Monster game for QB McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy felt pressure on almost every pass play.
He just didn’t let it get to him. The sophomore quarterback — yes, sophomore — threw for 416 yards and five touchdowns while leading Nazareth to a 45-7 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory over Benet on Friday night at Benedictine University in Lisle.
McCarthy, who also ran for Nazareth’s first touchdown, had 359 passing yards and four touchdowns by halftime. With a fourth scoring pass to Michael Love on the opening drive of the third quarter, McCarthy and the unbeaten Roadrunners (5-0, 3-0) put a running clock into effect and sent the starters to the bench for the rest of the game.
It was a stunning display of offense against a usually stout Redwings defense. Benet sacked McCarthy three times. The hardest hit came when Jacob Snell took McCarthy down as he released a second-quarter pass . . . caught by Love for a 75-yard touchdown.
“You’ve got to stick in there,” said McCarthy, who already has scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa State and South Carolina. “Our linemen are doing all the work, and that guy coming is on me. I’m going to take that shot and deliver the ball to my receivers and let them make plays.”
Benet (3-2, 1-2) held Nazareth on its first possession, but the Roadrunners scored the next seven times they had the ball. That included a 27-yard field goal by Andrew Hughes and the 75-yard McCarthy-to-Love touchdown that was set up by an interception by Diamond Evans.
While Love snared six catches for 195 yards, Evans had six catches for 120 yards.
Benet scored in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard touchdown run by Ben Hickey.
“That quarterback, I don’t know him personally, but he’s a hell of a player,” said Benet linebacker Mike Wymer. “With him and that set of receivers, it’s just really hard to stop.”