MONROE — The Cheesemakers are still looking for their first win of the season after a 3-0 loss to Stoughton on Youth Night, held Sept. 27. Despite struggling with injuries and new additions to the team, Monroe has started to find a groove and the players are understanding their roles on the pitch.
“We tried the 4-3-3 and gave up the wings a little bit, and luckily we didn’t get punished on it,” said Monroe coach Matt Bodeau. “We just made a few mistakes in the middle, but we haven’t worked on that 4-3-3, so we didn’t communicate our marks very well. After we switched back to the 4-4-2, which is something we feel more comfortable with and have played 75% of this season so far, we seemed to figure ourselves out.”
Monroe kept Stoughton off the board for much of the first half, but back-to-back goals in less than a minute took it from anyone’s-ball-game to sunken heads and hearts for the home team.
“Unfortunately we have three senior starters from our back line out. Hopefully that changes after this game,” Bodeau said. “Obviously we’d like to put some goals in, and that was our priority in the first half, but we failed to do that. After that it was just patching holes because of those injuries.”
Stoughton got another goal in the second half, as sophomore keeper Hudson Davis stepped out a little too far on a rush and got caught in no-man’s-land.
“The second they make that last breakaway pass away from the defender, you have to either step up or stay back and hope they don’t dribble up to you,” Davis said.
The ache of letting a goal trickle through no doubt hurt, but Davis took an actual beating in the game. Multiple times a hard rush by a Vikings player ended in a collision in the box, twice delaying the game to check on his injury status. The second time, late in the second half, he came away cleated on the thigh.
“It’s tough, but you have to get back up. At the end of the day, it’s your job and you just have to go and play,” Davis said.
He was also thrust into the starting role this year, but has taken full ownership control of the position. He said he’s watched himself grow more and more each game.
“I haven’t grown this fast in my entire soccer career. It’s been helpful,” Davis said.
Bodeau has also seen major growth, toughness and leadership in his keeper.
“His talk is what we need on the team, for sure. A couple players have stood out this year of wanting to push the group, and he is definitely one of them, for sure,” Bodeau said. “He’s a great kid. You have to watch those kids that are willing to put everything on the line and keep them safe.”
Bodeau said several young players are stepping their game up this season as well. Trenton Wyss, Brock Brandli and newcomer Juver Aguirre have all found ways to step in and contribute.
Monroe’s run doesn’t get any easier, as No. 2 Oregon was set to come to town Sept. 29, then the following week play three games in four days.
“We’ll probably play some simpler formations that we are more comfortable with. It’ll make it easier for players to slide around,” Bodeau said.
Sugar River 7, Platteville-Lancaster 2
BELLEVILLE — The sixth-ranked Raiders made a statement in the first half against Platteville Lancaster on Sept. 27, scoring four goals.
Sugar River (13-1-1) received scored from Reid Nolden, Aiden Hatleberg, Dylan Brooks and Tikeh Tazeh in the first half, while Jack Leonard, Hatleberg and Nathan Hendrickson scored in the second half. Hatleberg added three assists. Eli Leonard had two assists and Tazeh added another assist. Clayton Streiff had nine save in net for the Raiders.
Up next is an Oct. 4 home matchup against Wisconsin Dells (10-0), ranked seventh and also unbeaten in the Capitol Conference this season.
