MONROE - A crystal ball will not be needed to determine what has to play out in the Monroe High School football team's regular-season finale for the Cheesemakers to celebrate a Badger South Conference championship outright on their home field.

If Monroe (8-0, 5-0 Badger South), ranked seventh in the Associated Press medium-school state poll, beats Fort Atkinson (5-3, 3-2) Friday, the Cheesemakers would win the conference title outright, finish the regular season unbeaten and be in contention for a top seed in the playoffs. The Blackhawks, who have already clinched a playoff spot too, are looking to spoil the Cheesemakers' perfect run.

"That would give us an outright conference championship and give us a solid shot at a No. 1 seed," Monroe coach Toby Golembiewski said. "None of that happens unless we win the game. We just want to focus on our jobs."

Golembiewski said the players and coaches have appreciated the support from the community.

"We have been playing in a playoff-type atmosphere the last couple of weeks," he said. "I see the energy with the kids. I can't get caught up in it. Sometimes you look back and see what the venue looks like, and it's impressive. The Monroe coaches who have played here and are on this staff have said that is how it was and how it's supposed to be."

If there is a bell cow running back it is Fort Atkinson senior Preston Strasburg, who leads the conference with 1,615 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He is averaging 201 rushing yards per game and almost single-handedly led the Blackhawks to an upset against Monona Grove. Strasburg rushed for 345 yards on 56 carries and scored six touchdowns in a 57-56 overtime loss to Monona Grove two weeks ago.

"He's a good running back," Golembiewski said. "He can carry the ball 50 or 60 times a game and they give it to him 50 or 60 times. He's a dangerous player."

Fort Atkinson runs a double-tight single-back shotgun offense that relies on the running of Strasburg to find running lanes. The Blackhawks average 34.9 points per game and are coming off a 50-28 win over Milton.

"They run a single-back shotgun or pistol-type offense," Golembiewski said. "They will try to create as many creases as they can for Strasburg. They move the ball at times, but we have to bend, but not break."

Fort Atkinson quarterback Matt Romens has passed for 1,218 yards with 11 TDs and two interceptions. Romens has also run for 218 yards and scored three touchdowns.

The Cheesemakers are averaging 35.5 points per game. Monroe senior Isaac Allen is closing in on a 1,000 yard season. Allen has rushed for 977 yards (122 yards per game) and scored 14 TDs. Senior running back Jacob Kind and senior running back Cole Murray also have been major factors in a three-pronged attack.

When Golembiewski was looking to implement the wing-t offense when he was hired last spring, he knew the Cheesemakers had talent, but the prolific way they have piled up points and yards has been a surprise.

"I didn't know exactly what to expect," Golembiewski said. "I had a good idea. It's an expectation of this offense to have this balanced type of attack. It was the goal and has exceeded expectations. You never know how it will work out for sure with young kids. We knew we had some physically talented kids with speed and strength. There is a group of guys up front (offensive line) from the tight end who have made it happen."

Monroe junior Dempzy Foley has been a solid kicker all season for the Cheesemakers, pinning opponents deep in their own territory with many touchbacks this season.

"It gets everything started on a good note if you can do that," Golembiewski said of Foley's ability to kick the ball into the end zone for a touchback. "The more times you can kick it in the end zone the more times you can safely put the offense in a bad position. If we can get good field position from our special teams, defense and limit our penalties that will put us in a good position."

The big playmakers for the Blackhawks on defense are Mason Emrick who has a team-high 97 tackles, one sack and one interception, and Mason Kent, who has 71 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception. Fort Atkinson's Seth Forester (67 tackles), Mitch Brown (57 tackles, five tackles for loss) and Troy Nachtigal (43 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks) are the other top defensive players for the Blackhawks.

The Cheesemakers use pulling linemen at times to help spring big plays.

"Part of our scheme is to block down and get a kick-out block," Golembiewski said. "It creates some leverage rather than to always take bigger guys on nose-to-nose. You can take an angle to help create some leverage where you may not be as big as your opponent."