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Monroe trumps Greendale after tough loss at Sauk
hockey puck

GREENDALE — The Monroe co-op hockey team lost to Sauk Prairie 3-0 Nov. 29, but rebounded for a 5-3 win over Greendale Dec. 1.

In the loss to Sauk Prairie, the Eagles scored two power play goals in the second and another on even strength in the third. 

Heath Bear had 50 saves in net for Monroe, which was out-shot 53-12 in the contest. Sauk Prairie was charged with just one penalty in the game to the Cheesemakers’ four.

Two days later Monroe rebounded from an early deficit to grab its second win of the season.

Greendale scored two power play goals in the first period to go up 2-0, but Monroe’s Colton O’Connor scored off assists from Jared Cline and Jared Dillon just 1:10 into the second period to put the Cheesemakers on the board. Hayden Roth tied it up less than three minutes later off of passes from Cooper Dreyfus and O’Connor.

With less than five minutes to play in the second, Monroe took the lead as Kaiden Klitzke scored an even strength goal. In the third, Cline made it 4-2 off a pass from Roth. Dreyfus scored an empty net goal with 1:19 to play to make it 5-2. Greendale’s final goal came with an extra man on the ice with just 49 seconds left but couldn’t get any closer in part thanks to a cross-checking penalty as tempers flared by Greendale’s Jordan Ouellette.

Eleven penalties were called in the game — six of which were on the Cheesemakers. Bear stopped 22 of the 25 shots against him, while his teammates put 24 shots on goal at the other end. Greendale goalie Jason Cooke missed the final four and a half minutes after an unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty.

Monroe (2-2) hosts Oregon (2-0) Dec. 6 and then Janesville (1-1) Dec. 10.

Cheesemakers open season with three wins in Tennessee
Softball pitcher mound

For the fourth year in a row, the Monroe Cheesemakers opened their softball season at the Cal Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Cheesemakers went 3-1 in the four games played, beating New Richmond of Ohio, 6-1, and losing to Mogadore of Ohio, 15-2, on Tuesday March 25. On Wednesday March 26, the Cheesemakers played two more Ohio schools. Monroe beat Kenston 7-2, and Westerville North 9-7. Against New Richmond, senior catcher Brinley Roidt went 3x4 with a triple and a home run and drove in two runs. The home run was her 14th career home run, the most in Cheesemaker history. Junior pitcher Kaegan Paulson scattered five hits and allowed just one run. Paulson struck out six and walked just two batters.

In their second game on Tuesday March 25, Magadore erupted for nine runs in the fifth inning to beat the Cheesemakers 15-2.  Monroe was limited to just four hits and single runs in the first and third innings. 

The Cheesemakers bounced back on Wednesday March 26 with a pair of victories. The Cheesemakers started the day with a 7-2 win over the Kenston Bombers behind the pitching of Kaegan Paulson, who allowed just one hit. Sophomore rightfielder Paizley Kundert smacked a home run and Roidt knocked in four runs to lead Monroe.

The Cheesemakers won a slugfest with Westerville North in the second game, 9-7. A six-run third inning propelled the Cheesemakers to the win. Senior Sophie Golembiewski got the win in the pitching circle for Monroe. Roidt drove in another four runs while Golembiewski and freshman shortstop Jayde Hawkinson scored two runs each.

The Cheesemakers (3-1) played their home opener on Tuesday April 1 at Twining Park.


Pecatonica Opens With A Pair Of Losses in Softball

The Pecatonica Vikings have opened the season 0-2 after losing to Fennimore, 7-0 on Tuesday March 25, and 1-0 to Richland Center on Thursday March 27. Against the Richland Center Hornets, the Vikings were held to just four base hits. The Hornets pushed across a run in the bottom of the 6th inning for the only run of the game. Senior Diana Hendrickson pitched a solid game, allowing just six hits while striking out six and she walked none.  Pecatonica (0-2) traveled to Platteville for a non-conference game on Tuesday April 1.


Brodhead Cardinals Begin Softball Season With Win 

The Brodhead Cardinals began their 2025 season with a 7-4 win over the Fall Creek Crickets on Friday March 28 at Brodhead. Senior Ava Risum starred for the Cardinals, pitching all seven innings, allowing 11 hits and four runs, of which three runs were earned. Risum walked two and struck out 11 batters. Risum also hit a solo home run for the Cardinals. Junior Leah Rear was 2x2 and drove in two runs and second baseman Keagan Steinke was 2x3 with a run scored. It was the first career win for Brodhead coach Chad Risum, a former football player and wrestler for Brodhead in the 1990s. The Cardinals traveled to Whitewater for a non-conference game on Tuesday April 1 and are at home against Delavan-Darien on Thursday April 3 at 5:00 p.m.


Iowa-Grant Rolls Past Argyle-Black Hawk in Softball

The Iowa-Grant Panthers scored eight of their 10 runs in the first three innings to hand Argyle-Black Hawk a 10-4 loss in non-conference action on Tuesday March 25. Junior leftfielder Brinley Meinert went 2x2 with an RBI and senior 2nd baseman Sara Helfvogt went 2x2 with an RBI and a run scored. Argyle-Black Hawk played another non-conference game at Darlington on Tuesday April 1.