Spring HS Football Season Concludes Tonight; FDL/Kimberly Showdown Highlights the Action

A high school football season like no other wraps up tonight, as teams take the field one final time in the 2021 WIAA “Alternate Fall” or Spring football season. For the students, being able to practice and play football this spring after having to sit out during the traditional fall season surely has been a welcome bit of normalcy after a stressful 2020. 

The alternate fall season has certainly been an exciting one for fans of high school football in the Fond du Lac area. The Fond du Lac Cardinals have spent much of the season ranked at or near the top of the WisSports.net coaches poll in the “Large Schools” division. 

Meanwhile, the Flyway Conference has been full of success stories this year – with Omro (6-0) holding the top spot in the “Small Schools” rankings, and Lomira entering the final week of the season ranked #2 in that same poll, also with a 6-0 mark. The Mayville Cardinals (5-1, ranked #6) and the St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers (3-3, ranked #8) also represent the Flyway in the state rankings. 

The lone 8-player football team in Fond du Lac county also just wrapped up another solid season. The Oakfield Oaks ended their spring ball with a 29-26 victory over Green Bay NEW Lutheran/Oneida Nation last Saturday to finish 4-1. The win is Oakfield’s 50th as an 8-player program. The Oaks finished ranked #2 in the coaches poll, with their only loss coming to #1 ranked Wisconsin Heights in week one. 

The final week’s schedule includes what’s sure to be a classic showdown once again, as #1 ranked Fond du Lac takes on #2 ranked Kimberly from Appleton East High School. Both teams are a perfect 6-0 on the season, with Fondy coming off a 42-7 win over Appleton North, while Kimberly pulled away from Neenah in the second half to win 35-14 in their last game.

Tonight’s meeting marks the seventh time in the last five seasons the Cardinals and Papermakers have squared off – with each game being decided by seven points or less. In fact, the last three games between Fondy & Kimberly have been decided by three points or less, including the last two in overtime. The third game in that stretch? When Fond du Lac’s Jared Scheberl made the game-winning field goal on the final play to end Kimberly’s 70-game win streak at the start of the 2018 season. 

Fond du Lac quarterback Kyle Walljasper has really shown his dual-threat ability this season. Rushing for over 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns and throwing for 686 yards and eight scores. His teammate Braelon Allen has ran for 769 yards and 17 scores, while catching two touchdown passes. Both Walljasper and Allen are also leaders on the defensive side for the Cardinals, with Allen leading the team with 41 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks to go along with a forced fumble and an interception. Walljasper, meanwhile, has 37 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks to his name. 

For Kimberly, the Papermakers are led by junior quarterback Caden Pendleton. The signal caller has thrown for 674 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions on the year for coach Steve Jones’ team. Caleb Frazier is their key running back – the Northern Iowa commit has 774 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns on the ground – while through the air Pendleton’s favorite targets are Owen Pawlikowski and Cam Wenek, who have combined for seven scoring grabs this year.

Tonight’s game between the Cardinals and Papermakers can be heard on KFIZ starting at 6:30 with our High School Football Pregame Show, kickoff is 7 PM. You can listen live at KFIZ.com or on the TuneIn App for your phone, tablet or smart speaker. 

Other Fox Valley Classic Games: 

Neenah at Appleton North

De Pere at Oshkosh West

Oshkosh North at Sheboygan North (Cancelled : Non-COVID reasons)

Appleton East at Bay Port

Pulaski at Stevens Point

Appleton West at Green Bay Southwest

Ashwaubenon at Green Bay Preble

Green Bay East at Manitowoc Lincoln

Tonight’s Flyway Conference Schedule: 

St. Mary’s Springs at Laconia

Lomira at Mayville

–The Lions finish the spring season a perfect 7-0 with a win

Campbellsport at Omro

–The Foxes can also clinch a perfect 7-0 record with a win over the Cougars

Winnebago Lutheran at Ripon (6 PM)

North Fond du Lac at Waupun (6 PM)