So guess who the Trojans (11-0) meet beginning 1 p.m. Saturday at the Steel City's South High Stadium?

This time around, however, Perry Traditional Academy (7-3) enters the postseason picture as the city's third-best team, having bowed to Quad-A titlist Schenley, as well as twice to runnerup Oliver.

And the Commodores, although obviously talented, do not feature the likes of Rod Rutherford and Rob Butler, a pair of standouts who matriculated at the University of Pittsburgh. Butler, a true freshman, saw significant playing time in last week's win over Notre Dame in the Pitt Stadium curtain-closer.

"We're replacing a number of terrific athletes and having to play a lot of younger kids, but they're starting to mature now," Perry coach Gus Catanese said. "I'm not exactly sure where we are at this stage of the game, but I'm sure we'll get a real good test on Saturday.

According to Stone, this Perry edition does not so much resemble its '97 counterpart as much as Greenville's previous pair of '99 playoff foes, Slippery Rock and General McLane.

"In a way, they play, pretty much, the same type of football we've seen the last couple weeks,'' Stone said regarding shotgun formation 1-back/4-receiver sets, which also included reverses, counters and even some option. "They spread you all over the field, throw the football a lot. They have quickness and good speed, and those are things that can kill you if you're not well prepared. 'Speed kills' as they say; they can get you."

Catanese concurs.

"It's no secret we like to mix it up like most ballclubs," he said. "We'll throw about 40 percent of the time and put our athletes in position where they can do the most damage. Defensively, it's gonna come down to our speed versus Greenville's strength and power on offense.''

As for drawing comparison's to the 1997 Commodores?

"They're a very capable football team,'' Stone said. "I suppose, since they don't have a Rod Rutherford, they spread it around more, more people touch the football. They have a kid by the name of (slotback O.J.) Macklin, who apparently has returned several kicks for touchdowns -- he's a very good athlete -- so they're blessed with a lot of talent, and they use all of it.''

In the City League semifinals, Perry played quarterbacks Damian Cornish and John Harris alternately, but Stone said 11 games' worth of experience should have his underclassmen-dominated club prepared for virtually any offensive or defensive scheme.

"At this point in the year, you should've seen most everything, and the trick, obviously, is for our offense to adjust to whatever it is their defense is going to do," Stone said. "Nobody -- or very few teams -- will play exactly the same defense every week, so you have to adjust to changes, I think.''

Offensively, Greenville has been led by another in its long line of talented tailbacks in Erik Adams. However, when Adams was sidelined during the second half of last week's win over General McLane by a nagging shoulder ailment, Brian Anderle answered with an outstanding second-half performance to maintain the smooth-running machine. Sammy Young also has seized the

quarterback position and developed a go-to receiver in Gio Vendemia, while Jim Spiegel is in his second season as the club's possession receiver.

"I think this is a much better Greenville team,'' Catanese said. "The biggest difference I can see is the fact two years ago they were primarily a running team, but this year they certainly have the ability to throw the ball. I think they're a much more difficult team for us to defense than that first time."

Now in his 22nd year at the helm, Stone (183-43-6), the second-winningest coach in Mercer County annals behind only Sharon's Jim Wildman, is enjoying the postseason ride more than ever.

"Yeah, it's kind of a kick to still be playing, particulary because I hate to put the equipment away -- that's a pain,'' Stone quipped.

More seriously, however, the veteran mentor has been energized by a club for which he expresses an obvious fondness.

"This group ... there's a little bit of something, maybe, about this group: They make plays, they deliver, they're enthused and enthusiastic about playing. They seem to enjoy it,'' Stone said. "And I guess maybe it's a kick for a coach to know that the kids enjoy it as much as he does. Sometimes you have kids who can take it or leave it, but this group seems to enjoy it, and that makes it all the more fun for me. I think it's always special once you reach this point, because you sense that you might have something going and you don't want to screw it up. All we can do is just give it our best effort and see what happens.''