Florence's Nick Nevil (33) pressures Wausau Newman Catholic quarterback Quincy Pfender on Thursday at Robert Landry Field in Florence. (Jim Anderson/Daily News photo)

Niagara fell to Wisconsin contender Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas 53-0 to open its eight-player football season Friday.

“Lena has a great program,” said Niagara coach Ben Laarman. “They are coming off a state runner-up season and will probably be up there again this year. They are a very physical, fast, and fundamentally sound team.”

The Badgers did complete, trailing 24-0 at halftime, but “the wheels fell off” as the game wore on, Laarman said.

“We threw an interception deep in our own territory at the beginning of the second half that led to a quick touchdown, and then had a punt blocked on our next possession that led to ano

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