MONROE - The Cheesemakers football team has seen loads of adversity in 2010. Having what many in the program thought was a legitimate chance to qualify for playoffs for the first time since 2003 became a question of: Would Monroe win a game this year?
"It's been tough, but we've battled through the adversity all season," senior lineman Alex Beaver said. "We've still been working together and working hard to improve."
Senior quarterback Michael Barrett was the first to go, suffering a concussion in an early season scrimmage against Lodi that knocked him out for the year. Barrett's backup, sophomore Alex Barenklau, was thrust into action, only to get hurt two days before the Cheesemakers suited up for a game against Madison Edgewood.
"We've gone through quite a transition this year and a lot of it is based on the personnel that we have," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said.
Since that time, the Cheesemakers have given up on the use of an every-down quarterback and gone to a single-wing formation that allows for two running backs to take the direct snap from center and find an open gap. In only three weeks in the new system, Monroe picked up its first win Oct. 15 at Stoughton.
"(The single-wing) has been kind of a breath of fresh air. When we put the spread offense a couple of years ago the kids were really excited about it because it was something new," Miller said. "Now with the single-wing we've sort of seen that same type of excitement."
But the win has been somewhat bittersweet. Senior defensive starters Cameron Wahl and Drew Nafzger each were sidelined for good in the waning weeks of the regular season, junior Tyler Barta missed time and senior wide receiver Bryan Tordoff missed playing time from a concussion as well. Add in the low overall numbers in the program, and Monroe has found it hard suiting up a full team every week.
"You have to do with what you have," said senior Jacob Reynolds, a two-year lineman. "It's kind of hard to get a varsity-style look because you're not quite sure how much better or worse the other team is going to be. You have to gauge that, and it's really hard."
As the season went on, Monroe's junior varsity team saw more than just a once-a-week scrimmage against the varsity - they were side-by-side in practice every day. Scout team players of all grades switch in and out of the huddle and both the varsity and junior varsity run their first-team offenses together.
One thing Miller pointed to was that the junior varsity may benefit the most. Monroe's underclassmen are seeing varsity action before their very eyes - even if it is not on Fridays.
"It's actually built some good competition in practice, which we haven't really gotten," Miller said. "I think it has really been good for both of us and under other circumstances we wouldn't normally do that. But It's what we've had to do this year."
With the added help of the junior varsity and a no-doubt-about-it win at Stoughton, Monroe is poised to do something it has only done one other time in its last six seasons - win back-to-back games.
"To be able to win two games at the end of the year would be a good achievement considering some of the things we've gone through. It would be nice to set that streak going into next year," Miller said. "It's something to look forward to and it's something to build off of."
Senior Dylan Schwitz (228 yards, 3 touchdowns) and junior John Becker (133 yards) torched Stoughton last week and will look to do the same to Portage (1-7) Wednesday. The Warriors have struggled, winning just two games the past three seasons, with Monroe knocking them off in the season finale a year ago.
"It's going to be tough for some of those kids to play their last game, but fortunately we get to do it at home," Miller said. "We look at a game like this with two purposes: One, to give the seniors a proper send off and then two, is to set a tone for next year and set a tone for a program."
For Beaver, Reynolds, Nick Walker, Evan Brady, Michael Kohn, Tyler Roberts and the other seniors, Wednesday's home game will be their final in a Monroe jersey - a tough feeling to overcome when the playoffs are out of the picture.
"The end is going to be tough, but I am going to go out there and give everything I've got because I know it's my last game and I'm not going to keep going on. I'll play my heart out and it will be interesting to see what happens," Beaver said.
"A win at home is always going to be great and to make it our last one to send the seniors out. It's going to be awesome," Reynolds said.
"It's been tough, but we've battled through the adversity all season," senior lineman Alex Beaver said. "We've still been working together and working hard to improve."
Senior quarterback Michael Barrett was the first to go, suffering a concussion in an early season scrimmage against Lodi that knocked him out for the year. Barrett's backup, sophomore Alex Barenklau, was thrust into action, only to get hurt two days before the Cheesemakers suited up for a game against Madison Edgewood.
"We've gone through quite a transition this year and a lot of it is based on the personnel that we have," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said.
Since that time, the Cheesemakers have given up on the use of an every-down quarterback and gone to a single-wing formation that allows for two running backs to take the direct snap from center and find an open gap. In only three weeks in the new system, Monroe picked up its first win Oct. 15 at Stoughton.
"(The single-wing) has been kind of a breath of fresh air. When we put the spread offense a couple of years ago the kids were really excited about it because it was something new," Miller said. "Now with the single-wing we've sort of seen that same type of excitement."
But the win has been somewhat bittersweet. Senior defensive starters Cameron Wahl and Drew Nafzger each were sidelined for good in the waning weeks of the regular season, junior Tyler Barta missed time and senior wide receiver Bryan Tordoff missed playing time from a concussion as well. Add in the low overall numbers in the program, and Monroe has found it hard suiting up a full team every week.
"You have to do with what you have," said senior Jacob Reynolds, a two-year lineman. "It's kind of hard to get a varsity-style look because you're not quite sure how much better or worse the other team is going to be. You have to gauge that, and it's really hard."
As the season went on, Monroe's junior varsity team saw more than just a once-a-week scrimmage against the varsity - they were side-by-side in practice every day. Scout team players of all grades switch in and out of the huddle and both the varsity and junior varsity run their first-team offenses together.
One thing Miller pointed to was that the junior varsity may benefit the most. Monroe's underclassmen are seeing varsity action before their very eyes - even if it is not on Fridays.
"It's actually built some good competition in practice, which we haven't really gotten," Miller said. "I think it has really been good for both of us and under other circumstances we wouldn't normally do that. But It's what we've had to do this year."
With the added help of the junior varsity and a no-doubt-about-it win at Stoughton, Monroe is poised to do something it has only done one other time in its last six seasons - win back-to-back games.
"To be able to win two games at the end of the year would be a good achievement considering some of the things we've gone through. It would be nice to set that streak going into next year," Miller said. "It's something to look forward to and it's something to build off of."
Senior Dylan Schwitz (228 yards, 3 touchdowns) and junior John Becker (133 yards) torched Stoughton last week and will look to do the same to Portage (1-7) Wednesday. The Warriors have struggled, winning just two games the past three seasons, with Monroe knocking them off in the season finale a year ago.
"It's going to be tough for some of those kids to play their last game, but fortunately we get to do it at home," Miller said. "We look at a game like this with two purposes: One, to give the seniors a proper send off and then two, is to set a tone for next year and set a tone for a program."
For Beaver, Reynolds, Nick Walker, Evan Brady, Michael Kohn, Tyler Roberts and the other seniors, Wednesday's home game will be their final in a Monroe jersey - a tough feeling to overcome when the playoffs are out of the picture.
"The end is going to be tough, but I am going to go out there and give everything I've got because I know it's my last game and I'm not going to keep going on. I'll play my heart out and it will be interesting to see what happens," Beaver said.
"A win at home is always going to be great and to make it our last one to send the seniors out. It's going to be awesome," Reynolds said.
