MONROE - Monroe won nearly every statistical category in its last home football game of the 2009 season Friday.
But it lost the one that counts.
The Cheesemakers outgained Stoughton 230-180 in total yards, 154-66 in rushing yards, had 15 first downs to the Vikings' 13, and punted fewer times.
Yet Stoughton won on the scoreboard, 14-7.
"We didn't get it done tonight," Monroe senior wideout Drew Geissbuhler said. "We weren't making plays and we shot ourselves in the foot a bunch of times. We couldn't make plays at all. I think we are the better team."
Stoughton was first on the board, taking the opening drive 59 yards on 11 plays, with quarterback Eric Gerber scoring from five yards out.
Stoughton missed a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter that would have extended the lead. The Cheesemakers then ran off 15 plays on their next drive, going 55 yards in seven minutes. During the drive, Monroe converted a fake punt on fourth-and-two, only to turn the ball over on downs when QB Michael Barrett and Bryan Tordoff couldn't connect on a pass on fourth-and-12 from Stoughton's 23-yard-line.
"There were a ton of things that we did in the first half that we were just killing ourselves with," Miller said. "It's hard going into halftime getting your butt kicked by a better team, but it's a lot harder to go into halftime with what I would consider an even team.
"We had some awful penalties and some kids weren't making plays that they should make. So we got them fired up, and they came out and drove the ball well, which was nice to see."
Monroe opened up the second half with some fire. Running the no-huddle offense, which hadn't been used the past few weeks, Barrett guided Monroe down the field. Barrett had runs of 23 and 19 yards, completed a pass to Tordoff for nine yards, and running back Dylan Schwitz capped the 1 minute, 25 second drive with a five-yard run.
Schwitz rushed for 71 yards on 20 carries. Barrett had 80 yards on 19 rushes.
"Sometimes I wish I would go back to (no huddle) more. Perhaps I will. I miss that," Miller said. "The past few weeks were tough and we were trying to slow those games down. But again tonight, the kids clicked."
Both teams exchanged punts throughout the second half, but Stoughton benefited from good field position late in the third quarter.
The Vikings took over at Monroe's 43-yard line with 6:29 left in the third, and soon found itself inside the red zone. On third-and-seven from the 15, Gerber scrambled to his left, evading pressure from Monroe's defensive line, and connected with Tyler Kowalkowski in the end zone for the game's final score with 3:58 left in the third.
"At times we made great plays on defense. Unfortunately that last touchdown pass we let the kid get behind us. But that's an all-conference-caliber kid making a great throw," Miller said.
Miller also said he talked to his seniors about their final game at T.R. Holyoke Field.
"We talked about what we were playing for. We weren't playing for playoffs, but Stoughton was. Being able to put the gear on and play football is a good thing, unfortunately it took us a half to figure things out and get going," he said.
Monroe (1-7, 1-5 Badger South) will take the next five days to prepare for the season finale at Portage on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
"We've got a long bus drive, but we'll deal with it. It's one more chance to play football," Miller said.
Geissbuhler knows he has one game left.
"It's over after Portage. That's it. We're going out there to win."
But it lost the one that counts.
The Cheesemakers outgained Stoughton 230-180 in total yards, 154-66 in rushing yards, had 15 first downs to the Vikings' 13, and punted fewer times.
Yet Stoughton won on the scoreboard, 14-7.
"We didn't get it done tonight," Monroe senior wideout Drew Geissbuhler said. "We weren't making plays and we shot ourselves in the foot a bunch of times. We couldn't make plays at all. I think we are the better team."
Stoughton was first on the board, taking the opening drive 59 yards on 11 plays, with quarterback Eric Gerber scoring from five yards out.
Stoughton missed a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter that would have extended the lead. The Cheesemakers then ran off 15 plays on their next drive, going 55 yards in seven minutes. During the drive, Monroe converted a fake punt on fourth-and-two, only to turn the ball over on downs when QB Michael Barrett and Bryan Tordoff couldn't connect on a pass on fourth-and-12 from Stoughton's 23-yard-line.
"There were a ton of things that we did in the first half that we were just killing ourselves with," Miller said. "It's hard going into halftime getting your butt kicked by a better team, but it's a lot harder to go into halftime with what I would consider an even team.
"We had some awful penalties and some kids weren't making plays that they should make. So we got them fired up, and they came out and drove the ball well, which was nice to see."
Monroe opened up the second half with some fire. Running the no-huddle offense, which hadn't been used the past few weeks, Barrett guided Monroe down the field. Barrett had runs of 23 and 19 yards, completed a pass to Tordoff for nine yards, and running back Dylan Schwitz capped the 1 minute, 25 second drive with a five-yard run.
Schwitz rushed for 71 yards on 20 carries. Barrett had 80 yards on 19 rushes.
"Sometimes I wish I would go back to (no huddle) more. Perhaps I will. I miss that," Miller said. "The past few weeks were tough and we were trying to slow those games down. But again tonight, the kids clicked."
Both teams exchanged punts throughout the second half, but Stoughton benefited from good field position late in the third quarter.
The Vikings took over at Monroe's 43-yard line with 6:29 left in the third, and soon found itself inside the red zone. On third-and-seven from the 15, Gerber scrambled to his left, evading pressure from Monroe's defensive line, and connected with Tyler Kowalkowski in the end zone for the game's final score with 3:58 left in the third.
"At times we made great plays on defense. Unfortunately that last touchdown pass we let the kid get behind us. But that's an all-conference-caliber kid making a great throw," Miller said.
Miller also said he talked to his seniors about their final game at T.R. Holyoke Field.
"We talked about what we were playing for. We weren't playing for playoffs, but Stoughton was. Being able to put the gear on and play football is a good thing, unfortunately it took us a half to figure things out and get going," he said.
Monroe (1-7, 1-5 Badger South) will take the next five days to prepare for the season finale at Portage on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
"We've got a long bus drive, but we'll deal with it. It's one more chance to play football," Miller said.
Geissbuhler knows he has one game left.
"It's over after Portage. That's it. We're going out there to win."
