MOUNT HOREB — The Cheesemakers rallied in the second half but lost an overtime thriller against Mount Horeb-Barneveld Aug. 27 in Week 2, 29-28.
With the heat index in the low 90s and thick humidity, Monroe struggled with cramping, and at one point in the fourth quarter had all three starting running backs in the backfield on the sideline. Trailing the Vikings 22-14, Lucas Flom entered the game in place of Badger-commit JT Seagreaves. Flom had gains of 45 and 49 yards in the period, with the 49-yarder taken to the house to tie the game at 22 with 3:33 remaining in regulation.
The Cheesemakers had an opportunity to score in the closing seconds, but came up empty, sending the game into overtime.
Keatin Sweeney was dinged up earlier in the game but returned late, and scored on a 2-yard plunge to put Monroe ahead in the overtime. The Cheesemakers went for a 2-point try but came up short. The Vikings scored on their possession on a 4-yard tipped pass from Kolton Schaller to Landon Ellestad. An extra point kick clinched the victory for the Vikings (2-0), who are rebuilding after winning just two games over the previous two seasons. Before that, MHB had won at least 8 games in the previous 9 seasons, and made the playoffs in each of the previous 12 campaigns.
Schaller finished the game 20-for-33 passing for 225 yards with an interception. The Cheesemakers bottled up the MHB running game for the most past, holding the Vikings to just 73 yards on 33 attempts (2.2 yards per carry).
Meanwhile, Monroe, ranked No. 7 in the opening WisSports.net Division 3 Coaches Poll earlier in the week, gained 369 yards rushing on 58 carries (6.4 ypc). Flom led the way with 148 yards on 13 totes (11.4 ypc), with Sweeney notching 116 yards on 20 attempts (5.8 ypc). Seagreaves had 40 yards and a score on five rushes before exiting the game. Alex Hernandez, who also missed time to injury in the game, had 57 yards on 14 attempts (4.1 ypc). Quarterback George Brukwicki was 0-for-5 passing.
Monroe opened the scoring when Seagreaves barreled forward for a 1-yard score at the 8:11 mark in the first quarter, but the Cheesemakers missed the extra point. Tyler Buechner responded for MHB with 2:34 left in the opening quarter on a 1-yard plunge himself.
In the second period, Hernandez crossed the goal line from a yard out, and Seagreaves ran in the 2-point try to make it 14-7 Monroe. The Vikings again answered, with Buechner scoring again from the 1-yard-line with just 10 seconds left in the half. To gain momentum headed into the break, the Vikings went for 2 and got it on a Trenton Owens run, making it 15-14 MHB at halftime.
The Vikings made it 22-14 in the third on a 2-yard run by Owens and an extra point from Lio Pertusatti.
The Cheesemakers (1-1) open the Rock Valley Conference schedule Sept. 3 in Week 3 at home against Whitewater (1-1). After scoring a Week 1 win over Big Foot (0-2), the Whippets were whipped by Portage 56-0 in Week 2.
Whitewater outlasted Big Foot by running 2/3 of its offensive plays on the ground, accounting for 250 yards on 49 carries. Whippets QB Brock Grosinske was 6 of 16 passing for 112 yards in Week 1.
Monroe, meanwhile, has accumulated 726 rushing yards in two games (363 ypg, 6.6 ypc), while holding opposing teams to just 100 yards total on the ground (1.8 ypc). The Cheesemakers have run the ball 110 times while passing just 12, nearly a 10:1 ratio.
Sweeney leads the Cheesemakers with 232 rushing yards (7.0 ypc) and 4 TDs. Hernandez (170 yds, 5.2 ypc), Flom (162 yds, 9.5 ypc) and Seagreaves (134, 8.4 ypc) all average more than 67 yards per game.
Brodhead-Juda 35, Evansville 0
BRODHEAD — In a nonconference battle of old rivals, the Cardinals showed off their superiority over the Blue Devils Aug. 27 in Week 2.
Gage Boegli had 136 rushing yards and two TDs on just 15 carries (9.1 ypc). Brady Rosheisen added 86 yards on the ground on 15 totes (5.7 ypc). Cole Hoesly was 3-for-7 passing with two TDs and an INT. Gunner Boegli had two catches for 36 yards and a score, while Brady Malkow hauled in a 17-yard score.
Evansville (1-1) combined for just 109 yards of total offense, with Alex Johnson rushing for 97 yards on 32 carries. QB Chase Maves was just 2 of 13 passing for 13 yards and an interception.
Blake Matthys opened the scoring for Brodhead-Juda in the first quarter on a 1-yard TD run, and Gage Boegli made it 14-0 with a 20-yard TD run later in the frame. Hoesly and Malkow connected for their score in the second to put the Cardinals ahead 21-0 headed into the intermission.
Gage Boegli scored from 6-yards out in the third, and Hoesly and Gunner Boegli connected for a 26-yard score in the fourth to ignite the running clock.
The Cardinals (2-0, ranked No. 9 in D5) never punted in the game, instead turning the ball over on an interception on the first possession and on downs in the third possession. Evansville punted four times, fumbled twice, threw an interception and ended the first half on the Brodhead-Juda 30 yards line. The Cards gained 19 first downs to the Blue Devils 7.
Brodhead-Juda hosts New Glarus-Monticello (0-2) in Week 3 to open up the Southwest Wisconsin Conference schedule. In the alternate fall spring season just four months ago, the Cardinals defeated the Glarner Knights by a single point.
Marshall 28, Black Hawk-Warren 14
SOUTH WAYNE — The third-ranked Warriors suffered a tough loss in Week 2 in a nonconference game.
“Marshall is a good team and played a good game,” said Black Hawk-Warren coach Desie Breadon. “Marshall took advantage of big plays and opportunities.”
Turnovers played a big role in the game, Breadon said. The Cardinals scored two touchdowns late in the second quarter to go ahead 21-6 at halftime thanks to a turnover on downs and an interception.
“We missed out on a couple of opportunities that would have changed the game, especially deep in Marshall territory,” Breadon said, one of which was a dropped touchdown pass right before the half. “We had too many mental mistakes in the game, but we’ll get them corrected. We’re definitely not where we want to be or have the potential to be, we just need to keep working to get there.”
Landen Mahoney scored on a 19-yard run at the 11:05 mark in the second quarter to put BHW ahead 6-0. Marshall QB Craig Ward then tossed three TD passes, two of which to Bryce Frank (18 yds; 71 yards). In the fourth quarter, Marshall made it 28-6 on a 30-yard touchdown run by Bryce Frank. The Warriors scored their last touchdown with just 59 seconds left on a 44-yard pass from Brayden Bohnsack to Elijah Shelton.
Bohnsack was 3-for-8 passing for 114 yards with a TD and INT, and had another 47 yards on the ground on 15 carries, plus a lost fumble. Mahoney had 91 yards on 12 carries. Lucas Milz had 64 yards on eight totes. Shelton had two catches for 92 yards, while Milz had a 22-yard catch.
Ward was 9 of 12 for 172 yards and three TDs passing. Three Cardinals split 33 rushing attempts for just 92 yards, less than 3 yards per attempt.
Division 7 No. 3 Black Hawk-Warren (1-1) out-gained Division 5 No. 8 Marshall (2-0) in first downs (13-10) and total offensive yards (316-264). However, the Cardinals won the turnover battle 2-0.
“(Our) offense has shown potential, but we’re lacking consistency. We’re just not clicking on offense yet,” Breadon said. “(Our) offense needs to take care of the ball better and (our) defense needs to continue to minimize big plays. We need to learn from this game and make improvements for next week against Iowa-Grant.”
Saint Mary’s Springs 20, Darlington 6
DARLINGTON — The Redbirds’ offense sputtered against the stout defense of Saint Mary’s Springs in Week 2. Darlington, ranked No. 5 in D6 headed into the game, didn’t score a point on offense — though defense and special teams kept the score close.
The long Redbirds score came with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter, as Easton Evenstad returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a score.
Saint Mary’s Springs (1-1) scored its opening touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Cullen King to Levi Huempfner at the 2:05 mark in the first quarter. Huempfner made it 13-0 with a 1-yard plunge in the third quarter, and added a 3-yard score with 9:31 left on the clock to all but take the Redbirds out of it.
King was 8 of 13 passing for 84 yards, while Huempfner had 133 yards rushing on 24 carries. SMS had 314 yards of offense overall.
Braden Davis was 6 of 14 passing for 68 yards and added another 52 on the ground for Darlington. Carver Fitzsimons finished with two catches for 33 yards.
Darlington (1-1) enters SWAL action in Week 3 against rival Mineral Point (1-1) at home Sept. 3.
Also in Week 2, Pecatonica-Argyle (1-1) shut out Parkview-Albany (0-2), 30-0. Parkview-Albany hosts Lancaster (0-2) in Week 3, while Pecatonica-Argyle travels to Belleville (2-0).
