MOUNT HOREB - Running back Daylon Bowar rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns to power Mount Horeb-Barneveld past Monroe 41-6 in a WIAA Division 3 first round playoff game Friday night.
"Our kids did not back down from the challenge," Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "We didn't have kids step on the field afraid. They competed. Mount Horeb is an excellent football team."
Monroe finished the season 4-5 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod rushed for 97 yards on 17 carries and scored Monroe's lone touchdown.
"It feels really good to end my career with a touchdown," Wyssbrod said. "Mount Horeb played better and made more plays than us. They executed on both sides of the ball."
Mount Horeb-Barneveld (8-1) took advantage of some golden field position after the Vikings delivered a booming punt that pinned the Cheesemakers at their 1-yard line to start the first quarter. After Monroe went three-and-out, the Vikings went to work. Bowar had a 1-yard touchdown plunge to cap a five-play, 30-yard drive. The key play of the drive was Bowar's 14-yard run.
Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Carson Carmody then blocked a Cheesemaker punt on Monroe's second drive. Monroe senior Ryan Erickson had a golden opportunity to make a game-changing play, but a potential interception bounced off his hands and gave the Vikings new life. Two plays later, Bowar raced in for a 33-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
"A handful of plays here and there can change the complexion of a game," Miller said. "We left a few plays out there tonight. Credit Mount Horeb because they made some super plays."
The Vikings then marched 57 yards in 11 plays, with the drive culminating on Bowar's 9-yard touchdown run at the start of the second quarter to give the Vikings a 21-0 lead. Bowar had a critical 17-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the Cheesemakers' 44-yard line to keep the drive alive.
Mount Horeb-Barneveld quarterback Kale Pustina connected on a 40-yard pass to Jerin Schubert late in the second quarter. Monroe senior Alex Barenklau intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart the drive.
The Vikings picked right up where they left off in the third quarter. Bowar later capped a drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings an insurmountable 28-0 lead. The big play of the drive was Pustina's 48-yard pass to Shane Collins on third-and-12 from the 43-yard line.
Pustina then tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Isiah Lesure with 7:53 to go to give the Vikings a 35-0 lead.
Offensively for Monroe, Barenklau completed 6 of 19 passes for 37 yards. Senior Kevin Klopfenstein had two receptions for 17 yards. Barenklau won't forget the three-game winning streak and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
"Our goal this season was to make the playoffs," Barenklau said. "When we were 1-4, we knew we still had a shot at the playoffs and we didn't give up."
The Cheesemakers' offense built momentum in the fourth quarter. Wyssbrod had a 2-yard touchdown run to cap a 43-yard drive.
"Everyone worked hard on the field in practice and games," Wyssbrod said. "There was no fighting. We were a good family."
Miller looks forward to the further improvement of a football program on the upswing. He wants to see the Cheesemakers take the next step.
"Our team last year was playoff eligible, and we made the playoffs this year," Miller said. "This team, with the seniors, got in a position to get themselves in this year. Hopefully, that progression continues."
"Our kids did not back down from the challenge," Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "We didn't have kids step on the field afraid. They competed. Mount Horeb is an excellent football team."
Monroe finished the season 4-5 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod rushed for 97 yards on 17 carries and scored Monroe's lone touchdown.
"It feels really good to end my career with a touchdown," Wyssbrod said. "Mount Horeb played better and made more plays than us. They executed on both sides of the ball."
Mount Horeb-Barneveld (8-1) took advantage of some golden field position after the Vikings delivered a booming punt that pinned the Cheesemakers at their 1-yard line to start the first quarter. After Monroe went three-and-out, the Vikings went to work. Bowar had a 1-yard touchdown plunge to cap a five-play, 30-yard drive. The key play of the drive was Bowar's 14-yard run.
Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Carson Carmody then blocked a Cheesemaker punt on Monroe's second drive. Monroe senior Ryan Erickson had a golden opportunity to make a game-changing play, but a potential interception bounced off his hands and gave the Vikings new life. Two plays later, Bowar raced in for a 33-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
"A handful of plays here and there can change the complexion of a game," Miller said. "We left a few plays out there tonight. Credit Mount Horeb because they made some super plays."
The Vikings then marched 57 yards in 11 plays, with the drive culminating on Bowar's 9-yard touchdown run at the start of the second quarter to give the Vikings a 21-0 lead. Bowar had a critical 17-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the Cheesemakers' 44-yard line to keep the drive alive.
Mount Horeb-Barneveld quarterback Kale Pustina connected on a 40-yard pass to Jerin Schubert late in the second quarter. Monroe senior Alex Barenklau intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart the drive.
The Vikings picked right up where they left off in the third quarter. Bowar later capped a drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings an insurmountable 28-0 lead. The big play of the drive was Pustina's 48-yard pass to Shane Collins on third-and-12 from the 43-yard line.
Pustina then tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Isiah Lesure with 7:53 to go to give the Vikings a 35-0 lead.
Offensively for Monroe, Barenklau completed 6 of 19 passes for 37 yards. Senior Kevin Klopfenstein had two receptions for 17 yards. Barenklau won't forget the three-game winning streak and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
"Our goal this season was to make the playoffs," Barenklau said. "When we were 1-4, we knew we still had a shot at the playoffs and we didn't give up."
The Cheesemakers' offense built momentum in the fourth quarter. Wyssbrod had a 2-yard touchdown run to cap a 43-yard drive.
"Everyone worked hard on the field in practice and games," Wyssbrod said. "There was no fighting. We were a good family."
Miller looks forward to the further improvement of a football program on the upswing. He wants to see the Cheesemakers take the next step.
"Our team last year was playoff eligible, and we made the playoffs this year," Miller said. "This team, with the seniors, got in a position to get themselves in this year. Hopefully, that progression continues."
