BRODHEAD - Senior defensive back Cole Bauman had a nose for the football and turned into a turnover machine for Brodhead-Juda on Saturday.
Bauman had two interceptions and returned a fumbled kickoff 19-yards for a touchdown in the first half to lead Brodhead-Juda to a 19-12 win over Campbellsport in a first-round playoff game.
The Cardinals forced five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles). Brodhead-Juda (6-3) has won six straight games and advances to play Big Foot (9-0) in the Level 2 playoffs.
"When I saw the ball, I knew as soon as I recovered it that I would score a touchdown," Bauman said. "It was a big game. We came in here to prove everybody wrong. No one thought we'd make the playoffs, not one person. But we got it done."
Early on, Campbellsport (5-4) was the team that looked like they were poised for a win. The Cougars had a five-play, 57-yard drive culminating in Taylor Straschinske's 3-yard TD run to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead. The Cardinals answered with Reeve Lincoln plunging in for a 2-yard TD run to cap a nine-play, 35-yard drive to give the Cardinals a 7-6 lead with 10 minutes, 34 seconds left in the second quarter. Lincoln rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries and scored one touchdown.
Bauman then intercepted a Taylor Ramthun pass and returned it 44 yards to set up the next scoring drive. Brodhead-Juda senior Matt Trotter then tossed a 23-yard TD pass to Griffin Day give the Cardinals a 14-6 lead. The big play of the drive was Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden's 1-yard run to convert on fourth-and-1 from Campbellsport's 25-yard line.
Less than 1 minute later, Bauman recovered a fumble kickoff and scored a touchdown to extend the Cardinals' lead to 19-6 with 3:37 to go before the half.
"It certainly was big to get the turnovers," Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys said. "Certainly scoring points off the turnovers was big. The one off the kickoff was huge."
Campbellsport cut the Cardinals' lead to 19-12 after Ramthun threw a 3-yard TD pass to Austin Kerkela with 4:34 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals had a 7:20 drive in the fourth quarter. However, it ended in a fumble that at Campbellsport's 2-yard line. Two plays later, Brodhead-Juda junior Jordan Kraak had an interception to seal it.
"Our defense has played better each game," Kraak said. "Once he made the pass, I knew I would catch it and the game was over."
Brodhead-Juda senior quarterback Matt Trotter had a key 8-yard run on the drive on third-and-7. Trotter completed 5 of 12 passes for 62 yards with one touchdown.
Matthys liked the drive the Cardinals had in the fourth quarter, but he was concerned by the turnover.
"We ate up the clock," he said. "We should have had points on that drive."
The Cardinals gave up four plays of 15 yards or more. Eliminating big plays will be key against Big Foot next week.
"We have to play sound football," Matthys said. "We have to step up and play better."
Bauman had two interceptions and returned a fumbled kickoff 19-yards for a touchdown in the first half to lead Brodhead-Juda to a 19-12 win over Campbellsport in a first-round playoff game.
The Cardinals forced five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles). Brodhead-Juda (6-3) has won six straight games and advances to play Big Foot (9-0) in the Level 2 playoffs.
"When I saw the ball, I knew as soon as I recovered it that I would score a touchdown," Bauman said. "It was a big game. We came in here to prove everybody wrong. No one thought we'd make the playoffs, not one person. But we got it done."
Early on, Campbellsport (5-4) was the team that looked like they were poised for a win. The Cougars had a five-play, 57-yard drive culminating in Taylor Straschinske's 3-yard TD run to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead. The Cardinals answered with Reeve Lincoln plunging in for a 2-yard TD run to cap a nine-play, 35-yard drive to give the Cardinals a 7-6 lead with 10 minutes, 34 seconds left in the second quarter. Lincoln rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries and scored one touchdown.
Bauman then intercepted a Taylor Ramthun pass and returned it 44 yards to set up the next scoring drive. Brodhead-Juda senior Matt Trotter then tossed a 23-yard TD pass to Griffin Day give the Cardinals a 14-6 lead. The big play of the drive was Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden's 1-yard run to convert on fourth-and-1 from Campbellsport's 25-yard line.
Less than 1 minute later, Bauman recovered a fumble kickoff and scored a touchdown to extend the Cardinals' lead to 19-6 with 3:37 to go before the half.
"It certainly was big to get the turnovers," Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys said. "Certainly scoring points off the turnovers was big. The one off the kickoff was huge."
Campbellsport cut the Cardinals' lead to 19-12 after Ramthun threw a 3-yard TD pass to Austin Kerkela with 4:34 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals had a 7:20 drive in the fourth quarter. However, it ended in a fumble that at Campbellsport's 2-yard line. Two plays later, Brodhead-Juda junior Jordan Kraak had an interception to seal it.
"Our defense has played better each game," Kraak said. "Once he made the pass, I knew I would catch it and the game was over."
Brodhead-Juda senior quarterback Matt Trotter had a key 8-yard run on the drive on third-and-7. Trotter completed 5 of 12 passes for 62 yards with one touchdown.
Matthys liked the drive the Cardinals had in the fourth quarter, but he was concerned by the turnover.
"We ate up the clock," he said. "We should have had points on that drive."
The Cardinals gave up four plays of 15 yards or more. Eliminating big plays will be key against Big Foot next week.
"We have to play sound football," Matthys said. "We have to step up and play better."
