Marmion seeks a quick rebound
Back in the saddle again.
That's the point Marmion needed to reach quickly after coach Dan Thorpe admitted earlier this week the Cadets were still hurting emotionally from Friday's 27-21 overtime loss to Montini for the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division title.
“To put in all that energy, to crawl back in (from a 21-0 deficit), and to have a shot and to lose it the way we did (hurts),” Thorpe said. “No matter how we lost it would have been tough.”
Asked if the Cadets would be mentally ready by Friday's game against No. 6 seed Thornton Fractional North in the Class 6A playoff opener at Fichtel Field, Thorpe said: “By Friday it will be too late. We have to get in the saddle again tonight.”
No. 3 seed Marmion (8-1) certainly has the horses.
Despite the loss to Montini, Cadets bruising running back-linebacker T.J. Lally ran for 139 of his 816 yards against Montini's powerful defense. Quarterback Bobby Peters had his best game, completing 12 of 20 passes for 129 yards. The Cadets nearly doubled Montini's time of possession, and held Montini under 100 yards rushing.
What hurt the Cadets was Montini's passing game, which gained 255 yards and 3 touchdowns. It appears Marmion's pass defense will be tested again by TF North (6-3).
The Meteors, out of a South Suburban Blue Conference that produced five playoff teams, gained 2,550 yards passing and 1,652 yards rushing, Thorpe said.
Out of a five-wide spread offense, quarterback Calvin Lindsey can definitely tuck and run. He's run for a whopping 26 touchdowns, Thorpe said, while Rob Austin has run for 16 touchdowns and Devonte Stevenson for 7. Thorpe depicts this contest as another between Marmion's physicality against TF North's speed though Cadets defensive end Nick Scoliere has enough of both to record 10 sacks this season.
“We could have it defended very well, but their athleticism and speed will get us out of our tackling,” Thorpe said. “So we have to be fundamentally extremely perfect.”
Thorpe frets that regular-season pastings of Chicago Christian, Walther Lutheran and Guerin “were expected victories” that did little but bolster the Cadets' points-allowed average of 8.9, second in Class 6A behind Crystal Lake South's 5.4.
Should Marmion corral the Meteors' big plays and continue to rule between the hash marks, however, this is an outfit that can succeed not only Friday but also surpass last year's finale in the second round of 6A.
“Everybody is 0-0 and we've got to be humble, focused and hungry,” Thorpe said.