Scouting Marmion @ Chicago Christian
Marmion (6-1) at Chicago Christian (4-3)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. today
Last year: Did not play.
Last week: Marmion 45, Lincoln-Way West 35; Chicago Christian 34, Guerin 12.
Outlook: Cram session was in order for the Marmion coaching staff and players, who had to bone up on Chicago Christian's 33 different run plays and 46 different pass plays Cadets coach Dan Thorpe charted while scouting. "They do a tremendous amount on offense," Thorpe said of this Suburban Christian Conference crossover foe. "They go no-huddle, so we have to play a sharp mental game. They'll call any play in any situation. They've got passes back to the quarterback, fake punts. They opened up the St. Edward game with a trick play." So Marmion will counter with what's worked to clinch the SCC Blue representative spot for its second playoff berth in two years, and at least a tie for its first conference title since 1998. Marmion works the essentials - inside-out running ability and fast, active, often bruising defense. Marmion led Lincoln-Way West 34-7 before the second unit was outscored 20-3, necessitating the return of starters like T.J. Lally, who added a 55-yard touchdown run to his prior 3 scores. He finished with 124 yards on just 8 carries. "We've just got to continue to take care of business," said Thorpe, who didn't recall one of his defensive tackles having a game like Alex Karas' 8 tackles for loss, plus 2 sacks. Marmion still would like to work in the pass more, and Bobby Peters complied with a touchdown strike to Phil Kloc and good yardage on passes to Nick Scoliere and Mike Carbonara. Adding to the Cadets' bounty this week is the return of defensive tackle Andrew Voelsch (knee) and quarterback-defensive back Will Sterne (knee). Two weeks ago, Chicago Christian quarterback Jason VanderLaan, probably his team's top running threat as well, was intercepted 5 times by Wheaton Academy. Operating a spread that will go empty-backfield and five-wide, VanderLaan figures to get a heavy rush by Lally, Karas & Co. while throwing into coverage of Scoliere, Sterne, Carbonara, Adam Andras and Mitch Loehmann. Not a good prospect for success with how the Cadets are flying around this season. "We're trying to create depth, and offensive and defensive schemes that opponents have to work on," Thorpe said.
Next week: Montini (4-3, 1-2) at Marmion, Oct. 23; Chicago Christian at Immaculate Conception (2-5, 1-3), Oct. 24.