MONROE — The Cheesemakers scored nine goals in two home games, but allowed another nine and split the difference in the wins and losses columns. On Jan. 9, Monroe defeated Milton 7-3, but two days later dropped a nonconference game to KMMO 6-2.

Seven Cheesemakers scored against Milton in a Badger Conference win. Brody Goode, Brody Koehn, Cameron Newcomer, Carter Nemergut, Beau Janecke, Benjamin Erdley and Hans Brandt all lit the lamp.

Monroe led 2-0 after the first period, and 4-0 at the second intermission. Less than a minute into the third, Janecke’s goal made it a 5-0 rout.

However, the Red Hawks wouldn’t go down without a fight. The visitors scored three straight goals in a six-minute stretch during the third to bring it to a two-goal deficit with 8:45 left to play. 

With 2:16 left, Erdley sent the puck into the back of the net on a power play, giving the home crowd some room to breathe again. With just one second left, Brandt’s puck crossed through the crease for the final goal.

Net-minder Brogan Hoelscher had 27 saves for the Cheesemakers. Erdley had three assists, Patrick Alt had two assists, and Nemergut, Goode, Jace Daughenbaugh and Tyson Folgate and Blake Folgate had one assist each.

Two days later at home against KMMO, Brock Brandli faced 35 shots in goal, saving 29 as the Cheesemakers lost 6-2.

KMMO jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, and led by as much as 5-0 in the second before Koehn put the puck into the net off an assist from Erdley. Cam Newcomer made it 5-2 early in the third on a pass from Alt, but that was it for Monroe’s scoring, as KMMO’s Cole Duncan put them hammer down with one final goal just two minutes later.

As of press time, Monroe had just eight games left in the regular season. The Cheesemakers were scheduled to play at Janesville on Jan. 14, then return home for tilts against McFarland (Jan. 21) and Viroqua (Jan. 23) the following week.