Football: New-look Greenwave kicks off season

New coach.

New turf.

New jerseys.

After an offseason that saw the transition of new leadership in the athletics department along with a handful of new coaches, Greenwave football returns this week.

Under first-year coach Calvin Connors, who tormented Fallon during his playing days at Lowry last decade, Fallon opens the 2024 slate at home against Reed on Friday under the lights – and on a newly installed turf field that was completed late last month.

“It’s exciting. I’m really eager to get going,” said Connors, who replaced Brooke Hill, the school’s winningest football coach, after he stepped down during the offseason. “I still remember getting the job and having different milestones up to the first game. Every time you reach a milestone, you look back to see how kids progressed and how we progressed as a coaching staff. I feel confident in the sense we’re putting the right players in the best position to be successful. I’m just excited. It seems surreal how fast time has flown by. Kids are excited to get going.”

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex. Greenwave Hall of Famers Larry Barker (play-by-play) and Randy Beeghly (color) will call the game, which can be heard on KKTU 99.5 or online at www.network1sports/station/kktu. The junior varsity team faces Reed on Thursday. Fallon has no freshman team this year.

Before Fallon sets foot on the new turf this week, Connors, who has been working with Brian Mello, the new athletics director, said it was important to up the exciting atmosphere on Friday nights in the Lahontan Valley.

In addition to the video scoreboard installed two years ago, the new turf features the Gurka, the school’s mascot, at the center of the field along with “GREENWAVE” in both end zones. Fallon will also debut new jerseys as the players emerge onto the field from a new blow-up tunnel. Greenwave banners were installed onto the homeside bleachers, as well.

“How do you make it a D1 experience at the high school level?” Connors asked. “None of that can happen without the support of the community. It’s a great place to be. Nothing can happen without a strong community. The kids feel it. Not only are they representing themselves and their family, but they represent the community and city of Fallon.”

When the whistle blows to kick off the 2024 season, Connors said Fallon will be ready to give the hometown crowd a memorable experience.

“It’s going to be special every Friday night. We look forward to putting on a show,” he said. “We’ll make sure the game is exciting. If they come out playing like they’re capable of, I don’t think there are a lot of teams that can hang with us.

“Truly, this is a lower-level college experience. It’s pretty cool to see.”

Although Fallon graduated more than 20 from last year’s team, which lost on a last-second field goal to Elko in the playoffs, the Greenwave returns a solid chunk and brings up several from the lower-level teams.

Assisting Connors are Brian Shishido (running backs and linebackers), Sean Richardson and Tom McCormick (receivers and secondary), and Lawrence Mori and Garrett Massey (line). Connors is also coaching the quarterbacks and assisting Shishido with the linebackers. Trent deBraga is the defensive coordinator and will focus on the secondary along with the receivers.

Connors, who played NAIA football, before coming back to Northern Nevada, weighed in on what fans can expect from the Greenwave after his team played against Sparks, Carson and Reno in last week’s scrimmage in the Rail City.

BATTLE AT QUARTERBACK

Fallon has a three-way competition at quarterback after losing a pair of gunslingers from last season.

Senior Colin Shishido and juniors Wyatt Peek and Matthew Bird are vying to lead an offense that will operate from the gun.

“With all three quarterbacks, I thought they did a good job working base reads installed at the beginning of spring and going into summer and applying to game situations with the scrimmage. I thought they did a good job at being able to command offense and take what defense was giving.”

While Connors will have one quarterback run the offense on Friday, he said that the two backups will be ready to go. When he’s not at quarterback, Peek will see action at receiver while Shishido will also see time as the team’s kick holder. Bird is in his first year on varsity.

No matter what, though, Connors said his three quarterbacks have been helping each other improve during practice.

“All three are each other’s biggest fan,” he said. “If one of them doesn’t have a great throw, they’re the first to tell them it’s all right and to get it on the next play. They work very well together. No one is selfish on the qb. It’s a testament to their parents and being good teammates.”

RUNNING A BALANCED ATTACK

Connors, who is the offensive coordinator, said the receiving group’s focus will be blocking, which will help the team on screens and maximizing yards after the catch. He added that the group includes seniors Andrew Douglas, Dominick Tapia, Michael Robinson II, James Sorensen and Hadley Frey, juniors Barry Mitchell, Brenan Alves and sophomore Maxton Richardson. Mitchell will see action at tight end.

Connors plans on running a balanced scheme on the ground and in the air.

“We have a really good group of receivers,” Connors added. “We’re blocking on every offensive play. We feel confident in our whole receiving corps. that they’re going to block and have success.”

In the backfield, Connors has senior Manny Karaway, junior Carson Melendy and Urian Anaya. Helping them navigate the trenches will be seniors center Wyatt Sorensen, left tackle Chad Agaman, left guard Garrett Payne, right guard Trevor Hyde and right tackle Ryder Letourneau, who will also be the long snapper on punts and kicks.

“With any team you want to make sure your big boys up front you are confident in the run game and pass game. You want to establish the run,” said Connors, who likes the team’s physicality on both sides of the ball.

DEFENSE

The defense starts with the line, which is part of a 4-4 scheme this year. Mitchell and Caleb Edgmon will compete at the ends, Hyde will play at nose guard and junior Erik Townsey rounds out at tackle. Hyde is the only one playing both sides but Connors said that there will be situations requiring more lineman to play both.

“(Rest) is definitely a luxury,” Connors said. “With anything, we want to be able to give our big guys some break on offense or defense depending where they start. There will be situations where we plug them on both sides of the ball.”

In the middle at linebacker, juniors Kacin Rogne and Joseph Romero, sophomore Avery Deloaia, Douglas Shishido, Robinson and Caraway will rotate. Connors said the linebacker group’s communication has stood out.

Rounding out the defense in the secondary will be juniors Ashton McCourtney and Andre Green, Tapia, Alves and Peek on the corners, and Melendy, Frey and Richardson at safety.

“They did a great job at getting their drops and not biting at anything and getting into their zone,” Connors said about the secondary during last week’s scrimmage.

KICKING GAME

Fallon will have a new leg in both the punt and kick.

Bird will take the snaps and has shown consistency with PATs and field goals during practice. With Shishido holding the ball, Connors likes where the kicking game is going into the Reed game.

“He’s been great in our fall camp and been consistent on his PATs,” Connors said. “But that goes down to the short snap being fast, the hold being nice and Bird putting it through the upright.

“That is a very difficult position to handle the snap and get the laces out. Colin is a masterclass at holder.”

With punting, Bird has been able to clear his kick thanks to the punt block battery’s protection, which also allows the team to quickly run down the field on coverage.

“He’s able to give enough time for the gunners to get down to the returner and make a tackle,” Connors said.

Returning the ball on kickoffs will be Douglas, Frey, Richardson and Alves. Richardson and Frey will return punts.

“That’s exciting. We’re trying to put the pieces together on the kick return unit that highlights what those players do best,” Connors said. “We’re putting players in position to block. We’re hoping to get quite a few kick returns back to the house this year.”