HOLMEN — As his Holmen High School football teammates took turns running up and down a hill near their practice field, senior Mason Flury finished up a quick discussion about being back on the field, then raced off to join them.
They encouraged each other to complete the exercise after a long practice on a hot Monday before calling out “Overtime!” and doing one last run up and back down together as a group.
“I have nothing to do with that,” Holmen coach Travis Kowalski said of the additional work. “That started about three years ago.
“We’ve been running on the field after games for more than 10 years, but this is something they started on their own. They asked me if they could run after practice, and I told them they could do whatever they wanted to do, so they run hills.”
Flury, of course, was right in the middle of it. He’ll also be in the middle of most things the Vikings do as they try to win an MVC championship this season.
“He’ll have to be a jack-of-all-trades,” Kowalski said of Flury, who was the conference’s defensive player of the year as a junior. “He’s going to be our middle linebacker, but he’s also learning quarterback, which he played when he was younger.
“He’ll need to know fullback, tight end, and we’re going to use him however we can.”
Flury was responsible for 97 total tackles — 69 of them solos — and made 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage to go with an interception and forced fumble as a junior. He had four interceptions, two forced fumbles and was in on 71 total tackles as a sophomore.
That contribution played a big role in Holmen tying for the MVC championship in each of the past two seasons and built the necessary foundation that Flury needs to extend as a senior leader. As a starter for two seasons already, Flury has some experience in the role, but it has already elevated heading into his final year with the team.
“Patience is key,” Flury said. “If you do the right thing over and over, you will gather people and gather people to go along with you. It’s helpful that I’m in a commanding spot on the field (middle linebacker).
“I already have the on-field role of a leader, so I’m in a good vocal position.”
Kowalski said the role for Flury is much more expansive.
“It’s pretty hard to find people who have all of the characteristics that you are looking for in a 17- or 18-year old,” he said. “They are still growing and maturing, and he has done that.
“You can tell that he’s one of the younger ones in the family and has watched his older siblings play. He does all the little things like staying after (practice) and picking up or giving a teammate a ride. I guarantee that if I walk into the school right now, he’s pushing in chairs and making sure the LGI (large group instruction room) is clean (after the football team’s use of it).”
The Vikings had four contact days prior to this week, and they left on Tuesday to spend a couple of days of joint practices in Prescott.
The opportunity provides a chance to line up against players other than teammates, continuing to learn what coaches want and a bonding experience that will be remembered.
Kowalski said phones are taken for the 48 hours the team is there and other non-football activities are found during the downtime from football.
“We do football stuff, but the focus is on having fun.” Kowalski said. “There is so much more to football than just a game every week. It’s also about the camaraderie and lifelong connections you make.”
Flury has been part of the two-day trip every season he’s played with the Vikings and said there is a very beneficial side to it.
“There is still a lot of coaching involved,” he said. “I think it’s good to see what you can do against others when they aren’t your friends.”
While Flury will be instrumental on both sides of the ball, there is a lot of excitement about the potential of what Holmen puts on the field defensively. Only three opponents were able to score 20 points or more against the Vikings (8-2) last season, but two of those games came during the final three weeks.
Holmen suffered a disappointing 23-13 loss to Nicolet in the first round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs, and that probably still pushes those returning to the fold.
Senior defensive back Jakai Ayed, senior linebacker Parker Spah were also all-conference performers last season for a group that remains largely intact.
“We have a lot of guys returning, and I feel like we are mentally solid and physically sound,” Flury said. “I see a lot of people on the same wavelength and on the same page.”
