PREVIEW OF THE MARENGO INDIANS

Ironically the last team Kaneland played last year before going to Bloomington for the State Championship game was Marengo. Not only that, but Marengo's only loss last year was to Kaneland who kept them from a possible state championship.

Then shazam, just like a continuation of a good book, the first game of the 1998 football season for both teams is a repeat of that last game. And like last year the Indians will have the home field. The only big difference between last year and this will be the temperature. Instead of a below zero wind chill the forecast is for temps in the 80's, about a 100 degree difference.

Marengo won the Big Northern Red Conference last year (5-0) breaking Byron's 4 year string of titles. Marengo had a super season as they went undefeated all the way to the semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs winning by a margin of over 18 points a game.

However, when Kaneland came to town in late November the Knights won 41-7 ending Marengo's dream of a State Championship for the second year in a row.

The Indians had made it to the semifinals in 1996 as well. Falling that year to Spring Valley Hall 41-28.

So the Indians have plenty of incentive to get even with Kaneland and would love to put the Knights repeat plans into a tailspin. The Indians will be looking for payback time.

But the Indians will have to take on the Knights without many of the key players they had from last year. The Indians were hit hard by graduation and will be fielding many new starters, compared to the Knights which have 7 out of 11 of the starting offense team back.

However, both defenses need to be rebuilt.

On offense for the Indians there will be some large shoes to fill. Gone is starting QB Tim Moehling. Gone are RB's Mark Dochterman who gained 77 yards in 13 tries against the Knights and Brandon Volpe, the only backs to gain positive yardage against the Knights. Gone is the Indian's big receiver Matt Dunker who caught 6 Moehling passes against the Knights for 61 yards. Gone also is Jason Hanson, (3 passes for 46 yards) another Indian weapon.

This leaves backup QB Dan Schultz who was 1-2 with 23 yards against the Knights and sacked for a minus 14 yards, and receivers Kyle Vasquez (which may move to running back) and Mike Koester who caught 3 passes between then in their last game.

So while Kaneland's offense may be ready to kick into high gear for game one the Indians might need a few games to rebuild last year's powerful offense. As for the defenses - it's just plain to early to tell.