MONROE - Call it Mission Impossible, because that's what it was. The Cheesemakers faced a daunting task Friday night, hosting two-time defending state champion Waunakee. The Warriors, with their size, speed, coaching and tradition, have not been conquered since a regular season loss in October 2009.
Monroe (0-2), filled with gaping offensive and defensive holes, had no shot and lost 57-6. Waunakee, 2-0, ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and WisSports.net Coaches polls, came out early and often, led 36-0 after the first quarter and 50-0 at halftime.
"What do you expect? What are you going to do against a Waunakee team that is well coached?" Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "They are fired up. Coach (Pat) Rice is on win No. 199 and he's looking for that 200th win. There was no doubt in their minds that they were here to play football."
However, the coaching staff challenged the players to make some extra noise in the second half: Try a little harder, do not give up, play with heart and grab some momentum.
"We told the guys that they were all going to get a chance to play against Waunakee. We were looking for effort from there. We wanted to know who wants to play football when you've been knocked down," Miller said. "A lot of kids turned it up in the second half, and hopefully that's a building block."
The Cheesemakers held the Warriors' second-team offense to a 3-and-out, and Trent Wyssbrod and Josh Farrey teamed up to block a punt. The defensive hustle allowed Monroe to hold possession inside Waunakee territory for the first time all game. Immediately, Monroe went for it all.
"I went up to (coach) Miller and said, 'what have we got to lose?'" said quarterback Alex Barenklau, who tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Alex Dahlk on the first play from scrimmage. "Dahlk ran a perfect route. It was amazing."
The strong defensive showing and quick strike gave Monroe some momentum for the first time all game. On Waunakee's next possession, the Cheesemakers turned the ball over on downs on their own 6-yard line.
"It was an honor just being out there and playing some football (against Waunakee)," Barenklau said.
The Warriors scored one last touchdown with just under four minutes to play, but the Cheesemakers were happy to stay with them throughout the second half - even if it was the second and third teams.
"The second half, losing 7-6, but winning the third quarter, we hope that gives us some momentum for the next game," Barenklau said.
One player who quietly had a good game was senior Cam Elmer, who played a difference-making role at defensive end. Both teammates and coaches praised his play.
"He had a thankless job this week. We told him to take out the fullback every play, because the fullback was going to block him on just about every play," Miller said. "For a kid that has wanted to play quarterback his whole life, and is now playing defensive end and linebacker, he's earned every bit of it. I'm proud of him. He's turned a corner. We've been waiting for him to step in and be our team leader."
"He's been working on (defensive skills) the past week. Most of those piles were created by him," lineman Austin Burandt said. "He was yelling in the huddle, he was getting guys up and talking to guys."
Waunakee did dominate from the start, sacking Barenklau on the first play from scrimmage and scoring on its second offensive play. On Monroe's next possession, Burandt had an errant snap to fullback Trevor Gorr, and Waunakee's Max Chamberlin grabbed the ball mid-air for a 17-yard score, and Waunakee was up 15-0.
After another 3-and-out by Monroe, Waunakee's Leo Musso scored his second touchdown from just two yards out. Musso added a third TD, from 35-yards out, with 3:58 left in the first quarter on a Barry Sanders-like run, dancing, spinning, cutting left and right before turning on the afterburners.
"You see the hole and fill it, and all of a sudden he bounces outside and he's 10 yards down the field," Burandt said. "He's shifty, he's quick and you just can't catch him."
Waunakee, which put its subs into the game with 7:43 left in the second, ended the first half with 286 yards of offense, while holding Monroe to minus-14. The Warriors scored on seven of eight possessions, and the Cheesemakers failed to get a first down all game. With the TD pass - Monroe's only completion of the game - the Cheesemakers finished with just 21 total yards of offense, compared to Waunakee's 424.
"They're big, quick and strong. They have great technique and they've been coached so well," Burandt said of Waunakee's defensive line.
Monroe travels to DeForest (1-1) next week. The Norskies lost to Edgewood, which was destroyed by Waunakee in Week 1.
"If we've got one thing to take from last year, it was 7-0 in the middle of the fourth quarter," Miller said. "We're going to go after them. It's a game that we feel we can compete."
Monroe (0-2), filled with gaping offensive and defensive holes, had no shot and lost 57-6. Waunakee, 2-0, ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and WisSports.net Coaches polls, came out early and often, led 36-0 after the first quarter and 50-0 at halftime.
"What do you expect? What are you going to do against a Waunakee team that is well coached?" Monroe coach Curt Miller said. "They are fired up. Coach (Pat) Rice is on win No. 199 and he's looking for that 200th win. There was no doubt in their minds that they were here to play football."
However, the coaching staff challenged the players to make some extra noise in the second half: Try a little harder, do not give up, play with heart and grab some momentum.
"We told the guys that they were all going to get a chance to play against Waunakee. We were looking for effort from there. We wanted to know who wants to play football when you've been knocked down," Miller said. "A lot of kids turned it up in the second half, and hopefully that's a building block."
The Cheesemakers held the Warriors' second-team offense to a 3-and-out, and Trent Wyssbrod and Josh Farrey teamed up to block a punt. The defensive hustle allowed Monroe to hold possession inside Waunakee territory for the first time all game. Immediately, Monroe went for it all.
"I went up to (coach) Miller and said, 'what have we got to lose?'" said quarterback Alex Barenklau, who tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Alex Dahlk on the first play from scrimmage. "Dahlk ran a perfect route. It was amazing."
The strong defensive showing and quick strike gave Monroe some momentum for the first time all game. On Waunakee's next possession, the Cheesemakers turned the ball over on downs on their own 6-yard line.
"It was an honor just being out there and playing some football (against Waunakee)," Barenklau said.
The Warriors scored one last touchdown with just under four minutes to play, but the Cheesemakers were happy to stay with them throughout the second half - even if it was the second and third teams.
"The second half, losing 7-6, but winning the third quarter, we hope that gives us some momentum for the next game," Barenklau said.
One player who quietly had a good game was senior Cam Elmer, who played a difference-making role at defensive end. Both teammates and coaches praised his play.
"He had a thankless job this week. We told him to take out the fullback every play, because the fullback was going to block him on just about every play," Miller said. "For a kid that has wanted to play quarterback his whole life, and is now playing defensive end and linebacker, he's earned every bit of it. I'm proud of him. He's turned a corner. We've been waiting for him to step in and be our team leader."
"He's been working on (defensive skills) the past week. Most of those piles were created by him," lineman Austin Burandt said. "He was yelling in the huddle, he was getting guys up and talking to guys."
Waunakee did dominate from the start, sacking Barenklau on the first play from scrimmage and scoring on its second offensive play. On Monroe's next possession, Burandt had an errant snap to fullback Trevor Gorr, and Waunakee's Max Chamberlin grabbed the ball mid-air for a 17-yard score, and Waunakee was up 15-0.
After another 3-and-out by Monroe, Waunakee's Leo Musso scored his second touchdown from just two yards out. Musso added a third TD, from 35-yards out, with 3:58 left in the first quarter on a Barry Sanders-like run, dancing, spinning, cutting left and right before turning on the afterburners.
"You see the hole and fill it, and all of a sudden he bounces outside and he's 10 yards down the field," Burandt said. "He's shifty, he's quick and you just can't catch him."
Waunakee, which put its subs into the game with 7:43 left in the second, ended the first half with 286 yards of offense, while holding Monroe to minus-14. The Warriors scored on seven of eight possessions, and the Cheesemakers failed to get a first down all game. With the TD pass - Monroe's only completion of the game - the Cheesemakers finished with just 21 total yards of offense, compared to Waunakee's 424.
"They're big, quick and strong. They have great technique and they've been coached so well," Burandt said of Waunakee's defensive line.
Monroe travels to DeForest (1-1) next week. The Norskies lost to Edgewood, which was destroyed by Waunakee in Week 1.
"If we've got one thing to take from last year, it was 7-0 in the middle of the fourth quarter," Miller said. "We're going to go after them. It's a game that we feel we can compete."
