It’s a battle of the undefeated’s as Benet Academy football welcomes St. Viator to Benedictine. The Redwings are coming off a massive 42-0 win over De La Salle last weekend, while the Lions won 34-7 on the road over Marmion Academy. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Benet football opens the game with a strong drive capped off by Martin Radgowski crossing the plane
On Benet’s opening possession, the give is to Martin Radgowksi who surges forward through traffic into Lions territory before finally being dragged down at the 36 after a 19-yard gain.
A few plays later on third down, Ryan Kubacki fakes the handoff and throws over the middle to Luke Doyle who gets wrestled down at the 11-yard line of St. Viator for a 24-yard completion.
The drive is capped off a few plays later at the one, as Radgowski runs forward and tumbles his way into the endzone to the Redwings out in front first up 7-0.
The Redwing defense and special teams make plays to keep Benet ahead of St. Viator
The defense would force a St. Viator punt on the next drive and would get quality field position as the snap is too high for the punter. He tries to run for it but gets taken down at the 20 setting up first and ten for Benet, leading to a Redwing field goal.
To end the first quarter, the Lions charge right back as quarterback Cooper Kmet, brother of Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet, gets the wide receiver screen to Dayvion Ellis who slips his way through a convoy of blockers and runs inside Benet territory to the 30 after a 41-yard catch and run.
However, in the second quarter on fourth and 20, the Lions go for it as Kmet’s pass is tipped but caught by Ortegon Damacio. He makes a break for it but is stopped just a yard short of the first down giving the ball right back to Benet.
Ryan Kubacki puts on a stellar first half for Benet Academy
On the ensuing Redwing possession, Kubacki loads up the nuclear codes and launches it deep for Doyle who gets behind the defense and makes the catch. He is off to the races and in for a 79-yard touchdown strike to extend Benet’s lead up 16-0 following a missed PAT.
Kubacki continues his stellar first half on the next drive, calling his own number and running to the Lions redzone for a 16-yard run.
That leads to more points as Kubacki throws the slant to Luke Wildes who is in for another touchdown as Benet goes up 23-0 at the half.
St. Viator all of a sudden makes it a game in the third against Benet
In the third quarter, St. Viator is poised to strike back. On the end a round, Kmet gives the ball to Ellis who cuts towards the sidelines and plows into the endzone for a 15-yard touchdown run as the Lions are on the board down 23-6.
Following a Benet turnover, Kmet gets the arm going throwing it deep to Sasha Summers who stays in along the sidelines, before being taken out of bounds for a 36-yard catch.
On the very next play, Kmet dumps it off to Michael Tauscher and he does the rest on a four-yard touchdown catch to cut the lead down 23-13.
Now in the fourth quarter on third down, Kmet keeps the chains moving as he rolls to his left and throws deep to Jaylen Szlachetka who gets in Benet’s redzone after a 25-yard pass leading to a Lions field goal.
Benet’s defense stands tall and the Redwings improve to 4-0
Benet looks to put things away on the next drive but Kubacki’s pass for Doyle is taken away by Ellis for the interception to give more life for the Lions.
However, the Redwings’ defense would hold strong as on fourth and thirteen, Kmet’s deep ball is tipped down by Benet defenders as Benet football hang on to a 23-16 win over St. Viator, improving to 4-0 on the season. The next game up for the Wings is on the road against Mount Carmel.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
