Scouting: Marmion @ St. Francis

Marmion (1-1, 0-0) at St. Francis (2-0, 0-0)

Suburban Christian Conference

Game time: 7 p.m. today

Last year: St. Francis 34, Marmion 32 (OT).

Last week: Marmion 24, Mundelein 8; St. Francis 42, DeKalb 0.

Outlook: Defending Class 5A champion St. Francis has outscored its first two foes 77-7, but coach Greg Purnell anticipates a real challenge. Purnell's first meeting with Marmion in 2007 was a 7-5 loss, and the last five games have been decided by no more than 6 points. Marmion enters Week 3 already banged up, its top tailback Matt Pircon out with a Week 1 shoulder separation and backup Adam Andras also injuring his shoulder on a 36-yard touchdown run last week. "It's very frustrating, but it is what it is," said Cadets coach Dan Thorpe, who still has two-way guys T.J. Lally and Bobby Winkel healthy and got back defensive end Alex Strong last week. St. Francis' big-play ability, like Mark Schmitt's 80-yard return of DeKalb's opening kick, concerns Thorpe, but the Spartans can also come at teams in waves. Behind solid, experienced linemen John Giovenco, Ryan Spatz, Russell Kalfas, Tom Rentner, Wes Herwaldt and brothers Joe and Nick Pfeiffer, St. Francis has five backs with more than 50 yards rushing already, and 31 players have been in on at least one tackle. Wing-T fullback Colin Marshall, out all last year with a knee injury, heads the cast with 115 yards rushing followed by Schmitt with 100. Marshall, at linebacker, also heads a swarming 3-5 defense that will force Marmion to pass, not its strong suit.

Next week: Marian Central at Marmion; St. Francis at Montini.