MONROE - The Monroe football team is looking to buck history in its bid to return to the playoffs for the second straight year.
The last time the Cheesemakers made back-to-back trips to the playoffs came in 2001 under Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Pat Martin. Monroe (4-4, 3-3 Badger South) needs to beat Oregon Friday to become playoff eligible.
"It's huge," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said of the Cheesemakers still having a chance to control their own destiny and punching a second straight ticket to the postseason. "If you can still have it where you are not mathematically eliminated it brings a better quality to the situation. The success we had last year just doesn't spill over to this year. Each group for themselves has to decide what their goal is and what they want to accomplish."
Oregon (5-3, 4-2 Badger South) has already clinched a playoff spot and will be looking to help themselves in the seeding meeting. The Panthers are coming off a 35-7 win over Watertown. The Panthers run a similar Wing-T offense to the Cheesemakers and are averaging 28.8 points per game.
The most dangerous playmaker for Oregon is senior running back Kardelle Phillips who is a dual-threat as a runner and receiver, racking up 1,055 total yards and 16 touchdowns. Phillips has rushed for 583 yards and 10 TDs and is the team's leading receiver out of the backfield with 23 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns.
"We definitely need to be aware with where he (Phillips) is on the field," Golembiewski said. "We have to do our jobs right or they will break some long runs and score some touchdowns. He can hit you with the big play."
Oregon quarterback Cedric Girard has passed for 957 yards with 11 TDs and just two interceptions this season.
"They have a good quarterback who has completed some long passes and they like to use their backs as receivers," Golembiewski said.
The Panthers will run a counter criss-cross, sweep, power runs and a jet outside run play that are all similar to the Cheesemakers. For the defenders who also play offense, it will be like seeing a mirror images of the Cheesemakers' offense.
"We are getting a pretty good look from our scout team," Golembiewski said. "It will be whether our athletes can beat their athletes when the rubber meets the road."
The Cheesemakers are averaging 1.8 turnovers per game. Senior Sam Kind has a team-high 73.5 tackles and three interceptions. Senior defensive end Dempzy Foley has 66.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks and junior linebacker Jacob Amacher has 63 tackles and two sacks. Sophomore defensive back Nick Bansley has a team-best six interceptions.
The Cheesemakers could get a boost if senior safety Brayden Zettle returns to play after missing most of the season due to a broken and dislocated thumb.
Golembiewski said Zettle has been cleared to practice, but he's not sure if he will play Friday. If Zettle plays, he will wear a protective cast on his hand.
"We don't know what kind of role he will play," he said.
Monroe junior running back Jordan Montgomery leads the team with 351 rushing yards and has one touchdown. Bansley (319 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and Foley (301 rushing yards and three touchdowns) have also been playmakers this season. Kind rushed for 77 yards last week and scored once to help the Cheesemakers pull away from Madison Edgewood. Junior fullback Ethan Kleckler has emerged the second half of the year and has rushed for 254 yards and has one touchdown in four games.
"Ethan has done a good job of getting himself in a position to step up when we needed him," Golembiewski said. "He is a junior running back who still has stuff he needs to work on."
The Cheesemakers will still be without two starting offensive linemen in sophomore Alan Whitehead (knee) and junior Jacob Brennan (broken arm). In their absence, sophomore Darien Hargrove and junior Kade King have stepped up on the offensive line.
After being shut out two straight games against Stoughton and Monona Grove, the Cheesemakers' offense has got back on track winning their last two games and are averaging 24.5 points per game.
"We were coming off games where we played a couple of the top Division 2 teams a couple weeks ago and now we are playing Division 3 teams," Golembiewski said. "The last couple of weeks have given the guys more confidence. With the more reps and practice you get the more comfortable they are."
The last time the Cheesemakers made back-to-back trips to the playoffs came in 2001 under Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Pat Martin. Monroe (4-4, 3-3 Badger South) needs to beat Oregon Friday to become playoff eligible.
"It's huge," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said of the Cheesemakers still having a chance to control their own destiny and punching a second straight ticket to the postseason. "If you can still have it where you are not mathematically eliminated it brings a better quality to the situation. The success we had last year just doesn't spill over to this year. Each group for themselves has to decide what their goal is and what they want to accomplish."
Oregon (5-3, 4-2 Badger South) has already clinched a playoff spot and will be looking to help themselves in the seeding meeting. The Panthers are coming off a 35-7 win over Watertown. The Panthers run a similar Wing-T offense to the Cheesemakers and are averaging 28.8 points per game.
The most dangerous playmaker for Oregon is senior running back Kardelle Phillips who is a dual-threat as a runner and receiver, racking up 1,055 total yards and 16 touchdowns. Phillips has rushed for 583 yards and 10 TDs and is the team's leading receiver out of the backfield with 23 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns.
"We definitely need to be aware with where he (Phillips) is on the field," Golembiewski said. "We have to do our jobs right or they will break some long runs and score some touchdowns. He can hit you with the big play."
Oregon quarterback Cedric Girard has passed for 957 yards with 11 TDs and just two interceptions this season.
"They have a good quarterback who has completed some long passes and they like to use their backs as receivers," Golembiewski said.
The Panthers will run a counter criss-cross, sweep, power runs and a jet outside run play that are all similar to the Cheesemakers. For the defenders who also play offense, it will be like seeing a mirror images of the Cheesemakers' offense.
"We are getting a pretty good look from our scout team," Golembiewski said. "It will be whether our athletes can beat their athletes when the rubber meets the road."
The Cheesemakers are averaging 1.8 turnovers per game. Senior Sam Kind has a team-high 73.5 tackles and three interceptions. Senior defensive end Dempzy Foley has 66.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks and junior linebacker Jacob Amacher has 63 tackles and two sacks. Sophomore defensive back Nick Bansley has a team-best six interceptions.
The Cheesemakers could get a boost if senior safety Brayden Zettle returns to play after missing most of the season due to a broken and dislocated thumb.
Golembiewski said Zettle has been cleared to practice, but he's not sure if he will play Friday. If Zettle plays, he will wear a protective cast on his hand.
"We don't know what kind of role he will play," he said.
Monroe junior running back Jordan Montgomery leads the team with 351 rushing yards and has one touchdown. Bansley (319 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and Foley (301 rushing yards and three touchdowns) have also been playmakers this season. Kind rushed for 77 yards last week and scored once to help the Cheesemakers pull away from Madison Edgewood. Junior fullback Ethan Kleckler has emerged the second half of the year and has rushed for 254 yards and has one touchdown in four games.
"Ethan has done a good job of getting himself in a position to step up when we needed him," Golembiewski said. "He is a junior running back who still has stuff he needs to work on."
The Cheesemakers will still be without two starting offensive linemen in sophomore Alan Whitehead (knee) and junior Jacob Brennan (broken arm). In their absence, sophomore Darien Hargrove and junior Kade King have stepped up on the offensive line.
After being shut out two straight games against Stoughton and Monona Grove, the Cheesemakers' offense has got back on track winning their last two games and are averaging 24.5 points per game.
"We were coming off games where we played a couple of the top Division 2 teams a couple weeks ago and now we are playing Division 3 teams," Golembiewski said. "The last couple of weeks have given the guys more confidence. With the more reps and practice you get the more comfortable they are."
