Marmion wins sectional title

The Marmion boys soccer team is picking the right time to play its best soccer of the season.

The Cadets traveled to Freeport for the second time this week and survived Sterling, for the Class 2A sectional title with a 2-1 victory in double overtime.

The victory sends the Cadets to Tuesday’s DeKalb sectional where they will play either Deerfield or Lakes who are scheduled to face one another on Saturday morning.

Marmion (18-6-3) scored the game winner on a rebound shot from Luke Elder in the second overtime.

“Mike Frasca stole the ball about 35 to 40 yards off the goal and then he beat a defender down and took a shot inside the box,” Marmion coach Kevin O’Connor said. “It hit off the keeper and Luke Elder was there to put the rebound in.”

The victory sends the Cadets to another supersectional. They played at Barrington in 2009 with a strong senior squad that also featured Frasca, Mick Maley, Alex Ruble and Brad White when they were sophomores, as well as Matt Switzer when he was just a freshman.

“You want to continue to get better through the season and then hit your stride come playoff time,” O’Connor said. “We’re playing hard and getting a complete team effort.”

Frasca put the Cadets ahead 1-0 when he scored for the 41st time this season. The play was initiated on a corner kick from Maley. Sterling didn’t have many chances throughout the contest, but still was able to send the game into overtime with about 11 minutes left in regulation.

“The seniors are playing like they have all year but the role players have really picked things up,” O’Connor said. “They’re organized all over the field and defensively we’re playing very well.”