Familiar coach awaits Marmion

You don't need six degrees to separate Marmion Academy and Danville High School, football-wise.

Danville coach B.J. Luke was Waubonsie Valley's head coach 17 years before returning to his alma mater. His successor at Waubonsie, Paul Murphy, led Marmion from 1987-2001. Four years later Dan Thorpe had the Marmion job.

“He's got a lot of connections up here and he probably has lots more film on us than we have on them,” Thorpe said of Luke. “He's paid his dues for all those years.”

Most of them haven't been as glorious as 2010 for either program, one of whose season will end in Saturday's Class 6A semifinal in Danville.

“It's almost like stepping back in time 30 years, because we're the only game in town, really,” said Luke, who initiated a before-school weight program, set standards, and with brother Steve Luke receivers coach and head boys track coach motivated multiple-sport athletes to come out (and remain eligible).

B.J. Luke took a squad that in 2004 was 0-9 and turned it into one that's won 24 of its last 25 games. No. 1 seeded Danville (12-0) lost last year in the semifinals, back now after the Vikings' 35-14 win over Crete-Monee.

“It's been a deal where the kids have bought in,” said Luke, whose defense, nicknamed the “Meat House” and led by all-state linebacker Justin March, has held opponents to 16.6 points a game while the Vikings score 44.9 on average. “We've got good kids that play hard, work hard. And then the community has been unbelievable.”

Luke recalled long-ago 7-on-7 competitions between Waubonsie Valley and Marmion, but Saturday will be the only time the programs Danville and No. 3 seed Marmion (11-1) have played each other.

“I don't know if you can put an edge either way,” Luke said. “Both teams are running football teams, and (Marmion's) got one that will rely on power, trapping, and is very big up front. We're quick up front and not quite as big, and our running backs can run a little bit.”

So can all-state quarterback Dennis Hightower, who has accounted for 44 touchdowns, 21 of them on the ground. Hightower has run for 1,236 yards and has passed for 1,598 yards, 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Hightower targets three receivers all between 17-25 receptions and 6-8 touchdowns: tight end March, and first-time players D'Lando Carter and Joey Robinson.

Out of the shotgun, Hightower hands off to 173-pound senior Eddie Clark, who has run for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns and averages 9.3 yards a carry. He cuts behind a line, headed by 275-pound center Carlton Moore, that averages 239 pounds but is all around the 5-10, 6-foot range.

Marmion's aim is for defensive linemen Blake Mickey, Ryan Glasgow, Nate Pacer and Mike Eberth to penetrate the line so two-time all-state linebacker T.J. Lally can add to his team-high 120 tackles, as the Cadets did in their 31-20 quarterfinal win over Lemont. Fumbles and inceptions by Lally, Mitch Loehmann and Tommy Rogers also plagued the No. 1 seed.

“We've got to grind it out, keep it close and hope for a chance in the fourth quarter,” said Thorpe. He thought low-scoring was to Marmion's benefit against Lemont but due to 162 yards rushing by Garret Becker, 144 from Lally, and touchdowns from Mike Carbonara plus Bobby Peters' touchdown strike to Nick Scoliere, Marmion “shocked” Thorpe with its biggest bounty of these playoffs.

“We've got to get them out of their rhythm,” Thorpe said. “We've got to punt the ball and make them go the distance. But unfortunately for all their opponents, they can go the distance from the 2-yard line.”

Before arriving at Marmion, Thorpe went the distance to win a state championship. Luke seeks his turn.

“I'm 56, how many more chances am I going to get?” he said. “I want to get there.”