Oconto Falls football team striving for improvement

OCONTO FALLS — The Oconto Falls High School football team is focused on improvement as it begins its second season under coach Nick Bohl.

The Panthers are coming off a 1-8 season, with the team’s win coming in North Eastern Conference play over Clintonville.

While the team needs to replace 11 seniors from last year’s squad, Bohl believes the experience some of the returning players got a season ago could pay big dividends this fall.

“We have a small senior class, but the leadership qualities they bring to our program will be a great benefit to our younger classes,” said Bohl. “We return a lot of kids who played meaningful snaps last year. That experience will help as we get our season started.”

“The experience from last year is only going to make us a better and stronger team mentally,” said senior Joey Walters. “From knowing more than one position and what our assignments are we can help out our teammates and the younger guys so we can execute each and every play.”

The returning Panthers that started games last year are seniors Walters (QB/DB), Mitchell Manns (RB/WR/DB), Jarod Parsons (TE/DB), Jared Blahnik (DL) and juniors Owen Huber (RB/LB), Aidan Stary (RB/LB), Daylen Hischke (TE/LB), Adam Haines (OL/DL), Logan Joachim (RB/DB) and Owen Seidl (TE/LB).

Manns in the only returning player who earned all-conference honors.

“I will try to help the team by setting an example for the younger players by doing things right and hard every time,” said Manns, who is expected to play several positions for the team.

The team’s other two all-conference players, who were both playmakers for the offense last year, graduated. That leaves plenty of opportunities for the likes of Manns, Parsons, Huber and Stary as Walters leads the offense.

Among some of the players that could be in line for expanded roles this season are seniors Wyatt Borkevic and Evan Roberts, juniors Elijah Zielinski, Tucker Moynihan, Brant Rowland and Tucker Bouche and sophomores Weston Borkevic and Dylan Thomson.

One of the biggest concerns for Oconto Falls will be replacing four graduated starters from the offensive line. Bohl said several players will have the opportunity to earn playing time across the line and that experience over the past seasons should have players prepared.

Bohl is also hoping the defense can take a step forward this season as players continue to get more comfortable with the schemes. Last year, the Panthers surrendered over 30 points in each of their losses.

A big step toward a successful season could be getting the season off to a strong start. After scrimmaging Crandon, Green Bay West and Southern Door this coming Friday, Oconto Falls will open the regular season with a road contest against Freedom on Aug. 23.

The Panthers first home game will come in the third week of the season against Denmark on Sept. 6.

“Going into the season, I think our team’s main goal is to make the playoffs, something that hasn’t happened in 20-plus years,” said Parsons. “To get there, we as players have to put in the time and energy during our practices and workouts. I believe that the coaches are setting us up for success, it’s now the players’ turn to take the initiative.”