Marmion dictates play but loses to Freeport

By Gary Larsen

Marmion deserved better, but it got the worst on Tuesday night.

The Cadets (21-6-1) utterly dominated play against Freeport during their Class 2A Barrington Super-sectional, but lost 2-1 in a game that featured no shortage of controversial calls.

Marmion coach Kevin O’Connor was livid over the game’s officiating, but afterwards he gritted his teeth and graciously answered reporters’ questions.

"We dominated the game. This is a game where we did everything we wanted to do, except a couple of times where we didn't connect at the end,” he said. “We possessed and transitioned. I don't think they had five shots the entire game, including the overtime. We did everything but win the game."

“Give credit to Freeport for the style of game they wanted to play, but we did everything we wanted to do. That’s just the nature of this game.”
 
Marmion’s 21-win season ended with the Cadets playing exceptional soccer. Passing and moving well throughout Tuesday’s game, Marmion owned the ball through the midfield and kept sustained pressure in the attacking third.

The danger Freeport (21-2-4) posed came almost entirely on the counter, in the form of a trio of dangerous pair of players in Mike Gordon, Jared Brendemuehl, and Nick Dace.

The Marmion back line of Steve Anderson, Matt Switzer, Mike Maley, and Alex Ruble were outstanding in thwarting that danger at every turn.

Ruble twice dispossessed the speedy Gordon on dangerous counters in the second half, Anderson and Maley played hard, gutsy soccer throughout, and the freshman Switzer yet again displayed composure and smarts beyond his years.

Marmion pressured well from the game’s outset, until Max Rosenfelder added to his postseason tear with a half-bicycle kick goal in the 33rd minute from 13 yards out, on a ball sent in by Mike Frasca.

The senior scored twice and had an assist in a sectional semifinal win against Lakes, and posted a goal and an assist in Saturday’s sectional title win over Wheaton Academy.

Marmion’s lead lasted less than five minutes. The first disputed call of the night came when the Cadets were called for a foul in the box, and Dace converted the penalty kick to tie the game.

“That was an absolute gift,” O’Connor said of the PK call.

Two plays in the second half provided omens of how the night would end for Marmion. Cadets senior Sam Duffield was seemingly fouled inside the box and on a separate play a Freeport defender committed an apparent hand-ball in the box.

Neither play was whistled, leaving O’Connor shaking his head.

Two things seemed clear as the second half unfolded: either Marmion would score on one of the myriad of set pieces they were consistently earning, or Freeport would strike on a  counter.

The latter occurred in the game's second overtime period, as Brendemuehl finally broke behind the Marmion back line only to see Cadets’ keeper Brad White make an exceptional save on his shot. The ball deflected out, however, and Freeport’s Jon McKinney hammered it home to end the game

“I don’t think I've ever seen a guy so clearly offside in my entire life," O'Connor said. "You hate to see a game that’s not decided by the players on the field and this game, in my estimation, was not decided by the players on the field."

“To me that’s not sour grapes. That’s just fact.”

Marmion’s 2009 season was one for the program’s record book. The Cadets won their first sectional title, reaching the Elite Eight for the program’s first time. After starting the season 1-3, Marmion went 20-3-1 the rest of the way.

One of the most technically-sound teams O’Connor has coached at Marmion featured the crafty and skilled Rosenfelder up top, the physical, skilled, and versatile Duffield, and a strong core of fellow seniors.

Defender Steve Anderson’s hard-nosed play keyed the back line all season, and his senior leadership helped a young, talented crew post 10 shutouts on the season.

Veteran varsity senior Tommy Cruger helped key the midfield for this year’s Cadets, and he shared the captain’s band with Rosenfelder, Duffield, and Anderson in 2009.

Seniors Casey White, Sam Soliz, and Jeff Martin were all key contributors, and seniors Elliot Anderson, Luke Magee, John Riordan, and Joe Schaeffer will also be missed.

What returns in 2010 will be a veteran back line minus Anderson, and a pair of quality keepers in White and Evan Lefelstein. Freshman Connor Lefelstein returns at midfield along with an attacking workhorse in the sophomore Frasca.

Sophomore Joe Romanos will also return, along with juniors Antonio Ortiz and Tyler Kramer.

Marmion's 2009 results
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Postseason play