Here are highlights and notes from Week 5 results around the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference.

Marist outlasts IC Catholic Prep to snap four-game losing streak

One week removed from losing to Joliet Catholic on a broken play and falling to 0-4 on the season, Marist once again found itself in a tight game during the closing moments of its Week 5 matchup against IC Catholic Prep.

A blocked punt with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter nearly spelled doom for the RedHawks, who clung to a one-point lead as the Knights took over inside Marist territory. Faced with a third-and-20 at the 27-yard line, RedHawk defenders Finn Kelly and Eddie Scheel combined for a huge sack that forced the IC Catholic Prep field-goal unit onto the field.

The kick was no good and Marist took over possession with 1:01 left in the game. The RedHawks successfully ran out the clock to clinch a 29-28 victory over the Knights (No. 2 in 3A) and end a four-game losing streak. Putting aside a 35-0 loss to Brother Rice in Week 2, four of Marist’s five games this season have been decided by seven points or less.

“We needed to make sure we found a way to win that game,” Marist coach Mike Fitzgerald said. “We’ve had three games that essentially came down to the last play. We told our guys that the margin of error in this league is so small since it’s so competitive and every little detail matters. Focusing on our preparation and getting better every day was the key for us.”

Injuries in recent games have depleted the Marist roster. But the RedHawks (1-4, 0-1 CCL/ESCC Orange), who were ranked No. 6 in 8A at the start of the season, had multiple players deliver big performances during their win over the Knights. Defensive back Conor Hunt stepped up at running back on Friday, carrying the ball 30 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’ve had some tough injuries this year and different guys have had to step up,” Fitzgerald said. “Conor’s a great example of that... It starts with our offensive line and those guys did an unbelievable job coming off the line of scrimmage and making some nice pulls. Conor did a good job of following his reads and finishing his runs. I’m really proud of him for stepping up.”

Wide receiver Stephen Brown, a 6-foot-7 basketball standout, reeled in five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown as well. Tommy Hosty, a Swiss army knife for the RedHawks, has played all over the field in recent weeks, even taking reps at quarterback. Hosty ran in a 5-yard touchdown Friday night.

“Stephen is one of the best receivers in the state,” Fitzgerald said. “You don’t see many receivers with his kind of size. He runs great routes and he has great hands. He’s given us a big boost and he has big-play capability anytime he’s out there. Even when he’s double-covered, he gets open.”

St. Rita ends three-game skid with victory over Niles Notre Dame

Another Chicago school that snapped a lengthy losing streak on Friday was St. Rita. Having suffered consecutive defeats against Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and St. Francis, St. Rita (No. 7 in 7A) bounced back in a massive way, scoring two defensive touchdowns in a 48-13 win over Niles Notre Dame.

Defensive backs Jaiden Blunt (39-yard fumble return) and Seamus O’Leary (30-yard interception return) each found the end zone against the Dons. Offensively, the Mustangs compiled over 400 yards, with junior running back Brandon Johnson Jr. rumbling for 110 yards and two scores on 18 carries.

“The kids faced some adversity over the first couple of weeks and we had to refocus our goals so we could get back to work,” St. Rita coach Martin Hopkins said. “We were able to run the ball and we’re a lot more of a threat when we’re two-dimensional. We established the run and that opened up the passing game for us. It was good for the offense to start clicking again.”

Senior quarterback Steven Armbruster, who missed St. Rita’s Week 3 game against Brother Rice due to an injury, threw for 186 yards and a touchdown while adding 41 rushing yards during the win over Niles Notre Dame. The Mustangs (2-3, 0-1 CCL/ESCC Green) controlled the trenches on both sides, rushing for 217 yards while holding the Dons to just 46 yards.

“We talked about creating our own momentum on defense and one of those ways is turnovers,” Hopkins said. “We’re continuing to challenge the defense... Running the football and stopping the run were two big things that showed up over the first couple of weeks. We found out that we need to be able to run the football, stop the run and eliminate big plays on defense.”

Defensive end Jhalen Clanton earned a sack and two tackles for loss to lead the Mustangs, whose 13 points allowed were the fewest in a game for St. Rita this season. Senior linebacker Owen Lynch recorded five tackles for the Mustangs, who’ve held opponents to under 20 points in back-to-back games. St. Rita will face a tough challenge in Nazareth later this week.

“We need to protect the football on Fridays,” Hopkins said. “We have to get off the field on third and fourth downs and we have to be converting on offense. We’ve gone with some more 1-on-1s throughout the week to increase the competition. Special teams is a game of field position and it’s hurt us at times. We need to make sure it helps us more than it hurts us.”

Trae Taylor throws 5 TD passes as Carmel routs Marian Catholic

Junior quarterback Trae Taylor, a four-star prospect and Nebraska commit, showed why he’s been one of the more highly recruited players in the state Friday evening. Taylor completed nearly 85% of his passes against Marian Catholic, finishing 11 of 13 for 201 yards and five scores as the Carmel Corsairs racked up over 400 yards of offense in a 70-7 victory.

Taylor, who surpassed 1,000 passing yards on the season Friday, has completed over 80% of his throws this season, firing 18 touchdown passes with just two interceptions. With Taylor spearheading the offense, Carmel (4-1, 1-0 CCL/ESCC White) is a threat to challenge for the division title. Carmel will face unbeaten Montini (5-0, 1-0 CCL/ESCC White) next.

“Everybody looks at his arm talent and his mobility, but his biggest attribute is his mental makeup and his IQ of the game,” Carmel coach Jason McKie said. “He understands football, not just the coverages. We teach him the run fits and he knows all of the protections within our offense. That enables him to play and process fast. His IQ is high for a high school kid.”

The Corsairs have fielded one of the top offenses in the CCL over five games, scoring over 50 points three times. Sophomore running backs Jorden Moore and Jaquel Edmonds, who teamed up for 119 yards and two scores against Marian Catholic, have formed a dynamic one-two punch out of the backfield. Carmel deploys a stable of talented wide receivers including UMass commit Kai Owens, who caught two balls for 40 yards and two scores on Friday.

“Kai’s been the leader by example,” McKie said. “He’s started for us since he was a freshman because he was able to pick up our scheme and he had the athleticism to play on varsity early on. He’s played a lot of football for us and he’s pretty much the heartbeat of our offense. We ask him to do so many things. He’s like our glue guy. He does everything for us and he does it well.”

Eli Jackson, Kyron Hart and Greg Bess-Henning are three more contributing receivers who reached the end zone Friday night. Defensively, Carmel has counted on All-Conference senior linebacker Nick Hopman, who has 38 total tackles and four tackles for loss in five games. Sophomore Jameer Miles, Carmel’s leading tackler, posted a team-best eight tackles along with two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception against Marian Catholic.

“Nick’s been tremendous and he started playing varsity football at an early age as well,” McKie said. “He’s a tackling machine and he’s smart. He’s definitely the bonafide leader of the defense. Jameer is a very elite talent and I think he’s going to be a highly recruited Division I kid when it’s all set and done. He has height, weight, speed and he’s really athletic and physical.”

Mount Carmel, Brother Rice set for battle of top-ranked unbeatens

The battle for the CCL/ESCC Blue Division crown could be arguably the biggest game of the regular season in the Catholic League. Mount Carmel and Brother Rice, both ranked No. 1 in the state in their respective classes, are undefeated and will meet at Barda-Dowling Stadium this coming Friday.

Brother Rice (5-0, 1-0 CCL/ESCC Blue), the No. 1 team in 7A, crushed St. Patrick 56-14 on Friday. Senior quarterback and Army commit C.J. Gray threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Jameson Davis stampeded for 89 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries, while senior wide receiver Jovan Green Jr. hauled in eight grabs for 130 yards.

Mount Carmel (5-0, 1-0 CCL/ESCC Blue), ranked No. 1 in 8A and a three-time defending 7A champion, cruised over Benet 48-0 behind 201 yards and five touchdown passes from quarterback Emmett Dowling. Five-star wide receiver Quentin Burrell returned a kick for an 80-yard touchdown and caught four passes for 53 yards and a score to aid the Caravan offense.

Jackson Failla, Jake Cestone lead Nazareth over Joliet Catholic

Senior quarterback Jackson Failla and wide receiver Jake Cestone hooked up on four touchdown passes as Nazareth (No. 2 in 6A) continued its strong start to the season with a 48-21 thumping of Joliet Catholic (No. 9 in 6A).

Cestone brought in seven receptions for a season-high 194 yards, while Failla was nearly flawless from under center, completing 17 of 22 passes for 310 yards and six scores. Running back Charles Calhoun rumbled for 63 yards and a touchdown on only five carries to aid the three-time defending 5A champion Roadrunners (4-1, 1-0 CCL/ESCC Green).

Montini dominates Marmion, extends winning streak to 15 games

Junior quarterback Israel Abrams completed 18 of 26 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, one to Nico Castaldo and another to Damacio Ortegon, as Montini (No. 1 in 4A) reached 5-0 with a 47-0 trouncing of Marmion.

Running backs Charles Flowers and Isaac Alexander combined for 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the Broncos (5-0, 1-0 CCL/ESCC White), who have won 15 consecutive games dating back to their run to the 3A state championship last season. Castaldo finished with seven catches for 129 yards, while Ortegon posted five catches for 61 yards in the win.

Other notable CCL/ESCC results from Week 5

Loyola (No. 8 in 3A) bounced back from a loss against Brother Rice, beating defending 4A champion DePaul Prep 42-14 in Week 5. Tight end Charlie Fowler made two impressive touchdown receptions to spark the Ramblers (3-1, 0-1 CCL/ESCC Blue), who play a divisional game against St. Ignatius later this week. The Wolfpack dominated St. Viator, beating the Lions 44-3.

Fenwick (No. 3 in 6A) and St. Laurence each represented the CCL/ESCC White well in Week 5. Both programs picked up shutout victories, with the Friars blanking De La Salle 42-0 and the Vikings rolled over Leo 41-0.