Marmion turns over TF North
After suffering its only loss of the regular season in dramatic fashion to Montini one week earlier, Marmion football coach Dan Thorpe admittedly wasn't quite sure what to expect as his team headed into postseason play.
"I didn't really know how we'd respond after last week," said Thorpe, "and we didn't have the greatest practices this week."
Thorpe could rest a little easier after the Cadets' 24-0 victory over Thornton Fractional North (6-4) in the opening round of the Class 6A state playoffs Friday night at Fichtel Field in Aurora.
Leading 3-0 after one quarter on A.J. Friedman's 28-yard field goal, third-seeded Marmion (9-1) extended its lead to 10-0 when running back/defensive back Mitch Loehmann capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive with his 9-yard touchdown run untouched behind the right side of the Cadets' offensive line.
The Cadets gave themselves a little more breathing room when they turned a pair of TF North turnovers into two touchdowns during the final minute of the first half.
First, junior defensive back Kyle Kozak recovered a fumble at the Meteors' 27-yard line with 1:29 remaining before halftime. Two plays later, Garret Becker (15 carries, 55 yards) rumbled into the end zone from 3 yards out to give the Cadets a 17-0 lead.
Instead of taking a knee and regrouping, the Meteors decided to air it out and paid dearly when quarterback Calvin Lindsey's pass was picked off by Loehmann, who returned the ball 29 yards to the TF North 26.
"It was directly in the lights," said Loehmann, who made a juggling catch on the play. "I lost it at the last second and it hit my hands. Somehow I caught it and kept going."
On the next play from scrimmage, quarterback Bobby Peters audibled at the line of scrimmage and threw a 26-yard TD strike to T.J. Lally in the middle of the end zone for a 24-0 halftime lead.
"We have to throw when they put 10, 11 people in the box," said Thorpe. "Our line can't block all those guys."
The Cadets held TF North to 69 total yards of first-half offense before Lindsey's 47-yard completion to Julian Pettis on the final play before halftime. Loehmann added his second interception on the Meteors' first play from scrimmage in the second half.
"Turnovers are so vital," said Thorpe, whose team won the turnover battle, 3-1. "Two weeks ago, we were plus-16 (on turnover ratio) so we've been tremendous in that area."
Marmion's defense, spearheaded by linemen Nate Pacer, Tyler Boyd, Mike Eberth, linebacker Lally, and defensive backs Mike Carbonara and Loehmann, limited Lindsey to just 22 yards rushing on 17 carries along with a 9-of-22 passing night out of the Meteors' spread attack.
"They had some real speed on that team," said Lally. "It's one of the fastest teams we've played this year by far.
"We've been working all week on rally tackling. Our ends did a great job of containing and we were able to spill everything out and tackle them."
"To shut that team out is pretty darn impressive," Thorpe said of his team's third shutout.
About the only negative parts of the game for the Cadets were their 8 penalties for 65 yards, and the loss of 6-7, 295-pound senior tackle Graham Glasgow to a first-half ankle injury.
"We had a lot of penalties we've got to correct that," said Thorpe.
"Graham sprained his ankle," the coach added. "His father and mother are both team doctors for Northern Illinois University so we've got the greatest medical services around."
Marmion will play either Thornridge or TF South in second-round action next week.