Scholarship Awarded To Evergreen Park Football’s Asael Rubalcava

EVERGREEN PARK, IL – Asael Rubalcava, a senior leader on the Evergreen Park Community High School football team in 2022, has earned the school’s first Don Ferchau Mustang Defensive Player of the Year award. The award comes with a $1,000 scholarship that is funded by EPCHS alum Nick Mizaur and his wife, Candace.

The award was first introduced just before the 2022 football season in memory of Don Ferchau, Evergreen Park’s head football coach from 1981-1986. It’s the continuation of an award Ferchau created for his top defensive player, which Mizaur won in 1984.

RELATED: New EPCHS Football, Wrestling Scholarships Introduced

Rubalcava earned the honor after a stellar 2022 season. He tallied 91 tackles (61 solos, 30 assists), five tackles for losses, one sack, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and two pass break-ups for the Mustangs in a year that saw the team notch a 7-2 regular season record and advanced to the second round of the IHSA Class 4A Football Playoffs.

“Asael had a great year,” EPCHS Football Head Coach Jerry Verde said. “He led us in the most defensive stats and made numerous game-changing plays over the course of the season. He has a great ability to find the football and his ability allowed him to make plays that many players can’t.”

Mizaur said before the season that Ferchau’s 2019 death at age 95 made him think of ways to reinstate a defensive player of the year award and “provide something for the players who earn it.”

The financial award comes with a display trophy that will have the winners’ names engraved on it every year as Rubalcava will become the first name put on the trophy.

The Evergreen Park Community High School Foundation will manage the scholarship funds and send them to the college or trade school of Rubalcava’s choice.