BY PETER JACKEL
Journal Times | Posted: Thursday, August 9, 2007 12:00 am
As anyone who followed the Green Bay Packers in the 1980s could attest, it was one long, miserable experience.
For the better part of that decade, the likes of Randy Wright, Rich Moran and Donnie Humphrey would play Mike Ditka's mighty Chicago Bears twice a season. And as sure as the snow flies in Green Bay every January, the Packers would get spanked.
Relatively speaking, it's been the same scenario for the Racine Raiders when they've played their nemesis from the south. Since 1998, the Raiders have pretty much been at the mercy of the Kane County Eagles, having lost 18 of 21 games during that span, including eight straight at Horlick Field.
And when the two teams renew their North American Football League rivalry at 7 p.m. Saturday at Mooseheart Stadium in Batavia, Ill., it's shaping up as more of the same. At least that's what Eagles coach Keith Hac, never one to concern himself with potential bulletin board material, is thinking.
"No way - there's no way they're going to beat us," Hac said. "I'll tell you right now, if we play our game and don't have stupid mistakes like we did in the Indiana game (the Eagles had seven turnovers in a 22-16 victory this season), the game's over at halftime.
"This is the best Eagle team we will ever have."
That's saying a great deal based on the recent history of this team. Since the 2001 season, Kane County has gone 84-11 with national championships in 2001 and '03. And they've pretty much owned the Raiders, whose last victory over Kane County was by a 21-12 score Aug. 3, 2002.
What makes these Eagles so special? Start with quarterback John Welsh, a former member of the New York Giants who also has experience in the Arena League. Kane County already has a premier quarterback in Sam Clemons, who started on the 2003 national champions, but Welsh was so good that he is starting ahead of Clemons.
"I think Welsh is going to be the best quarterback anyone's seen at this level," Hac said. "He has the ability to quickly get rid of the ball, because he's honed his skills in the indoor league where it's much faster, but he's versed in the outdoor game because he started at the University of Idaho. He's 6-2 or 6-3 and he's got a great arm."
Unfortunately for the Raiders, they will have to be concerned with far more than Welsh. There's running back J.R. Taylor, who rushed for 250 yards against the Milwaukee Marauders and 153 against the Wisconsin Bulldogs this season. There's game-breaking wide receivers Keith Herron and Curtis Gordon.
And on defense, there are linebackers who include Zak Pederson, Tyrone Myers and Lenny Radtke.
"This is the best group of linebackers we've ever had and we've had some phenomenal groups of linebackers," Hac said.
What is Raiders coach Jordan Kopac's take on this? All fine and good, but he believes the Raiders are also in the process of putting together one of their finest teams.
"We're starting to get a step up in our quarterbacking, we have not had a core of receivers as good as we have right now and we have experience in our offensive line backed up with fairly good running backs," Kopac said. "Then, when we look at the other side, we've got eight pretty good, healthy defensive linemen that you will pay a big price to stop. They are some big men. We've never had quicker linebackers and then you get into the secondary and we've got guys who are high-class track men. They can fly."
So who will win this game Saturday night? Based on history and the fact they're playing on their home field, the Eagles have to be considered the prohibitive favorites.
Just don't underestimate the Raiders, Kopac says.
"I think it's really going to come down to not making the basic mistakes," Kopac said. "We've got to clean that part up. They're too good for us to make any mistakes.
"If we stay away from those elementary mistakes, I think it's going to be a good ballgame."
Racine (4-2) at Kane County (4-0)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Mooseheart Stadium, Batavia, Ill.
RADIO: WRNJ (1400 AM) will handle the broadcast live, with Joe Mooney handling the play-by-play and John Wosyk the color commentary.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The Raiders are 3-1 in the NAFL and 3-0 in the Great Lakes Region and the Eagles are 3-0 in the NAFL and Great Lakes Region. The winner of Saturday's game will gain the upper hand for the division championship.
LAST WEEK: The Raiders defeated the Hoosier (Ind.) Hurricanes
17-0; the Eagles defeated the Wisconsin Bulldogs 41-16.
INJURY REPORT: Wide receiver Dorian Palmer, who was projected to be out of the season because of a blood clot, is now expected back as soon as Aug. 18. Palmer, by the way, was recently named the Minor League Football News Wide Receiver of the Week after he caught four passes for 50 yards and three touchdowns against the Milwaukee Marauders July 28.