No. 2 seed Marmion enjoys proving its doubters wrong
Presented with a lofty No. 2 seed in its bracket of the Class 6A field, Marmion gained from the Illinois High School Association the respect the Cadets felt was lacking elsewhere.
Marmion dropped its season opener to 7-2 South Elgin - a No. 5 seed in Class 7A - then won eight straight games over the likes of Suburban Christian Conference powers Montini, St. Francis and Marian Central to go 4-0 in the SCC Blue and earn their first conference title since 1998.
"We weren't picked to win the league, and we weren't mentioned to be a (big) part of the league, though these seniors were undefeated as freshmen," Thorpe said.
In the Daily Herald's SCC preview, this writer listed Marmion as a "dark horse" for the conference title. Thus, the Cadets may rightfully be motivated by a certain amount of retribution.
"It supports our competitive environment," Thorpe said, "and if people disrespect you - and being the competitors that we are - we have had to go out and earn that respect, and hopefully we have.
"Now we have to earn some more respect against a school that's 1,900 students, or whatever they are."
Indeed, No. 15 seed Huntley (5-4) owns an official enrollment of 1,967. Perhaps best known as the survivor of last year's 6A first-round 70-63 track meet with Batavia, the Red Raiders may also be seeking a measure of respect after a midseason four-game losing streak and one victory over a team better than .500. On Sept. 4 Huntley beat 6-3 Kaneland 17-14, the margin being senior Tor Larkin's 15-yard field goal in the third quarter.
"Their record is deceiving. They've played 7A- and 8A-size schools," Thorpe said of Huntley coach Steve Graves' squad, which operates in the Fox Valley Conference against such beasts as Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake South.
"I'm very concerned," Thorpe said. "When you play schools that big, you have a much larger pool to pull from. Instead of offensive linemen at 210 and 240 (pounds) as a big kid, you've got a kid who's 270. So I'm very concerned about their size."
Undoubtedly the collisions between Huntley's 6-foot-2, 245-pound fullback-linebacker Marcus Popenfoose and Marmion's 6-foot-2, 220-pound fullback-linebacker Bobby Winkel will echo off the Aurora Christian turf, where Friday's game was moved from the standing water of Marmion's Fichtel Field.
Thorpe knows speed and quickness can burn bulk. He's got Matt Pircon and Adam Andras hot off a game-breaking Week 9 win over Montini; and T.J. Lally and Alex Karas coming off the edge defensively.
Thorpe also knows he's got a group of proud young men who've persevered to get where they're at.
"Being a No. 2 seed," Thorpe said, "we have to stand up to that honor."