Arrowhead Ends Fondy Season

The Fond du Lac football team's season came to an end earlier tonight, falling to Hartland Arrowhead 36-21 at Fruth Field in a Division One State Quarterfinal game. I thought I'd leave you a few thoughts on the game as I upload tonight's game to our Internet site. www.kfiz.com. (head over there to listen to a podcast of tonight's game).

*Fondy may not have won the football game but they can hang their heads high. They went toe to toe with one of the top high school football program in the state of Wisconsin.

*When you play a team like Arrowhead, you have to show them early that you belong on the field with them, and that's exactly what the Cards did. Ben Anderson hit Kyle Senn on an 80 yard scoring pass on the games first play from scrimmage and Fondy was up 7-0. Anderson hit Senn on two more scoring passes on the night. Senn's numbers may not be as big as some other receivers in the state who play in more pass orientated offenses, but he should be an All-State player. We'll have to wait and see. Having a big game...7 catches for 177 yards and 3 TDs against a team like Arrowhead and with Milwaukee media on hand should help Kyles cause.

*Fondy led 21-20 by holding the Warhawks to a field goal late. Not giving up a late TD in the first half kept Fondy in it. If you give up a TD and then give Arrowhead the ball to start the 2nd half, and they score...lights out...but that didn't happen.

*The motto of the season as been "As One" for the squad and you saw that again on Saturday night. Fondy fell behind in the 2nd half due to the brusing running of Drew Vollkmann and Jake Ferris. Now these two guys combined for 32 touchdowns in the regular season, many of those TD runs were 40 and 50 yards scampers...not today. The Cards made Arrowhead earn their years a little at a time, but eventually the defense got worn down, and the big line from the Warhawks opened some holes...but not big scoring plays. Fondy got down, but they battled, down two scores in the final minutes and until the final pass fell incomplete, you still felt like the team somehow had a shot. That's the way it's been all season....those boys played hard and should be proud.

*This was a foundation for Coach Koz and his staff. 8-4 is a fabulous season and a state quarterfinal appearance was above and beyond my expecations and many others this season...but those young men believed and gave us lots of memories. It will be interesting to see what happens in the offseason. Fondy is losing a ton of talent, but they will return some young offensive lineman and a few other players that contributed this season as underclassmen.

*Boy, I saw some great specialists tonight in the kicking game. Arrowhead punter/kicker Derek Steinbach has as big of a leg as I've ever seen in high school football. Coming into tonight's game, kicking off he boomed 11 straight touchbacks. That is unheard of in high school football. Now you do see touchbacks with low-line drive type kicks, but these were big time high hangers that were 5 yards deep into the end zone. Steinbach also had a 67 yard punt...in the air! Arrowheads place kicker Jeff Budzien stands just 5'10 and weighs 126 pounds but he boomed his field goals through the uprights as well. Fondy's Kyle Senn wouldn't be out-done he had a 50 yard punt of his own and he should be the All-FVA punter this season. Those awards should come out early this week.

*I mentioned in a previous blog that Coach Taraska didn't need a tape trade with Fondy of game film and I thought that he might have a few games of the Cards already on film. Well, talking to a few people connected with Arrowhead before the the game....he had EVERY Cardinal game on tape from the 2006 season. Again, there's a reason Arrowhead has been in the state title game 6 of the last 13 seasons.

*Again, I would like to thank Coach Koz for his cooperation with our News-Talk 1450 KFIZ broadcasts this season. Letting me stop by after practice once a week to do our pregame interviews. I know his time is valuable, but he always made time. The entire coaching staff at Fondy high are great men, and very cooperative. I'm not sure what coach Koz thought of me when I met him in AD Brian Skortz's office last Spring to introduce myself and explain to him what we do at KFIZ and that I wanted to interview him weekly during the season. I can say this coach Koz was always forthcoming and honest in our interviews both pregame and postgame, and as a broadcaster I appreciate that big time. So coach Koz, if you're reading this thanks a ton and I hope I get to keep doing those pre and post game chats for many years to come.

*Finally the seniors on this team. With a new staff coming in some senior classes would have mailed it in when they found out they were getting a coach with a brand new system and a totally different offensive philosophy than what they had in the past. They didn't do that. Ben Anderson, the QB, when he heard Fondy would be running the Wing T rather than the pass happy system where he would get to throw 30 times a game which was the norm at FHS, could have mailed it in, but he and the rest of the seniors took charge and were just plain winners.

*OK...before I get out of here....quick memories from the season.
-OT win over Oshkosh North in Week 1...Coach Koz getting a big kiss from his wife after the game.
-Paul Biolo getting injured in the first game and begging the staff to let him back in the game...which they didn't
-Another Biolo play...breaking up a late pass at Neenah to secure the win.
-Josh Korb making a tackle at the one on Chris Agrell against Oshkosh West and my broadcast partner Bob Hoffmaster saying that was big because in high school football...strange things happen...and West fumbled on the next play and Fondy recovered in the end zone.
-I'll remember big booming punts by Kyle Senn that always seemed to fall dead inside the 20 or the 10 or the 5.
- Kyle Senn streaking down the sidelines on long touchdown plays such as the first play against Arrowhead.
-Josh Korb knocking the Mukwonago QB out of bounds inside the one at the end of the frist half...making a big play that could have meant the ball game if Fondy goes down two scores.
-Of Course Ben Anderson's TD pass to Kyle Duquaine with :15 seconds left at Mukwonago to send Fondy to Level 3 of the playoffs.

Those are just a few I remember from this fun season...I'm sure I've forgotten a few, but those are the ones I can think of right now.

Wow can you believe the season is over. High School Basketball season is just a few weeks away...but I'll be broadcasting one more game this season. I've been asked to do the play-by-play for the WIAA State Radio Network and will be doing the Division Six Final on Thursday, November 16th. You can find that broadcast on the Internet or on some stations around the state. Just check your local listings.

I think our first high school basketball game is November 28th when the Adam Zakos era of Fond du Lac basketball begins at Cedarburg. Just listen to KFIZ.

Again thanks to the fans as well for reading my ramblings this season on my blog. They will continue through the entire prep season. If you are a reader of these, please send me an email and tell me what you liked, disliked or just general comments or if you think they are worthwile for me to do. My email is wade@kfiz.com.

thanks and I'll see you at the game.