This championship has been years in the making

The Fallon Youth Football League and the Greenwave’s high school program are mirror images of each other.

And it’s no coincidence that the success of the youth program is paying dividends at the high-school level. The FYFL team, which consisted of 17 of Fallon’s seniors, dominated the region, winning six consecutive state titles before this group entered high school.

James Richardson and Steve Moon coached the FYFL team to those many championships, but it didn’t begin that way. During their first year with only four from the current senior class, Fallon made it to the championship game against Fernley but lost. Since then, the coaching staff saw the team grow, never lose a state championship, and Fallon also captured two championships in California.

“When they were 8 years old, I knew we had something special because they were naturally competitive,” Richardson said. “

The group includes Connor Richardson, Riley Williams, Johnny Mayo, Trae Workman, Aaron Bitter, Evan Bitter, Sean Cordes, Taylen Cordes, Branden Beeghly, Kyle Larsen, Will Bliss, Wyatt Hampton, Kaleal Rickerson, Oden Wayman, Bryson Abe, Cameron Beyer and Braxton Hunter. Michael Porras, Edsel Porto, Kyler Brabender, Mason McKnight, Hunter Doyle, Ramiro Sanchez, Taylor Hood and Justice Crowley to round out the 25-man senior class.

“In FYFL, we obviously won a lot of games,” Mayo said. “We’re the only team in Fallon to have as many wins. We always trusted the person next to us.”

Moon served as a co-coach with Richardson.

“They are exceptional and James and I got a lot good credit for being good coaches, but we just pointed them in the right direction,” Moon said.

Moon said the players approached the game as professionals despite their young age.

This group of kids you see on the field are very businesslike, something they get knocked for not being a ‘rah rah’ type of group,” Moon said. “They know their assignments … and get out there and execute.”

Moon said he and Richardson knew these players would improve immensely over the years but had reservations they would be playing for a high-school championship.

Moon, though, credits the parents for making this happen.

“The parents were great,” Moon said. “They were absolutely exceptional. “

Moon said parents supported the coaching staff’s approach to learning and playing the game and also drove their sons over the Sierra to California to play games in Sacramento, Rocklin and Placerville.

Now, the group of 17 seniors get their last opportunity at capturing a state title, one that will define this year’s band of brothers and the football program for years to come. After coming from behind to beat Chaparral in last weekend’s Division I-A state semifinal, the Greenwave will take on Moapa Valley on Saturday for the state crown.

“It’s been tremendous,” Fallon coach Brooke Hill said. “The success that group had has helped them learn how to win. The program itself, with Pop Warner too, they got good coaching at very young age with the fundamentals. It really helps with the high school level.”

It helped that the FYFL tries to match the high school scheme, including running the pistol on offense. Hill and his assistants were helpful with the program in teaching the basics of the high school’s approach on offense and defense. Although it’s run at a more simplistic level when the players were younger, Hill said it was easier to build upon that knowledge when the group entered high school.

“Terminology wise, that’s the biggest obstacle,” said Hill, who saw the FYFL group succeed immediately as freshmen going undefeated. “As long as the terminology comes that they can understand and what we talk about. The fact that the terminology is similar and they play certain way, that’s huge. We can bench past that verbal problem right away.”

For some of those seniors who dazzled against other high-school feeder programs — including Galena, Carson, Manogue, McQueen and Reno — this weekend’s contest is a second chance at redemption after Fallon was humbled in the 2013 state title game. The loss still stings as the Greenwave were one win away from bringing home the title for the first time since the 1970s.

Some of those seniors were sophomores on the 2013 team and know the mission at hand. In fact, it’s been the mission since they were still in elementary school.

“That’s been our goal since Day 1 — the state championship,” Connor Richardson said. “We knew we had ability to do it. We just needed to stay together and get through it. It’s our senior year. We’re not holding anything back right now. We need we could do something special with all the talent we had. That’s what we’re trying to do now. Our one goal has always been that state championship.”

A win on Saturday will capture the first state team title for a fall sport since the volleyball squad won it back-to-back in 2001. No boys team has won a state title in the fall since the 1978 football team that played its games at the old Bradley Field sandwiched between Maine and Taylor streets.

There’s no doubt change is in order, partially because of this year’s group of seniors and their trust with each other.

“We trust each other, which we are able to focus on our assignment,” Aaron Bitter said. “We loved winning together.”

But this year is poised to be different because of the strong nucleus that is accustomed to winning. Losing was never the option and the FYFL 17 kept gaining experience every year and helped build upon a successful high school program.

“They definitely deserve to win a state championship they have been waiting for this game their whole life,” James Richardson said.