In the heart of Wisconsin, under the Friday night lights, the Amherst Falcons are again one of the most dominant teams in the conference. The team is led by a mix of seniors and an electrifying group of underclassmen who have together overwhelmed every opponent they’ve faced, leaving a trail of victims across the state. The Falcons offense, a finely-tuned machine, has worked in conjunction with a dominating defense to compile an 9-1 record heading into the second round of the WIAA playoffs.
Seniors Judah Cole and Cannen Hodges weigh in on why they have been able to beat so many teams so handily.
“I think our biggest challenge on this upcoming game will be stopping their running game,” Hodges said about Lancaster.
Senior Judah Cole added, “I think a challenge against Lancaster this week will be making sure all the gaps are filled properly on the defense upfront, but if we play physical and do what we’re coached we’ll be just fine.”
Amherst ended up defeating Lancaster, 42-14, proving once again how great the Falcons really are even against the toughest of opponents as the Flying Arrows have a rich tradition of their own. And now the Falcons are heading deeper into the playoffs, taking on Brillion at home on Halloween night.
“We prepare for every game the same each week, there is obviously a little bit added motivation for this being playoffs, but overall we practice hard every week so this week should be almost no different,” Hodges said.
“When it comes to preparing, we just take it one day at a time,” Cole added. “Each practice we come out with an attitude [of] intensity, and we’re ready to work.”
Both of these statements show how hard they practice, whether it is the playoffs or regular season.
The biggest question I had was what’s the team’s most important goal, and both captains stated that ultimately, the most important thing is to win since it’s the playoffs.
“Our team’s biggest goal this last week is at the end of the day to go from being 1-of-32 teams to being 1-of-16 teams,” Hodges explained. The team wants to put Amherst on the map again, and they have a goal to be not just a good team, but a team that wants to be remembered in Amherst football history. Each game they want to be the best on and off the field, which proves that they are completely different from their opponents.
The entire team loves the fans and loves the energy they bring every Friday night.
Cole expresses how much he loves the energy by stating, “Come out and support us. We couldn’t do what we do without the help of the community. There’s no better feeling than playing a game knowing you have a whole town that has your back. At 7 p.m. at Amherst High School, see you there!”
This team is special and has something to prove, so if you want to see it for yourself, maybe I’ll even see you there!
