EPC Wildcatz
The EPC Wildcatz entered 2018 with a senior heavy class that was full of talent. Riding the phrase "Prove Them Wrong" all season, the Catz did just that, going undefeated during the regular season, beating the defending 1A champs, taking down the eventual 1A champs, before coming to a heartbreaking end to the eventual 2A champs in the semifinals. EPC won their 5th conference title in the NUIC Northwest since 2010. Entering 2019, the Catz will be in the South Division will former rivals Aquin, Forreston, and Milledgeville.
EPC will be heading into 2019 in year 2 under Coach Jared McNutt, who led the Catz back to the semifinals in his first year at the helm. This could put to rest the speculation on whether McNutt can keep building the Wildcatz for success, but this year will tell everyone the direction EPC is heading. In 2017, under then head coach Randy Asche, the Wildcatz program cut contact football at the junior high level. This could make things very challenging for McNutt moving forward, as he will start to see if that will have an impact on his program as his kids enter high school behind the learning curve of the rest of the conference. EPC will have a very strong offensive and defensive line, but do they have enough pieces at the skilled positions to stand the challenges of their schedule? That will be the lingering question, and if Coach McNutt can lead this time past expectations.
EPC is 17-18 in the playoffs, and will be relying on 4 key players from last years team to lead them in 2019. The Catz will play a lot of the same teams they are familiar with, while picking up games with Milledgeville, Aquin, and AFC. EPC will start the season on the road in a big match-up with Lena-Winslow in the Route 73 Rumble. The last time EPC and Le-Win opened the season against each other, Le-Win was the heavy favorite, but were upended by EPC in Pearl City in 2016.
EPC Playoff History
1997 0-1
1998 1-1
2000 0-1
2001 0-1
2002 1-1
2003 1-1
2004 2-1
2006 0-1
2007 0-1
2008 0-1
2009 1-1
2010 1-1
2011 1-1
2012 0-1
2013 1-1
2014 5-0 Class 2A State Champion
2016 0-1
2017 0-1
2018 3-1