PREVIEW OF THE EVERGREEN PARK MUSTANGS

It's unfortunate that the two teams that played during the season have to meet again so early in the playoffs. But it's even more unfortunate for Evergreen Park which has to play the unbeaten Knights on Kaneland's home field both times. Playing the same team twice in one season is yet another Kaneland first.

Early in the season it appeared that the Mustangs weren't even going to come close to making the playoffs. It looked like they where going to be swallowed up by a rigorous opening schedule. In losses to Kaneland, Morris and Marmion the Mustangs started at 1-3. The Mustangs were beaten, but not out.

They bounced back to win their next 7 games and found themselves in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A playoffs.

As a result EP has to be one of the best 6-3 teams in playoffs in quite a while. The three loses came to teams that went 26-1 in regular season and all advanced to the second round of the playoffs and all but Morris are still playing. Doubt many teams with three loses can say that.

''I firmly believe that is the only way to get better,'' said head football coach and EP Athletic Director Brett Nelson. ''We took some losses, but it also helped our ability to gel as a team.''

The Season:

Much has been said about the Mustang's first 3 of 4 games being against the big guns, but their first three wins were against the little guns - Westmont (1-8), Riverside-Brookfield (1-8) and Lemont (2-9). The Mustangs were not impressive in the last two winning just 12-0 in both games.

Then with three games left in the season they went smack dab in the heart of the second tier of the SPC white tough teams, needing to win all three to make the playoffs. First they managed to just get by Sycamore 26-22. Then they nipped Ridgewood 27-14 and finally went to Yorkville. With the winner earning the right to be in the playoffs the Mustangs clearly out played the foxes and won going away 21-7.

Once in the playoffs they took care of Seneca 21-7 without fanfare. Then last Saturday they used five interceptions against visiting Herscher to earn a hard fought 15-6 victory in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs.

Throw out the Westmont game and of EP's six wins, none where more than 14 points. As a matter of fact outside of Westmont, EP can't break the 30 bearer, something the Knights have done in every game except Ridgewood.

The Defense: EP's defense is tough! Outside of Marmion and Kaneland nobody has been able to score more than 30 points against them. And powerhouse Morris only got 13. By the way in the Morris game the Mustangs came within one yard of tieing the Redskins at the end of the game only to be kept out of the end zone on a pair of penalties.

Evergreen Park's is not big and relies on it's quickness and a hard nose defense. As Seneca's coach Don Brown who lost them in round one said, "They are a strong team with experience and a solid defense.

''They play really good defensive," added Herscher Coach John Wakey after his loss.

That is largely due to the fact they have at least one great player at ever level of their defense. The defensive line play is lead by defensive tackle (#77) Ryan Doherty who likes to spend time getting to know opposing quarterbacks.

(#44) Pat McKeown is clearly an all-conference if not an all-area middle linebacker, and the glue that holds the EP defense together. He also gets a lots of help on the outside from another outstanding LB (#31) Jim Cacciatore a 5-8, 180 pound hard nose senior.

The Defensive backfield is lead by free safety (#11) Keith Fettig who had three interceptions against Herscher. Cornerbacks (#27) Dave Zurella and (#82) Tom Schillo also had picks in that game.

"One of the underlying factors (for winning) is the play of our defensive secondary,'' Evergreen coach Brett Nelson says. "We are always undersized, but our quickness can really pay dividends.''

The Offense: The offense is lead by Junior quarterback (#5) Tom Marsan (6-3, 150) who threw for 180 yards on 12 completions in the second half against Seneca. However, the Seneca defenders sacked Marsan four times.

Marsan's favorite receiver is (#85) senior Dave Aggen who was on the receiving end of all of Marsan passes when they played Kaneland except one.

The ground game is shared by running back (#31) Jim Cacciatore a 5-8, 180 pound hard nose senior and versatile fullback (#44) Pat Mckeown (5-11, 170), with 646 yards, who was an all-conference performer last season and had almost a 100 yards against Seneca. This year they had added yet another quality running back in junior (#28) Steve Cieslewicz who carried the ball 17 times against Mamion, scored three TD's against Seneca while carrying the ball 28 times for 117 yards and was the leading rusher against Kaneland.

Evergreen Park lacks an explosive offensive weapon like Scoobie (Kyle Schrader). But they have been successful moving the ball courtesy of a balanced offense that thrives on the short passing of Tom Marsan (1,323 yards and 13 TDs) and the power running of McKeown, Cieslewicz and Cacciatore.

"We need to throw the ball to be successful," says Nelson. " When we have a nice mix of running and passing we can be tough to stop."

''Their short passing game is a concern,'' Wakey said. ''They are a typical Evergreen Park team, but they aren't as big as they have been.''

Nelson admits his group might be a little on the small side. ''We have been the smaller team all year and it hasn't really hurt us,'' Nelson said.

The wild card might be field goal kicker is Ryan Doherty, who is able to hit from over 30 yards out.

In their previous meeting: When the Mustangs visited Kaneland earlier in the year the Knights totally controlled the start of the game leading 17-0, with 1:51 left in the half.

On their first drive the Mustangs were held to a -1 yard. Kaneland then drove 55 yards for a TD. And so it went.... -15 yards for EP followed by another Knights TD, 4 yards for EP and a EP stop of a Knights drive, then -4 yards for EP and a Knights field goal.

But the Mustang coaching staff found a chip in the Knights defensive armor using little passes to Aggen. Then on 4th and 12 from the Kaneland 29 with only 6 seconds left they scored on a Marsan pass to Aggen.

Then mid way through the third quarter Aggen caught a 65-yard pass for another touchdown, over Kaneland's rebuilt secondary with the absence of corner Shaun Wenz. From there on the Knights closed the door on the Mustang offense outside of some successful misdirection plays.

Despite the closeness of the score the Knights ran away with the stats, with 18 first downs to just 5 for the Mustangs. Moreover, the Knights ran nearly twice as many plays - 62 to 36!

Coaches: Joe Thorgesen, Kaneland (90-83) and Brett Nelson, Evergreen Park (82-62).

Playoff history: Evergreen Park is 3-5 overall coming into this season's tourny. They have reached the quarterfinals once before which is the furthest they have advanced. Of the Mustangs five previous playoff appearances, their last was 1995.

Kaneland the defending 3A state champion, is in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Prior the 1995 the Knights never saw playoff action. They have an amazing 9-2 record in playoff games.

The skinny: The Key is Kaneland's offense. If the Knights can score their normal 41 points, then there is little the Mustangs can do the match that explosiveness. On the other hand if the Mustang defense digs in and catches the Knights playing as they did against Mahomet last week the Knights season could be on the line.

Watch for McKeown, Cieslewicz and Casccitore to peck away at the Knights defensive line, mixed in with short passes from Marsan primarily to Aggen. Last time they kept the Knights off balance with a nifty misdirection offense. The return of Wenz in the defensive backfield may help compensate for some of that, but rest assured Coach Nelson will have a few new twists up his sleeve.