Scouting Marmion at Aurora Christian

Marmion (5-0, 2-0) at Aurora Christian (4-1, 1-1)

Game time: 7 p.m. today

Last year: Did not play.

Last week: Marmion 52, Guerin 0; Aurora Christian 29, St. Edward 22.

Outlook: Fun intangibles abound in this Suburban Christian Conference Blue division contest. It brings together Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe, a former Green Bay Packer, against Marmion assistant head coach Kurt Becker, a former Chicago Bear. It has Aurora Christian assistant Chris Griffing coaching against his alma mater. It's a meeting of the reigning champions of the SCC Blue (Marmion) and Gold (AC). And, it's the first time these teams have played each other. "It goes without saying that they're the team to beat," Beebe said. "They won it last year and they are huge. We're just going to play as hard as we can." This will be a game primarily of Marmion's ability to pound the ball on the ground behind an offensive line that averages 250 pounds against Aurora Christian quarterback Anthony Maddie and his receiver corps. Maddie has completed 65 of 124 passes for 1,115 yards, 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His top receiver has turned out to be sophomore Chad Beebe, the coach's son, who has caught 26 passes for 418 yards, 6 touchdowns but in the team picture are Andrew Cassara (15 catches, 334 yards, 5 touchdowns), Brandon Mayes and Grayson Roberts, who returns from last week's ankle sprain. The wild card in the spread offense, aside from Maddie's effectively crazed scrambles for 5.5 yards a pop, is running back Mitch Holtz (57 carries, 306 yards, 8 touchdowns). Whether he can run against Marmion defensive linemen Mike Eberth, Blake Mickey and Ryan Glasgow is to be determined. Aurora Christian defensive linemen Austin Penn, Quienten Boston and Dylan Lydecker (the biggest at 223 pounds) have a tough chore occupy the likes of Marmion behemoth tackles like Graham Glasgow (6-7, 295) and Jake Winkel (6-3, 275) without merely becoming baseball cards in their spokes. Marmion quarterback Bobby Peters may fling the occasional play-action pass (Aurora Christian has three sophomores in the secondary) and Nick Scoliere, Mitch Loehmann and Mike Carbonara can go outside, but the Cadets' main ball carrier, and leader, remains linebacker-tailback T.J. Lally (33 carries, 256 yards, 3 touchdowns). Also, Becker's son Garret returns from a high ankle sprain. If this is close, watch Marmion kicker/punter A.J. Friedman, who averages 35.6 yards a punt and is 4-of-6 on field goals with a long conversion of 47 yards. Aurora Christian will definitely not be intimidated, but will they be fast enough to offset Marmion's power? "We've got to go right at them," said Cadets coach Dan Thorpe. "If we run sideline to sideline that plays into their schemes and their type of kids. We've got to go right at them."

Next week: Walther Lutheran (2-3, 0-2) at Marmion, Oct. 9; Aurora Christian at Montini (3-2, 2-0), Oct. 8.