Oregon at Monroe
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
RECORDS: Monroe 6-0, 3-0 Badger South; Oregon 0-6, 0-4 Badger South
LAST WEEK: Monroe defeated Baraboo 34-7; Oregon lost to Milton 44-10.
LAST MEETING: Monroe beat Oregon 25-21 in a Week 5 homecoming game last year.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Monroe - Senior defensive back Carter Sawdey has a team-high five interceptions for a Cheesemakers' defense giving up 9.8 points per game. The Cheesemak-ers are limiting opposing teams to 99 rushing yards per game. Senior fullback Isaac Allen is third in the conference in rushing yards (651 yards) and has 13 touchdowns (11 rushing TDs, two receiving TDs); Oregon - The Panthers made a run to the Level 2 playoffs last year after topping Milton in a first-round game. Oregon fullback Brett Wannebo leads the team with 525 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Running back Kardelle Phillips is the leading receiver for the Panthers with 22 receptions for 153 yards.
MONROE - As Monroe High School football coach Toby Golembiewski sits in his office, he watches film of a counter criss-cross play Oregon broke loose for a big gain against Waunakee in its season opener.
It's a sign of some of the talent Oregon has on its team. However, injuries have sabotaged the Panthers, and they enter Friday's matchup at Monroe without a win this season.
The battered Panthers are looking to spoil the Cheesemakers' homecoming but have two players who have suffered season-ending dislocated elbow injuries. Injuries may have derailed the Panthers' aspirations of competing for a conference championship but knocking off an unbeaten Monroe team is a consolation prize they are seeking. When Oregon was in the conference title hunt last year, the Cheesemakers stunned the Panthers 25-21 on homecoming.
"This is a supposed David (Oregon) against a supposed Goliath (Monroe) and they are hoping the Goliath is looking past them on their homecoming," Golembiewski said. "They would love to send us away weeping. If Oregon wins it would be a major upset. It would be like the Appalachian State over Michigan from a couple of years ago. It's a dangerous game because it's human nature to be complacent, and people obviously read your newspaper. It's dangerous if we allow the extra activities and homecoming to be a distraction."
Monroe (6-0, 3-0 Badger South), ranked seventh in the WisSports.net Division 3 Coaches' poll, has handled adversity and kept potential distractions at a minimum. With two games remaining after Oregon, the Cheesemakers are in the driver's seat to win the Badger South Conference title.
The Panthers run a wing-t offense that is nearly identical to Monroe's offense. The Panthers are averaging 15.2 points per game this season. Oregon fullback Brett Wannebo leads the team with 525 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Wannebo is the Panthers' focal point. He rushed for 148 yards in the Panthers' near upset of Monona Grove before the Silver Eagles stormed back for a 26-21 win. However, Oregon does spread the touches around among its running backs, and Tony Akale also is proving to be a threat. Akale scored one touchdown against the Silver Eagles. Oregon's Kardelle Phillips also had one touchdown run against the Silver Eagles and leads the Panthers with 22 receptions for 153 yards and has two TDs on the ground.
"They have a good running game," Golembiewski said. "Their fullback (Wannebo) gets a lot yards, and he runs hard. They have a couple stout big 300-pound linemen on offense and defense."
Since the Panthers run the same offense as Monroe, prepping for the game in practice becomes more familiar for many players.
"We feel like we have a better experience in coaching and demonstrating it," he said of the Panthers' wing-t offense. "Our scout team can give a better look because it's things they normally do."
Golembiewski said he would not be surprised if the Panthers pull off some trick plays on offense or special teams.
"They are just looking for something to believe in," he said. "We just have to make sure it doesn't happen."
The Cheesemakers are averaging 35.8 points and 354 total rushing yards per game. Oregon runs a 4-4 defense, which is the same look Baraboo used last week against the Cheesemakers.
"We are preparing like it will be the same look for the second week in a row," Golembiewski said.
Monroe senior fullback Isaac Allen leads the Cheesemakers with 651 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Allen is averaging 108 yards rushing per game and 5.4 yards per carry.
"I think a defensive coordinator will look at a team running a wing-t offense and if the fullback is having any production at all, the guy they will want to stop is the fullback," Golembiewski said.
Opposing teams have not had much success slowing Allen down this year. When teams have loaded the box to slow Allen down, senior Jacob Kind (591 rushing yards, six TDs) and senior Cole Murray (540 rushing yards, five TDs) have made explosive plays off tackle and on the outside. Kind is averaging a stunning 11.4 yards per carry and Murray is averaging an impressive 9.3 yards per carry. As a team, the Cheesemakers are averaging 7.5 yards per carry on running plays.
The Cheesemakers got off to a tough start against the Thunderbirds last week with a fake punt run that came up one yard short, a turnover on downs and a punt on a drive that started at their own 1-yard line on the first three possessions. There were times where Golembiewski said the Cheesemakers left some scoring opportunities and big plays on the field.
"We need to execute and do our blocking assignments right and be fundamentally sound," he said. "We will not spend this week looking past anyone and we will be working on our attack against them."
It's a sign of some of the talent Oregon has on its team. However, injuries have sabotaged the Panthers, and they enter Friday's matchup at Monroe without a win this season.
The battered Panthers are looking to spoil the Cheesemakers' homecoming but have two players who have suffered season-ending dislocated elbow injuries. Injuries may have derailed the Panthers' aspirations of competing for a conference championship but knocking off an unbeaten Monroe team is a consolation prize they are seeking. When Oregon was in the conference title hunt last year, the Cheesemakers stunned the Panthers 25-21 on homecoming.
"This is a supposed David (Oregon) against a supposed Goliath (Monroe) and they are hoping the Goliath is looking past them on their homecoming," Golembiewski said. "They would love to send us away weeping. If Oregon wins it would be a major upset. It would be like the Appalachian State over Michigan from a couple of years ago. It's a dangerous game because it's human nature to be complacent, and people obviously read your newspaper. It's dangerous if we allow the extra activities and homecoming to be a distraction."
Monroe (6-0, 3-0 Badger South), ranked seventh in the WisSports.net Division 3 Coaches' poll, has handled adversity and kept potential distractions at a minimum. With two games remaining after Oregon, the Cheesemakers are in the driver's seat to win the Badger South Conference title.
The Panthers run a wing-t offense that is nearly identical to Monroe's offense. The Panthers are averaging 15.2 points per game this season. Oregon fullback Brett Wannebo leads the team with 525 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Wannebo is the Panthers' focal point. He rushed for 148 yards in the Panthers' near upset of Monona Grove before the Silver Eagles stormed back for a 26-21 win. However, Oregon does spread the touches around among its running backs, and Tony Akale also is proving to be a threat. Akale scored one touchdown against the Silver Eagles. Oregon's Kardelle Phillips also had one touchdown run against the Silver Eagles and leads the Panthers with 22 receptions for 153 yards and has two TDs on the ground.
"They have a good running game," Golembiewski said. "Their fullback (Wannebo) gets a lot yards, and he runs hard. They have a couple stout big 300-pound linemen on offense and defense."
Since the Panthers run the same offense as Monroe, prepping for the game in practice becomes more familiar for many players.
"We feel like we have a better experience in coaching and demonstrating it," he said of the Panthers' wing-t offense. "Our scout team can give a better look because it's things they normally do."
Golembiewski said he would not be surprised if the Panthers pull off some trick plays on offense or special teams.
"They are just looking for something to believe in," he said. "We just have to make sure it doesn't happen."
The Cheesemakers are averaging 35.8 points and 354 total rushing yards per game. Oregon runs a 4-4 defense, which is the same look Baraboo used last week against the Cheesemakers.
"We are preparing like it will be the same look for the second week in a row," Golembiewski said.
Monroe senior fullback Isaac Allen leads the Cheesemakers with 651 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Allen is averaging 108 yards rushing per game and 5.4 yards per carry.
"I think a defensive coordinator will look at a team running a wing-t offense and if the fullback is having any production at all, the guy they will want to stop is the fullback," Golembiewski said.
Opposing teams have not had much success slowing Allen down this year. When teams have loaded the box to slow Allen down, senior Jacob Kind (591 rushing yards, six TDs) and senior Cole Murray (540 rushing yards, five TDs) have made explosive plays off tackle and on the outside. Kind is averaging a stunning 11.4 yards per carry and Murray is averaging an impressive 9.3 yards per carry. As a team, the Cheesemakers are averaging 7.5 yards per carry on running plays.
The Cheesemakers got off to a tough start against the Thunderbirds last week with a fake punt run that came up one yard short, a turnover on downs and a punt on a drive that started at their own 1-yard line on the first three possessions. There were times where Golembiewski said the Cheesemakers left some scoring opportunities and big plays on the field.
"We need to execute and do our blocking assignments right and be fundamentally sound," he said. "We will not spend this week looking past anyone and we will be working on our attack against them."
