Cadets call audible, make Lally offensive centerpiece

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Marmion running back T.J. Lally plows over Montini’s Nick Campanella this past Friday. The Cadets will face Huntley at Aurora Christian High School in the opening round of the IHSA Class 6A playoffs at 7 p.m. today. Jeff Krage – For the Chronicle

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T.J. Lally has been the gift that keeps giving for the Marmion football team.

Not only has the junior from St. Charles emerged as the Suburban Christian Conference MVP this season, he also provided some first-class entertainment for the Cadets’ playoff pairings party last weekend.

In the regular-season finale against Montini last week, Lally bulldozed vaunted Montini senior Nick Campanella, knocking the 205-pounder back several yards in the process. The collision fit in nicely on Marmion’s regular season highlight reel, viewed at the party.

“We played the play over and over again of him running the kid over,” said Bobby Winkel, a Marmion senior. “It was a power move like coach teaches us to do. It was awesome.”

Lally has popped off the film as much on offense as on defense this season, one of the biggest surprises of the season for 8-1 Marmion, which opens the Class 6A playoffs tonight against visiting Huntley. The venue has been shifted to Aurora Christian High School.

The Cadets’ offensive plans changed drastically after an opening week injury to speedy tailback Matt Pircon. Pircon and Winkel, a fullback, entered the season expected to be the centerpieces of the Cadets’ offense.

But with Pircon temporarily shelved with a separated shoulder, Marmion coach Dan Thorpe and his coaching staff were forced to retool. The biggest changes: more I-formation to supplement Thorpe’s preferred Wing-T, and Lally, who looked sharp running the ball in the preseason, becoming a focal point of the offense.

Both moves have been golden for the Cadets.

Even with Pircon’s midseason return, Lally continues to be the team’s featured tailback. Pircon is mostly being used at receiver these days, while Winkel continues to pound away at fullback.

“Yes, it was tough to limit Matt’s touches but if it’s not broke ... and credit to Matt,” Thorpe said. “I’m sure he would like to have more touches but we’re winning and this is what the coaching staff decided to do, and the bus keeps going.”

Lally said the Cadets’ unpredictability is one of the primary areas they have made strides after going 3-6 last season.

“We just have so many different areas we could go to on any play,” Lally said. “Maybe in past years if we needed a big play we’d go to Matt, or a couple yards we’d go to Bobby. This year not only us three, but Nick Scoliere, Mike Carbonara. We have a lot of different threats.”

In 62 rushing attempts during the regular season, Lally rushed for 523 yards – an average of 8.4 yards a carry – with nine touchdowns. His speed and power overwhelmed non-conference foe Lincoln-Way West, against whom Lally ran for four touchdowns and 124 yards in a 45-35, Week 7 win.

Lally is more of a known commodity defensively after making an immediate name for himself at linebacker as a sophomore last season. This year, he has 68 solo tackles, 55 assists, 10 tackles for a loss, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Lally and the Cadets earned a No. 2 playoff seed, meaning they would be the favorite in every playoff game until at least the state semifinals.

“We knew if we could go 8-1 we’d have a home game and create an opportunity that we now are enjoying, but we’ve got the largest school in 6A [as an opponent],” Thorpe said of Huntley. “It’s a school that’s played against 7 and 8A schools, so their 5-4 record is deceiving.”

Maybe so, but Huntley is unlikely to enjoy dealing with Lally – on either side of the ball.

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