RIVER FALLS — River Falls went into halftime tied with Menomonie in a Big Rivers bout, but the train kept rolling in the second half, cruising to a 42-14 win in the season’s penultimate game.

“Another tough Big Rivers football team and the guys played well and found a way to get another big win,” Head Coach Ryan Scherz said.

Opening drives have been a massive strength for River Falls on the year, and they got it done again. After senior running back Joseph Tarasewicz broke a tackle to convert on fourth and four, senior quarterback Tino Massa found senior Todd Benedict over the middle for a 31-yard score and a 7-0 lead. Menomonie found pay dirt right back after a fullback dive broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown. The Mustangs went for two and got it for an 8-7 lead. Things went haywire to a degree in the second quarter when a screen pass was read to perfection by Menomonie, and a defender stripped the ball away to start a drive with short field. The Mustangs scored on the goal line and took a 14-7 lead.

River Falls got the ball back with under two minutes to go in the first half and senior Mason Novak returned the kickoff all the way across midfield. Tarasewicz punched in a six-yard score on the ground with under a minute to play in the half to tie the game at 14.

River Falls has gotten into some tight first halves of late through a tough Big Rivers Conference slate. Each time, something has clicked in the second half to turn on the jets.

“We’ve just played good football teams, so we play close games at half. It’s not like we’re making up big deficits,” Scherz said.

Over the final two frames, River Falls has come out just as confident, and with the same energy to wear down opponents. A key factor for that wear has been an incredible run game. Between Tarasewicz and a fortress of an offensive line, the Wildcats have been an unstoppable force on the ground. Tarasewicz has run for 20 touchdowns on the year and the team as a whole has 27 rushing scores.

This second half was no different, with two more scores coming from Tarasewicz, one on an interception return from junior Oliver Simmons and another from a second interception return, this time from senior Breckin French.

River Falls is 7-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Rivers Conference play. The Wildcats host Wausau West in the season’s final game, playing for a number one seed in the playoffs.
“There’s a lot to play for. We have an opportunity to get a number one seed in the playoffs, and that’s a pretty big thing to have,” Scherz said. “We’ve got to treat it just like we have all the other games, and I think we’ll play well.”

This season has been nothing short of spectacular for River Falls, and Scherz gave all the credit to the team. A combination of talent, hard work and the right mentality has made for a special season.

“It’s just the kids. We’ve got a great group of kids that work really hard and are talented,” Scherz said. “They know how to handle changes in momentum and adversity.”