MONROE - Senior defensive end Hayden Arneson was excited with the trust his head coach displayed in Monroe's defense time and again in a Badger South Conference showdown with Monona Grove Friday night.
Arneson had two sacks and Monroe forced Monona Grove into two turnovers on downs to knock off the No. 6-ranked Silver Eagles 10-7 in a slugfest.
"Ever since fourth grade, I have been waiting for this," Arneson said of the win against Monona Grove. "We have said we are going to do it and we did it. Everyone just hunkered down. We did what we needed to do. I couldn't ask for a better senior year already."
Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski was excited about a Cheesemakers' defense that racked up three sacks and limited the Silver Eagles to 4-for-14 on third downs, 267 total yards and 108 yards passing.
"Today was a real football game," Golembiewski said. "A real football game is when your offense lets you down your defense and special teams pick you up. All three phases showed up for us. I'm not sure we could have said that earlier in the year. We have passed a giant test. We showed we could win in all three phases of the game."
Monroe (4-0, 2-0 Badger South) stuffed the Silver Eagles on a fourth-and-3 play from the Cheesemakers' 21-yard line when Ogden's pass was incomplete. It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to get rolling on offense. The Cheesemakers marched 79 yards, in 17-plays, culminating in senior Isaac Allen's 2-yard TD run to give the Cheesemakers a 7-0 lead with 40 seconds to go in the first quarter. Allen rushed for 105 yards on 29 carries and scored one touchdown.
The scoring drive chewed up about 10 minutes and included three critical third-down conversions - one on senior quarterback Tyler Elmer's 15-yard run, a second on Allen's 4-yard run and a 13-yard pass where Elmer hooked up with Allen to keep the drive alive.
"It was big," Allen said of the defensive stand and the ensuing long touchdown drive. "We kept it going and kept them on their heels."
Monroe junior Dempzy Foley kicked a 26-yard field goal midway through the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers a 10-0 lead.
The Silver Eagles had a golden opportunity late in the second quarter, but the Cheesemakers forced a fumble that was recovered at Monroe junior Mitch Bartelt at Monroe's 5-yard line.
After a missed field goal by Foley with 7:14 left in the third quarter, the Silver Eagles took over. Two plays later, Ogden bolted for a 75-yard TD run about midway through the third quarter to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-7.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Cheesemakers drove to the Silver Eagles' 20-yard line, but Golembiewski passed on Foley attempting a field goal and the Cheesemakers turned the ball over on downs after Elmer's incomplete pass. Golembiewski didn't have any second thoughts about trying a field goal to extend the lead six points.
"The defense was playing good," he said. "Even if he (Foley) would have made the field goal we would have had to stop them on defense. We didn't want to lose 14-13. We still had overtime. Overtime at home is not always a bad thing."
The Cheesemakers' defense had to survive a hurry-up offense from the Silver Eagles in the fourth quarter. Ogden shook off a potential sack by Monroe senior Jacob Kind and heaved a desperation pass that was grabbed by senior Andryi Nahirniak for 19 yards. Arneson had a pivotal sack on a third-and-12 play from the Silver Eagles' 34-yard line to thwart the drive and force a punt.
Monroe junior Travis Wolf and Bartelt each had teamed up for a half sack.
The Silver Eagles' last-ditch rally ended when Ogden's pass on fourth-and-3 from the Cheesemakers' 44-yard line was incomplete. Ogden was 13 of 19 passing for 108 yards. He added 80 rushing yards on six carries and scored one touchdown.
Kind rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries as the Cheesemakers rushed for 252 yards as a team.
Monroe players celebrated together and rushed over to the student section to sing the Cheesemakers' fight song.
"I feel like everyone did think much of us to start the season," Allen said. "There were some people who predicted we could be a surprise and dangerous team. We can only get better. We had some goals at the start. First, we wanted to make the playoffs. The second one was we wanted to win a conference championship. The third one is to go deep in the playoffs."
Arneson had two sacks and Monroe forced Monona Grove into two turnovers on downs to knock off the No. 6-ranked Silver Eagles 10-7 in a slugfest.
"Ever since fourth grade, I have been waiting for this," Arneson said of the win against Monona Grove. "We have said we are going to do it and we did it. Everyone just hunkered down. We did what we needed to do. I couldn't ask for a better senior year already."
Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski was excited about a Cheesemakers' defense that racked up three sacks and limited the Silver Eagles to 4-for-14 on third downs, 267 total yards and 108 yards passing.
"Today was a real football game," Golembiewski said. "A real football game is when your offense lets you down your defense and special teams pick you up. All three phases showed up for us. I'm not sure we could have said that earlier in the year. We have passed a giant test. We showed we could win in all three phases of the game."
Monroe (4-0, 2-0 Badger South) stuffed the Silver Eagles on a fourth-and-3 play from the Cheesemakers' 21-yard line when Ogden's pass was incomplete. It didn't take the Cheesemakers long to get rolling on offense. The Cheesemakers marched 79 yards, in 17-plays, culminating in senior Isaac Allen's 2-yard TD run to give the Cheesemakers a 7-0 lead with 40 seconds to go in the first quarter. Allen rushed for 105 yards on 29 carries and scored one touchdown.
The scoring drive chewed up about 10 minutes and included three critical third-down conversions - one on senior quarterback Tyler Elmer's 15-yard run, a second on Allen's 4-yard run and a 13-yard pass where Elmer hooked up with Allen to keep the drive alive.
"It was big," Allen said of the defensive stand and the ensuing long touchdown drive. "We kept it going and kept them on their heels."
Monroe junior Dempzy Foley kicked a 26-yard field goal midway through the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers a 10-0 lead.
The Silver Eagles had a golden opportunity late in the second quarter, but the Cheesemakers forced a fumble that was recovered at Monroe junior Mitch Bartelt at Monroe's 5-yard line.
After a missed field goal by Foley with 7:14 left in the third quarter, the Silver Eagles took over. Two plays later, Ogden bolted for a 75-yard TD run about midway through the third quarter to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-7.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Cheesemakers drove to the Silver Eagles' 20-yard line, but Golembiewski passed on Foley attempting a field goal and the Cheesemakers turned the ball over on downs after Elmer's incomplete pass. Golembiewski didn't have any second thoughts about trying a field goal to extend the lead six points.
"The defense was playing good," he said. "Even if he (Foley) would have made the field goal we would have had to stop them on defense. We didn't want to lose 14-13. We still had overtime. Overtime at home is not always a bad thing."
The Cheesemakers' defense had to survive a hurry-up offense from the Silver Eagles in the fourth quarter. Ogden shook off a potential sack by Monroe senior Jacob Kind and heaved a desperation pass that was grabbed by senior Andryi Nahirniak for 19 yards. Arneson had a pivotal sack on a third-and-12 play from the Silver Eagles' 34-yard line to thwart the drive and force a punt.
Monroe junior Travis Wolf and Bartelt each had teamed up for a half sack.
The Silver Eagles' last-ditch rally ended when Ogden's pass on fourth-and-3 from the Cheesemakers' 44-yard line was incomplete. Ogden was 13 of 19 passing for 108 yards. He added 80 rushing yards on six carries and scored one touchdown.
Kind rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries as the Cheesemakers rushed for 252 yards as a team.
Monroe players celebrated together and rushed over to the student section to sing the Cheesemakers' fight song.
"I feel like everyone did think much of us to start the season," Allen said. "There were some people who predicted we could be a surprise and dangerous team. We can only get better. We had some goals at the start. First, we wanted to make the playoffs. The second one was we wanted to win a conference championship. The third one is to go deep in the playoffs."
