhead-Juda would see.
"Our kids didn't quit. They were fighting hard right to the end. They did a great job," Matthys said. "My hat's off to Kewaunee. They obviously are a phenomenal team. Go undefeated and be ranked No. 1 all season, I thought we gave them a pretty good battle and represented ourselves very well."
Wallace had 98 yards rushing on 22 carries and De Lorme added 68 more yards on 14 rushing attempts. Earleywine was 4-for-12 passing for 99 yards. Delebreau finished 5-for-15 for 146 yards, despite coming into the game with a 60-percent completion percentage.
"The next couple of hours will be hard," said Garrett, who said he would try to keep himself busy to hide the emotion that his football career is finished.
Garrett also said the learned in his time on the field that success is more than just technique and individual plays.
"Part of the thing of growing up with football is you realize it is a game. There are a lot of things that you can learn from it, like patience and teamwork. There's a whole bunch of traits. You have to be able to take those from the game and apply them to life," Garrett said.
Brodhead-Juda ends the season with an 11-3 record, with Kewaunee finishing undefeated at 14-0. The Storm were making their fourth trip to state in the last five years and had only silver balls to show for it. The Cardinals' silver trophy will go on display next to the 2003 silver ball that was earned in a loss to Ripon.
"I'm sure after the pain goes away from everybody we'll be extremely proud of this. Just being here in an accomplishment. It's going to be something that we - especially these seniors - are going to remember for the rest of our lives," Earleywine said. "Your goal is to get to state every year, but it only happens for two teams. The odds are you will never get back again. Being here just once is such an accomplishment."
Such is the case with the Brodhead-Juda Cardinals. On Thursday, the Cardinals struggled in the second half in the WIAA Division 4 title game, ultimately falling 41-21 to Kewaunee.
"We really worked hard for our goal," senior Gavin Garrett said after the game. "It's great that we got here, and a lot of teams would be grateful to be here. But either way you look at it, it's depressing that it's your last game. This is the last time (seniors) will put on pads."
Brodhead-Juda took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter and went into halftime tied 14-14. But in the second half, the Cardinals could not stop the Storm's ground game - specifically Craig Christman, who had 169 rushing yards, including 139 after the break.
"They made a few adjustments and ran right at us," Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys said. "In the first half they really tried airing the ball out a little bit. Bottom line is we ran the ball hard at them in the first half but had to play from behind in the second half and play catch-up."
Kewaunee opened the game with a bang. Quarterback Doug Delebreau connected with Mike Lux on a 66-yard touchdown pass. Brodhead-Juda quickly answered when junior QB David Earleywine hit tight end Joey Jordan for a 10-yard score on third-and-6.
"I was excited because that brought us back to even. It was a big momentum swing because we had come out a little flat," Earleywine said. "Every guy has dreamed since he was a kid to be playing up at Camp Randall for the state championship."
Brodhead-Juda had turned the ball over on downs on its second drive, stalling out Kewaunee's 17-yard-line. But on the Storm's drive following the Cardinals touchdown, Delebreau and Christman fumbled the exchange on a handoff, and Cardinals senior Blair Chapman jumped on top of the ball.
A steady pace of Jesse De Lorme and Alex Wallace running the ball put Brodhead-Juda into the red zone before long. On second down from the four, Wallace waltzed into the end zone. Earleywine then hit Wallace for the two-point conversion on a pass play and the Cardinals held their only lead of the game with 7:04 left in the second quarter.
"That's why it's a four-quarter game for a reason," senior Alex Wallace said. "We did our best and I'm proud of our guys."
Brent Reimer tied the score minutes later on a 16-yard dash up the middle.
Brodhead-Juda opened the third quarter with a three-and-out and Kewaunee went on a nine-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with an 11-yard TD run by Christman.
A 49-yard kick return by Trent Jordan put the Cardinals on the Kewaunee 40, but back-to-back penalties - holding and intentional grounding - had Brodhead-Juda facing a difficult third down from its own 25. Earleywine threw deep downfield, but Kewaunee's Jordan Schmidt made a tippy-toe catch on the sideline for the interception.
"(Penalties) hurt you as bad as turnovers. Penalties were probably the thing that stung us the most tonight. They just killed us on field position more than anything," said Mattys, whose team was penalized five times for 68 yards. "We played pretty well, but we didn't play our A-game. And that's what it's going to take to beat a team like Kewaunee."
Earleywine finished the day with four interceptions, three of them to Schmidt.
"We knew we were going to have to throw the ball. I would not have liked to end my season with a 4-pick game, but one got batted into the air and they made a couple of great plays on other ones. They are a great team and defensively they were stellar," Earleywine said. "That's the most trouble I've had with a defense all season."
Christman scored moments later from the goal line, but the Cardinals weren't done. Trailing 28-14, Earleywine connected with Chapman on a 64-yard post on third down. On the very next play, De Lorme bullied his way into the end zone, making it 28-21 with 1:30 left in the third. But that was the last scoring opportunity Brodhead-Juda would see.
"Our kids didn't quit. They were fighting hard right to the end. They did a great job," Matthys said. "My hat's off to Kewaunee. They obviously are a phenomenal team. Go undefeated and be ranked No. 1 all season, I thought we gave them a pretty good battle and represented ourselves very well."
Wallace had 98 yards rushing on 22 carries and De Lorme added 68 more yards on 14 rushing attempts. Earleywine was 4-for-12 passing for 99 yards. Delebreau finished 5-for-15 for 146 yards, despite coming into the game with a 60-percent completion percentage.
"The next couple of hours will be hard," said Garrett, who said he would try to keep himself busy to hide the emotion that his football career is finished.
Garrett also said the learned in his time on the field that success is more than just technique and individual plays.
"Part of the thing of growing up with football is you realize it is a game. There are a lot of things that you can learn from it, like patience and teamwork. There's a whole bunch of traits. You have to be able to take those from the game and apply them to life," Garrett said.
Brodhead-Juda ends the season with an 11-3 record, with Kewaunee finishing undefeated at 14-0. The Storm were making their fourth trip to state in the last five years and had only silver balls to show for it. The Cardinals' silver trophy will go on display next to the 2003 silver ball that was earned in a loss to Ripon.
"I'm sure after the pain goes away from everybody we'll be extremely proud of this. Just being here in an accomplishment. It's going to be something that we - especially these seniors - are going to remember for the rest of our lives," Earleywine said. "Your goal is to get to state every year, but it only happens for two teams. The odds are you will never get back again. Being here just once is such an accomplishment."
