Marmion breaks free of Batavia late in game

It's a sign of how far Marmion has come that T.J. Lally didn't call the Cadets' 14-7 come-from-behind victory over Batavia in front of an overflow crowd Friday the biggest he's seen.

"One of the top three," the two-way standout said, citing victories over Montini and Huntley last year.

Lally delivered a key 25-yard run on Marmion's game-winning 73-yard touchdown march. Mitch Loehmann capped the drive with a 24-yard score with 1:27 remaining to erase a 7-6 lead Batavia had been clinging to since early in the second quarter.

Loehmann took a handoff and swept to the left, found a huge opening and raced down the sideline into the end zone.

Earlier on the drive, Lally broke free down the right sideline on a 3rd-and-1 play after quarterback Bobby Peters converted a 3rd-and-4 with a 6-yard scamper. The Cadets marched 73 yards in 8 plays - with just one pass.

"I've been working so hard, we all have," Loehmann said. "They had me running sweep all night. I got good blocks on the outside and just had one man to beat, I highstepped it of his arms and into the end zone."

The game-winning score, the first Loehmann said he could remember, meant that much more because he was the cornerback who was beat on Batavia's earlier touchdown.

"I was upset at myself about that play," Loehmann said. "I was determined to make it up."

Marmion's physical offensive line finally wore down a Batavia defense on the last drive, a defense that lost linemen Cole Gardner and Alec Lyons during the game with cramps.

While Marmion outrushed Batavia 181-47, most of the game the Bulldogs kept the Cadets in check. Thanks to a huge advantage in the air, the total yardage stood just a little in Marmion's favor, 268-248.

"They are a smashmouth team, big physical backs, as big of linemen as we are going to see," Batavia coach Mike Gaspari said. "I was very proud of our defense."

The Bulldogs made things interesting on their final drive. Quarterback Noel Gaspari found Zach Strittmatter and Joe Sortino for first down passes, then hit Strittmatter for 12 yards on fourth down for a first down at Marmion's 19 with 31 seconds left.

But like last season that ended with several last-minute losses, Batavia watched another close game slip away when Gaspari's third-down pass was deflected and then intercepted in the end zone by Nick Scoliere.

Gaspari completed 13 of 24 passes for 201 yards and a 25-yard touchdown strike to Sortino. That touchdown catch came in the second quarter a few plays after the same two connected on a beautiful 47-yard completion.

Batavia had chances to extend its lead, including a 16-yard touchdown pass from Gaspari to David Peskind in the third quarter that was called back on an illegal man downfield penalty. Marmion also had a touchdown called back in the first half on Loehmann's 31-yard run.

Both defenses made their share of big plays. Ben Allison and Jon Gray intercepted Peters, who started the game 6 of 8 but finished 9 of 22.

"We can't turn the ball over and have penalties like we did in the first half," Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. "We were fortunate to only be down 1."

Marmion answered by applying pressure on Gaspari, led by Ryan Glasgow's 2 sacks and another from Lally. Nate Pacer recovered a fumble.

"Our defensive line was outstanding," Lally said. "Most of them are juniors but they really stepped up tonight."

Marmion took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when Peters connected with Scoliere on a 19-yard score. The extra-point attempt hit the upright and bounced off.

Marmion punter A.J. Friedman pinned Batavia at the 3- and 6-yard-lines while punting for a 38.2 average, while Allison also kicked well for Batavia.

All and all a lot for both coaches in a game played in a great atmosphere for high school football - with plenty to work on while preparing for Week 2.

"It can be very deflating," Gaspari said. "We need to regroup tomorrow morning during the film session. The next four practice days are critical to us. I was very proud of how hard our kids played, Marmion should be proud of how they played."

They were. Make no mistake that no matter where this falls in the top three wins for Lally, it's a huge one for the Cadets.

"They (Batavia) are a great program with great kids and staff and we're aspiring to be that type of program," Thorpe said. "I think tonight we established that Marmion football is up there with the great programs in the Fox Valley area."