John Raffel
Sports Scene
Last year, when Fowler scheduled Mendon to open the 2012 season, little did the Eagles’ coaching staff realize it would be a rematch of the 2011 Division 8 state title game.
But ready or not, it’s Fowler vs. Mendon II to open the season.
The No. 9 Eagles were making their first appearance in the state finals since 1998. But it was a disappointing appearance, ending in a 33-0 loss to Mendon.
Junior linebacker Tyler Koenigsknecht led the Eagles with 11 tackles.
The Eagles (11-3) were in just their second season under coach Craig Koenigsknecht, who played on Fowler’s 1993 team that won the first of the school’s four crowns. Fowler also took state titles in 1995, 1996, and 1998.
That’s why 2011 was an encouraging year for Fowler.
“We have a pretty good track history of qualifying for the playoffs,” Koenigsknecht said. “We usually make it a game or two.”
Mendon, which has also been a small-school state power, won its first state title since 2005.
“That was just one great football team,” Koenigsknecht said. “We just weren’t happy with being there. We were on the injured side a little bit, but that’s no excuse by any means. Sometimes, you just run into a better football team, and Mendon was a better football team.”
The Mendon non-league game on August 24 will be at Fowler.
“We’ve played them two other times, but that was back in the 1990s,” Koenigsknecht said. “That was in the playoffs. We never played them during the regular season.”
Because two other teams left the Central Michigan Activities Conference – Carson City-Crystal and Portland St. Patrick – Fowler was forced to look for other opponents.
“We had to pick up two non-conference games,” Koenigsknecht said. “Being a Division 8 team with a decent amount of success, it’s hard to find opponents that want to play you. We had signed a contract with [Mendon.] We actually signed a contract with them in week 10, three weeks before we even envisioned how this could fit in.”
Mendon is a one hour and 45 minute drive from Fowler.
Koenigsknecht said the match-up with Mendon this season “isn’t necessarily total revenge, but we’ve used it as a point of emphasis during the off-season. Everybody is looking to Mendon. Kind of our motto is ‘close the gap.’ We played one of the best teams and one of the best programs around last year in the finals, and it was 33-0.
“What we need to gear ourselves towards is to get to that level. Granted, not everyone will be blessed with eight or nine studs on each side of the ball like they had last year. But it’s all about getting and working toward that level of play.”
This season, it wasn’t hard for Koenigsknecht to emphasize a focus on game one and not look past it.
“They’re still Mendon,” he said. “Sure, they may have lost 14 or 15 seniors on their roster. But that’s a great program. I can’t compare this year’s team to last year. They’re the type of program that reloads and comes after you.”
As for his own team, “we’ve got some experience back, obviously,” Koenigsknecht said. “Lineman-wise, there were some kids that decided to not play for whatever reason. We had one kid drown on the Fourth of July. Some of these kids were penciled in as two-way starters. It’s things like that we have to overcome up front. A lot of our success this season will depend on how well these kids can learn and adapt up front.”
Football remains a part of community pride in Fowler.
“We had some down years, but there were still people in the stands whether we were 5-4 or 9-0,” he said. “Those people are going to be there because there’s a tradition here. We’ve seen an increase in numbers of athletes coming out for football. I don’t know if it’s bigger class size or because of recent successful seasons.
“The town’s excited. Making it to the finals…it’s been quite a few years since that happened.”
Three players will be third-year starters for Fowler: Cam Bongard at offensive line and defensive end, Kevin Koegnsknecht at offensive end and defensive end, and Dustin Wirth at quarterback and defensive back. Tyler Koenigsknecht is a four-year starter at running back and linebacker.
Tyler is the coach’s son while Kevin is a distant relative.
“I think we’ll compete,” Craig Koenigsknecht said. “I’m not saying we’ll compete for the state title. I’d like to believe we could get to that point. But it will all depend on those guys up front and how well we can progress.”