Marmion feels right at home after move to Aurora Christian
It's been a couple years since we first got high definition television. After about three weeks of my jaw dropped open I thought there could be no greater contrast than watching sports on a 50-inch plasma compared to standard definition.
Then I showed up at Aurora Christian Friday night and saw the difference between the Eagles' gorgeous field turf compared to all the mud pits we've watched football on the last six weeks.
Crystal clear HD has nothing on this.
Marmion got a turn playing at Aurora Christian in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs Friday and couldn't have looked better, running all over Huntley 42-20.
If you think it's fun to watch a game on field turf, imagine playing on it. Especially after what the Cadets have been slipping and sliding on in recent weeks.
On his second carry of the game, Bobby Winkel broke free for a 22-yard touchdown run. After the game he didn't know what to do without a mud-caked jersey to peel off.
"It's weird but it feels so great," Winkel said. "It's so nice not to be in soaking mud."
Believe it or not, given the choice between moving its game to Aurora Christian and playing on field turf or another game in the slop at home, most of the Cadets wanted to stay put.
"Some of the guys didn't want to come out here because we thought we had been playing good in the slop," Winkel said. "And this team (Huntley) fumbled a lot in the mud.
"After I thought about it awhile I actually liked playing on the turf because we haven't been able to cut at all the last couple weeks. This just made it so much nicer. There's going to be teams tomorrow that are just slipping all over and falling in the mud. It's just nice being dry and being able to cut."
Before Aurora Christian opened this field last year, Marmion was in the Eagles' rotation for "home" games, along with East Aurora, West Aurora, Melrose Park and many others. Coming full circle, Aurora Christian had a chance to help the Cadets.
"I hope every high school helps out another school," Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. "Everybody's fields are just saturated, tore up."
Marmion seemed right at home, not just with how well it played building a 28-0 lead 15 minutes into the game, but with its own public address announcer. It's been quite a fall at Marmion, which you could tell when he congratulated the cross country team for its fourth-ranked state team, or talked about the soccer team's two come-from-behind regional and sectional wins in the past week.
This 9-1 Cadets football team, with its conference championship and 9-game winning streak, deserves those kudos too. Especially when it seems nearly every player on the roster is contributing to the success.
"It's a big thing for us having everyone contribute," Winkel said. "Everyone stepped up and played big when they needed to play big. All our linemen were pushing great. We had subs going in both sides of the ball and it really helped out."
Thorpe credited his assistants with getting Friday's game moved to Aurora Christian.
"(Athletic director) Mr. (Joe) Chivari, coach (Kurt) Becker, coach (Andy) Windish, our assistant coaches being aggressive and looing at the weather. Our field was playable, if we didn't get more rain. It wasn't all tore up. But all the rain that they were predicting was the reason (for the move).
"Huntley deserves, Marmion deserves an opportunity to win or lose the game because of athletic competition. Not because of playing conditions."
Then came letting his team know.
"The boys were 100 percent against this," Thorpe said. "They wanted to play at home in the slop. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions."
Defensive tackle Alex Karas was one of those who wanted to stay at home.
"We thought they (Huntley) had some pretty big boys, that fullback (Brett Kleckner) we could slow him down in the mud," Karas said. "But I guess this was the right idea. We let Matt Pircon run the ball, our backs using their speed."
Backs plural, five of Marmion's with at least 66 yards rushing and none more than 81.
"That's a credit to the kids and to offensive coordinator Windish and Becker," Thorpe said. "They are trying to make people prepared for a lot of things. As a defensive coach I would hate to play us because I don't know what I'd defend."
On the other side of the ball, Marmion also has a variety of players capable of making big plays, which Karas said makes everyone's job easier.
"Best thing about our team, we always count on everybody," Karas said. "Other teams you are worried about the guy next to you not making a play. Now (on our team) you don't have to worry about that and you can play your fullest. It really helps out."
And it sure is easy on the eyes to watch, especially on stunning, crystal clear, high definition field turf.
jlemon@dailyherald.com