WITH VIDEO: Batavia, St. Charles Students Lead Marmion into Class 6A Title Game

It's been a football season like no other at Marmion this year. Now, the Cadets are partaking in a week they'll never forget.

Marmion prepares this week to face Rockford Boyland on Saturday for the IHSA Class 6A state title. The game will be played at Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.

"It's been a heck of a ride," Marmion junior Kyle Kozak said. "Since Week 1 when everyone would break down a huddle we would say 'state champs on three,' and I don't know how many people actually thought that we'd be here, but now we're here and it's been incredible."

Kozak is one of seven Cadets who reside in Batavia. Offensive tackle Jake Winkel, Tyler Heinen, Nate Pacer, Mike Currie, Zach McNally and Mike Mueller also call neighboring Batavia home. Marmion is located in Aurora south of Batavia city limits.

Marmion (12-1) wants to make history. A win on Saturday would bring Aurora its first state title. Aurora Christian nearly pulled off the feat in 2008 when Don Beebe's squad lost in the 4A title game. Before that, Aurora Central advanced all the way to the 3A semifinals in 1994 before coming up short.

"We're all Marmion guys here so we want to win for each other and for the school," Winkel said. "We love everyone here, whether someone's from St. Charles, or if he's in Geneva or Batavia, or even the Glasgows coming all the way from DeKalb every day. The thing is, if it wasn't for (Marmion) we all wouldn't be here together."

While Rockford Boylan is the final team standing in the way of a championship, the Cadets are soaking in everything leading up to the game on Saturday.

On Monday and Tuesday the players enjoyed the celebrity status in the classroom as they exchanged high fives with classmates and received congratulatory well wishes from teachers. The team loaded a bus and practiced on the artificial turf at Aurora University on Wednesday. They had a morning practice booked for Thanksgiving morning at the university, and a final preparation walkthrough at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb on Friday before making the trek to Champaign.

"You've got to enjoy the journey and that's something we've been happy to see," Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. "They've been so humble every week. They're focused. And they'll be hungry on Saturday."

Eyeing the competition

Rockford Boylan will be the third straight undefeated team Marmion will face. The Titans have been tested in the playoffs, edging Cary-Grove 20-14 in OT in the quarterfinals and then doubling up Prairie Ridge 14-7 last week in the semifinals. When the Titans last appeared in a title game, Gerald Ford was president.

"We're very comparable," Thorpe said of Marmion and Rockford Boylan. "(The Titan) spread you out and run the ball and we use multiple formations and run the ball. They have more speed; we have more size."

The Cadets have been able to move the ball on the ground all season and they'll look to do more of the same against the Titans.

"We've had two big rushing games out of our backfield against Lemont and Danville and throughout the year," Winkel said. "If we can continue to open up holes on the offensive line and get T.J. (Lally) and (Nick) Scoliere and (Mike) Carbonara runs up the middle for big gains, I think we'll have a pretty fun day offensively."

Turnovers have been problematic for the Titans and that's something the Cadets hope to pounce on. Likewise, surrendering big plays has troubled the Cadets and that's something they know they'll need to avoid.

"(The Titans have) turned it over and that's something we'll be hoping for and we've given up the big play lately, which is vital," Thorpe said. "Both teams have excellent kickers, are well coached with smart kids who fly to the football. It's exactly what you want for a state championship."

Defensively, the Cadets will have to stop Rockford Boylan's Tyreis Thomas. The junior has rushed for just under 1,400 yards and has scored 14 touchdowns, including the game-winner last week.

"Our defense has kind of tried to be the backbone of the team and we've just been playing really well," Scoliere said. "We have the same mentality this week, which is keep them from scoring and then getting our offense out there to put points on the scoreboard. We think we can win any game as long we play good defense."

Scoliere, Lally and Carbonara are three St. Charles residents on Marmion's roster this fall.

"Every week we get something new from somebody and it motivates us to play better," Scoliere said. "Everyone knows their roles now and is exceeding and going beyond that and playing the best football they can now. I don't think we've reached our plateau but are getting better each week."

Ticket sales and excitement certainly couldn't be much better in Aurora. The school already sold out of its allotted 1,000 pre-sale tickets and the seniors said goodbye to Fichtel Field on Tuesday with a post-practice game of touch football.

"This week is different than any other week," Kozak said. "We have a chance to win the state championship, something that's obviously never been done here before and it'll be something that will never forget."

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