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Adam Candee

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2003 | 9:33 a.m.

Religion, politics, and last season.

The first two are the usual taboo topics in casual conversation. Around the Meadows football program, the third is an equally uncomfortable topic.

"Of course it was frustrating," Mustangs coach Chris Lounsbery said. "No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

After five consecutive 2A state championships and 41 victories in a row, a young Mustangs squad struggled through a 2-7 season under first-year coach Lounsbery. The group featured just three contributing seniors, little experience at any position, and a team that was physically outmatched with sophomores and juniors starting all over the field.

Things are looking up for the Mustangs this season, though, as a group that is both physically and mentally stronger is ready to climb back into the ranks of the small-school elite in Nevada.

"We'll have a winning record, for sure," Meadows senior tight end Mike Barson said. "I'm positive of that."

Barson is one of a group of Meadows seniors eager to erase the bad memories from last year. He said that the team struggled to make both the transition from the more vocal DeSantis to the more hands-on Lounsbery and the switch from experience to youth.

"It was a lot harder because all the traditions were changing," Barson said. "There wasn't enough leadership to get everyone through adversity."

The adversity began right from the opening snap for the Mustangs. They went to Tonopah and lost 31-7 on opening night to Battle Mountain, a team Meadows had defeated in the 2A state championship game in the previous season. The Mustangs had not lost a game since a 1998 defeat at the hands of Palo Verde, and suddenly, their state-record winning streak was over.

"It was a good character builder, I think," Mustangs senior tailback Fred Tarantino said.

This year, the players can look back on those struggles and use them for motivation.

"We don't want to be losers anymore," Barson said. "If we don't win after working so hard, it doesn't seem like it's worth it."

Yet Lounsbery never wavered in his support of the team. He knew when he first took over that the cycle was down for the Mustangs, with a host of senior stars having graduated the previous season.

"They just were outmanned by people," Lounsbery said of last year.

Lounsbery is determined for that situation not to happen again. With just 20 players suiting up on varsity, most will have to play both offense and defense again. That means a heavy emphasis on both summer weightlifting and fall conditioning.

"Obviously, we've got to be in better shape than every other team we play," Lounsbery said.

It also means that Meadows is just a torn knee or broken bone away from trouble at all times.

"Two injuries and we're done," Lounsbery said. "You hate to say that, but it's a reality we face."

That means standouts like junior quarterback Jordan Kelly and junior wideout Greg Maggiore must remain healthy for Meadows to return to prominence. It also means that even though the Mustangs must use both cunning and smarts whenever possible.

That's all part of the tradition of the school that everyone involved is looking to restore in 2003.

"Pride has a lot to do with it," Lounsbery said. "They won those state championships and they weren't always the best team on the field."

Friday night against Indian Springs, the climb to again becoming the best team begins.

Adam Candee covers high school sports for the Sun. Reach him at 259-4085 or by email at candee@lasvegassun.com