MONROE — The Cheesemakers celebrated homecoming week with a parade and a 42-6 thumping of Madison Edgewood on the gridiron. The Oct. 18 Week 9 victory catapulted Monroe into the WIAA Division 3 playoffs where Onalaska awaits.

“We prepared well. It was an exciting week. We came to practice every day and worked hard — we were prepared for this,” junior Tyler Matley said.

Edgewood showed little fight as the Monroe offensive and defensive line overpowered them all game, save for one drive. The Crusaders recovered an onside kick to open the game and then marched 50 yards on five plays to go up 6-0. A second attempt at an onside kick was futile, as the ball trickled out of bounds.

“We knew what was going to happen, but they ended up making the play. They executed the underdog play perfectly,” Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. “It’s exactly what I would have done in the same situation — you have nothing to lose and you get your bench fired up. We’ve been moving the ball very well and us not having the ball worked to their advantage.”

Monroe went on to out-gain Edgewood 385-125 in total offensive yards the rest of the way. The Cheesemakers amassed 325 rushing yards on 45 carries (7.2 yards per carry). Trevor Rodebaugh (145) and Nick Bansley (105) each picked up over 100 yards rushing for Monroe. The duo finished 1-2 in the conference in total rushing, with Rodebaugh taking the regular season rushing title. Rodebaugh amassed 1,170 yards in the regular season, and 983 in seven Badger South games.

“I’ve been paying attention to it a little bit. I’m pretty excited about it,” Rodebaugh said, adding that steak dinners for his five senior linemen would be an appropriate gift.

Monroe’s first touchdown came on a pass. After driving down to the Edgewood 7, a series of penalties and incomplete passes had the Cheesemakers facing a fourth-and-24 from the Edgewood 26. Max Golembiewski heaved a back-side post route pass to Bansley who saw little resistance in making the catch and stepping into the end zone. Rodebaugh made the extra point to put Monroe ahead 7-6, and the rout was on.

Monroe’s first four touchdown drives were all from 65 yards out. Rodebaugh scored on a 13-yard plunge with 11:11 left in the second quarter, and Tyler Matley capped another 65-yard drive with a 12-yard run less than four minutes later. Matley was untouched on his score, cutting up the field into an empty space and jogging the final 10 yards into the end zone.

“They came out with nothing to lose. They caught us off guard and punched us first. But we punched back and never stopped punching,” said senior Alex Witt.

Matley wasn’t done with his big game. He made a diving interception on a Joe Hartlieb pass just 76 seconds later — the first of Matley’s two interceptions. 

“I had more picks last year, and for me to get some more picks this year and help the team … I just want to be able to contribute,” Matley said.

Rodebaugh capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing kickoff, Rodebaugh sent a squib kick tumbling down the field. The ball evaded Edgewood returner Daniel James and Monroe junior Lukas Andersen recovered the kick at the Edgewood 13. Two plays later, Bansley scored on a toss from 12 yards away.

“They ended up misplaying that one, and we get back that opportunity by scoring on the one Andersen picks up,” Toby Golembiewski said.

Monroe nearly had another touchdown, but Rodebaugh fumbled into the end zone from the 1-yard-line.

“I would have liked for him to hang on to that one down at the 1. It would have made things a lot easier at the time,” Toby Golembiewski said.

The last score of the game came in the third quarter for Monroe, as Rodebaugh scampered 51 yards up the field to get into the red zone thanks to a big down field block by Bansley. Two plays later, Rodebaugh finished what he started and rumbled 22 yards to cap the 71-yard drive with a score and start the running clock.

“There’s some serious excitement going on,” Rodebaugh said of the mood in the locker room.

Max Golembiewski was 3 of 8 passing for 60 yards with a touchdown. Matley added 65 yards on the ground on eight carries. Alex Witt added a 32-yard catch late in the first half.

Monroe returns to the postseason for the third time in four years under Toby Golembiewski. The Cheesemakers had made the playoffs just once in the previous 10 years prior.

“It’s just exciting. We worked so hard over the offseason and every week during practice. It was hard to get everyone on board, but once they started to buy in around Week 4, Week 5, we just went from there,” Matley said.

After the game, none of the players or coaches knew where the team would be headed in the postseason — the WIAA pairings were released nearly 14 hours later.

“I’m just happy we’re in the postseason. I’ve been the ball boy since I was 10-years old, so this field, playing my last game here, I’m very emotional. I’m sad I won’t get another game here, but I’m happy to keep playing,” Witt said. “We know we can get a big upset — we upset Watertown and Milton. If we make a few changes, I think we can be right there with (any of) them.”

Now a 3-hour drive awaits as the Cheesemakers will have to face Mississippi Valley Conference champion Onalaska in the opening round of the D3 playoffs. Onalaska is the No. 2 seed, and Monroe drew the 7-seed. 

“We’ll see how it plays out. Sometimes it’s like we’re getting off an NFL bus, and other times it’s like we’re getting off a Willie Nelson tour bus. Some of the mistakes we’ve made, we should have been way more competitive. So, who knows — it’s all who shows up,” Toby Golembiewski said.

Unbeaten DeForest, which in Week 9 toppled its biggest rival — mighty Waunakee — is the top seed in the group of eight. Stoughton (7-2) drew the No. 3 seed, with Reedsburg (7-2) the four. Reedsburg’s only two losses this year were to DeForest and Waunakee, each ranked among the top teams in the state this season. Sparta, which finished second to Onalaska in the MVC, is the 5-seed, while Sauk Prairie (6-3) is the six and travels to Stoughton. McFarland (6-3) travels to DeForest.

Should Monroe pick up an upset at Onalaska, the Cheesemakers would have a redemption game against either Sauk Prairie or Stoughton in Level 2. Both teams beat Monroe in the regular season — Sauk Prairie with a 1-point victory at home, while Stoughton embarrassed the Cheesemakers at T.R. Holyoke Field in Week 8.

“Every week is different. Little mistakes get us. We just have to come out and not make little mistakes,” Rodebaugh said.