Druley: Marmion coach Thorpe sensing high-scoring Batavia-Prairie Ridge football game

Marmion football coach Dan Thorpe sounded like one of those telephone psychics while fielding a call earlier this week.

He didn’t need a tarot card to read into the inquiry regarding his insight into Saturday’s Class 6A semifinal between host Batavia and Prairie Ridge. The Cadets bookended their 5-5 season with lopsided losses to the Bulldogs and Wolves, so who better for a quick dissection?

Thorpe ultimately offered in-depth analysis on the game, but first, here’s his Cliff’sNotes version for anyone already trying to beat B-Town traffic:

“One, go to the game early, because it’s going to be packed,” Thorpe said. “Two, I anticipate high-scoring.”

Why? Thorpe says Batavia (12-0) hasn’t seen any team that runs the option as effectively and efficiently as Prairie Ridge, which boasts a pair of big backs in Jordan Getzelman and Connor Greenwald.

Still, while Prairie Ridge (11-1) might have a gaudy scoring differential this postseason, the Bulldogs throw plenty at you with formations and personnel. The Wolves aren’t as versed in stopping an athletic quarterback like Batavia’s Noel Gaspari nor a gifted stable of receivers in the short and intermediate passing game.

Thorpe senses a “great high school game” on the horizon, and figured Marmion would meet either the Bulldogs or Wolves to open the playoffs after the team’s Week 7 loss to St. Francis.

Prairie Ridge bombarded the Cadets, 49-0, in the first playoff round. Nine weeks earlier, Batavia opened the season with a 36-7 home win against Marmion and still hasn’t lost.

“One team is going to be moving on, but the other really will not be a loser. It’s just that the other team’s moving on,” Thorpe said.

Thorpe hedged on the subject of a winner. He and several Cadets players and assistants have debated the teams’ pros and cons in the weight room this week but had yet to get off the fence.

Speaking of which, Thorpe won’t be leaning against any chain links as he shoulders up to the expected overflow crowd at Bulldog Stadium.

After shuttling between podcasts of last Saturday’s Prairie Ridge-Nazareth Academy and Montini-Marian Central Catholic quarterfinal games, he has a comfortable viewing routine in place.

Only a phone call would rustle Thorpe from his computer.

The sword and the bone: Chad Clarey graduated from Kaneland in 1989 and recently coached the Knights’ boys cross country team to a berth in the 2A state tournament.

He’s grown used to driving more miles than he runs, traveling to practice each day from Grace McWayne School in Batavia.

Clarey teaches first grade and lives in Batavia, where his daughter is a high school freshman and tennis player. Like Thorpe, he, too, brings a unique vantage point into this busy football weekend and is hoping for the best of both worlds.

“It’d be a great double dip if I could go down the Saturday after Thanksgiving and see both a 5A and 6A state championship game,” he said.

Batavia plays Prairie Ridge at 1 p.m. while Kaneland hosts Montini in a rematch of last year’s 5A semifinal at 6. The Clareys root for Batavia “as a family,” says their patriarch, and are set to attend the game.

“Just a couple years ago,” in Clarey’s words, he was the kindergarten teacher for Bulldogs junior wide receiver Zach Strittmatter as well as two strapping seniors – defensive lineman/fullback Alec Lyons and right guard Brock Batka.

Clarey still keeps in touch with those students as well as several of their peers. Two weeks ago, McWayne alums Cole Gardner, Nick Pappas, Kevin Schroeder and Batka stopped by his classroom while visiting other teachers at the school.

Several of Clarey’s current students were part of a Saturday flag football program in the early fall that featured many Bulldogs serving as coaches or quarterbacks.

“Coach [Dennis] Piron brings the community together better than perhaps any other coach I know,” Clarey said. “Batavia is his hometown. He is a Bulldog for life.

“Being a Knight, I understand what that feels like.”

• Kevin Druley is a sportswriter for the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5347 or kdruley@shawmedia.com.