Change comes to Marmion Cadets baseball
Change isn't only in the air with Marmion baseball.
It's in the grass, the dirt, the dugouts and all points in between and beyond at the school's new varsity field.
It's the tangible signal of a new era in Cadets baseball, an era that began with last season's surprising run of success. With the 2009 campaign ready to roll, expectations are higher than ever for Marmion.
"We're looking to win and go out with a pretty big bang for our senior year," said returning pitcher Brian Burns. "We have so many good athletes on the team and we're coming off a good year, so it should be another good season."
Last year represented a monumental shift for the Cadets, who went 19-10 to set a team record for wins and finished second in the Suburban Catholic Conference with a 10-3 mark. They won a Class 3A regional title, their first since 1969 and fifth overall.
Marmion reached the Rochelle sectional final - the deepest playoff advancement in program history - where the season ultimately ended with a 6-4 loss to Rock Falls. Disappointing as that loss was, everyone recognized the significance of the achievement.
The task of putting Marmion baseball on the map had begun.
"For me it didn't sink in until after we lost in the sectional championship game," said senior shortstop Dave DeSimone. "But then you realize you accomplished something really great. It made us want to keep it going this season."
Seven returning starters bolster Marmion's confidence, a list headed by University of Illinois-bound pitcher and outfielder Matt Milroy. Last season he notched program records with a .467 batting average, 7 home runs and 41 RBI. On the mound he struck out 77 batters.
Milroy forms a potent one-two pitching combination with Burns, who went 5-2 last year. In a typically-loaded SCC field with defending champion Marian Central and perennial power Driscoll, the Cadets' top goal is to win their first conference title since 2004 and just the third in program history.
"Their program has definitely improved," said Driscoll coach Sean Bieterman. "They've made such a commitment to their facilities and their coaches have done a great job building a program.
"I've got to look at them as a favorite in the league," he said.
It's a Marmion group loaded with senior leaders who won SCC titles at the freshman and sophomore levels. That sophomore team was coached by former Batavia standout Dave Rakow, who last season became the varsity coach when Jim Reiland retired.
Rakow's familiarity with the players helped form the perfect bond as together they built a bridge to the varsity level last season. That energy carries over to this year.
"Nothing but good things are happening for us with the school, the fans, the parents, the kids and everyone," Rakow said. "It's a culture of hard work that we're really trying to implement. It helps when you've got a senior class like this that works so hard. It's just come together real nice."
Speaking of coming together real nice, that sums up the new Joe Nardone Field at the Aurora campus. Named for the program's first head coach who was at the helm for over 40 years, it's a far cry from the Cadets' situation last season.
Forced to play every game on the road, the Cadets persevered through the adversity. After a sluggish 2-5 start they rattled off 11 straight victories while challenging Marian Central for the SCC title.
"Even if we had a home game we were taking a bus to get there," Burns said. "So it was kind of weird. But wherever we went we just did our best and played together as a team."
With that experience behind them, the Cadets have full appreciation of their new ballpark. It's the perfect going away present for a stellar senior class and the perfect welcome for all future players.
"It's just great to see this," Milroy said while looking out at the field. "They gave us this field to play on and we lived up to it last year. We want to live up to it even more this year."