Abbotsford eager to ground and pound
Falcons are ready to make a lot of noise
The Abbotsford Falcons football team is back and fired up to return to the glare of those Friday Night Lights in 2021.
A year after going 3-3 in last year’s COVID-19 marred season, Abbotsford knows that this year’s team has enough talent to make for a winning season, and possibly much more.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, and this year’s program is young, and will feature plenty of new faces on the field. With 36 student-athletes out, and 25 of those being underclassmen, expect some growing pains says, returning head coach Jake Knapmiller.
“Our biggest challenge is probably lack of varsity experience and getting these freshmen and sophomore groups to catch up after a weird, short season last year,” Knapmiller says. “I think we will play at least six sophomores for lots of minutes in Week One, and maybe more.”
Experience can only come with games, and while there will definitely be some moving around of players, one thing the Falcons can boast is a big offensive line.
That offensive and defensive line features 6’3”, 285 pound two-way player Carlos Lara, and Garrett Short, a 6’2”, 265 pound OL/DL. Short, who did not play last year due to a torn ACL, will be particularly welcome sight, especially after he set a new record in the deadlift, lifting over 500 pounds at the Falcons’ combine.
“Garrett has worked really hard to be able to move as well as he does and bend. He’ll be good,” Knapmiller says confidently.
The offensive line looks to be Abby’s biggest strength, which also returns second team all-conference lineman senior Devin Thums. Mason Wellman, Conrad Flink and Adam and Brandon Diedrich and Bella Aguilera will spend time on the Falcon’s O-line.
Knapmiller got a chance to see what that line could do last week, during a multi-team scrimmage in Stanley-Boyd, and if that is anything to go by, the Falcons will be ready for their Week One home game against Loyal.
“Our line looks good for not playing together much if at all,” Knapmiller remarked. “Brandon Hawkey and Devin Thums had a very nice scrimmage with very veteran type mentalities. As a Oline group, we made some monster holes against some very good defenses.”
With that much size and power on their side, don’t be surprised by the Falcons ground and pound attack this season. And once again, Abbotsford is blessed with pair of speedy tailbacks.
Senior Ty Falteisek, who is coming off a stellar track season in which he qualifi ed for the state track and field meet in June, will look to build upon his sophomore and junior campaigns.
Ty was one part of a three pronged attack in 2019 that saw him rush for over 1,100 yards and a dozen TDs in 2019. He dealt with a broken ankle in 2020, but if his track season is anything to go by, he’s faster and stronger than ever before.
“Ty was supposed to be our work horse last year and the injury in Week Two put a damper on that,” Knapmiller explained. “We need to find that balance between getting him the ball multiple times and keep him healthy. He needs to improve his vision and processing at game speed so he can eliminate contact.”
Joining Ty in the backfield will be sophomore JV Castillo. Castillo got a few carries in the Falcons’ victory over Thorp last year, and he’s shown enough speed and shiftiness to give Knapmiller another option to carry the ball.
“JV is smooth and has worked very hard along with a lot of our kids to get where he is. He was a dedicated workout/ speed and agility guy while being in three sports. The best thing about him is his moxie when things get rough. He seems to be calm and collected.”
The Falcons will likely be able to churn out the yards and touchdowns just as they have done for the better part of a decade, but they will still need to pass the ball in order to make a deep run in the postseason.
After offensive line and running back, there are still plenty of question marks for the rest of the offense. The Falcons still need to figure out who their starting quarterback will be, though it does appear Knapmiller will initially begin by having Castillo and Jake Hirsch split reps as signal callers.
“In Week One both will play. JV had a better scrimmage, but Jake knows what he’s doing and it is a matter of moving on and keeping that leadership when something bad happens.”
Abbotsford will have several options at tight end, and the Falcons will certainly take advantage of Castillo’s and Falteisek’s hands and speed with screens and quick strikes in the flat.
“Both of our tight ends are big targets, and we hope to have Jake and Evan Reis step up and run solid routes. Our backfi eld might be our best receivers as well.”
On the defensive side of things there are less question marks. Lara, Short, Thums and Flink should give Abbotsford one of the better defensive lines in the Marawood Conference. Senior Mason Wellmann gives the Falcons another playmaker at the linebacker position, and Falteisek and Castillo will make up the backbone of the secondary.
The Falcons have more than enough talent on both sides of the ball to have a successful season, but it will be at all order to win the Marawood Conference, with Colby and Edgar likely the favorites. Marathon and Auburndale should test Abby, along wth games against Hurley, Melrose-Mondoro and Octonto.
However, since Athens, Thorp and Owen-Withee have dropped down to the 8-man level this year, the Falcons pick up three forfeits and their paths to the playoffs becomes a bit easier.
Win two games, and the Falcons advance to the postseason for a seventh straight season. Of course, nothing is guaranteed on the field, and there’s no script to each game. No matter how many scrimmages the Falcons play, it’s still nothing compared to the atmosphere of a game - especially now that fans can pack the stands once more.
Knapmiller hopes last season is a good reminder that the work never stops, and teamwork can take the Falcons further than talent alone.
“We learned that talent is one thing, but if you don’t play as a team and have leaders who want to serve others, it is really hard to have success,” Knapmiller says, breaking down his expectations for this season.
“I feel like our young groups are really hungry to learn and play hard so our older guys just have to be great teachers both on and off the field.”
SLINGING THE PIGSKIN - Abby QB Jake Hirsch rolls out of the pocket s he looks to connect with a reciver downfield during the Falcons scrimmage in Staneley-Boyd last Friday.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN
JV SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE- Abbotsford’s JV Castillo delivers a stiff arm to a would be tackler during the Falcons scrimmage in Stanley-Boy last Friday. Castillo, now a sophomore, will be a big factor on offense this season, sharing duties at quarterback and running back. The Falcons will open 2021 at home this Friday against former conference rival Loyal. STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN
