Cadets making first trip to state

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:02PM

Marmion advanced to the first IHSA championship game in school history with a 31-28 victory over previously unbeaten and top-seeded Danville Saturday evening.

In becoming just the second high school football program from the city of Aurora to reach a title game, the Cadets will face Boylan in the Class 6A title game next Saturday at the University of Illinois.

"It's unbelievable. You can't duplicate this," Marmion defensive end Nick Scoliere said. "This is something I've been looking forward to forever. It's unreal right now."

The third-seeded Cadets (12-1) took an early 14-0 lead on the Vikings (12-1) and managed to hold back a powerful spread offense just enough to escape with a victory. Danville had an opportunity to tie or win the game with a final drive after Marmion eschewed going for it on 4th-and-1 from the Danville 44 and electing to punt.

The Vikings had no returner back, and they had begin at their own 5-yard line with 2:49 left.

The Vikings moved out to the Marmion 37 after a 47-yard pass from Dennis Hightower to Joey Robinson to set up the Cadets' last stand.

After a three-yard run by Eddie Clark (166 rush yards, two touchdowns, 94-yard kick return TD), Hightower looked to have connected with D'Lando Carter, who made a circus catch inside the Marmion 5-yard line.

But, the Vikings were whistled for holding as Ryan Glasgow and T.J. Lally were bearing down on Hightower.

Faced with 2nd-and-20 from the 47 instead of 1st-and-goal, Scoliere sacked Hightower back to the Danville 42. A trick play pass by Carter was then intercepted by Kyle Kozak to send Marmion to state.

"We're going to punt the ball and play defense," Thorpe said of his decision to punt. "I'll be doggone if it almost backfired. But it is hard for high school kids to go (95) yards."

The Cadets took an early 7-0 lead on a 66-yard run by Lally (17 carries, 167 rush yards, two TD) just four plays into the game, and that margin held into the second quarter when the Cadets forced a Hightower (9 of 16, 115 yards, TD) fumble at his own 34.

Six plays later, Scoliere (55 yards total offense, TD) scampered in untouched from 17 yards out to put Marmion up 14-0 with just over eight minutes left in the half. The Cadets seemed to be on the verge of a blowout after forcing a quick Danville punt, but gave it right back when Lally fumbled at his own 39.

Hightower took advantage of the opportunity and put the Vikings on the board by connecting with Joey Robinson on a 25-yard pass to make it 14-7 with 4:37 left in the second quarter. Danville did have a chance to tie the game after that, but the Cadets held on 4th-and-11 from their own 24 to go into the break with a lead.

"This is the hardest game to win," said Thorpe. "There have been a lot of great teams in high school football that play in a high school semifinal and never get to the carpet. I told the team that. This is the tough one. Next week is ‘whatever happens, happens.' This is the tough one."

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