KENNEDY, SMETHPORT AT A GLANCE
Starting lineups
KENNEDY CHRISTIAN
Offense 
No.   Name        Pos. Ht.  Wt.  Yr.
   1  Jason Cecil       TB  5-9  185  12
  44  Brian Trimboli    FB  6-0  200  12
  12  Shawn McClure     QB  6-2  195  12
   3  Nick Rapone       FL  5-10 160  11
   6  Travis Shirley    TE  6-0  205  12
   8  Jason Monsman     SE  6-0  185  12
  62  Steve Butler       T  6-2  266  12
  51  John Kawecki       G  6-0  225  12
  56  Eric Eshenbaugh    C  6-0  235  10
  77  Larry Frangos      G  6-1  255  11
  75  John O'Brien      T  5-10  255  12
Defense
  No. Name       Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Yr.
  6   Travis Shirley    DE  6-0  205  12
  75  John O'Brien     DT  5-10  255  12
  77  Larry Frangos     DT  6-1  255  11
  8   Jason Monsman     DE  6-0  185  12
  12  Shawn McClure    OLB  6-2  195  12
  24  Ryan James        LB  6-0  175  11
  51  John Kawecki      LB  6-0  225  12
  44  Brian Trimboli   OLB  6-0  200  12
  13  Aaron Friday      CB  6-1  160  10
  1   Jason Cecil       CB  5-9  185  12
  3   Nick Rapone       S  5-10  160  11
SMETHPORT
Offense
  No. Name        Pos.  Ht. Wt.  Yr.
  28  Mike Dodge        SE  6-3  200  12
  77  Nate Maynard      LT  6-2  205  12
  64  Troy Shelgren    LG  5-10  195  12
  52  Alan Chapman       C  6-0  207  12
  58  Mike Tanner       RG  5-9  185  12
  62  Dustin Raught    RT  5-10  200  12
  88  Clayton Galloway  TE  6-1  210  11
  10  Mike Defilippi   QB  5-11  155  11
  48  Marc Shelgren    FB  5-10  170  10
  40  Marty Alter      TB  5-11  187  12
  24  Denny Mitchell   PB  5-10  175  12
Defense
  No. Name        Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Yr.
  77  Nate Maynard      LE  6-2  205  12
  74  Mike Slade       LT  5-10  205  12
  64  Troy Shelgren    RT  5-10  195  12
  84  Mike Martin       RE  6-0  190  11
  24  Denny Mitchell   LB  5-10  175  12
  88  Clayton Galloway  LB  6-1  210  11
  62  Dustin Raught    LB  5-10  200  12
  28  Mike Dodge        SE  6-3  200  12
  40  Marty Alter      CB  5-11  187  12
  20  Randy Stroup     CB  5-10  165  12
  10  Mike Defilippi   QB  5-11  155  11

Well, some might consider Kennedy Christian's emotional 6-3 victory over arch-rival Sharpsville last weekend, essentially, as the Golden Eagles' crowning conclusion to the '98 campaign. But don't count head coach John Turco among them.

"Absolutely none,'' Turco responded to the question of a potention emotional melt-down Saturday afternoon, when Kennedy (9-2) meets District 9 titlist Smethport (11-0) in an opening-round PIAA Class A state playoff game. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Erie Veterans Stadium.

"You know, the first question after the (Sharpsville) game, after we celebrated for a minute or two, I asked 'em, 'Was this enough for you?' And to a man, they all said, 'No, this is not enough,' '' Turco related.

Following a Thursday afternoon practice at Butala Stadium that ended at dusk, Turco emphasized, "These kids have been focused all week; they've done everything we've asked.''

Smethport possesses a potent passing game which gravitates around junior quarterback Mike Defilippi, the head coach's son. Turco said the Hubbers' offense operates out of an I-formation, but is pass-oriented.

TEAM STATISTICS
KENNEDY	OFFENSE	SMETHPORT
3147	Rushing yards	2029
286.1	Per game	184.5
629	Passing yards	1919
57.2	Per game	174.5
82-37-5	Att-comp-int	134-84-4
3785	Total yards	3948
344.1	Per game	358.9
376	Points scored	383
34.2	Per game	34.8
KENNEDY	DEFENSE	SMETHPORT
1349	Rushing yards	1478
122.6	Per game	134.4
888	Passing yards	608
80.7	Per game	55.3
154-69-13	Att-comp-int	n/a
2195	Total yards	2079
199.5	Per game	189
119	Points allowed	97
10.8	Per game	8.8

"If you want to stop Smethport, you've gotta stop Defilippi,'' Turco assessed. "Everything seems to be geared to his throwing the ball about 70 percent of the time. They throw the ball 70 percent; they run the ball 30 percent, and he runs the ball 60 percent of the 30 percent. So if you want to stop them, you have to stop their quarterback.

"They run out of an 'I' and a power-I, much like we do, though not as extensive as what we do,'' Turco said, "because they'll line up in a power-I and switch to 'trips' and go wide-outs or shift to it. But they have a tailback who can run it pretty well and a sophomore fullback that's a pretty good blocker, too.''

Eighteen-year Smethport mentor Carl Defilippi (165-26-2) perceives his club's offense as extremely versatile.

"We've been pretty balanced, actually (2,029 yards rushing, 1,919 passing), (but) he's been a big part of it,'' the elder Defilippi said of his son, the Big 30 Player of the Year who has thrown for 1,803 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. "And he runs the option for us (273 yards), so he touches the ball on every play. But Marty Alter has had a real good year for us (831 yards rushing, 13 TDs) and Mike Dodge, our split end, has been our leading receiver for two years (30 receptions for 854 yards in '98). We've had a number of people that've contributed.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing * KENNEDY CHRISTIAN -- Jason Cecil 220-1,716; Brian Trimboli 90-765 * SMETHPORT -- Marty Alter 116-831; Steve Durphy 84-318; Mike Defilippi 85-273; Dan Mitchell 39-229 Passing * KENNEDY CHRISTIAN -- Shawn McClure 82-37-5-611, 6 TDs * SMETHPORT -- Defilippi 125-80-2-1,803, 17 TDs Receiving * KENNEDY CHRISTIAN-- Nick Rapone 12-223; Jason Monsman 9-167; Travis Shirley 5-85. * SMETHPORT -- Mike Dodge 30-854; Alter 20-545; Denny MItchell 12-261. Scoring * KENNEDY CHRISTIAN -- Cecil 30 TDs, 182 pts.; Trimboli 14 TDs, 90 pts.; Shirley 3 TDs, 18 pts. * SMETHPORT -- Alter 13 TDs, 78 points; Difilippi 6 TDs, 5 2-pt., 10 PATs, 56 points; Durphy 7 TDs, 44 pts.

"This is the most diverse offense we've ever had. We've been more predominantly a running, option team (in the past), but this is, by far, the most balanced. Skill position-wise, we've just got some outstanding skill-people this year, but when you get to this level, some 'A' teams have not only skill people, but big skill people. That's the big missing piece to the puzzle. I don't know if the kids can (overcome the size difference), but they play with a lot of heart.''

The line of scrimmage, thought to be only a coaching cliche, will likely dictate Saturday's outcome, the coaches agree.

Defilippi, regarding Kennedy, offered, "We're gonna be severely outweighed. They play power football -- ground control -- and great defense. They have size, and athleticism and they're very physical. They have the two big blocking backs (Brian Trimboli and Travis Shirley) and the quick tailback (Jason Cecil).

"And anytime you can hold the defending state champion to three points, you must have an outstanding defense, so we'll have our hands full,'' Defilippi said, though pointing out his club defeated bigger Ridgway and Cameron County.

"We play decent defense,'' Defilippi said of his club's 4-4 alignment, "but it isn't nearly as strong, simply because of the size factor. We play decent defense, but not a dominating defense. At times, we have had to adjust, but teams have had trouble stopping us, too.''

"They don't blitz much, except when they're in the 'Red Zone' and they'll send a linebacker quite extensively when you're inside their 20,'' Turco said. "But they play a pretty vanilla '40.'

"We'll find out if we can control the line of scrimmage,'' Defilippi said. "I think it's gonna be how we match up physically with their line. If we can contain their running game, or if they get the ball and are gonna grind it out and use the clock and keep us off the field, then it'll be a different story.''

Turco's primary concern is Cecil's status. The senior speedster sprained his ankle in last weekend's win and has not practiced thus far this week. Offensively, in Cecil's stead, sophomore Aaron Friday proved capable against Linesville. But defensively?

"That concerns me more than on offense,'' Turco admitted. "Losing Jason out of the defensive backfield definitely would hurt us. But Shawn McClure will play that corner and Ryan James and Brian Trimboli will be the outside linebackers, and Nick Rapone the safety and Aaron at the other defensive half.

"Those kids have played, pretty much, all year long, with Shawn shifting from defensive back to outside linebacker. So it's just like we're giving Jason a rest, and we play about 40 percent of the game that way, anyhow.''

GAME-BY-GAME