Scouting St. Francis at Marmion
St. Francis (2-0, 0-0) at Marmion (2-0, 0-0)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. today
Last year: Marmion 20, St. Francis 7.
Last week: St. Francis 42, DuSable 20; Marmion 13, Mundelein 6.
Outlook: The Suburban Christian Conference Blue division starts the season off with a bang in this one, with the defending conference champion Marmion Cadets hosting the team coach Dan Thorpe calls their archrival. As St. Francis coach Greg Purnell said, his Spartans have had a pretty easy time of things thus far (beating Riverside-Brookfield 34-7 in their opener) while Marmion's had to rally to beat both Batavia and Mundelein. "So the big challenge for us will be how to respond in a good, physical game," Purnell said. Among the challenges Marmion must accept is limiting the shell game that is Purnell's Wing-T ground-based offense. "Assignment football to the utmost," Thorpe said. While Spartans quarterback Colin O'Donnell has not thrown either a touchdown or an interception in just 10 attempted passes, he is among nine players to have run for 28 yards or more, led by Ben Trimble with 127 yards and 2 touchdowns on only 9 carries. To keep his boys fresh against the likes of big Ryan Glasgow, Purnell listed a bevy of offensive linemen: Brian Herr, Kevin Walsh, Tom Ameche, Jack Porter, Kyle Bosch, Robert Dwyer, Mike Stolte. Last year Marmion got off to a great start, beginning with a fumble recovery on St. Francis' first play from scrimmage. Cadets defensive end Nate Pacer has a knee injury that makes him doubtful and both Nick Scoliere (hand) and two-way star T.J. Lally - with a club over a broken left hand - are dinged, but they've got plenty of big backup. From behind the line Garret Becker sprang for 107 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries to lead Marmion over Mundelein. His touchdown and 2 A.J. Friedman field goals overcame 3 lost fumbles. "We came from behind again," Thorpe said. "We're developing character. But eventually losses can develop character, too, and we don't want that."
Next week: Montini (0-2) at St. Francis, Sept. 17; Marmion at Marian Central (1-1), Sept. 17.