'We need to be really good right now': Fond du Lac football looks to soar to new heights

FOND DU LAC – In his first season as head coach of the Fond du Lac high school football team last year, Sam Plucker led the Cardinals on an odd roller coaster ride that resulted in an even 5-5 overall record, alternating wins and losses every week.

Fondy picked up home victories over Kettle Moraine in Week 1, Appleton East in Week 3, a close call with Oshkosh North in Week 5, a major upset versus previously-undefeated Kimberly – state-ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press – in Week 7, and a homecoming win to close out the regular season against Oshkosh West in Week 9.

Conversely, the Cardinals fell to then-defending Division 1 state champions, Franklin, in Week 2 at home before dropping road contests to Neenah in Week 4, a two-point heartbreaker at Kaukauna in Week 6, a muffed punt that spiraled into a 24-0 run after building a 13-0 lead at Appleton North in Week 8, and a season-ending first round playoff exit rematch to the Papermakers – the eventual D-1 state champs – in Week 10.

The good news: According to Wissports.net, Fond du Lac is projected to finish second in the Fox Valley Association this season, right behind Kimberly.

The not-so-good news: It won’t be an easy task as Fondy will replace their top passer, rusher, and receiver in Stephen Schreiter, Brayden Eigenbrodt, and Ethan Wagner-Lang, respectively, with a trio of seniors taking on much larger roles – Connor Klapperich, Tanner Dalske, and Kalvin Mullins.

Nevertheless, Coach Plucker and the Cardinals have been ready for the grind since last October.

“I think we’ve been really excited,” Plucker said. “At this level of high school football, it’s really a 365-day of the year type operation. You spend nine months in the weight room and it’s fun, it helps us build our team, but I think the reason that we coach and the reason that the kids play is because they just love the sport. So finally getting out here, finally getting to put the helmet on and play with everyone and see everything come together, is awesome.

"The kids put a lot of time in in the summer running, lifting, conditioning and to finally get them to actually be able to enjoy the sport and be out here with their friends doing what they love is something that I cherish. As a second-year coach I’ve learned to appreciate it even more than the first year just how cool it is to see a team come together and start working towards a common goal.”

Stepping up under center, once again, will be Klapperich – who previously played quarterback for Fondy as a sophomore in 2021 when Schreiter missed the entire season with a serious wrist injury. That year, Klapperich completed 124-of-197 passes (62.9%), throwing for 1652 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 621 yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries. When Schreiter returned to the team last season, Klapperich transitioned to the defensive backfield and finished as the second-leading tackler on the Cardinals with 78 total stops, while also tying Eigenbrodt and Brandon Danor for the team-lead in sacks with two.

Dalske is in line to be the main ball-carrier for Fondy after rushing for 417 yards and five touchdowns on 62 carries in 2022, good for a 6.7 yards per carry average. Dalske also caught 41 passes as a receiver, good for second on the team, and collected 402 yards through the air, along with tying for a team-leading four receiving touchdowns with Wagner-Lang and Tyler Brandner. On special teams, Dalske returned 12 kicks for 319 yards (26.6 avg.) For his all-around efforts, he earned honorable mention All-FVA.

“We’ve put in the last year and a half of work trying to get better and trying to improve from last year,” Dalske said. “I think everyone, singularly and as a team, has gotten better and improved, so we’re really looking forward to what we can do on the field. As a team, first off, we want to make it farther than last year. Secondly, obviously everyone wants a ring. That’s what we’re all fighting for in the state. That’s really what it is all about. Personally, I hold myself to high expectations so I want to be the best running back in the conference and then the best running back in the state.”

Mullins, also an honorable mention All-FVA recipient, finished fourth on the team with 15 receptions and his 411 yards placed him third amongst the Cardinals’ receiving corps. Averaging 27.4 yards per catch will undoubtedly help Fondy to stretch the field on any given play with Mullins as a certified deep ball threat.

Another key piece returning to the Cardinals offense will be tight end, Max Mengel. Rated as a 4-star recruit, the No. 4 tight end in the Class of 2024, and No. 48 overall senior prospect according to WisSports.net, Mengel received second team All-FVA honors last season after grabbing 12 receptions for 195 yards and three touchdowns, averaging better than 16 yards per catch. He’s received interest from a number of Division 1 programs.

“We’ve got underclassmen stepping up in practice and we’re looking pretty good right now,” Mengel said. “Hopefully everyone stays committed. Our coaches are setting us up really good.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Fondy boasts a pair of honorable mention All-FVA linebackers in Halden Krueger and Corbin Hanrahan along with second team All-FVA cornerback, Jacob Haller. All three players are on the WisSports.net “Others to Watch” list. Krueger led the Cardinals with 108 total tackles last season (64 solo), nine tackles for loss, four passes defended, and one forced fumble. He racked up 16 tackles in a game three times, including 15 solo vs. Oshkosh West and 14 solo vs. Oshkosh North. Hanrahan added 63 total tackles last season (43 solo), eight tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles and Haller collected 40 tackles (29 solo).

“Everyone has worked their tail off,” Hanrahan said. “A lot of people gaining weight, getting faster, a lot of guys committed, a lot of younger guys stepping up. If we can stay healthy, we’ll be in good shape. I think an important thing for us is to win conference. That starts with working hard and holding each other accountable. For myself, my goals are first team all-conference, to hopefully be the best linebacker in the conference, and all-state as well.”

The Cardinals will kick off their 2023 season Saturday, Aug. 19 at home in their new ‘nest’, debuting a brand new turf field located on the high school campus in a non-conference showdown against Division 1 state semifinalists from a year ago, Sussex Hamilton (10-3 last season, Greater Metro conference champions). Following that matchup, Fondy will play Franklin in Week 2 for the third consecutive season – this time on the road.

Which opponents are the Cardinals looking forward to facing the most?

“I like our out-of-conference matchups,” Dalske said. “They’re both good. We’ve played Franklin the past two years and we haven’t pulled out either game so we’re hoping to get them this year. We’ll see what happens, but otherwise, every team we look forward to just week-by-week.”

Added Mengel: “I’m looking forward to playing Kimberly the most. It’s always a big game, big rivalry. And then probably Franklin, too.”

Hanrahan has a different favorite: “I’m going to say Appleton North. Last year we started out 13-0 to them. We had a muffed punt taken in for a touchdown and everything let loose. I think we’re a lot tougher this year and we’re not going to let that happen again.”

As for Coach Plucker, his philosophy is understanding the importance of preparing for each foe equally.

“I think our goal this year is to treat every single game the same way,” Plucker said. “I think a lot of times last year we got up for a game, or we didn’t have as much energy for a game, and our goal is to try to treat every single practice and every game like it’s the state championship. We need to be really good right now, otherwise we’re going to lose and the season’s going to be over. If we can find a way to have that type of effort and that urgency every single day, I think we’ll have a pretty successful season.

"I don’t think we really have a specific game we’re looking forward to. Obviously, Sussex Hamilton will be our first game and they were one game away from state last year. Then we’ve got Franklin who was a state champion a couple years ago, as well. Then we play Appleton North, who beat us last year, and Kimberly, who beat us in the playoffs, and Kaukauna. I think we’re just trying to take it one step at a time, but in this conference – with our non-conference schedule – you can’t afford to look past anyone. Every game is extremely important.”

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac football 2023 season preview