MONROE - Monona Grove spoiled the Cheesemakers' homecoming Friday, driving the ball for six methodical touchdowns en route to a 37-0 win.
"They (Monona Grove) play hard and they're going to hit you in the mouth when they can," said senior Nick Walker, a two-way player on the line. "We played hard, but the score definitely doesn't show how hard we played."
The Silver Eagles, ranked No. 3 in the state in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, went 70 yards on the game's opening drive and never looked back. Leading 18-0 to open the second half, Monona Grove's Logan Twing picked off a Cam Elmer pass on the first play of the third quarter. That set up another touchdown and increased Monroe's deficit to 24-0.
"That one hurt a little bit," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said. "We schemed something up and it wasn't there, but Monona Grove made a nice play. That was a big one. If we could have come out of halftime 18-7 instead of 24-0, it would've been a big difference."
The Silver Eagles increased their lead to running-clock status with 7 minutes, 39 seconds left in the game.
Quarterback Dylann Rauch was 11 for 14 passing for 188 yards and four scores. Zach Zweifel had 103 receiving yards and two scores and Logan Twing Brad Emmerich added two more scores for Monona Grove (7-0, 5-0 Badger South).
Monroe had a chance to take an early lead. Responding to Monona Grove's first-quarter touchdown, Jon Becker broke off a 59-yard run to put the Cheesemakers at the Silver Eagles' 11-yard line. Monona Grove's defense, which has allowed just 13 points all season, held up and Monroe was faced with a fourth-and-2 from the 3-yard line.
Becker's 20-yard field goal try sputtered and hit the crossbar, bouncing back into the field of play.
"It was a really great feeling. I really didn't expect to break one that long," Becker said. "I was sure we were going to pound it in (to the end zone). Everyone would have been jacked up."
Becker had another big play in the second. From the single wing offense, wide receiver Evan Brady took a reverse and chucked a deep pass to Becker up the left sideline. Becker, a junior running back, was knocked out of bounds 39 yards later, giving the Cheesemakers a first down at the MG 35. Three plays later, Monroe was forced to punt.
"We had a couple of tricks up our sleeve early to try and get into the ball game," Miller said. "We had some opportunities. We thought if we could make it a close ball game right away and make them a little uncomfortable that might be our best shot at these guys."
The Cheesemakers have dealt with adversity all season - first they lost their two quarterbacks and had other key players miss time, and this week stud linebackers, seniors Drew Nafzger and Cam Wahl, were lost. Nafzger didn't even play in the game and Wahl fractured a leg in the second quarter.
"Our kids have dealt with adversity this year, there's no doubt about that," Miller said. "But our kids have dealt very well with that. The next ones will step in and be ready to play. But you have to feel bad for a kid like Cam Wahl, losing the end of his senior year. He's one of the best kids I've ever worked with."
Monroe gained just 153 total yards of offense and five first downs. Monona Grove had 408 yards and 20 first downs in the ball game.
"Everyone knows how good MG's defense is," Walker said. "It would have been great to get a win - senior year, Homecoming against the No. 3-ranked team in state. It would have been a great moment in a season that hasn't gone our way."
Monroe (0-7, 0-5) has just two games left to get a win this season - next Friday at Stoughton (3-4, 1-3) and home against Portage (1-6) Oct. 20.
"I have not seen any quit in our kids this year, no matter what the circumstance. Despite adversity and losing a couple close games, they've hung in there," Miller said.
Walker knows the last two will be his last with the playoffs out of the picture.
"These next two we're just going to go have fun and try to win like we do every game," Walker said.
"They (Monona Grove) play hard and they're going to hit you in the mouth when they can," said senior Nick Walker, a two-way player on the line. "We played hard, but the score definitely doesn't show how hard we played."
The Silver Eagles, ranked No. 3 in the state in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, went 70 yards on the game's opening drive and never looked back. Leading 18-0 to open the second half, Monona Grove's Logan Twing picked off a Cam Elmer pass on the first play of the third quarter. That set up another touchdown and increased Monroe's deficit to 24-0.
"That one hurt a little bit," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said. "We schemed something up and it wasn't there, but Monona Grove made a nice play. That was a big one. If we could have come out of halftime 18-7 instead of 24-0, it would've been a big difference."
The Silver Eagles increased their lead to running-clock status with 7 minutes, 39 seconds left in the game.
Quarterback Dylann Rauch was 11 for 14 passing for 188 yards and four scores. Zach Zweifel had 103 receiving yards and two scores and Logan Twing Brad Emmerich added two more scores for Monona Grove (7-0, 5-0 Badger South).
Monroe had a chance to take an early lead. Responding to Monona Grove's first-quarter touchdown, Jon Becker broke off a 59-yard run to put the Cheesemakers at the Silver Eagles' 11-yard line. Monona Grove's defense, which has allowed just 13 points all season, held up and Monroe was faced with a fourth-and-2 from the 3-yard line.
Becker's 20-yard field goal try sputtered and hit the crossbar, bouncing back into the field of play.
"It was a really great feeling. I really didn't expect to break one that long," Becker said. "I was sure we were going to pound it in (to the end zone). Everyone would have been jacked up."
Becker had another big play in the second. From the single wing offense, wide receiver Evan Brady took a reverse and chucked a deep pass to Becker up the left sideline. Becker, a junior running back, was knocked out of bounds 39 yards later, giving the Cheesemakers a first down at the MG 35. Three plays later, Monroe was forced to punt.
"We had a couple of tricks up our sleeve early to try and get into the ball game," Miller said. "We had some opportunities. We thought if we could make it a close ball game right away and make them a little uncomfortable that might be our best shot at these guys."
The Cheesemakers have dealt with adversity all season - first they lost their two quarterbacks and had other key players miss time, and this week stud linebackers, seniors Drew Nafzger and Cam Wahl, were lost. Nafzger didn't even play in the game and Wahl fractured a leg in the second quarter.
"Our kids have dealt with adversity this year, there's no doubt about that," Miller said. "But our kids have dealt very well with that. The next ones will step in and be ready to play. But you have to feel bad for a kid like Cam Wahl, losing the end of his senior year. He's one of the best kids I've ever worked with."
Monroe gained just 153 total yards of offense and five first downs. Monona Grove had 408 yards and 20 first downs in the ball game.
"Everyone knows how good MG's defense is," Walker said. "It would have been great to get a win - senior year, Homecoming against the No. 3-ranked team in state. It would have been a great moment in a season that hasn't gone our way."
Monroe (0-7, 0-5) has just two games left to get a win this season - next Friday at Stoughton (3-4, 1-3) and home against Portage (1-6) Oct. 20.
"I have not seen any quit in our kids this year, no matter what the circumstance. Despite adversity and losing a couple close games, they've hung in there," Miller said.
Walker knows the last two will be his last with the playoffs out of the picture.
"These next two we're just going to go have fun and try to win like we do every game," Walker said.
