MONROE - After hanging with DeForest on the road a week ago, Monroe's football team had every reason to be psyched for its home opener against Sauk Prairie. Unfortunately for the Cheesemakers, Monroe will head into Week 3's Badger South opener with an 0-2 record.
"Penalties, turnovers, dropping the ball, simple miscues up front - it wasn't one person or position, it was all across the board," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said. "We've got to get those mistakes ironed out if we want to win a football game."
On paper, the Cheesemakers' 34-7 loss to Sauk Prairie in the home opener doesn't look like such a blow out. However, turnovers proved to be costly for Monroe.
"The frustrating thing was that we thought we had the upper hand momentum-wise in the first half," Miller said. "Unfortunately, the scoreboard showed otherwise."
The Cheesemakers lost one fumble, threw two interceptions and turned the ball over on downs four times. Sauk Prairie, which held a late lead against Milton a week ago, scored 17 points off of turnovers.
"The more I watched film of Sauk over the past week, the more I gained respect for them. They played outstanding football, they really did," Miller said. "We had a lot of wasted plays today and plays that were not very productive for us. It's early in the season. We have good kids and we'll get those things ironed out."
Sauk Prairie opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal by Karl Schroeder three minutes into the second quarter. Four minutes later, with just over 5:15 left in the first half, Monroe sophomore quarterback Alex Barenklau threw an interception on a screen pass. Sauk Prairie's Matt Rudig ran the pick 29 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Monroe went into the half down by the same score.
"We held them to one first down in the first half," Miller said. "Defensively, I'm still pleased. Our defense played very tough, but towards the end, late in the third and fourth quarter, we were gassed. That's the unfortunately part of playing a lot of kids both ways."
Opening up the second half, the Eagles pushed the Cheesemakers into a corner. On Monroe's second play, Barenklau again was picked off, this time by Dan Brennan, who returned the interception 20 yards to Monroe's 9-yard line. On the very next play, Eagles senior QB Brody Stuettgen took an option keeper into the end zone, quickly putting Monroe into a deep hole.
"It's kind of hard to get the ball moving on offense when we get penalties all the time. That needs to change," Monroe junior running back Jon Becker said.
The Cheesemakers responded this time, marching 80 yards on 15 plays, culminating on a 9-yard TD run by Becker.
"It felt great," Becker said. "We should have scored some points in the first half, but never did."
Monroe caught two breaks on the drive. First, on 3rd and 10 from the Sauk Prairie 46, Barenklau scrambled to his right and heaved a pass in which Skylar Stingley came back and made a diving catch, giving the Cheesemakers shot at the red zone. On the very next play, Barenklau took an option keeper up the right side but fumbled. The ball trickled just out of bounds ahead of an Eagle defender, giving the Cheesemakers the ball at the 6.
"Alex made a few mistakes tonight, but we expect that," Miller said of his sophomore QB. "The unfortunately thing is that when we were driving the ball in the first half, we were handing the ball off. Once we got down, we had to ask Alex to do more than what he probably should. We're not setting him up for a really good situation."
The Eagles scored on the next drive, gaining 57 yards on five plays. Sauk Prairie kicked a field goal and scored a fourth touchdown on two of its final three drives, putting the Cheesemakers away for good.
Becker led Monroe running backs with 83 yards rushing on 16 carries. Dylan Schwitz had 47 yards on 10 carries. For Sauk Prairie, Brendan Coy had 97 yards on 16 carries, including two scores.
"If we can find a way to iron out a couple things that we hurt ourselves with, we're going to be fine," Miller said.
"Penalties, turnovers, dropping the ball, simple miscues up front - it wasn't one person or position, it was all across the board," Monroe head coach Curt Miller said. "We've got to get those mistakes ironed out if we want to win a football game."
On paper, the Cheesemakers' 34-7 loss to Sauk Prairie in the home opener doesn't look like such a blow out. However, turnovers proved to be costly for Monroe.
"The frustrating thing was that we thought we had the upper hand momentum-wise in the first half," Miller said. "Unfortunately, the scoreboard showed otherwise."
The Cheesemakers lost one fumble, threw two interceptions and turned the ball over on downs four times. Sauk Prairie, which held a late lead against Milton a week ago, scored 17 points off of turnovers.
"The more I watched film of Sauk over the past week, the more I gained respect for them. They played outstanding football, they really did," Miller said. "We had a lot of wasted plays today and plays that were not very productive for us. It's early in the season. We have good kids and we'll get those things ironed out."
Sauk Prairie opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal by Karl Schroeder three minutes into the second quarter. Four minutes later, with just over 5:15 left in the first half, Monroe sophomore quarterback Alex Barenklau threw an interception on a screen pass. Sauk Prairie's Matt Rudig ran the pick 29 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Monroe went into the half down by the same score.
"We held them to one first down in the first half," Miller said. "Defensively, I'm still pleased. Our defense played very tough, but towards the end, late in the third and fourth quarter, we were gassed. That's the unfortunately part of playing a lot of kids both ways."
Opening up the second half, the Eagles pushed the Cheesemakers into a corner. On Monroe's second play, Barenklau again was picked off, this time by Dan Brennan, who returned the interception 20 yards to Monroe's 9-yard line. On the very next play, Eagles senior QB Brody Stuettgen took an option keeper into the end zone, quickly putting Monroe into a deep hole.
"It's kind of hard to get the ball moving on offense when we get penalties all the time. That needs to change," Monroe junior running back Jon Becker said.
The Cheesemakers responded this time, marching 80 yards on 15 plays, culminating on a 9-yard TD run by Becker.
"It felt great," Becker said. "We should have scored some points in the first half, but never did."
Monroe caught two breaks on the drive. First, on 3rd and 10 from the Sauk Prairie 46, Barenklau scrambled to his right and heaved a pass in which Skylar Stingley came back and made a diving catch, giving the Cheesemakers shot at the red zone. On the very next play, Barenklau took an option keeper up the right side but fumbled. The ball trickled just out of bounds ahead of an Eagle defender, giving the Cheesemakers the ball at the 6.
"Alex made a few mistakes tonight, but we expect that," Miller said of his sophomore QB. "The unfortunately thing is that when we were driving the ball in the first half, we were handing the ball off. Once we got down, we had to ask Alex to do more than what he probably should. We're not setting him up for a really good situation."
The Eagles scored on the next drive, gaining 57 yards on five plays. Sauk Prairie kicked a field goal and scored a fourth touchdown on two of its final three drives, putting the Cheesemakers away for good.
Becker led Monroe running backs with 83 yards rushing on 16 carries. Dylan Schwitz had 47 yards on 10 carries. For Sauk Prairie, Brendan Coy had 97 yards on 16 carries, including two scores.
"If we can find a way to iron out a couple things that we hurt ourselves with, we're going to be fine," Miller said.
