Bill Forster has coached football at River Falls High School since 1979.
After the Wildcats’ first practice on Aug. 5 this summer, the long-time assistant coach went up to head coach Ryan Scherz and noted “that’s the best first day I’ve ever had.”
The coaching staff could already sense something special.
“All the credit goes to the kids,” Scherz said.
It was a sign of things to come. The entire fall, Scherz said, the Wildcats “have not had a bad practice.”
The result: For the first time in program history, River Falls has won 11 games in a single season and is one game away from competing for a Wisconsin state title.
With the chance to further etch their names into River Falls history, the Wildcats will face Notre Dame Academy (12-0) on Friday at D.C. Everest High School with a trip to the Division-2 state championship on the line.
This magical run came directly off the heels of a 2024 season that left a “sour taste” in the mouths of the Wildcats. The “anchor” of the offensive line, Indiana commit Sam Simpson, said the team’s 3-6 record last fall motivated the Wildcats to find the answer in 2025.
“We knew we had really good guys and we just didn’t have all the pieces to put the puzzle together,” Simpson said. “This year, we’ve really filled every spot and put that puzzle together, and we’re rolling.”
River Falls’ success begins with the offensive line, according to Scherz. It helps when the Wildcats’ senior quarterback, Tino Mass, throws for 2,583 yards and completes 71.1% of his passes. The ground game, spearheaded by senior tailback Joseph Tarasewicz’s 1,915 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns, provides for a balanced threat offensively.
Simpson said the synergy allows each position group to play freely at a high level.
“We know that they can capitalize on the things we do, and the o-line can also capitalize on what they do,” Simpson said.
On the other side of the ball, Scherz said, senior safety Anthony McPherson, a three-year starter, has grown into the “quarterback of the defense.” He has 51 tackles, 11 pass deflections and two interceptions in his senior season.
“He’s become a leader on defense, but also kind of totally in tune with our defensive coordinator,” Scherz said. “He is consistently getting us in good calls and making good checks and getting guys where they’re supposed to be.”
McPherson said adapting to this role has been a process that required an entire team effort.
“It comes with a lot of experience and the teammates that (I’ve had) within the past years,” McPherson said, “the coaching staff guiding me through it all, trying to help me understand what the purpose is behind every defensive play.”
McPherson said the defense is best described as “energetic and relentless” — a general formula that has powered the Wildcats through this momentous fall.
McPherson said as time goes on, the Wildcats will understand the gravity of the history they’re making.
“(This is) usually something that you hear about, and then you wanna live up to that,” McPherson said. “So, being a part of that team and being kind in the moment is just — it’s surreal.”
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