MONROE - With Stoughton driving in the final 2 minutes looking for a game-winning touchdown, Ryan Hughes and the Monroe football team weren't going to sit back without pressuring the quarterback.
On fourth-and-10 from the 31 yard line, Hughes blitzed and sacked Stoughton quarterback Anthony Volk to clinch a thrilling 14-9 win to punch Monroe's ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
"We had a blitz called off the edge," Hughes said. "We had to come through as a team and we did. It's like Christmas early."
Monroe senior Bryan Schroeder, who had a key interception in the first half and also broke up a pass, knew what was at stake.
"It was our Super Bowl," Schroeder said. "That's the way I looked at it."
Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead the Cheesemakers. However, it was only fitting that it came down to the Cheesemakers' defense sealing the win and then dumping a bucket of ice on coach Curt Miller.
"This is everything we have been looking forward to," Miller said. "We had a heck of a game ... what a battle."
Monroe (4-4, 3-3 Badger South) had to deal with some adversity early on. Monroe senior quarterback Alex Barenklau threw three interceptions in the first half, and the Cheesemakers also had a turnover on downs. Schroeder intercepted a pass late in the second quarter and returned it 33 yards to set up the Cheesemakers' first score. Wyssbrod bowled in for a 3-yard TD run to give the Cheesemakers a 7-3 halftime lead.
"Honestly, in my first three steps I didn't know it was in my hands," Schroeder said. "I just wanted to run as far as I could to get in the end zone. The strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf. That has been our mentality as defensive backs all year."
Miller said Schroeder's interception was a big momentum swing.
"There were a lot of plays we would have liked to had back tonight," he said. "Our kids battled and the seniors made plays. After three turnovers in the first half, I was just happy to have a 7-3 lead."
Wyssbrod had an 8-yard TD run to cap a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that gave the Cheesemakers a 14-3 lead. Barenklau had a key 7-yard run on third-and-6 from the Vikings' 18-yard line to keep the drive alive.
"We have a lot of seniors on the o-line," Wyssbrod said. "They knew if we didn't win this one we wouldn't be in the playoffs. The o-line did a great job. I had some big holes to run through."
The Cheesemakers had a golden opportunity to extend the lead in the fourth quarter, but senior Kevin Klopfenstein's 37-yard field goal attempt was tipped and it fell just short. The Vikings went to a shotgun passing attack. Volk engineered a 14-play, 80-yard drive, which culminated in his 3-yard TD pass to Luke Logan. Hughes tackled Volk on the failed two-point conversion.
With the Cheesemakers clinging to a 14-9 lead and 1:59 left, Volk was trying to rally the Vikings on a last-ditch touchdown drive. Volk connected on a 27-yard pass to Ryan Streich. He then looked like he completed a 14-yard pass to Benjamin Gerber at the Cheesemakers' 17-yard line. The officials ruled that Gerber didn't have possession of the ball. That set the stage for Hughes' sack to win the game.
"You get a lot of crap at school for being on the football team," Hughes said. "We haven't been good since the 1990s and 1980s. We can't wish for anything better."
Monroe will find out its first round playoff opponent today as coaches seed the playoffs for the first time. Miller is looking forward to the challenge whoever the Cheesemakers play.
"We are just happy to play anybody," Miller said. "We are just happy to be in the field."
On fourth-and-10 from the 31 yard line, Hughes blitzed and sacked Stoughton quarterback Anthony Volk to clinch a thrilling 14-9 win to punch Monroe's ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
"We had a blitz called off the edge," Hughes said. "We had to come through as a team and we did. It's like Christmas early."
Monroe senior Bryan Schroeder, who had a key interception in the first half and also broke up a pass, knew what was at stake.
"It was our Super Bowl," Schroeder said. "That's the way I looked at it."
Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead the Cheesemakers. However, it was only fitting that it came down to the Cheesemakers' defense sealing the win and then dumping a bucket of ice on coach Curt Miller.
"This is everything we have been looking forward to," Miller said. "We had a heck of a game ... what a battle."
Monroe (4-4, 3-3 Badger South) had to deal with some adversity early on. Monroe senior quarterback Alex Barenklau threw three interceptions in the first half, and the Cheesemakers also had a turnover on downs. Schroeder intercepted a pass late in the second quarter and returned it 33 yards to set up the Cheesemakers' first score. Wyssbrod bowled in for a 3-yard TD run to give the Cheesemakers a 7-3 halftime lead.
"Honestly, in my first three steps I didn't know it was in my hands," Schroeder said. "I just wanted to run as far as I could to get in the end zone. The strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf. That has been our mentality as defensive backs all year."
Miller said Schroeder's interception was a big momentum swing.
"There were a lot of plays we would have liked to had back tonight," he said. "Our kids battled and the seniors made plays. After three turnovers in the first half, I was just happy to have a 7-3 lead."
Wyssbrod had an 8-yard TD run to cap a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that gave the Cheesemakers a 14-3 lead. Barenklau had a key 7-yard run on third-and-6 from the Vikings' 18-yard line to keep the drive alive.
"We have a lot of seniors on the o-line," Wyssbrod said. "They knew if we didn't win this one we wouldn't be in the playoffs. The o-line did a great job. I had some big holes to run through."
The Cheesemakers had a golden opportunity to extend the lead in the fourth quarter, but senior Kevin Klopfenstein's 37-yard field goal attempt was tipped and it fell just short. The Vikings went to a shotgun passing attack. Volk engineered a 14-play, 80-yard drive, which culminated in his 3-yard TD pass to Luke Logan. Hughes tackled Volk on the failed two-point conversion.
With the Cheesemakers clinging to a 14-9 lead and 1:59 left, Volk was trying to rally the Vikings on a last-ditch touchdown drive. Volk connected on a 27-yard pass to Ryan Streich. He then looked like he completed a 14-yard pass to Benjamin Gerber at the Cheesemakers' 17-yard line. The officials ruled that Gerber didn't have possession of the ball. That set the stage for Hughes' sack to win the game.
"You get a lot of crap at school for being on the football team," Hughes said. "We haven't been good since the 1990s and 1980s. We can't wish for anything better."
Monroe will find out its first round playoff opponent today as coaches seed the playoffs for the first time. Miller is looking forward to the challenge whoever the Cheesemakers play.
"We are just happy to play anybody," Miller said. "We are just happy to be in the field."
