Monona Grove defense gave up just 44 yards until the score was 42–0

Final Score: Monona Grove 42, Watertown 12

Friday, September 18, 2026 — Landsverk Field, Watertown

Monona Grove: 5–0 overall, 3–0 Badger Large

Seven years after Monona Grove's last trip to Landsverk Field ended with Watertown celebrating their only victory in the series, MG returned in 2026 and emphatically changed the ending.

Playing through steady mist, intermittent rain and slippery conditions, Monona Grove overcame an opening-possession turnover, forced two early takeaways and gradually took complete control. MG built a 42–0 lead with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter, holding Watertown to only 44 yards of total offense before the game reached that point. After that, the Goslings accumulated 169 of their 213 total yards and scored both of their touchdowns.

The 42–12 victory moved Monona Grove to 5–0 for the 15th time in program history and for the first time since 2018. 

It also improved MG to 4–1 all-time against Watertown, avenging the 28–16 loss at the same stadium in 2019.

A Slippery Start — Then MG Takes Control

The conditions immediately became part of the game. Monona Grove fumbled on its opening possession, giving Watertown an opportunity to turn the wet football and home field into an early advantage.

Instead, the MG defense essentially erased the mistake. Friday also brought a significant individual milestone for junior Santana Jackson, who made his first career varsity start at defensive end. Jackson joined Lucas Jordan, Deangelo Clay and Nic Busalacchi along MG's starting defensive front. It was another example of the Silver Eagles developing new contributors around an experienced defensive core while continuing to produce at a high level.

The defensive front immediately made an impact.

Diego Adame recorded a third-down sack on Watertown's opening possession, beginning a night in which MG would record 10 tackles for loss and limit the Goslings to just 42 rushing yards.

Senior linebacker Dom Melone recovered a Watertown fumble on the Goslings' second possession, giving MG the ball at the Watertown 41. Jaxon Zukowski then found Hunter Meyer for the game's first touchdown and a 7–0 lead.

That exchange established one of the defining themes of the night: MG made an early mistake, but Watertown never had an opportunity to capitalize on it.

Junior Diego Adame had already recorded a third-down sack on Watertown's opening possession. In the second quarter, the defense created another short field when Landry Ganshert intercepted Aiyden Parr-Mitchell, his return putting MG deep in Watertown territory.

The Silver Eagles did not score following that interception, but Watertown's offense continued to spend much of the half playing from poor field position. Three second-quarter Gosling possessions ended in punts from deep in their own territory, and MG eventually turned all three ensuing possessions into touchdowns.

That was where the game separated.

Deangelo "DLo" Clay powered in for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Zukowski followed a blocking convoy around the left side for a 25-yard touchdown run, and later found junior tight end Nic Busalacchi for another score.

By halftime, MG led 28–0.

It was remarkably similar to the pattern identified before the game. Watertown's first four games had repeatedly gotten away from the Goslings early: Beaver Dam led them 27–0 at halftime, Sun Prairie West led 24–0 and Waunakee eventually scored 57. Meanwhile, MG entered Week 5 having repeatedly put opponents away before its starters needed to play a full game.

Friday followed that script again.

The Third Quarter Removes Any Doubt

If the first half was productive despite the difficult conditions, Monona Grove looked even sharper coming out of halftime.

Carson Schoenherr established the drive with physical runs between the tackles before Zukowski attacked vertically, finding Diego Adame for a 57-yard touchdown only 1:55 into the half.

It capped an impressive two-way night for Adame. He recorded a sack defensively, handled kickoff duties and produced the longest offensive play of the game.

The defense immediately went back to work. Jay Hurley recorded a tackle for loss that helped force a turnover on downs, and MG responded with another scoring drive. Schoenherr finished it with a four-yard touchdown run.

With 4:33 remaining in the third quarter, Monona Grove led 42–0.

The starters' night was essentially complete.

Watertown finally broke through on a 95-yard Parr-Mitchell touchdown pass to Alex David with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter and added a four-yard Parr-Mitchell touchdown run in the fourth. Both extra points failed, producing the 42–12 final.

The sequence matters: MG's starting units built the 42–0 advantage before Watertown scored its first point.

DLo's Remarkable Start Continues

Clay's impact extended well beyond his offensive touchdown.

The senior finished with five tackles and three tackles for loss, increasing his season total to 17 TFLs through five games. He entered the night with 14, which ranked first in Wisconsin Division 2. DLo is a dominannt two-way weapon. He can provide short-yardage power offensively while remaining one of the most disruptive defenders MG has anywhere on the field. Against Watertown, both roles showed up on the same night.

Landry Ganshert Continues to Show Up Everywhere

Landry Ganshert produced another complete defensive performance, leading MG with seven tackles while adding a tackle for loss and an interception.

His interception came immediately after Clay's touchdown. Watertown took possession trailing 14–0, and Ganshert quickly gave the football back to MG deep in Gosling territory.

He also handled punt-return responsibilities.

Ganshert entered Week 5 with 19 tackles and now has 26 through five games, further establishing himself as one of MG's most productive defenders.

The Defense Answered the Parr-Mitchell Question — Emphatically

Ganshert's emergence also illustrates the balance of this defense. Clay continues to create disruption up front, while the linebacking corps is producing consistently, with senior Dom Melone and junior Cole Kessenich each recording four tackles against Watertown. In the secondary, Ganshert and Junior Safety Aiden Dennis continue making impact plays as tacklers and playmakers.

One of the biggest questions entering Friday concerned Watertown sophomore quarterback Aiyden Parr-Mitchell. He entered the game with 344 rushing yards on 52 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. His ability to escape pressure and create outside the structure of the offense had been one of Watertown's most dangerous weapons.

MG didn't simply contain him. The Silver Eagles essentially shut down Watertown's entire offense while the game was competitive.

When Schoenherr's touchdown made it 42–0 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter, Watertown had produced only 44 total yards of offense — 31 rushing and just 13 passing.

That puts the final statistics in a much different perspective.

Watertown finished with 213 total yards, but 169 of those yards — nearly 80% of its entire offensive output — came after MG had already taken a 42–0 lead and turned the game over to its reserves.

The difference was particularly dramatic through the air. Watertown finished with 171 passing yards, but 158 came after the score reached 42–0. The Goslings completed four passes for those 158 yards against the reserves, including the 95-yard touchdown from Parr-Mitchell to Alex David. MG's starting defense surrendered only 13 passing yards before leaving the game.

The rushing numbers tell a similar story. Watertown finished with only 42 yards on the ground, and 31 of those yards came before MG went ahead 42–0. Starting running back Kameron Zingler was held to nine yards on seven carries, while Parr-Mitchell managed 24 yards on eight attempts for the night.

Even after the reserves entered, Watertown found little consistent success running the football. The Goslings gained 11 net rushing yards on six attempts. Three carries produced 20 yards, while the other three were stopped for losses of four, four and one yards.

MG finished with 10 tackles for loss. Clay had three and Melone two, while Ganshert, Hurley, Nysiah McKinney, Devaron Green and Diego Adame each recorded one. Adame supplied the sack.

The final score says 42–12. The final statistics say Watertown gained 213 yards.

But neither fully captures what MG's starting defense accomplished.

Through nearly three quarters, while the starters were determining the outcome of the game, Watertown had 44 total yards, 13 passing yards, 31 rushing yards and zero points. MG led 42–0.

Zukowski Accounts for Four Touchdowns in the Rain

The conditions affected the passing game, but they did not prevent MG from generating explosive plays.

Jaxon Zukowski finished 8-of-16 for 156 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing nine times for 85 yards and another score.

He accounted for 241 yards of offense and four touchdowns despite leaving with the game in the 3rd quarter. Just as important was the distribution. Zukowski threw touchdowns to three different players — Hunter Meyer, Nic Busalacchi and Diego Adame.

Busalacchi finished with three receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown. Senior Steven Brumm caught two passes for 33 yards, Meyer had two for 23 and a touchdown, Zander Vosberg added an 18-yard reception and Adame turned his reception into the 57-yard score.

Six Silver Eagles caught passes, and MG averaged 18.7 yards per completion.

That continued an important development in the offense: MG can generate explosive plays without being dependent upon one receiver or one method of attacking a defense.

Schoenherr and Clay Add the Physical Component

Watertown's difficulty stopping the run was one of the major themes entering the game. Beaver Dam had rushed for 308 yards against the Goslings, while Sun Prairie West followed with 370.

MG didn't need those enormous rushing totals because its passing game was equally productive.

Schoenherr carried 16 times for 73 yards and a touchdown, Clay added 21 yards and a score on five attempts, and Zukowski produced 85 yards on nine carries.

MG finished with 163 rushing yards and 187 passing yards. Even more telling was the scoring balance:

Three rushing touchdowns. Three passing touchdowns.

Watertown could not simply load up against one element of the offense.

The Preview Questions — Answered

Could MG contain Parr-Mitchell without losing control of Watertown's passing game? Emphatically, yes. Parr-Mitchell finished with only 24 rushing yards on eight carries, while Watertown starting running back Kameron Zingler managed nine yards on seven attempts. More telling, Watertown had only 44 total yards — 31 rushing and 13 passing — when MG took a 42–0 lead and began turning the game over to its reserves. Of Watertown's eventual 171 passing yards, 158 came after that point.

Could Watertown slow MG's physical offense? Not enough. The Silver Eagles rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns while complementing the ground game with 187 passing yards and three more scores.

Would the weather and return to Landsverk Field change the game? The rain created some early adversity, most notably MG's opening-possession fumble, but it never changed the direction of the game. The defense immediately answered the turnover, and the Silver Eagles scored the game's first 42 points.

Could Watertown avoid the early deficit that had plagued it throughout the season? No. The Goslings trailed 28–0 at halftime and 42–0 midway through the third quarter. More striking than the score was Watertown's inability to sustain offense: only 44 total yards before MG reached 42 points.

Would MG's starters finally need to play four quarters? Again, no.

And that last answer is becoming one of the defining stories of Monona Grove's season.

Five Weeks of Early Knockouts

The most unusual aspect of MG's 5–0 start isn't simply the margin of victory. It is how consistently the starters have put games away early.

Against Janesville Parker, MG led 35–0 at halftime and the starters were finished for the night.

La Follette provided the one major exception to MG's early dominance. The Silver Eagles trailed 14–7 after the first quarter — the only time through five games that the varsity starters have found themselves behind. Their response was emphatic: 38 consecutive points, building a 45–14 lead before the fourth quarter.

Then came three straight weeks of overwhelming starts.

MG led Milton 42–0 at halftime and Oregon 42–0 at halftime, with the starters sitting for the entire second half of both games. At Watertown, difficult weather kept the starters on the field a little longer, but MG still reached 42–0 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter. 

Through five weeks, MG's varsity starters have reached at least 35 points before leaving the game every week. They have reached 42 points in four consecutive games, and the Silver Eagles have triggered a running clock in all five.

Another Historical Echo at Landsverk Field

Friday also produced an interesting connection to MG's previous trips to Watertown.

In 2018, Monona Grove went to Landsverk Field and built a 35–0 halftime lead, triggering a running clock before Watertown scored twice later. Jordan Bishop threw five touchdown passes, four to Sam Hepp.

Eight years later, MG returned and produced a remarkably similar result: another enormous lead, another running clock, another extended appearance by the reserves and two Watertown touchdowns after the game had effectively been decided.

Between those games sits the outlier — Watertown's 28–16 victory in 2019.

Friday erased Watertown's one-game series winning streak and leaves Monona Grove 4–1 all-time against the Goslings.

5–0 — For the 11th Time

Friday's victory also placed the 2026 team into a relatively small group in Monona Grove history as 11 MG teams have opened a season 5–0:

1962, 1977, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2026.

The 1962 team was the first, eventually finishing 8–0. MG didn't start another season 5–0 until 1977, and then didn't do it again until 2003.

The 2026 Silver Eagles are the first MG team to reach 5–0 since 2018.

Through five weeks, their identity has become increasingly clear. They can run with power and create explosive plays through the air. Their defense is producing impact plays from the line, linebackers and secondary. Young players such as Lucas Jordan and Santana Jackson are stepping into larger roles. Mistakes have not snowballed. And the starters have repeatedly built leads large enough that the second half becomes an opportunity to develop the rest of the roster.

Five games. Five wins. Five running clocks.

Week 6 is ahead, it looms large and brings Sun Prairie East to Monona Grove in what shapes up as the Silver Eagles' biggest test of the 2026 season so far. 

Special thanks to Lori Dahl for providing the photography featured throughout.

Lori Dahl Photography - Cottage Grove loridahlphotography@gmail.com