Hard-hitting Marmion dominates IC Knights
Marmion isn't a team that's going to sit around and hope for a playoff spot to open up.
An aggressive Cadets defense claimed six turnovers in Saturday's 33-7 Suburban Catholic Conference football win over Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst.
Back over the .500 mark at 4-3, the Cadets' (2-3 SCC) goal is to win their last two regular-season games against Aurora Central Catholic and St. Edward. That would give them the six wins needed to clinch the program's first playoff berth since 1998.
"Everyone's just flying around, hitting people, playing with a lot of heart," said Cadets linebacker Joe Weber, who returned a second-quarter interception 22 yards for a touchdown to put his team ahead 19-7 at the half.
"Hopefully we'll be 6-3 and get in the playoffs," he said.
Marmion scored first on a 33-yard second-quarter touchdown pass from Ricky Bird to James O'Shaughnessy, but the Knights (2-5, 1-4) answered on the next play from scrimmage and tied the game on Will Cronin's 75-yard scoring pass to Jack Dempsey.
A no-huddle offense gave Marmion its second touchdown on a 23-yard pass from Bird to Alex Cook.
Weber's interception return came on the next possession as three Knights turnovers led to 13 first-half points for the Cadets.
"It's been the story of our year," said Knights coach Bill Schmidt. "We don't execute. We turn the ball over. We give up big plays. We haven't been able to shake the M.O., and now we're sitting at 2-5."
Immaculate Conception moved the ball into Marmion's red zone three times in the second half and failed to come away with points. All three drives, including one set up by Paul Hornstra's 82-yard kick return, ended with turnovers.
Manny Juarez, who missed the previous two games because a bout with mononucleosis, snared one of five Marmion interceptions.
Bird, who completed 10 of 21 passes for 197 yards, threw two more touchdown passes in the second half. One went for 13 yards to O'Shaughnessy, the final scoring pass was tipped to Sean Fichtel for a 57-yarder.
Bobby Winkel rushed for 94 yards for the Cadets while Jonathon Ellis led the Knights ground game with 57 rushing yards. Cronin completed 13 of 33 passes for 185 yards.
"The word for the week was 'Execute,'" said Marmion coach Dan Thorpe. "We wanted to execute our offensive and defensive gameplan, and the kids did that."