ONALASKA — The Cheesemakers didn’t want to ride three hours on a bus just for the season to come to an end. While second-seeded Onalaska thought the game would be more of a pushover, seventh-seeded Monroe never lost focus and scored the largest upset of the Division 3 postseason.

“I didn’t want to end (the season) out here, driving three hours and then having to go back home,” Monroe senior Nick Bansley said after Monroe’s 31-30 nail-biting upset of Onalaska Oct. 25.

Thrice this season the Cheesemakers had been in a similar circumstance — leading a team with a stronger record in the second half and needing to make a play to close the door. The first situation came in Week 3 at Monona Grove, when the Silver Eagles turned a 4-point deficit into a 10-point win in the final five minutes. But Monroe converted their opportunities in Weeks 4 and 7, knocking off Watertown and Milton, both D2 playoff teams.

“You have to come to play during the playoffs — there’s no second and third chances. You have to get it done. We were looking for people to make plays, and we found them from tonight,” Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said.

Nursing a one-score lead in the second half, Monroe’s defense needed to step up — and it did, time and time again. 

Monroe took a 31-24 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Max Golembiewski to JT Seagreaves. From there the fate of the game sat on the shoulders of the defensive unit — which included Seagreaves, a sophomore.

“This was his game,” coach Golembiewski said. “He has loafed around in the second half of the season, and we hope he has woken up, because we like to see that JT. He was a problem for them. I love it.”

Onalaska’s ensuing drive lasted 11 plays, picking up three first downs and 55 yards. Faced with a fourth-and-9 at the Monroe 20, Hilltoppers quarterback Austin Larson took the shotgun snap and looked to his right for a throw in the flat — a favorite play for the home team on the night. Except this time Seagreaves, playing defensive end, put his arms in the air and swatted the ball away, forcing a turnover on downs.

“I knew what they were kind of going for. I knew they were passing a little bit and I just tried to get in there and make a play,” Seagreaves said.

Monroe’s next drive lasted just 20 yards and seven plays, but took nearly 4 1/2 minutes off the clock. A punt by Trevor Rodebaugh pushed the Hilltoppers back to their own 20, only for running back Nathan Lubinsky to break three tackles and bust open a 44-yard yard on the first play from scrimmage. Three plays later, Larson went to the side of Bansley, an all-conference corner, who intercepted the ball.

Larson had steered clear of Bansley throughout much of the first half, which helped the Hilltoppers to three scoring drives. In the second half, Monroe’s lockdown corner was tested time and time again — and proved his mettle snap after snap.

“I just wasn’t letting that get in my head. I just stayed on my wide receiver and knew it was going to be coming. When it did, I made a play on the ball. I just went out there and did my best,” Bansley said.

With 6:05 on the clock at their own 19, the Cheesemakers knew winning the clock was pivotal to capping the upset. Monroe gained 28 yards on the first three plays of the drive to get near midfield, but soon after faced a tough decision on third-and-9. Onalaska called timeout with 3:28 with hopes of getting the ball back. After Bansley was tackled for a loss on a sweep, Rodebaugh’s punt was downed at the Onalaska 21. 

Seven plays later, Larson connected with Hudson Weber from 34-yards away for a touchdown to bring the score to within a point.

Onalaska’s point-after attempts struggled all game. After the team’s first touchdown in the opening quarter, the extra point was blocked by Seagreaves, who stands 6-6 and is a state-qualifying high jumper in track. The Hilltoppers missed another extra point, then failed to convert a fake kick and a direct rushing attempt on the other three scores. 

“I was obviously very nervous. We didn’t want them to get that 2-point conversion. But you have to have full confidence in your defense to make that play,” said Max Golembiewski, who watched from the sideline.

Coach Golembiewski called a timeout prior to the point after try to talk over strategy with his defense. The coaching staff had done its scouting work, because Onalaska lined up to run a 2-point play, deciding not to play for a tie. Instead of Larson passing, he pitched to his left to Lubinsky, who was swallowed up well short of the goal line by a swarming Cheesemakers defense.

“We couldn’t keep that guy under five yards a carry the rest of the game and we stuffed him there,” coach Golembiewski said.

Onalaska was forced to attempt an onside kick, but the ball didn’t make it the 10-yards necessary and Monroe took over near midfield. Onalaska used its final timeout after the first play of the drive — a 4-yard run by Rodebaugh — and Monroe milked every second available off the clock over the final three plays. Faced with a fourth-and-12 from the Cheesemakers’ 49, Golembiewski opted to punt again. Rodebaugh saved his best kick for last — a high, spiraling kick that was fielded at the 15 and returned to the 20. 

With just 3.7 seconds left, Onalaska tried to lateral their way to a miracle win. The play seemingly lasted through the weekend, but Monroe recovered a fumble by Larson on the far (and a flag for block in the back would have negated any other result as well). Players from both teams stayed on the ground from exhaustion after the play, but the Cheesemakers’ sidelines erupted in celebration at the final whistle.

“It’s great. I’m at a loss of words. It’s so much fun to be with this team. I knew I didn’t want it to end this week. No one wanted it to be the last game,” Max Golembiewski said.

From the start Monroe had big things on its mind. The opening drive of the game ended with a 56-yard TD pass from Max Golembiewski to Seagreaves.

“A good pass inside,” Seagreaves said of Max Golembiewski’s rollout toss. “I made a move to get past the other guy and beat him down the sideline.”

“It was a bit of a surprise — we were just trying to get the first down, then he broke it free. That was a really good way to get the momentum on our side to start the game,” Max said.

The following kick return by Michael Savarin nearly added to the momentum, as Onalaska’s returner fumbled the ball after getting hit by Preston Ambrose and Deion Hargrove. The Hilltoppers recovered at their own 22, and on the very next snap, Larson went deep to Landon Peterson, who made the catch and went untouched for a 78-yard score with 8:10 left in the first.

“Not playing from behind changes everything. It keeps our kids calm and it keeps them less then panicked. That’s always good. (Onalaska) struck back, but that just evens the score — it doesn’t put them ahead,” coach Golembiewski said.

Monroe’s next drive lasted 14 plays and nearly 60 yards, but the Cheesemakers had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Rodebaugh to take a 10-6 lead. 

Onalaska went 3-and-out on the next drive, and Seagreaves again tipped the booted ball on the punt rush. However, Tyler Matley touched the bouncing ball after the kick and Onalaska recovered at the Monroe 23. Five plays later, Lubinsky scored from a yard out and the Hilltoppers moved ahead 12-10.

Monroe’s next drive went for 81 yards, with Bansley running behind Dusty Gough for the final eight yards into the end zone. Rodebaugh’s extra point made it 17-12, Monroe, but Onalaska countered again with another quick strike, going 83 yards through the air on the very next play to take an 18-17 advantage.

Monroe scored the final TD of the first half when Bansley ran across the goal line on a jet sweep from 21-yards out with 57 seconds left. The Cheesemakers went for 2 with Bansley again moving to his right before cutting back up the field. A late stretch with the ball in hand appeared to cross the end line, but the official blew the play dead. Seagreaves, Bodie Minder and Caleb Bunker collected sacks on the following Onalaska possession, and the Cheesemakers went into the locker room with a 23-18 lead.

Max Golembiewski finished the night 5 of 6 for 99 yards and two touchdowns — with a QB passer rating of 158.3. Larson, meanwhile, was 20 of 34 for 383 yards, three touchdowns, an interception and a 115.2 rating.

Rodebaugh ran 29 times for 157 yards. Bansley had 90 yards on 15 carries and Matley gained 66 yards on nine carries — the biggest of which was a 54-yard run in the third quarter that set up Monroe’s final touchdown. Seagreaves caught just two balls — for a collective 80 yards and two scores, the first two the season for Monroe’s featured wideout.

Lubinsky had 113 yards rushing and two scores for Onalaska. Weber had 158 yards receiving with two scores, and Peterson finished with 106 yards on three catches with a score.

“Guys battled back after severe adversity — we make a mistake on a punt return; we give up some bad passes. The kids could have mentally folded, but they stayed strong and stayed the course and finished the job,” coach Golembiewski said.

The Cheesemakers advance to Level 2 for just the second time in 16 seasons. Stoughton, which rocked Monroe 53-18 in Week 8, will host the Nov. 1 game.

“We’re just going to watch film, make sure our coverage is better and move on from there,” Bansley said.

Stoughton (8-2) knocked off Sauk Prairie (6-4), which had beaten Monroe in the regular season opener.

“I think we know what not to do against (Stoughton),” Max Golembiewski said. “We’re going to have a lot of confidence after this one — this was a big game. I think we’ll be just fine.”

Notes: Bansley is 25 yards away from 1,000 on the season, while Rodebaugh now has 1,327. … Monroe senior Julian Gruber was lost with a knee injury on the second play from scrimmage against Onalaska. Gruber started on both the offensive and defensive lines all season and was all-conference on both sides of the ball as a junior in 2018. … Patrick Rielly, another senior and two-way player, injured his hand and finished the game with a tape job resembling a club. “We’re just going to need to take what we have left. Without Julian, I don’t know if we’re going to get him back; Patrick is banged up. We’ll have to see what we have left. That could completely adjust our plan,” coach Golembiewski said.