Evergreen Park quarterback Brady Bruen had two goals against Shepard on Sept. 11.
Win and stay healthy.
The Mustangs lost by 24 to the Astros last year and Bruen got hurt.
“I missed the second half of that game and the game after that,” Bruen said.
“They beat us by multiple scores and a few guys went down in the game last year,” Mustangs coach Jim Ramazinski said. “This year, we were focusing on ourselves and how we can play better.”
This time around, Bruen ran in for a 3-yard score and stayed poised making big throws in a 21-14 win for the host Mustangs.
“We are seeing a guy who knows how to lead his team, is poised, and someone the other guys look up to — he’s getting better each week,” Ramazinski said of Bruen, a junior.
Evergreen Park (3-1, 1-1 South Suburban Red) led 11-0 early in the second quarter, but Shepard (2-2, 1-1) chipped away and tied the game at 14 apiece late in the third.
Shepard quarterback Ashton Hite threw two touchdown passes, 5-yarders to Brendin Thomas and Jamaal White.
The Astros had a shot to take the lead but missed a field goal with 80 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs took over and put the game away in exciting fashion.
Bruen threw downfield along the sideline to sophomore receiver Jaylen Chothen. After a couple tips between a defender and him, Chothen came down with the ball and completed an 82-yard reception — his only catch of the night.
“As a receiver, you always have to stay focused on the ball,” Chothen said. “It can always get tipped. But the receiver coaches trained me.”
“It got tipped and I thought it went out of bounds,” Bruen said. “I then see him running down the field. It was a miracle. It felt great.”
Cory Isaac rushed for 93 yards, including a 7-yard game-clinching touchdown that followed Chothen’s big catch.
Kicker Cole Nardo had 38-yard and 27-yard field goals, and also scored on a two-point conversion in the win.
“It was not our best week of practice and a game like this will teach us we have to always practice our best,” Shepard coach John Rone said. “Technically every goal is still alive. I think they have bought in and you’ll see us do nothing but excel here on out.”
Bruen battled back last year from not just a concussion, but also a Week 9 knee injury that kept him out until April 14 of his sophomore baseball season.
He understands things can change so he’s staying ready as the Mustangs head into more conference matchups.
“All the rest of the teams can still beat us,” Bruen said. “We have to have faith, good practice, and continue to build up from here.”