BRODHEAD - Facing a spread offense like the one East Troy deployed Friday night proved to be a challenge too tough for the Brodhead-Juda football team to overcome in its regular-season finale.
East Troy senior running back Zach Zewiske rushed for 158 yards on 30 carries and scored four touchdowns to help the Trojans knock off the Cardinals 38-27. The Trojans' spread offense racked up 383 total yards and outscored the Cardinals 21-7 in the third quarter.
"We were using this game as a tune-up for the playoffs," Brodhead-Juda coach B.J. Bockhop said. "We were just taking more chances on defense to get some turnovers. We knew we had to stop the run. They probably have two backs over 1,000 yards and their quarterback is over 2,000 yards (this season)."
Senior Ned Slocum had five receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns, but he didn't have a catch until the fourth quarter after the Cardinals trailed 31-14. Brodhead-Juda (4-5, 4-2 Rock Valley South) has lost three straight games entering the playoffs.
"It's a new season," Slocum said about the playoffs after the Cardinals' loss. "Nothing is guaranteed. We have to bring up our energy level on offense and defense."
Slocum missed four games earlier this season due to a sprained ankle.
"My ankle has been getting better and better every day," Slocum said. "I hope it's 100 percent for the playoffs."
In the first half, it looked like a game that would go down to the wire. The Cardinals cashed in on a six-play, 64-yard drive, with senior Dylan Kubly rushing for a 2-yard TD run midway through the second quarter.
The Trojans responded with a six-play, 41-yard drive, culminating in Zewiske's 2-yard TD run to tie the game at 7 with 4:51 left in the second quarter.
East Troy quarterback Nick Ruffalo completed three passes to Jake Nixon late in the second quarter. After Ruffalo's incomplete pass, it appeared that time had expired. However, officials put 2.8 seconds back on the clock and Noah Nyffler booted a 32-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 10-7 lead at the half.
Nixon had nine receptions for 138 yards. Ruffalo completed 16 of 25 passes for 201 yards with two interceptions.
Brodhead-Juda junior Matt Schmitt and Peter Bouc each had interceptions in the first half, but the Cardinals couldn't cash in on the miscues.
The Trojans started the second half with a bang. Zewiske scored on an 8-yard run to give the Trojans a 17-7 lead with 8:55 left in the third quarter. It didn't take the Cardinals long to answer as Parker Johnson returned the kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to cut the Trojans' lead to 17-14.
Zewiske put the finishing touches on a seven-play,
50-yard drive, scoring on an 18-yard run midway through the third quarter. Nixon then intercepted a Matt Schmitt pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to give the Trojans a 31-14 lead.
Bockhop said when the Cardinals fell behind they were forced to become a one-dimensional team focused on passing. The Cardinals were limited to one total yard in the third quarter.
"We want to establish the run," Bockhop said. "We had to abort the running game in the third quarter when we got down 10 points. We knew we had to pass to get back into it."
Schmitt was 9 of 15 passing for 160 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Brodhead-Juda senior running back Jake Pickel rushed for 53 yards on nine carries, and Kubly rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries and scored one touchdown.
The Cardinals rallied in the fourth quarter. Schmitt hooked up with Slocum on a 4-yard TD pass with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter to cut the Trojans' lead to 31-21. Zewiske answered with an
8-yard TD run.
Schmitt then connected with Slocum on a 74-yard TD pass late in the fourth quarter to cut the Trojans' lead to 11 points, but that was as close as they got.
"Ned is such a huge impact player," Bockhop said. "He has been out for four games. We are still trying to get our schemes and our personnel worked out to see what will work."
East Troy senior running back Zach Zewiske rushed for 158 yards on 30 carries and scored four touchdowns to help the Trojans knock off the Cardinals 38-27. The Trojans' spread offense racked up 383 total yards and outscored the Cardinals 21-7 in the third quarter.
"We were using this game as a tune-up for the playoffs," Brodhead-Juda coach B.J. Bockhop said. "We were just taking more chances on defense to get some turnovers. We knew we had to stop the run. They probably have two backs over 1,000 yards and their quarterback is over 2,000 yards (this season)."
Senior Ned Slocum had five receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns, but he didn't have a catch until the fourth quarter after the Cardinals trailed 31-14. Brodhead-Juda (4-5, 4-2 Rock Valley South) has lost three straight games entering the playoffs.
"It's a new season," Slocum said about the playoffs after the Cardinals' loss. "Nothing is guaranteed. We have to bring up our energy level on offense and defense."
Slocum missed four games earlier this season due to a sprained ankle.
"My ankle has been getting better and better every day," Slocum said. "I hope it's 100 percent for the playoffs."
In the first half, it looked like a game that would go down to the wire. The Cardinals cashed in on a six-play, 64-yard drive, with senior Dylan Kubly rushing for a 2-yard TD run midway through the second quarter.
The Trojans responded with a six-play, 41-yard drive, culminating in Zewiske's 2-yard TD run to tie the game at 7 with 4:51 left in the second quarter.
East Troy quarterback Nick Ruffalo completed three passes to Jake Nixon late in the second quarter. After Ruffalo's incomplete pass, it appeared that time had expired. However, officials put 2.8 seconds back on the clock and Noah Nyffler booted a 32-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 10-7 lead at the half.
Nixon had nine receptions for 138 yards. Ruffalo completed 16 of 25 passes for 201 yards with two interceptions.
Brodhead-Juda junior Matt Schmitt and Peter Bouc each had interceptions in the first half, but the Cardinals couldn't cash in on the miscues.
The Trojans started the second half with a bang. Zewiske scored on an 8-yard run to give the Trojans a 17-7 lead with 8:55 left in the third quarter. It didn't take the Cardinals long to answer as Parker Johnson returned the kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to cut the Trojans' lead to 17-14.
Zewiske put the finishing touches on a seven-play,
50-yard drive, scoring on an 18-yard run midway through the third quarter. Nixon then intercepted a Matt Schmitt pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to give the Trojans a 31-14 lead.
Bockhop said when the Cardinals fell behind they were forced to become a one-dimensional team focused on passing. The Cardinals were limited to one total yard in the third quarter.
"We want to establish the run," Bockhop said. "We had to abort the running game in the third quarter when we got down 10 points. We knew we had to pass to get back into it."
Schmitt was 9 of 15 passing for 160 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Brodhead-Juda senior running back Jake Pickel rushed for 53 yards on nine carries, and Kubly rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries and scored one touchdown.
The Cardinals rallied in the fourth quarter. Schmitt hooked up with Slocum on a 4-yard TD pass with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter to cut the Trojans' lead to 31-21. Zewiske answered with an
8-yard TD run.
Schmitt then connected with Slocum on a 74-yard TD pass late in the fourth quarter to cut the Trojans' lead to 11 points, but that was as close as they got.
"Ned is such a huge impact player," Bockhop said. "He has been out for four games. We are still trying to get our schemes and our personnel worked out to see what will work."
