MONROE — Needing one more win with two games to go to guarantee a spot in the WIAA Division 3 playoffs, Monroe fans were left with little to cheer about in Week 8. The Cheesemakers fell apart in the second quarter and lost to Stoughton 53-18 Oct. 11.

“We just have to hang on to the ball. They helped us with penalties, we executed well, I thought we had a pretty good system going into it, it just wasn’t enough,” said Monroe head coach Toby Golembiewski. “You throw in a bit of a sloppy field, and they were better at handling it than us, and it wasn’t our night.”

With wind chill temperatures sitting in the low 30s, many expected a tough, grind-it-out game between the Vikings (6-2, 5-1) and Monroe (4-4, 3-3). Each team came into the game with a realistic shot at a conference title. The Cheesemakers are now out of that race, while the Vikings have their eyes set on the final Badger South prize before realignment switches everything up next fall.

“We made a lot of mental mistakes we shouldn’t have,” said Monroe junior lineman Caleb Bunker.

Monroe opened the game strong. Stoughton tried an onside kickoff to start the game, but senior lineman Dusty Gough recovered at the Monroe 48. Moments later, the Cheesemakers were faced with a four down at the Stoughton 44. Nick Bansley then went five yards up the first for a fresh set of downs. After an offsides penalty from Stoughton, one of 15 penalties for 125 yards in the game on the Vikings, Trevor Rodebaugh found a seam up the middle for a 28-yard gain. Two plays later, Tyler Matley took a sweep to the left for the score and a 6-0 Monroe advantage.

It was the last time the Cheesemakers would lead.

A big kick return from Stoughton speedster Nathan Hutcherson gave the Vikings the ball at the Monroe 48. Quarterback Adam Hobson and running back Brooks Empey ran the read-option against the Cheesemakers defense swiftly, with Hobson scoring from a yard out after a 12-play drive. 

Stoughton’s opening drive was a sign of things to come. Hobson would finish with 79 rushing yards and two TDs on 13 carries in the game, while Empey had 221 yards rushing and three scores on 13 touches. At 6-2, 215-pounds, Empey ran through Cheesemaker tacklers all game — and he isn’t the normal starter. Quinn Arnott, who has 797 rushing yards on the season, was sidelined for the game with an injury.

Hobson also took advantage through the air. The conference’s leading passer this fall, Hobson was an efficient 9 of 12 passing for 212 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to his backup in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Hobson’s favorite target was Hutcherson, who caught four passes for 162 yards — and three touchdowns.

“They had more athletic personnel in their offense than we could put in on defense — it’s just that plain and simple,” Golembiewski said.

With the skills positions crowded with talent, Stoughton’s biggest threat is its biggest player — senior Jack Nelson, a 6-7, 283-pound lineman. Nelson has already committed to play for the Badgers in 2020.

“It was scary at first because he’s big and he’s got a full ride to Wisconsin,” said Bunker, who lined up against Nelson on offense and defense. Bunker is five inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter than Nelson. “As the game went on, I got more comfortable going up against him. I think I did pretty good.”

After Stoughton’s first touchdown and extra point made it 7-6, Monroe’s next drive looked promising. The Cheesemakers marched 59 yards down the field but fumbled the ball away from their own 20 on a handoff. Stoughton then went on a 15-play, 80-yard drive, capped with an Empey score from a yard out. The ensuing kickoff was a squib kick that bounced off the hands of Monroe’s Aidan Sweeney and was recovered by the Vikings. Hobson found Hutcherson two plays later for a 32-yard score on a wide-open wheel route.

“We cough up the ball in the red zone, and if we don’t, then maybe we put points on the board and we can match up with them,” Golembiewski said. 

The final seven minutes of the second quarter saw six touchdowns scored — just two of which were by Monroe. The Cheesemakers next drive was sparked by a 29-yard pass from Max Golembiewski to Matley. Bansley scored from two yards out a moment later to make it 19-12 with 3:56 left in the second quarter. 

Stoughton’s next drive would last just two plays, as Empey scampered 63 yards on second-and-12 for a TD. After a Monroe punt, Empey took the next handoff 81 yards for another TD, giving the Vikings a 32-12 lead with 1:31 left in the first half. 

Monroe responded quickly. With a first down at the Stoughton 49, Max Golembiewski heaved a ball up the field, with Matley catching and making a quick turn and cut to get by the defenders for a score to make it 32-18.

Not to be outdone, the Vikings’ next possession also lasted just two plays, as Hobson connected with Hutcherson from 67 yards out with 24 seconds left as Bansley slipped in coverage.

Stoughton gave Monroe opportunities in the second half to catch up — coughing up the ball and getting hit with a couple crucial penalties — but the Cheesemakers were not able to take advantage.

Stoughton had 547 yards of offense in the game to Monroe’s 273, though the Cheesemakers had the ball for nearly 60% of the game. Rodebaugh finished with 89 rushing yards on 20 carries to lead Monroe, while Bansley had 68 yards on 10 attempts. Matley had two catches for 65 yards and added 25 yards receiving. Max Golembiewski was 3 of 8 passing for 72 yards. In the closing minutes of the game, Monroe sophomore Chase Stoerp found Jace Amacher for a 23-yard catch that was nearly worth six points. The Cheesemakers played their second- and third-string players for the final drives of the game.

“That was pretty much the matchup of last night,” Toby Golembiewski said of the two reserve squads playing at the end of the game. “Our JV team, which was out on the field, came up with a pretty good win against them, and our JV2 won as well. I think there are only one or two losses this season between those two teams, so they have earned that opportunity in one way or another to be out on that field.”

Monroe now enters homecoming week, with Madison Edgewood (1-7, 1-5) coming to town for the final regular season game in Week 9. Multiple projections of the WIAA postseason field have the Cheesemakers in the mix, however only a win will guarantee Monroe a spot in the Division 3 field. The WIAA requires an automatic playoff berth for any team with a conference winning percentage above .500. For teams that play an even-number of conference games, a .500 record is eligible, but not a lock.

“We’ve got to work hard in practice and get guys healthy. We can’t think about (Stoughton) now, we have to worry about Edgewood,” Bunker said.