The regular season finish line is almost here, and every game matters for Marquette.
The Hilltoppers enter Friday night's matchup against Sussex Hamilton with a chance to capture the Greater Metro Conference title. The winner takes the conference championship.
Marquette stands at 6-2 after a season that second-year head coach Jon Kahle said has included significant growth.
“We experienced a lot of growth. We had a really good off-season. We were consistent. We were disciplined,” Kahle said. “I thought we came out of the gates, gained a lot of confidence. Franklin really took it to us. That was a moment where we had to grow up and get better, and I think we had the maturity to do that, and it’s been a nice run since that game.”
Now the Hilltoppers are carrying that confidence into a game with a championship on the line.
Quarterback Ben Shroeder believes the offense is hitting its stride at the right time.
“Yeah, I mean, we’re rolling, have a lot of confidence in our guys,” Shroeder said. “We have a lot of experience, and a lot of guys are getting better as the season progresses. I think we have weapons across the whole board. Receivers are great. Running back, obviously, and the line’s improving a lot, so I think we have a good shot this week.”
One of those weapons is receiver Christian Miller, who has hauled in more than 600 receiving yards and five touchdown passes.
“Winning my one-on-one matchups. Being a tall receiver, I can go up and get the ball,” Miller said. “So focusing on my feet and any ways I can get around the defensive back to give Ben a better throw, a chance, I think it’s the most important thing.”
On the other side of the ball, Kadre Lee brings versatility and an aggressive mentality to the Hilltoppers.
“I’m just trying to intimidate defenses,” Lee said. “I’m out there moving around. You know, teams don’t know where to game plan for me. I play multiple positions out there. I can blitz. I can play in the pass, play the run. So I’m just trying to make an impact on everything.”
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