Fond du Lac High School football looks to translate 'family culture' into success in 2024

FOND DU LAC - The Fond du Lac Cardinals' 2023 football season was inconsistent.

After dropping their first four games, the tide finally turned in Week 5 with a 34-24 upset victory over Kaukauna - a team that finished 11-2 and made it to Level 4 of the WIAA playoffs - and then the Cardinals got red hot, winning six of their next seven games with the lone blemish in between coming at Neenah - a 14-7 loss the team knew it let get away from them.

As we flip the page into a new season, Fondy is determined to no longer allow those games to slip through their grasp.

"I'm looking forward to playing Neenah (again)," said junior Sam Vokes, one of two returning honorable mention all-conference recipients on the offensive line. "I think we didn't play very well against them, last year, and they're a team we definitely should have beaten."

It will certainly be no easy task as the Rockets feature senior running back Grant Dean, a University of Wisconsin commit who was third in the state last year in both rushing yards and touchdowns.

Vokes nevertheless remains unimpressed.

"Grant Dean this, Grant Dean that, - that's all I gotta say," Vokes said.

That particular swagger certainly carries with the Cardinals' confident Class of 2025, but as always, culture starts with the man in charge.

Coach Sam Plucker enters his third season at Fondy with an overall record of 11-11. He believes the program's success, on the cusp of year three, will be measured by how well the team chemistry flows throughout the next nine weeks ahead.

"The team has come together over the summer and has built close relationships that will hopefully translate to camaraderie on the field," Plucker said. "Ultimately, our team success will be determined by our ability to live out the family culture that we have implemented."

The Cardinals play in arguably one of the toughest conferences in the state, leaving the outlook a bit foggy as to which team might step up to claim the throne in the Fox Valley Association this year.

In addition to the annual FVA gauntlet, Fondy will be tested right away with a pair of challenging non-conference road games to open this season.

First up are the Greater Metro champions from a year ago, Sussex Hamilton, which finished 12-1 and lost in Level 4 to the Division 1 state runner-up, Franklin. Then in Week 2, the Cardinals will look to avenge their Level 3 loss to the eventual D1 champion, Marquette University.

Luckily for Fondy it has its own workhorse set to play Big Ten football in senior inside linebacker Rhett Hlavacka , who has committed to Minnesota.

Hlavacka earned first team all-FVA last season after compiling 120 total tackles (80 solo, 11 TFL) and three sacks in 12 games.

As the No. 2-ranked inside linebacker and No. 16 overall senior in the state according to WisSports.net, Hlavacka is a shoo-in for all-state nomination at the end of this season, but his focuses are primarily on availability and physicality.

"For myself, (my goal) this season is to just be able to play every single game and be healthy," Hlavacka said.

"Obviously all-conference, all-state - whatever I can get - would be awesome, but especially on the defensive side of the ball, my goal is to be the most physical team in the state. That's always been our goal, year in and year out, no matter who we play or what team we run into or who they have. This will be the most physical-caliber team possible."

Hlavacka also noted that he and the Cardinals are coming for their payback against their first two foes.

"I'd say our first two opponents - Sussex and Marquette - kind of blew us out of the water, last year, but we're a new team this year and we're coming for revenge," Hlavacka said.

"Some of my defensive guys like Aidan Koester, who didn't play last year because of some injuries, Gabe Jones, Keyon Henderson - (they're) my boys I've been growing up with my whole life that can finally get out here on the same field as me. We'll share it together and have a blast. Like what I touched on before about the physicality, we're going to come right at them and show them we're the toughest team in the state. That's just what we've got to do."

Another pair of Fondy seniors - second team all-FVA cornerback Hunter King and wideout Conor Johnson - say they also don't care too much about their personal accolades, but rather what they can do to help their teammates achieve the Cardinals' collective goal.

"I'm taking the role as WR1, this year, but I'm not too focused on awards," Johnson said.

"I'm just making sure I'm out there, every single game, bringing energy every single day trying to hype up my receiver corps - Caden Umentum and 'Pocket' Zavion Davis - when it's go-time on gameday so we're ready to play. I'm also excited to play with Braden Bingen, our senior running back. He didn't get a chance to play last year because of injuries, but we're all going to show up. Our goal is staying consistent and just making a run at the playoffs."

King added: "I just want to enjoy my senior season as much as possible and take every moment I can. Our expectation is to be a tough and competitive team the whole year. To start, we just have to focus on week one against Sussex (Hamilton). (After that) It's always important to beat your conference rivals - Kimberly, Neenah - but we've got to build up enough momentum in our non-conference games to be able to put our best foot forward once the conference and playoff games come down the line."

"I'm excited to play with my 'DBs,' like Sam Maury and Peyton Umentum. I always want to build camaraderie with them. Then guys I've played with throughout JFL like Sam Amadon, Conor, and Rhett. The program teaches you discipline the whole way up so once you get here (on varsity) you don't get disillusioned or anything."

Eli Schmidt, also a junior honorable mention offensive lineman last season, said his motive is to play these next two seasons "without any regrets."

"I just want to play at the best level that I can," Schmidt said. "We're going to take it game-by-game, but our goal is to dominate every team; and I'm really just looking forward to playing with my friends that I didn't get to play with last year. Mitchell (Lorbach), Julio (Campos), and Sam (Vokes) I got to play with last year, but this year Blake (Collien) too."

Vokes believes the team can accomplish anything as long as they have each other's back.

"I think when we push each other and keep ourselves accountable we'll all play better," Vokes said.

"I try setting a good example because I'm not really going to call anybody out, and if I do that, (my teammates) will take note of what the expectations are. I'm (also) really looking forward to playing with Eli and Julio again to see how we progressed."

As for how Maury, another key senior on the Fondy defense, proposes the team gets better:

"I'll try to keep my position group focused and keep the young guys on JV focused because they're important too," Maury said. "You've just got to let them know they're valued because even though they're only giving us a scout look, varsity needs it to be able to perform at our best."

To contact Lance LeQue, email him at LLeQue@gannett.com , or follow him on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, @LanceLeQue .

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This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac High School football looks to translate 'family culture' into success in 2024