RIVER FALLS – The River Falls High School football team won its conference opener 47-7 against Tomah on Friday, Sept. 3, making it the first win of the season for River Falls and the first win for Ryan Scherz as head coach of the Wildcats.

Going into the game RFHS was 0-2, including losses on the road against Menomonie on Friday, Aug. 20, and in the home opener against Hudson on Friday, Aug. 27. The Friday night game against Tomah had higher stakes, as it was the first conference game of the year for the Wildcats in Scherz’s rookie season as head coach.

His team wasted no time getting out to an early lead. The Wildcats scored 20 points in the first quarter with scores coming on the ground and through the passing attack. Senior running back Cole Evavold struck first for RFHS, breaking loose on a 20-yard touchdown run with just over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. A two-point conversion gave the Wildcats an 80 lead over Tomah after the opening drive.

Less than three minutes later Scherz’s team had the ball back at its 48-yard line. On first down, senior quarterback Vito Massa unleashed a 52-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Schurman giving the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.

When it was halftime, the Wildcats had amassed a 33-0 lead, primarily because of Massa’s four first-half passing touchdowns to four different receivers totaling approximately 200 passing yards. RFHS tacked on 14 points in the second half to cap off the 47-point performance in front of the nearly full-capacity home game.

In the victory, five different Wildcat receivers had touchdown receptions which accounted for 259 passing yards. River Falls also had two rushing touchdowns that came on 19 carries for 152 yards. After the game, Scherz talked about the success of the offense against Tomah.

“We have really good receivers, I think we also run the ball very well and teams have to make a decision whether they’re going to stop the run,” Scherz said. “They decided to stop it. They don’t really have a safety deep and we have receivers that can get deep.”

The offense was clicking on Friday night against Tomah, but so was the defense. In the three quarters that the varsity defense played, they allowed zero points. The lone touchdown for the Timberwolves came in garbage time during the fourth quarter when Scherz had sent in younger players to get varsity experience.

“(The defense) was challenging themselves for a shutout,” Scherz said. “I know the varsity defense did pitch a shutout. They answered the call, which was prepare in the same way that you’ve prepared the last two weeks and I was proud of that.”

Scherz stated that it was good for some of his younger players to get some playing time in a conference game in front of a packed crowd.

“I think it’s good for them and it helps build our culture,” Scherz said. “They’re playing JV games but to get to play on Friday night in front of all the fans in front of the lights, if you don’t love football after that, I got nothing for you.”

According to Scherz, the two opening losses to Menomonie and Hudson helped the team prepare for games like Tomah. Playing tough competition makes River Falls a better team.

“That’s why we play those games, to prepare us for the rest of the way,” he said. “Even when you lose, you learn, and they definitely did that.”

The River Falls victory improved their record this season to 1-2. The next game for the Wildcats is on the road against Holmen, another conference opponent on Friday, Sept. 10. Kickoff for that game is slated for 7 p.m.

Photo by Reagan Hoverman.

Photo by Reagan Hoverman.

Wildcat linebacker Jacob Otte chases after Tomah quarterback Tom Hesse during the second quarter of the River Falls High School football game at home on Friday, Sept. 3.