MONROE - Junior running back Cole Murray didn't mind spending more time in the rain Friday night. He enjoyed dancing and hugging teammates and coaches after the Monroe football team stunned Oregon for a 25-21 homecoming win.
Murray's interception with 54 seconds to go iced the upset victory that gave the Cheesemakers their first Badger South win of the season and the Panthers their first loss of the season.
Murray rushed for 110 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns.
"It felt amazing. "It felt good to get a win against a team like Oregon," he said. I can't put it into words. We showed what we could do tonight. I think we are one of the better teams in the conference right now."
Monroe junior quarterback Tyler Elmer, who scored the go-ahead 2-yard TD run late in the third quarter, was excited the Cheesemakers could pull out the win.
If anyone wondered how the Cheesemakers would bounce back after a 20-6 loss to Milton a week ago, in which the Cheesemakers trailed by one point with 51 seconds left, Monroe answered that question emphatically Friday.
Monroe (3-2, 1-2 Badger South) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half. The Cheesemakers' defense bottled up the Panthers in the second half, shutting them out and forcing three turnovers - including interceptions by Murray and junior Dylan Beaver in the final 2 minutes, 32 seconds. Monroe limited Oregon senior running back Matt Yates to just 59 rushing yards on 17 carries.
"The whole offseason everyone doubted us," Elmer said. "We proved something big with this win. We all
forgot about that (loss to Milton) and focused on this game. We shocked a lot of people tonight."
Monroe coach Curt Miller was excited to see the Cheesemakers snap a two-game losing streak.
"It gives us the confidence we should have," Miller said. "We have said all along this is a good football team. Hopefully, this will help our players believe in themselves."
Early on, the game had the makings of a Badger South showdown. Oregon (4-1, 2-1) scored 14 points off two Cheesemakers' fumbles. Despite the turnovers, the Cheesemakers stayed within striking distance.
The Panthers cashed in on a 10-play, 79-yard drive in the first quarter with Sam Mueller's 1-yard TD plunge. Monroe answered with a seven-play, 59-yard drive, culminating in Murray's 14-yard TD run. The Cheesemakers missed the extra point and trailed 7-6 with 1:13 to go in the first quarter.
After the Cheesemakers fumbled a snap in the second quarter, the Panthers went to work. Oregon senior quarterback Trent Ricker had a 3-yard TD run to give the Panthers a 13-6 lead. The Cheesemakers responded with a 10-play, 77-yard drive that was capped by Murray's 9-yard TD run midway through the second quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Elmer appeared to be caught by junior Isaac Allen, but officials ruled Allen bobbled the ball and the Panthers led 14-12.
Allen rushed for 47 yards on eight carries and scored one touchdown. The Cheesemakers racked up 238 total yards, including 162 on the ground. Elmer completed 7 of 9 passes for 76 yards.
"Cole had his best game by far," Elmer said. "Our big guys played great so Cole had his best game. It's big for our seniors. They always want to go out and win their last homecoming game."
A second fumble by Murray late in the second quarter gave the Panthers another golden opportunity. Ricker scored on a 48-yard run on a busted play to give the Panthers a 21-12 with 6 seconds to go before the half.
"I think our defense with that run at the end of the first half was really mad," Miller said of Ricker's TD run.
Monroe senior Cam Shaw recovered a fumble by the Panthers early in the third quarter. The Cheesemakers capitalized on the short field when Allen bulled his way in for an 8-yard TD run midway through the third quarter to slice the Panthers' lead to 21-18. The key play on the drive was Elmer's 11-yard pass to junior Alex Tordoff on fourth-and-3 from the Panthers'
24-yard line.
Monroe senior Garrett Gogin had two receptions for 25 yards. Tordoff had two receptions for 23 yards, and Shaw had two catches for 21 yards.
Murray had a long punt return to set up the Cheesemakers' go-ahead touchdown. Four plays later, Elmer scored on a 2-yard run. Tordoff kicked the extra point to give the Cheesemakers a 25-21 lead with 2:21 to go in the third quarter.
The spark was Murray's punt return.
"At first I wasn't going to pick it up," Murray said of the punt on the soggy field. "It was a bad punt, and it rolled to me. I just took it and there were no white jerseys around me."
Miller was proud to see the defense pitch a shut out in the second half against the top team in the Badger South entering the game.
"The defensive effort was as good as I have seen," Miller said. "It gives us the confidence we should have."
Murray's interception with 54 seconds to go iced the upset victory that gave the Cheesemakers their first Badger South win of the season and the Panthers their first loss of the season.
Murray rushed for 110 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns.
"It felt amazing. "It felt good to get a win against a team like Oregon," he said. I can't put it into words. We showed what we could do tonight. I think we are one of the better teams in the conference right now."
Monroe junior quarterback Tyler Elmer, who scored the go-ahead 2-yard TD run late in the third quarter, was excited the Cheesemakers could pull out the win.
If anyone wondered how the Cheesemakers would bounce back after a 20-6 loss to Milton a week ago, in which the Cheesemakers trailed by one point with 51 seconds left, Monroe answered that question emphatically Friday.
Monroe (3-2, 1-2 Badger South) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half. The Cheesemakers' defense bottled up the Panthers in the second half, shutting them out and forcing three turnovers - including interceptions by Murray and junior Dylan Beaver in the final 2 minutes, 32 seconds. Monroe limited Oregon senior running back Matt Yates to just 59 rushing yards on 17 carries.
"The whole offseason everyone doubted us," Elmer said. "We proved something big with this win. We all
forgot about that (loss to Milton) and focused on this game. We shocked a lot of people tonight."
Monroe coach Curt Miller was excited to see the Cheesemakers snap a two-game losing streak.
"It gives us the confidence we should have," Miller said. "We have said all along this is a good football team. Hopefully, this will help our players believe in themselves."
Early on, the game had the makings of a Badger South showdown. Oregon (4-1, 2-1) scored 14 points off two Cheesemakers' fumbles. Despite the turnovers, the Cheesemakers stayed within striking distance.
The Panthers cashed in on a 10-play, 79-yard drive in the first quarter with Sam Mueller's 1-yard TD plunge. Monroe answered with a seven-play, 59-yard drive, culminating in Murray's 14-yard TD run. The Cheesemakers missed the extra point and trailed 7-6 with 1:13 to go in the first quarter.
After the Cheesemakers fumbled a snap in the second quarter, the Panthers went to work. Oregon senior quarterback Trent Ricker had a 3-yard TD run to give the Panthers a 13-6 lead. The Cheesemakers responded with a 10-play, 77-yard drive that was capped by Murray's 9-yard TD run midway through the second quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Elmer appeared to be caught by junior Isaac Allen, but officials ruled Allen bobbled the ball and the Panthers led 14-12.
Allen rushed for 47 yards on eight carries and scored one touchdown. The Cheesemakers racked up 238 total yards, including 162 on the ground. Elmer completed 7 of 9 passes for 76 yards.
"Cole had his best game by far," Elmer said. "Our big guys played great so Cole had his best game. It's big for our seniors. They always want to go out and win their last homecoming game."
A second fumble by Murray late in the second quarter gave the Panthers another golden opportunity. Ricker scored on a 48-yard run on a busted play to give the Panthers a 21-12 with 6 seconds to go before the half.
"I think our defense with that run at the end of the first half was really mad," Miller said of Ricker's TD run.
Monroe senior Cam Shaw recovered a fumble by the Panthers early in the third quarter. The Cheesemakers capitalized on the short field when Allen bulled his way in for an 8-yard TD run midway through the third quarter to slice the Panthers' lead to 21-18. The key play on the drive was Elmer's 11-yard pass to junior Alex Tordoff on fourth-and-3 from the Panthers'
24-yard line.
Monroe senior Garrett Gogin had two receptions for 25 yards. Tordoff had two receptions for 23 yards, and Shaw had two catches for 21 yards.
Murray had a long punt return to set up the Cheesemakers' go-ahead touchdown. Four plays later, Elmer scored on a 2-yard run. Tordoff kicked the extra point to give the Cheesemakers a 25-21 lead with 2:21 to go in the third quarter.
The spark was Murray's punt return.
"At first I wasn't going to pick it up," Murray said of the punt on the soggy field. "It was a bad punt, and it rolled to me. I just took it and there were no white jerseys around me."
Miller was proud to see the defense pitch a shut out in the second half against the top team in the Badger South entering the game.
"The defensive effort was as good as I have seen," Miller said. "It gives us the confidence we should have."
