NEW GLARUS - Marshall is a good team for a reason. Not only is the Cardinals' defense staunch and quick off the ball, but the offense, led by quarterback Albert Unruh and running back Cole Hansen, can score in bunches.
"Something I tell my guys is that sometimes you can play your hearts out, but you still have to tip your cap to the other team," New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said after his team's 48-14 loss. "We played a good football team and they took it to us. Good teams make their own luck and they've been a good team for a while now."
Unruh combined for 260 total yards in the game, and Hansen had 161 rushing yards and six total touchdowns as Marshall (4-1, 1-0 Capitol South) sent the Knights (2-3, 0-1) down in the standings.
"They worked the ball," NGM senior QB Lukas Kolasch said. "I'll give credit to their quarterback, fullback and offensive line - they took it to us. They did what they needed to do (and) followed all of their responsibilities. They were the better team. I tip my cap to them."
NGM opened the game on offense and things couldn't have gone any worse. A fumble on the opening snap was negated by a false start, then Gabe Noyce lost 6 and 5 yards on back-to-back failed counter runs. A 3rd-and-26 scramble by Lukas Kolasch gained back only two yards, and Kolasch tried to outrun Marshall's defense on fourth down out of a punt formation, but came up 23 yards short.
"They were really aggressive and just flew to the ball. We couldn't get anything going," said junior Spencer Jones. "They're quick off the ball."
Marshall kept the momentum alive, handing the ball off twice to Hansen, who barreled 14 and 2 yards for the game's first score.
But NGM didn't stay down long. On 3rd-and-5, Kolasch dashed 52 yards up the right sideline on an option keeper to inside the 10. On 4th-and-goal from the three, Kolasch rolled right and connected with Jones to tie it up at 7.
"I'm pretty proud of our guys," Eichelkraut said. "We faced a little bit of adversity there for a while and responded."
Then, the Knights converted a surprise onside kick to get the ball back, but turned it over on downs seven plays later.
"I believed that we could come back at any time," Kolasch said, "And you have to do that."
NGM could only hold the Cardinals offense so long at that point. Marshall scored with 10:27 left in the second on a short score by Hansen, that followed a 20-yard gain on third down by Unruh.
Not even six minutes later, Hansen scored his third goal to make it 21-7; and with 2:43 left, Hansen capped a three-play, 37-yard drive with his fourth TD.
On the following possession, Noyce connected on a deep pass to Kolasch, who was wide open on the back side for a 41-yard score, trimming Marshall's lead to 28-14 with just 1:04 left in the half. But the Cardinals came roaring right back, scoring with 21 seconds to go on a 51-yard catch and run from Unruh to Thurston Schuster, who juked two Knights out of their shoes on the way to the big house.
"Credit to them, they'll go far this year," Jones said of Marshall.
Marshall would add a score in each the third and fourth quarters, and the second strings for both teams played the final 7-plus minutes.
The Cardinals had 365 rushing yards, with Unruh gaining 141 yards on 16 carries, and 468 total yards of offense. NGM, meanwhile, had just 227 total yards, including 146 on the ground. Kolasch led the Knights with 97 rushing yards on 11 carries, and had three catches for 79 yards.
The good news for the Knights, next week's opponent, rival Belleville-Albany, is winless and has battled a score of injuries. Also, a win over the Wildcats and Wisconsin Heights (1-4) would put the Knights one win away from qualifying for the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
"We can't lose sight of what our goals are. We have a lot of young guys out there and I thought they played very well. They played to win," Eichelkraut said. "I don't think we do anything different. We just have to go out and try to win the next play."
The season has not only been a struggle with wins and losses, but New Glarus student Alex Troxler died the week school started. Jones said that the loss of one of his best friends still stays with him, and that the team is keeping their thoughts for Troxler in mind as they move forward.
"He's always in the back of our minds," Jones said. "It's hard, but we have to get past it and use it as motivation. We can't dwell on it."
"Something I tell my guys is that sometimes you can play your hearts out, but you still have to tip your cap to the other team," New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said after his team's 48-14 loss. "We played a good football team and they took it to us. Good teams make their own luck and they've been a good team for a while now."
Unruh combined for 260 total yards in the game, and Hansen had 161 rushing yards and six total touchdowns as Marshall (4-1, 1-0 Capitol South) sent the Knights (2-3, 0-1) down in the standings.
"They worked the ball," NGM senior QB Lukas Kolasch said. "I'll give credit to their quarterback, fullback and offensive line - they took it to us. They did what they needed to do (and) followed all of their responsibilities. They were the better team. I tip my cap to them."
NGM opened the game on offense and things couldn't have gone any worse. A fumble on the opening snap was negated by a false start, then Gabe Noyce lost 6 and 5 yards on back-to-back failed counter runs. A 3rd-and-26 scramble by Lukas Kolasch gained back only two yards, and Kolasch tried to outrun Marshall's defense on fourth down out of a punt formation, but came up 23 yards short.
"They were really aggressive and just flew to the ball. We couldn't get anything going," said junior Spencer Jones. "They're quick off the ball."
Marshall kept the momentum alive, handing the ball off twice to Hansen, who barreled 14 and 2 yards for the game's first score.
But NGM didn't stay down long. On 3rd-and-5, Kolasch dashed 52 yards up the right sideline on an option keeper to inside the 10. On 4th-and-goal from the three, Kolasch rolled right and connected with Jones to tie it up at 7.
"I'm pretty proud of our guys," Eichelkraut said. "We faced a little bit of adversity there for a while and responded."
Then, the Knights converted a surprise onside kick to get the ball back, but turned it over on downs seven plays later.
"I believed that we could come back at any time," Kolasch said, "And you have to do that."
NGM could only hold the Cardinals offense so long at that point. Marshall scored with 10:27 left in the second on a short score by Hansen, that followed a 20-yard gain on third down by Unruh.
Not even six minutes later, Hansen scored his third goal to make it 21-7; and with 2:43 left, Hansen capped a three-play, 37-yard drive with his fourth TD.
On the following possession, Noyce connected on a deep pass to Kolasch, who was wide open on the back side for a 41-yard score, trimming Marshall's lead to 28-14 with just 1:04 left in the half. But the Cardinals came roaring right back, scoring with 21 seconds to go on a 51-yard catch and run from Unruh to Thurston Schuster, who juked two Knights out of their shoes on the way to the big house.
"Credit to them, they'll go far this year," Jones said of Marshall.
Marshall would add a score in each the third and fourth quarters, and the second strings for both teams played the final 7-plus minutes.
The Cardinals had 365 rushing yards, with Unruh gaining 141 yards on 16 carries, and 468 total yards of offense. NGM, meanwhile, had just 227 total yards, including 146 on the ground. Kolasch led the Knights with 97 rushing yards on 11 carries, and had three catches for 79 yards.
The good news for the Knights, next week's opponent, rival Belleville-Albany, is winless and has battled a score of injuries. Also, a win over the Wildcats and Wisconsin Heights (1-4) would put the Knights one win away from qualifying for the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
"We can't lose sight of what our goals are. We have a lot of young guys out there and I thought they played very well. They played to win," Eichelkraut said. "I don't think we do anything different. We just have to go out and try to win the next play."
The season has not only been a struggle with wins and losses, but New Glarus student Alex Troxler died the week school started. Jones said that the loss of one of his best friends still stays with him, and that the team is keeping their thoughts for Troxler in mind as they move forward.
"He's always in the back of our minds," Jones said. "It's hard, but we have to get past it and use it as motivation. We can't dwell on it."
