Cadets’ O-line paves way to big victory

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Marmion quarterback Bobby Peters drops back to make a pass during Friday’s IHSA Class 6A first-round playoff game against Huntley at Aurora Christian High School. The Cadets advanced to the second round after claiming a 42-20 win. Jeff Krage – For the Chronicle

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AURORA – Marmion’s offensive line opened holes for 314 rushing yards and allowed just one sack.

As the Cadets romped and cheered a 42-20 rout of Huntley on Friday to open the IHSA Class 6A playoffs, they wondered whether life would have been as good had the game been played on their home field after all.

Displaced to Aurora Christian’s artificial surface after an autumn packed with precipitation covered their own gridiron in standing water, the Cadets found solid footing and running room from the opening series.

“The holes were gi-normous. We haven’t had holes like that in weeks,” said senior fullback Bobby Winkel, who rumbled for the first of his team’s five touchdowns on the ground. “Maybe that’s due to the turf and our line together, but our line just did a great job blocking. There were holes you could drive a truck through.”

Huntley (5-5) sliced into Marmion’s 28-0 lead at intermission when Red Raiders quarterback Timothy Lycos exploited big holes himself, but the gains weren’t as punishing or consistent.

Entering their first postseason since 2007 while “hosting” a playoff game for the first time since 1998, the Cadets (9-1) brought their public address announcer, halftime play list and, above all, size. An offensive line that includes Winkel’s younger brother, Jake, averaged about 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, creating plenty of matchup problems for Huntley’s defensive front.

“We’ve really got to strategically place people around because we’re like Mutt and Jeffs out there with some 170-pounders,” Red Raiders coach Steve Graves said. “It was just a guessing game all the way through.”

With about nine minutes to play in the opening half and his team ahead, 28-0, Cadets coach Dan Thorpe turned to a group of reporters and statisticians and said, “I’m shocked a little bit. Aren’t you guys?”

Mindful of Huntley’s reputation from last season’s playoffs – its brief run began with a 70-63 shootout victory against Batavia – Thorpe knew his opponents’ spread running attack at least had the potential to put up points.

When the Red Raiders did – on two Lycos touchdowns in a span of 1:04 late in the third quarter – Marmion already was ahead, 35-0.

“I’m just thankful that they didn’t run the quarterback in the first half,” Thorpe said. “We knew he was good and he showed what he could do. It wasn’t lack of effort or anything we did scheme-wise, he was just running through our tackles and making us miss.”

Marmion could attest, as backs shuttled in and out of the lineup while enjoying the same success. Junior T.J. Lally scored the second touchdown on a 36-yard run but later left as a precaution after taking a hard shot to the head.

Nick Scoliere and Adam Andras scored on runs of 34 and 62 yards while Matt Pircon hauled in a 61-yard scoring pass from quarterback Bobby Peters.

A senior who missed the early part of the season with a shoulder injury, Pircon also scored on an 8-yard run and registered one of Marmion’s two interceptions of Lycos. For the record, he enjoyed the venue change.

“We haven’t liked the mud, the mud has liked us,” Pircon said. “I was definitely more OK with it because I can scurry around a little easier, but I don’t think it matters to our big backs that just go up the middle.”

The Cadets, winners of nine straight, will face the winner of today’s 1 p.m. game between Prairie Ridge and King in the second round next week. They hope the holes will follow them wherever they stand.

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