Falcons seek continuous improvement

Tyson Mengel enters his fifth season as Westosha Central’s football coach (File Photo/The Report).

Westosha Central opens at Milwaukee Washington

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Last year, the Westosha Central High School football team snapped a series of skids, but the Falcons enter their 2017 season with a new look and the same objective.

Also, the Falcons have a quarterback battle brewing.

Despite the new look, coach Tyson Mengel has the same motto – just keep getting better.

“Just like every year, consistently get better, build our program, every week is a new challenge for us, especially in the Southern Lakes Conference,” said Mengel, who enters his fifth season as head coach.

The Southern Lakes Conference, according to Mengel, presents a series of challenges including defending champion Lake Geneva Badger and second-place Wilmot followed by Waterford.

Westosha Central, which snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 58-0 drubbing of visiting Milwaukee Washington in the home opener, finished 2-7 overall and 1-6 in the SLC.

However, Mengel hopes his tenacious team can stay hungry, with the advantage of 13 returning letter-winners.

“We have tenacity this year, we have a group of seniors that live and play for each other,” said Mengel. “I think because of that attitude that we bring, that is our biggest strength.”

Among the senior returners include linebacker Reid McNeill, defensive tackle Jacob Ellerbrock and defensive end Sam LaFebve, all designated captains.

“Reid McNeill has done a fantastic job, he was a captain last year as a junior for us,” said Mengel. “His attitude off the field has just been getting better and on the field, he has been conditioning.”

“I think all of our seniors bring in a different element of leadership,” he added.

The senior leadership looks to offset the losses of quarterback Josiah McDermit, multi-purpose threat Tre Williams, feature running back Logan Hughes and first-team all-conference defensive back Austin Kurylo.

“With those seniors, it is tough to replace them, what they meant to our program,” said Mengel.

The coach, however, has players to fill each of the positions.

At quarterback, Mengel reports the team has a battle for the starting nod, either junior Adam Simmons or senior transfer Jaden Jackson, formerly of Utah.

“They are both battling out really well and in the scrimmage against Bradford, we had Jaden out there first,” he said. “But I told them it is week to week and am hoping to get each of them reps for sure.”

As a sophomore, Simmons saw limited action, but started in the last game where the Falcons snapped an 18-game conference losing streak at Elkhorn.

Simmons went 19-for-44 in pass attempts for 176 yards with two touchdowns last year.

In the backfield, Mengel looks to returning juniors Niko Lemke and Samy Greco, both of whom shared the load as Hughes’ backup.

Lemke had 19 carries for 99 yards with two touchdowns, while Greco logged 114 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns last season.

At wide receiver, in place of Kurylo, Mengel plans to give five underclassmen an opportunity.

Among the five include juniors Cam Krueger and Myles Krueger.

Also back is senior Nic Frederick, who caught 19 passes for 228 yards last season.

On defense, Simmons could see more playing time after the loss of Kurylo to graduation.

Simmons has added bulk and strength in the offseason, according to Mengel.

“(Simmons) hit a growth spurt, he is taller and his body is starting to form into a football body,” Mengel said. “He is just a great athlete.”

While the Falcons possess intensity, it is a matter of the squad finishing contests, but Westosha Central has worked to curb losses late in games.

“As far as finishing games, I have got a hungry team, and I got a team that just wants success,” he said. “We are focusing more and more on conditioning this season. We have made a commitment to always hit that pretty intense conditioning at least two to three times a week.”


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