BRODHEAD - Platteville came into the WIAA Division 4 playoffs with one thing on its mind: Show the rest of the state that this was the Year of the Hillmen.
What Platteville (8-2) didn't anticipate when coming to Brodhead-Juda (8-2) for the opening round of the postseason was that the Cardinals are coming off a run to the state championship. That or the hard-hitting defense. Or Jesse DeLorme and the running game. Either way, the Hillmen were set up for disaster from the start.
"Coach said we needed to come out with a statement," senior Trenton Jordan said after Brodhead-Juda's 55-20 win Saturday night.
Jaron Harding had 180 rushing yards, Jesse DeLorme added 129 and five touchdowns, and the Cardinals out-gained the Hillmen 516-209.
"We've been preaching all week that it was going to start up front," DeLorme said. "We knew it was a challenge for them."
Platteville's biggest weapon is quarterback Logan Emendorfer, who has led the high-flying Hillmen all year long. In the first possession of the game, Emendorfer went deep to the end zone when Trenton Jordan went up for a leaping interception in one-on-one coverage.
"That took the momentum away. They came out firing (with) a great quarterback, who's a great athlete," DeLorme said. "Throwing those two picks, I think it kind of took the wind from his sail a little bit."
"Doing that early, I don't think they wanted to throw it much after that," added Jordan, who picked off another pass in Platteville's second possession.
Brodhead-Juda was nearly unstoppable on offense. After going 3-and-out on its first series, the Cardinals score touchdowns on their next eight possessions. The first score came via the run, as most did.
Starting at their own 11 after Jordan's second pick, Harding broke off a 50-yard run on the first play. DeLorme capped the drive with a one yard score. DeLorme scored the first two touchdowns for Brodhead, as well as No. 4, 5 and 6.
"It's by committee back there. Obviously Jesse gets a lot of attention, but the other guys pick it up when people are coming down hard on him," Cardinals coach Jim Matthys said. "Our offensive line did a heck of a job up front."
Jordan scored the Cardinals' third touchdown in the second quarter on a 43-yard scamper that included a nifty cutback.
"It felt pretty good. I made a shake-and-bake move and just got in," said Jordan, who had 83 yards rushing himself.
Platteville then turned back to Emendorfer, who finally found a groove. On the first play of the series, the senior QB hit teammate Nate Fielder for a 39 yard gain. Two plays later, Emendorfer was tackled hard by DeLorme after a 16-yard run, and left shaken up with a mangled helmet. On his first play back, wearing the lid of a teammate, Emendorfer tossed a 14-yard TD pass to Dylan Tranel.
"Emendorfer's a great quarterback and they have a couple of great receivers," Matthys said.
Brodhead-Juda went into the half leading 28-6, and put the Hillmen against a running clock in the third quarter after DeLorme's final touchdown. Platteville took the ensuing kickoff down to the Cardinals' 21 and scored four plays later.
Joey Jordan then caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from David Earleywine with 9:12 left in the fourth to get the running clock back on at 49-13. Matt Trotter added a late 18-yard score with 2:33 left for the Cardinals, which then let up a 91-yard kick return for a touchdown from Tranel.
"We were able to keep the ball on the ground and we were able to do some of the things we needed to do," Matthys said. "We just took whatever we needed to keep the clock going."
Now the Cardinals hit the road, traveling to the sectional's top seed, Racine St. Catherine's (9-1), which blanked Kettle Moraine Lutheran 24-0.
"What I've taken from (last year's run to state) was the desire to win and the fear to lose," DeLorme said.
What Platteville (8-2) didn't anticipate when coming to Brodhead-Juda (8-2) for the opening round of the postseason was that the Cardinals are coming off a run to the state championship. That or the hard-hitting defense. Or Jesse DeLorme and the running game. Either way, the Hillmen were set up for disaster from the start.
"Coach said we needed to come out with a statement," senior Trenton Jordan said after Brodhead-Juda's 55-20 win Saturday night.
Jaron Harding had 180 rushing yards, Jesse DeLorme added 129 and five touchdowns, and the Cardinals out-gained the Hillmen 516-209.
"We've been preaching all week that it was going to start up front," DeLorme said. "We knew it was a challenge for them."
Platteville's biggest weapon is quarterback Logan Emendorfer, who has led the high-flying Hillmen all year long. In the first possession of the game, Emendorfer went deep to the end zone when Trenton Jordan went up for a leaping interception in one-on-one coverage.
"That took the momentum away. They came out firing (with) a great quarterback, who's a great athlete," DeLorme said. "Throwing those two picks, I think it kind of took the wind from his sail a little bit."
"Doing that early, I don't think they wanted to throw it much after that," added Jordan, who picked off another pass in Platteville's second possession.
Brodhead-Juda was nearly unstoppable on offense. After going 3-and-out on its first series, the Cardinals score touchdowns on their next eight possessions. The first score came via the run, as most did.
Starting at their own 11 after Jordan's second pick, Harding broke off a 50-yard run on the first play. DeLorme capped the drive with a one yard score. DeLorme scored the first two touchdowns for Brodhead, as well as No. 4, 5 and 6.
"It's by committee back there. Obviously Jesse gets a lot of attention, but the other guys pick it up when people are coming down hard on him," Cardinals coach Jim Matthys said. "Our offensive line did a heck of a job up front."
Jordan scored the Cardinals' third touchdown in the second quarter on a 43-yard scamper that included a nifty cutback.
"It felt pretty good. I made a shake-and-bake move and just got in," said Jordan, who had 83 yards rushing himself.
Platteville then turned back to Emendorfer, who finally found a groove. On the first play of the series, the senior QB hit teammate Nate Fielder for a 39 yard gain. Two plays later, Emendorfer was tackled hard by DeLorme after a 16-yard run, and left shaken up with a mangled helmet. On his first play back, wearing the lid of a teammate, Emendorfer tossed a 14-yard TD pass to Dylan Tranel.
"Emendorfer's a great quarterback and they have a couple of great receivers," Matthys said.
Brodhead-Juda went into the half leading 28-6, and put the Hillmen against a running clock in the third quarter after DeLorme's final touchdown. Platteville took the ensuing kickoff down to the Cardinals' 21 and scored four plays later.
Joey Jordan then caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from David Earleywine with 9:12 left in the fourth to get the running clock back on at 49-13. Matt Trotter added a late 18-yard score with 2:33 left for the Cardinals, which then let up a 91-yard kick return for a touchdown from Tranel.
"We were able to keep the ball on the ground and we were able to do some of the things we needed to do," Matthys said. "We just took whatever we needed to keep the clock going."
Now the Cardinals hit the road, traveling to the sectional's top seed, Racine St. Catherine's (9-1), which blanked Kettle Moraine Lutheran 24-0.
"What I've taken from (last year's run to state) was the desire to win and the fear to lose," DeLorme said.
