BRODHEAD - No team in the state of Wisconsin may be rolling quite like the Brodhead-Juda Cardinals right now. In Thursday's regular season finale, the Cardinals (7-2) had nine different players score touchdowns in a 61-8 ambush against Beloit Turner (0-9).
"We're probably playing our best football and that's what we want to be able to do," said Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys, whose team has outscored their opponents 289-98 during their current six-game winning streak. The Cardinals are averaging 56.7 points per game in their last four games.
Many of Brodhead-Juda's starters were pulled early in the second quarter, but the second and third teams continued to move the ball on offense and turn it over on defense.
"We got off to a nice, fast start again tonight which is what we really wanted to do," Matthys said. "We were able to stay healthy, which is a big part of it. Hopefully, we can build on this momentum and find out tomorrow where we're going and who we're playing on Tuesday."
Brodhead-Juda will know by lunchtime today who their playoff opponent will be and where the game will be played Oct. 26.
On their first possession of the game, the Cardinals went 65 yards on five plays, culminating with a 27-yard touchdown pass from David Earleywine to Michael Peterson. Josh Dougherty kicked the first of his five extra-points to make it 7-0 with 8 minutes, 54 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the Trojans' first play of the next series, running back Tanner Burt fumbled and Nick Jacobson recovered at the Beloit Turner 35-yard-line. Five downs later Gavin Garrett put Brodhead-Juda up by two scores.
The Cardinals defense, which allowed just 161 yards of total offense on 38 plays, forced the Trojans to punt after three plays and Alex Wallace took the next Brodhead-Juda snap 56 yards to pay dirt.
The pain continued for Beloit Turner, as the Trojans misplayed a double-reverse on the kick return and Brandon Bauman recovered a fumble on the 8-yard-line. Earleywine then connected with Joey Jordan for a touchdown on the next snap to put the Cardinals up 28-0 with 4:09 left in the first quarter.
Jesse DeLorme had a 22-yard touchdown run just 6 seconds into the second quarter to give Brodhead-Juda a 35-0 lead and Trenton Jordan took a punt return 69-yards for a TD with 10:47 left in the half to make it 41-0.
"I think it goes to show how ready our kids were to come out and play," Matthys said of the hot start. "We talked about it all week that we are playing a team that might not be as strong as other teams, but that can't be an excuse for a let down - especially rolling into the playoffs. We want to have momentum. We want to be feeling good about things."
Trenton Jordan, whose score made it six touchdowns for the Cardinals in the first 13 minutes, 13 seconds of the game, also had two interceptions on defense.
"It feels good to have a game like this," Trenton Jordan said. "Everyone on this team has the potential to take it back."
Beloit Turner's only score came moments later when Jaron Dubose caught a pass behind a fallen defender for a 38-yard touchdown.
The Cardinals answered right back with the second-team offense as Blair Chapman took the next snap from scrimmage 49-yards to the house. Back-up quarterback Carson Scheidegger, who had an early 2-point conversion in the game, scored on a bootleg with 2:19 left in the half to put Brodhead-Juda up 55-8 headed into the break.
"Having momentum going into the playoffs, it feels great. It gives us confidence," Trenton Jordan said. "We'll watch film and everything. When we find out who it is (Tuesday), we'll play them."
The final score of the game came with just 1:41 left in the game when third-string fullback Hunter Colden punched it in from half of a yard out on third down. The score capped a 12-play, 50 yard drive against Beloit Turner's No. 1 defense that amassed over eight minutes of game clock.
"We had a couple of seniors disappointed they couldn't get to play in the second half. It's good that they are hungry and want to play but we don't want to take that risk. It's also a good opportunity for some of the younger guys to get in before the playoffs because some of them may have to play for us," said Matthys, whose team knelt the ball on the two-point conversion.
The Cardinals gained 16 first downs on 412 yards of offense on 51 total plays, with 342 yards coming on the ground. Two first downs came via Beloit Turner penalties. Wallace had three carries for 72 yards to lead all rushers and Earleywine was a perfect 5 for 5 passing for 77 yards and the two scores. Beloit Turner was just 5 of 22 through the air for 121 yards and two interceptions.
"We were able to spread the ball out, having nine different people score. But that has been out thing all year, having different people step up. It really is a true team - we're not feeding one back all night long," Matthys said.
"We're probably playing our best football and that's what we want to be able to do," said Brodhead-Juda head coach Jim Matthys, whose team has outscored their opponents 289-98 during their current six-game winning streak. The Cardinals are averaging 56.7 points per game in their last four games.
Many of Brodhead-Juda's starters were pulled early in the second quarter, but the second and third teams continued to move the ball on offense and turn it over on defense.
"We got off to a nice, fast start again tonight which is what we really wanted to do," Matthys said. "We were able to stay healthy, which is a big part of it. Hopefully, we can build on this momentum and find out tomorrow where we're going and who we're playing on Tuesday."
Brodhead-Juda will know by lunchtime today who their playoff opponent will be and where the game will be played Oct. 26.
On their first possession of the game, the Cardinals went 65 yards on five plays, culminating with a 27-yard touchdown pass from David Earleywine to Michael Peterson. Josh Dougherty kicked the first of his five extra-points to make it 7-0 with 8 minutes, 54 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the Trojans' first play of the next series, running back Tanner Burt fumbled and Nick Jacobson recovered at the Beloit Turner 35-yard-line. Five downs later Gavin Garrett put Brodhead-Juda up by two scores.
The Cardinals defense, which allowed just 161 yards of total offense on 38 plays, forced the Trojans to punt after three plays and Alex Wallace took the next Brodhead-Juda snap 56 yards to pay dirt.
The pain continued for Beloit Turner, as the Trojans misplayed a double-reverse on the kick return and Brandon Bauman recovered a fumble on the 8-yard-line. Earleywine then connected with Joey Jordan for a touchdown on the next snap to put the Cardinals up 28-0 with 4:09 left in the first quarter.
Jesse DeLorme had a 22-yard touchdown run just 6 seconds into the second quarter to give Brodhead-Juda a 35-0 lead and Trenton Jordan took a punt return 69-yards for a TD with 10:47 left in the half to make it 41-0.
"I think it goes to show how ready our kids were to come out and play," Matthys said of the hot start. "We talked about it all week that we are playing a team that might not be as strong as other teams, but that can't be an excuse for a let down - especially rolling into the playoffs. We want to have momentum. We want to be feeling good about things."
Trenton Jordan, whose score made it six touchdowns for the Cardinals in the first 13 minutes, 13 seconds of the game, also had two interceptions on defense.
"It feels good to have a game like this," Trenton Jordan said. "Everyone on this team has the potential to take it back."
Beloit Turner's only score came moments later when Jaron Dubose caught a pass behind a fallen defender for a 38-yard touchdown.
The Cardinals answered right back with the second-team offense as Blair Chapman took the next snap from scrimmage 49-yards to the house. Back-up quarterback Carson Scheidegger, who had an early 2-point conversion in the game, scored on a bootleg with 2:19 left in the half to put Brodhead-Juda up 55-8 headed into the break.
"Having momentum going into the playoffs, it feels great. It gives us confidence," Trenton Jordan said. "We'll watch film and everything. When we find out who it is (Tuesday), we'll play them."
The final score of the game came with just 1:41 left in the game when third-string fullback Hunter Colden punched it in from half of a yard out on third down. The score capped a 12-play, 50 yard drive against Beloit Turner's No. 1 defense that amassed over eight minutes of game clock.
"We had a couple of seniors disappointed they couldn't get to play in the second half. It's good that they are hungry and want to play but we don't want to take that risk. It's also a good opportunity for some of the younger guys to get in before the playoffs because some of them may have to play for us," said Matthys, whose team knelt the ball on the two-point conversion.
The Cardinals gained 16 first downs on 412 yards of offense on 51 total plays, with 342 yards coming on the ground. Two first downs came via Beloit Turner penalties. Wallace had three carries for 72 yards to lead all rushers and Earleywine was a perfect 5 for 5 passing for 77 yards and the two scores. Beloit Turner was just 5 of 22 through the air for 121 yards and two interceptions.
"We were able to spread the ball out, having nine different people score. But that has been out thing all year, having different people step up. It really is a true team - we're not feeding one back all night long," Matthys said.
