MONROE — Just six days after getting their lowest point total of the season (46 points) in a loss to East Troy, the Monroe Cheesemakers produced their highest point total of the season in a 102-43 rout of the Jefferson Eagles in Rock Valley Conference, Valley Division action on Monday, Feb. 23.

Ten different Cheesemakers made 19 three-pointers and 16 of 17 varsity players scored in what was the last regular season game at the Monroe High School gym. The Cheesemakers will play in a new high school facility next year.

Senior Mekhi Brown scored 18 points, senior Logan Taylor scored 17 points, junior Graysan Bartholf added 15 points, and junior Kam Gerber-Reamer dropped in 13 points to lead the scoring barrage for Monroe.

The Cheesemakers dominated right from the opening tip as Taylor grabbed the ball and immediately scored on a layup. A three by Taylor followed by a layup by Brown gave Monroe a 12-0 lead with 14:03 left in the first half.

Senior Miles Versnik scored on an assist by Taylor and Gerber-Reamer made a layup to put Monroe up 26-13 with 7:32 remaining in the half. Bartholf’s three put Monroe in control at 38-15. Brown and junior Lukas Gerber scored baskets in the final minutes of the first half to give Monroe a 50-21 halftime lead.

Senior Xavier Hirsch made a three-pointer that pushed the Cheesemaker lead to 40 at 75-35 with 11 minutes to play. A field goal by Brown put Monroe ahead 84-37 with under nine minutes to play and began a running clock. In the closing seconds, sophomore Chase Huschitt drained a three from the right corner to put Monroe over 100 points.

Taylor was asked if he knew his team would explode for a lot of points when he scored right away on the opening tip. 

“Yeah, we knew that was gonna happen. We always try to tip it to me and I’m supposed to pass it to one side or the other, but I already had a lead so I just decided to take it for a layup right away,” Taylor said. 

Monroe coach Brian Bassett was impressed with his team’s offensive production as the Cheesemakers close the book on their high school gymnasium. 

“I think it was a good way to send this out. We always talk about the teams from the ’60s and how they put points on the board, so I think that is a great way to end this gymnasium. We shared the ball really, really well and spread the wealth and we’re pretty hard to guard,” Bassett said.

Prior to the game, the Cheesemakers honored eight seniors who played in their final regular season game at home: Brown, Taylor, Versnik, Hirsch, Marcus Ott, Will Keehn, Payton Herbst, and Max Hayden.

Monroe closed the regular season with an RVC-Valley road game scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26 at Whitewater. The Cheesemakers are a No. 3 seed for the Division 2 regionals and have a first round bye. They will play either 6-seed Stoughton or 11-seed Jefferson at home on Friday, March 6 in a regional semifinal.