PREP FOOTBALL: Fall River hoping to dethrown CF in conference in Zander’s third year as coach – WiscNews

A return to the WIAA playoffs last season was nice for the Fall River prep football team, but the Pirates are thinking bigger this year.

I think our team is extremely hungry to get back into the playoffs, but were really looking towards getting the first conference championship in a while, offensive lineman Keegan Wodill said. Well be battling with Oshkosh Lourdes and Cambria-Friesland for the conference championship. Were improving every single year and hopefully we can improve to a conference championship.

Fall River went 6-3 in the regular season last year, a four-win turnaround from coach Joe Zanders first season in 2015. The Pirates went 4-2 in Trailways South Conference play, finishing third behind Cambria-Friesland and Lourdes.

Several freshmen and sophomores started two years ago, when the Pirates were 1-5 in conference play, but those players are now experienced upperclassmen ready to make a run at a league crown.

We know weve got a conference championship caliber team, Zander said. Weve just got to finish and put all the pieces together.

Zander said the difference between his first two seasons was the turnover margin. The Pirates were minus-10 in 2015, but engineered a dramatic improvement last year and were plus-29.

Look at the swing, Zander said. It went from two wins to six wins. Thats why were hoping we can do a 9-0 season this year.

Its how you execute and capitalize on other teams mistakes.

The team knows it experience will be an asset.

Were not freshmen or sophomores coming in, said Wodill, a junior entering his third season as a starter. Were juniors and seniors. Were pretty much veterans with six or seven junior guys that have been playing varsity since they were freshmen. We didnt really know what we were getting ourselves into until now.

Now were starting to get the hang of it.

Zander felt his team had opportunities to win the Trailways Small last, but the Pirates inexperience hurt them in games against Lourdes and the Toppers. Fall River lost to Lourdes 28-0 in Week 3 and was blanked 20-0 by the Toppers in Week 8.

We were in that game (against CF), but it was the little things that they were able to do that we couldnt do, Zander said. Lourdes was tough for us, though, because it was Week 3 and had some key starters out. Im not saying thats the reason why, but they obviously outplayed us.

When were in situations like that, weve got to capitalize on those mistakes. We were always the ones coughing up the ball and making those mistakes. Its what separates someone from third place and first place is the team that can make the plays.

Quarterback Luke Figol, a returning starter, wants to take the Pirates further into the postseason than theyve ever gone.

Hopefully get at least to the third playoff game, Figol said. Thats my goal because thats kind of our school record. No one has ever made it there. We want to make a big impact for our school and our football program.

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PREP FOOTBALL: Fall River hoping to dethrown CF in conference in Zander's third year as coach - WiscNews