ALTON – Homecoming is always a special time for any high school.
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That's what Marquette Catholic has been having all week, and the Explorers (2-2 overall, 2-0 Prairie State Conference) will be holding the climax of the festivities at 1 p.m. Saturday when they take on backyard rival East Alton-Wood River (0-4 overall, 0-2 PSC) in a Prairie State Conference clash at Public School Stadium.
“It's an exciting time for all of us,” said Explorer coach Darrell Angleton. “It can be a tough week in some ways, but to see the school all fired up for the game is great to see.”
Marquette will hold a bonfire this evening at the intersection of Henry Street and US Highway 67 as part of the build-up to the game, something that hasn't happened in several years.
As for the game itself, Angleton is expecting a good game. “We match up well with them,” Angleton said. “They've got a really good, young quarterback (Justin Englar) and they've had some tough losses (including last week's loss to Bunker Hill).
“Their coach (Garry Herron) is doing very well rebuilding the program and we're expecting a tough game.”
“The kids are working really hard and getting better,” Herron said of his charges. “The big thing that we've concentrated on are the small things – fumbles, penalties – that can really hurt a team.
Oiler running back Zach Womack has rushed for 100-plus yards in his last two games and will be a player the Explorers will have to contain.
Marquette is coming off a dramatic, storm-delayed overtime win at Nokomis last week when they stopped a fake on a conversion attempt after the Redskins had scored a touchdown. “That was a win we needed,” Angleton said. “Trey (Aguirre, the Marquette quarterback) called it the best game he'd played. Our kids stepped up when we needed them to.”
