MONROE - Somber Monroe football players could hear a pin drop in a postgame huddle after the Cheesemakers' playoff hopes were dashed in a 35-21 loss to Madison Edgewood Friday night.
Madison Edgewood senior quarterback Jack Dunn rushed for 220 yards and scored five touchdowns to propel the Crusaders to a win that burst Monroe's playoff bubble. Last year, Dunn racked up 325 total yards and scored six touchdowns to derail the Cheesemakers' playoff hopes in Edgewood's 40-27 victory.
"This one stings especially for the seniors," Monroe junior quarterback Tyler Elmer said. "I know how much the seniors wanted to win and go out and go to the playoffs."
Edgewood (1-6) scored 14 points off three Cheesemakers' turnovers. Monroe (3-4, 1-4 Badger South) had four drives stall and end in a change of possession on downs. The Cheesemakers rallied from a 14-point deficit with Elmer hooking up with junior Alex Tordoff on a 79-yard TD that helped tie the game at 21 late in the third quarter.
"It's impossible to simulate Jack Dunn in practice," Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "He's the best player in the conference. We were not able to play at their speed tonight."
The Cheesemakers needed to win their final two conference games against Edgewood and Fort Atkinson to become playoff eligible. It was a tough loss to take for the Cheesemakers who have showed flashes of high-quality play against Badger South Conference leader Milton, playing them to within a point with 51 seconds to go before losing 20-6.
It's a fine line between winning and losing as the game showed with the Crusaders winning their first game to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"I would have liked to see these guys make a playoff run this year," Miller said. "Unfortunately, it won't happen."
Elmer completed 12 of 24 passes for 192 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
With the Crusaders leading 28-21, the Cheesemakers got one final shot when senior middle linebacker Garrett Gogin recovered a fumble with 3 minutes, 57 seconds to go. The Cheesemakers had two back-breaking penalties on the drive - a block in the back and a personal foul that backed them up. Facing fourth-and-26 from their own
24-yard line, Elmer connected with Gogin on what appeared to be a 34-yard pass that he hauled in near the
Madison Edgewood senior quarterback Jack Dunn rushed for 220 yards and scored five touchdowns to propel the Crusaders to a win that burst Monroe's playoff bubble. Last year, Dunn racked up 325 total yards and scored six touchdowns to derail the Cheesemakers' playoff hopes in Edgewood's 40-27 victory.
"This one stings especially for the seniors," Monroe junior quarterback Tyler Elmer said. "I know how much the seniors wanted to win and go out and go to the playoffs."
Edgewood (1-6) scored 14 points off three Cheesemakers' turnovers. Monroe (3-4, 1-4 Badger South) had four drives stall and end in a change of possession on downs. The Cheesemakers rallied from a 14-point deficit with Elmer hooking up with junior Alex Tordoff on a 79-yard TD that helped tie the game at 21 late in the third quarter.
"It's impossible to simulate Jack Dunn in practice," Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "He's the best player in the conference. We were not able to play at their speed tonight."
The Cheesemakers needed to win their final two conference games against Edgewood and Fort Atkinson to become playoff eligible. It was a tough loss to take for the Cheesemakers who have showed flashes of high-quality play against Badger South Conference leader Milton, playing them to within a point with 51 seconds to go before losing 20-6.
It's a fine line between winning and losing as the game showed with the Crusaders winning their first game to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"I would have liked to see these guys make a playoff run this year," Miller said. "Unfortunately, it won't happen."
Elmer completed 12 of 24 passes for 192 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
With the Crusaders leading 28-21, the Cheesemakers got one final shot when senior middle linebacker Garrett Gogin recovered a fumble with 3 minutes, 57 seconds to go. The Cheesemakers had two back-breaking penalties on the drive - a block in the back and a personal foul that backed them up. Facing fourth-and-26 from their own
24-yard line, Elmer connected with Gogin on what appeared to be a 34-yard pass that he hauled in near the
