Going for a different ending

Mike Koeneman and Mark Tolzien have lived through the disappointments.

Just two years ago, Koeneman and Tolzien watched an undefeated Fremd football season end in heartbreaking fashion for older brothers Jeff and Scott in a Class 8A second-round playoff game at Hinsdale Central.

But on Saturday night, the M&M boys were enjoying a hard-fought 17-14 8A second-round win over Loyola before another raucous full house at Hale Hildebrandt Field.

And in a way, the younger pass and catch pair are trying doing this for their brothers.

"Me and Mark talk about it all the time and it really gets us going," said Koeneman, whose brother Jeff was on the sideline Saturday night after helping Carthage College to an upset of Wheaton College. "We can't let that happen.

"We experienced what happened through them and we know how sad it made them. We don't want to end the season like that."

Tolzien watched his brothers Scott, who is a reserve quarterback at Wisconsin, and Mike endure similar endings with the Vikings.

"We've grown up sitting on the sidelines since seventh grade," Mark Tolzien said, "and seeing what mistakes they made and what they did well.

"They always tell me to enjoy every single minute of what you've got right now. They weren't as lucky as I was to get here, but because of them I'm here."

And Derrick Walker, Jason Ford, Jeff Poczatek, Nick Hillard and Chris Doloughty are among the others who are part of a family affair that saw the Vikings celebrate a school-record 11th victory.

"These kids were in kindergarten when we first went to the playoffs," Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said of a 13-year streak of postseason trips. "They've grown up watching their brothers play and they've seen the disappointment. They've seen it program-wise through their family.

"They keep on saying they don't want to experience that disappointment."

So when 1,000-yard rusher Mike Gyetvay went out on the third play with an elbow injury, Walker stepped in and ran for 52 tough yards and a touchdown.

Koeneman laid out for a spectacular catch on a beautiful toss by Tolzien for the first score. The secondary of Jory Engel, Brian Hipchen, Jordan Koeppen and Mike Tauchman held their own against the passing of old friend Peter Badovinac.

The Vikings persevered as the offense bogged down again in the second half for negative yardage on four three-and-outs.

After Loyola got within a field goal, Andrew Corso had two big first-down grabs.

James Norris not only recovered a fumble but helped lead a drive with Carl Comstock, Bert Blodgett, Christian Lombard and Kevin Fallon for an exhausted Hillard and Walker to run out all but 19 seconds of the final 7:16.

And It all helped the Vikings continue to answer their doubters as they head to Glenbard North for a quarterfinal game next Saturday.

"People were picking us to lose in the first round and second round," Koeneman said. "It gets us real fueled."

Just one of many driving forces for Fremd.