BRODHEAD - It took the Brodhead-Juda football team exactly 13 seconds to set the tone against Palmyra-Eagle Friday night. That's how long it took junior Jordan Douglas to take the opening kickoff 91 yards for the game's first score.
The Cardinals never looked back, racking up 298 yards on the ground en route to a 51-14 home victory over the Panthers.
Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys knew his guys were ready to play, but he said Douglas' return just upped the energy even more.
"It certainly set the tone for the rest of the game," Matthys said. "That probably gave us an extra shot."
Senior Hunter Colden led the ground game for the Cardinals, rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. Sophomore Reeve Lincoln added 42 yards on eight carries, scoring one touchdown.
Matthys credited some of the success on the ground to the elevated play of the offensive line, which he says has gotten good at handling the blitzes and stunts being thrown at them by opposing defenses.
"With our offensive line, we've been able to make adjustments on the fly," he said. "Our offensive line is playing real well right now."
Palmyra-Eagle ran for 209 yards of their own, but the Cardinals kept them out of the endzone for most of the night. The Panthers didn't score until the third quarter, getting on the board with a 77-yard run by Brett Knoebel. The one play accounted for more than a third of the Panthers' rushing total.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, scored often. After Douglas' kickoff return, Brodhead-Juda extended its lead to 9-0 with a safety. They followed that up with Lincoln's goal line score with 10:15 left to go in the second quarter. Colden capped the quarter with a one-yard TD plunge of his own.
After Palmyra-Eagle got on the board with Knoebel's 77-yard scamper, Colden answered seconds later with a 52-yard touchdown of his own. A couple minutes later, he reached the endzone for the third time, this time from four yards out.
Although the Cardinals didn't need to pass much, senior quarterback Matt Trotter was efficient with his opportunities, completing 4 of 6 for 59 yards and one touchdown. Senior Cole Bauman hauled in the Cardinals' lone touchdown pass from 19 yards out to go up 45-6 with 6:32 left to go in the third.
Palmyra-Eagle eventually responded with a passing touchdown of their own in the fourth quarter, but Brodhead-Juda answered right back with sophomore Mitchell Johnson taking the ball for a 6-yard touchdown run.
The game also featured several turnovers, with each team fumbling the ball three times. Brodhead-Juda lost two, and the Panthers lost three. The Cardinals also grabbed an interception in the third quarter.
The win brings Brodhead-Juda's Rock Valley South Conference record to 3-2, while Palmyra-Eagle falls to 1-4.
The Cardinals host Jefferson next Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.
Cuba City 14, Darlington 7
CUBA CITY - After taking a 7-0 lead at the half, the Darlington football team couldn't hold on against SWAL-leading Cuba City, as the Cubans scored 14 unanswered points to top the Redbirds 14-7 Friday.
Darlington had as many turnovers as points, which led Darlington coach Scott Zywicki to one conclusion:
"We killed ourselves," he said. "You can't have seven turnovers."
The Redbirds threw two interceptions and fumbled five times - four on offense and one during a punt.
After both teams went scoreless in the first quarter, Darlington got on the board in the second with a 23-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald to junior Kyle Johnson.
The Redbirds went into the locker room with the one-score lead, but turnovers kept the Cubans in the game.
"We dominated the entire first half," Zywicki said. "We were inside their five and fumbled the ball. Last week, we had two turnovers inside the ten. (On second down) You get two more chances to punch it in, and we put it on the ground. It's really frustrating."
Sophomore fullback Myles Leahy led the team on the ground, rushing for 83 yards on 13 carries. Senior Storm Wiegel added 25 yards on six carries.
Despite the ball security problems, Zywicki was pleased with the way his defense held the Cubans who were averaging 38 points per game going into Friday's contest.
"Our defense played really well" Zywicki said. "Other than one big play, we limited their rushing offense."
The big play was a 58-yard touchdown pass, with the Darlington defender making an aggressive play on the ball. However, Zywicki didn't fault the aggressive play, as that is what he's been teaching his defense to do, he said.
"Our kids did an exceptional job," Zywicki said. "Our perimeter kids did a good job of making sure they didn't get outside of us."
The loss drops Darlington to 3-2 in the conference, as Cuba City moves to 5-0 to remain at the top of the standings.
N.G-Monticello 19, Cambridge 6
CAMBRIDGE - New Glarus-Monticello senior Spencer Jones ran for 114 yards and scored two touchdowns to propel the Glarner Knights to a second straight Capitol South Conference win.
New Glarus-Monticello (4-2, 2-1 Capitol South) rushed for 182 total yards. On defense, the Knights forced two turnovers. New Glarus-Monticello senior quarterback Gabe Noyce was 4-of-8 passing for 48 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Jesse Halvorsen had three catches for 29 yards and one touchdown.
Jefferson 21, Evansville-Albany 7
WHITEWATER - In a Rock Valley North Conference showdown, Jefferson bottled up the Blue Devils running game and defeated Evansville-Albany 21-7.
Evansville-Albany was limited to just 15 total rushing yards as a team. Evansville-Albany senior Michael Johnson ran for 30 yards on 15 carries. Quaterback David Jenkins was 8-of-15 passing for 96 yards and one interception.
Jefferson racked up 292 total rushing yards. With the win, Jefferson (5-1, 4-1 Rock Valley North) has a one game lead on Evansville-Albany (4-2, 3-2).
The Cardinals never looked back, racking up 298 yards on the ground en route to a 51-14 home victory over the Panthers.
Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys knew his guys were ready to play, but he said Douglas' return just upped the energy even more.
"It certainly set the tone for the rest of the game," Matthys said. "That probably gave us an extra shot."
Senior Hunter Colden led the ground game for the Cardinals, rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. Sophomore Reeve Lincoln added 42 yards on eight carries, scoring one touchdown.
Matthys credited some of the success on the ground to the elevated play of the offensive line, which he says has gotten good at handling the blitzes and stunts being thrown at them by opposing defenses.
"With our offensive line, we've been able to make adjustments on the fly," he said. "Our offensive line is playing real well right now."
Palmyra-Eagle ran for 209 yards of their own, but the Cardinals kept them out of the endzone for most of the night. The Panthers didn't score until the third quarter, getting on the board with a 77-yard run by Brett Knoebel. The one play accounted for more than a third of the Panthers' rushing total.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, scored often. After Douglas' kickoff return, Brodhead-Juda extended its lead to 9-0 with a safety. They followed that up with Lincoln's goal line score with 10:15 left to go in the second quarter. Colden capped the quarter with a one-yard TD plunge of his own.
After Palmyra-Eagle got on the board with Knoebel's 77-yard scamper, Colden answered seconds later with a 52-yard touchdown of his own. A couple minutes later, he reached the endzone for the third time, this time from four yards out.
Although the Cardinals didn't need to pass much, senior quarterback Matt Trotter was efficient with his opportunities, completing 4 of 6 for 59 yards and one touchdown. Senior Cole Bauman hauled in the Cardinals' lone touchdown pass from 19 yards out to go up 45-6 with 6:32 left to go in the third.
Palmyra-Eagle eventually responded with a passing touchdown of their own in the fourth quarter, but Brodhead-Juda answered right back with sophomore Mitchell Johnson taking the ball for a 6-yard touchdown run.
The game also featured several turnovers, with each team fumbling the ball three times. Brodhead-Juda lost two, and the Panthers lost three. The Cardinals also grabbed an interception in the third quarter.
The win brings Brodhead-Juda's Rock Valley South Conference record to 3-2, while Palmyra-Eagle falls to 1-4.
The Cardinals host Jefferson next Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.
Cuba City 14, Darlington 7
CUBA CITY - After taking a 7-0 lead at the half, the Darlington football team couldn't hold on against SWAL-leading Cuba City, as the Cubans scored 14 unanswered points to top the Redbirds 14-7 Friday.
Darlington had as many turnovers as points, which led Darlington coach Scott Zywicki to one conclusion:
"We killed ourselves," he said. "You can't have seven turnovers."
The Redbirds threw two interceptions and fumbled five times - four on offense and one during a punt.
After both teams went scoreless in the first quarter, Darlington got on the board in the second with a 23-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald to junior Kyle Johnson.
The Redbirds went into the locker room with the one-score lead, but turnovers kept the Cubans in the game.
"We dominated the entire first half," Zywicki said. "We were inside their five and fumbled the ball. Last week, we had two turnovers inside the ten. (On second down) You get two more chances to punch it in, and we put it on the ground. It's really frustrating."
Sophomore fullback Myles Leahy led the team on the ground, rushing for 83 yards on 13 carries. Senior Storm Wiegel added 25 yards on six carries.
Despite the ball security problems, Zywicki was pleased with the way his defense held the Cubans who were averaging 38 points per game going into Friday's contest.
"Our defense played really well" Zywicki said. "Other than one big play, we limited their rushing offense."
The big play was a 58-yard touchdown pass, with the Darlington defender making an aggressive play on the ball. However, Zywicki didn't fault the aggressive play, as that is what he's been teaching his defense to do, he said.
"Our kids did an exceptional job," Zywicki said. "Our perimeter kids did a good job of making sure they didn't get outside of us."
The loss drops Darlington to 3-2 in the conference, as Cuba City moves to 5-0 to remain at the top of the standings.
N.G-Monticello 19, Cambridge 6
CAMBRIDGE - New Glarus-Monticello senior Spencer Jones ran for 114 yards and scored two touchdowns to propel the Glarner Knights to a second straight Capitol South Conference win.
New Glarus-Monticello (4-2, 2-1 Capitol South) rushed for 182 total yards. On defense, the Knights forced two turnovers. New Glarus-Monticello senior quarterback Gabe Noyce was 4-of-8 passing for 48 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Jesse Halvorsen had three catches for 29 yards and one touchdown.
Jefferson 21, Evansville-Albany 7
WHITEWATER - In a Rock Valley North Conference showdown, Jefferson bottled up the Blue Devils running game and defeated Evansville-Albany 21-7.
Evansville-Albany was limited to just 15 total rushing yards as a team. Evansville-Albany senior Michael Johnson ran for 30 yards on 15 carries. Quaterback David Jenkins was 8-of-15 passing for 96 yards and one interception.
Jefferson racked up 292 total rushing yards. With the win, Jefferson (5-1, 4-1 Rock Valley North) has a one game lead on Evansville-Albany (4-2, 3-2).
