BRODHEAD - Brodhead-Juda senior running back Ethan Douglas didn't expect the Cardinals' high-powered offense to go seven quarters without scoring a point.
That's exactly what happened, as the Cardinals had four turnovers and lost a Rock Valley Conference clash with McFarland, 24-8, Friday night, following last week's 30-0 loss at Walworth Big-Foot.
"We definitely are not going to end our season like this," Douglas said. "The turnovers just killed us in the first half. We can't have those."
McFarland (7-1, 5-1 Rock Valley) had to win to keep pace with co-Rock Valley North Conference leader Jefferson. Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys now turns his attention to Orfordville Parkview and a strong finish to get rolling into the playoffs. With the loss, Brodhead-Juda drops to 6-2 and 4-2.
"Playoff time around here is a different season," said Matthys, whose Cardinals have lost to the Rock Valley Conference's leaders in the South (Big Foot) and North (McFarland). "This is a Division 3 team that will probably do well in the Division 3 playoffs," he said of the Spartans.
The Cardinals' offense got off to a rocky start. After stopping the Spartans on their first drive, Mike Peterson fumbled a punt and the Spartans recovered at the Cardinals' 48-yard line. Brodhead-Juda senior Devin Seitz, who had two sacks and a forced fumble, then came up with a big sack on third down and forced the Spartans to punt.
On Brodhead-Juda's ensuing drive, the Cardinals faced third-and-2 from their own 26, and sophomore quarterback David Earleywine had a 10-yard run, but he fumbled and the Spartans recovered at the Cardinals' 38-yard line. McFarland cashed in on the turnover when junior quarterback Tyler Wedel hooked up with Alec Carr on a 36-yard TD pass. Carr rushed for 76 yards on 22 carries to lead the Spartans.
The Spartans bottled up the Cardinals' running game, limiting it to just 116 yards. Brodhead-Juda didn't have a first down in the first quarter. The Cardinals didn't convert a first down until Earleywine connected on a 23-yard pass to Seitz with less than a minute left in the first half.
After going seven quarters without scoring a point, the Cardinals' offense broke the drought when senior quarterback Travis Hull engineered a 12-play, 43-yard fourth-quarter scoring drive that was capped with Douglas' 4-yard TD run. Brodhead-Juda sophomore Jesse DeLorme ran in the two-point conversion to slice the lead to 24-8. Douglas rushed for 85 yards on 17 carries.
Earleywine, who completed 3 of 9 passes for 34 yards, didn't play in the second half, and Hull threw two interceptions, but also led two long drives. Hull had a big 4-yard run on fourth-and-1 that kept the Cardinals' scoring drive alive. Hull was 3-of-12 passing for 15 yards. Peterson caught three passes for 20 yards.
Matthys said Earleywine wasn't feeling well during the week.
"We just thought we had nothing to lose making the switch," Matthys said. "Travis came in and ran the offense very well. We moved the football well in the second half."
Early on, the Spartans capitalized on some excellent field position. After the Cardinals went three-and-out on offense, the Spartans' offense went to work again. McFarland went on a nine-play, 53-yard drive capped by Wedel's 5-yard TD run to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead with 1:47 to go in the first quarter.
The Spartans had a chance to break the game open. With McFarland clinging to a 14-0 lead, Brodhead-Juda sophomore Trent Jordan intercepted a pass at the Cardinals' 5-yard line midway through the second quarter to thwart a Spartans' drive. McFarland added a 26-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter for a 17-0 halftime lead.
The Cardinals went three plays and out on their first possession of the third quarter. The Spartans struck right away when Paul Wedel scored on a 49-yard end around on McFarland's first play of the third quarter to give the Spartans a 24-0 lead.
The Brodhead-Juda offense then came alive in the fourth quarter. "I thought we fought the whole game," Matthys said. "We showed we can move the football. We didn't quit."
That's exactly what happened, as the Cardinals had four turnovers and lost a Rock Valley Conference clash with McFarland, 24-8, Friday night, following last week's 30-0 loss at Walworth Big-Foot.
"We definitely are not going to end our season like this," Douglas said. "The turnovers just killed us in the first half. We can't have those."
McFarland (7-1, 5-1 Rock Valley) had to win to keep pace with co-Rock Valley North Conference leader Jefferson. Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys now turns his attention to Orfordville Parkview and a strong finish to get rolling into the playoffs. With the loss, Brodhead-Juda drops to 6-2 and 4-2.
"Playoff time around here is a different season," said Matthys, whose Cardinals have lost to the Rock Valley Conference's leaders in the South (Big Foot) and North (McFarland). "This is a Division 3 team that will probably do well in the Division 3 playoffs," he said of the Spartans.
The Cardinals' offense got off to a rocky start. After stopping the Spartans on their first drive, Mike Peterson fumbled a punt and the Spartans recovered at the Cardinals' 48-yard line. Brodhead-Juda senior Devin Seitz, who had two sacks and a forced fumble, then came up with a big sack on third down and forced the Spartans to punt.
On Brodhead-Juda's ensuing drive, the Cardinals faced third-and-2 from their own 26, and sophomore quarterback David Earleywine had a 10-yard run, but he fumbled and the Spartans recovered at the Cardinals' 38-yard line. McFarland cashed in on the turnover when junior quarterback Tyler Wedel hooked up with Alec Carr on a 36-yard TD pass. Carr rushed for 76 yards on 22 carries to lead the Spartans.
The Spartans bottled up the Cardinals' running game, limiting it to just 116 yards. Brodhead-Juda didn't have a first down in the first quarter. The Cardinals didn't convert a first down until Earleywine connected on a 23-yard pass to Seitz with less than a minute left in the first half.
After going seven quarters without scoring a point, the Cardinals' offense broke the drought when senior quarterback Travis Hull engineered a 12-play, 43-yard fourth-quarter scoring drive that was capped with Douglas' 4-yard TD run. Brodhead-Juda sophomore Jesse DeLorme ran in the two-point conversion to slice the lead to 24-8. Douglas rushed for 85 yards on 17 carries.
Earleywine, who completed 3 of 9 passes for 34 yards, didn't play in the second half, and Hull threw two interceptions, but also led two long drives. Hull had a big 4-yard run on fourth-and-1 that kept the Cardinals' scoring drive alive. Hull was 3-of-12 passing for 15 yards. Peterson caught three passes for 20 yards.
Matthys said Earleywine wasn't feeling well during the week.
"We just thought we had nothing to lose making the switch," Matthys said. "Travis came in and ran the offense very well. We moved the football well in the second half."
Early on, the Spartans capitalized on some excellent field position. After the Cardinals went three-and-out on offense, the Spartans' offense went to work again. McFarland went on a nine-play, 53-yard drive capped by Wedel's 5-yard TD run to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead with 1:47 to go in the first quarter.
The Spartans had a chance to break the game open. With McFarland clinging to a 14-0 lead, Brodhead-Juda sophomore Trent Jordan intercepted a pass at the Cardinals' 5-yard line midway through the second quarter to thwart a Spartans' drive. McFarland added a 26-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter for a 17-0 halftime lead.
The Cardinals went three plays and out on their first possession of the third quarter. The Spartans struck right away when Paul Wedel scored on a 49-yard end around on McFarland's first play of the third quarter to give the Spartans a 24-0 lead.
The Brodhead-Juda offense then came alive in the fourth quarter. "I thought we fought the whole game," Matthys said. "We showed we can move the football. We didn't quit."
