The next step for Anamosa football

Editor's note: Kyle Schepanksi is a senior on the Anamosa football team and recently completed an internship with The Gazette's sports department.

By Kyle Schepanski, Anamosa senior

ANAMOSA - A setback creates a comeback.

After years of setbacks, the comeback finally arrived a year ago.

The 2014 Anamosa football squad came into the season with high hopes, despite carrying a 26-game losing streak.

Our coach, Ryan Streets, installed a new system. He gave us a reason to believe this program could reach the top.

Few around the area believed it would be possible for us to shed our losing reputation over much of the last decade. In fact, we were picked last in Class 2A District 4 by many prognosticators coming into the campaign.

After blowing a 24-7 halftime lead against North Cedar, we suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss in Week 1, and many of those fears of another losing season began to surface.

But we did not let the season-opening loss get to us. Motivated by many of the program's past failures, we had worked too hard to give up after a mere Week 1 loss.

It was time for a change.

We went on to win our next seven games, the school's longest winning streak in 47 years, and faced Cascade in a winner-take-all district title match-up.

A loss to the Cougars and subsequent playoff defeat the following week to New Hampton ended our dream run with a 7-3 overall record.

We accomplished incredible things in the 2014 campaign. We can officially say we made history.

It had been 10 years since Anamosa had made the playoffs. We achieved that. It had been 27 years since the Raiders hosted a playoff game. We achieved that. We posted the best record in Anamosa football history in the last decade.

What's next for our football program?

Streets wants consistent success, and so do his players.

Back-to-back winning seasons is something the Anamosa program hasn't achieved in more than a quarter century.

The 2015 Raider football team will use last year's experience to make more memorable moments this fall.

A district title? We want that. Host another playoff game? We want that, too.

But we also want so much more.

Win a playoff game. Advance to the UNI-Dome. From there, who knows? State championship? It's possible.

Under Coach Streets, this program has become one of the hardest working in the state, and it will continue to thrive with all the positivity the third-year coach brings to the table.

After the year that everybody will remember, the next step is to have every year be one to remember.

The important first step already has been made. The second begins Aug. 28, when we travel to North Cedar to open the 2015 season.

If everything falls into place, this season will include more Anamosa football history - the next step in the evolution of a program yearning to succeed.