The last time Bishop McNamara scored in a game against Wheaton Academy was in 2021.

But on the fifth play of Friday night’s Chicagoland Christian Conference clash between the two teams, the visiting Fightin’ Irish (7-0, 5-0 CCC) broke that scoreless drought with an 8-yard touchdown run from Malachi Lee.

By the end of the first quarter, the Irish had added two more touchdowns en route to a 29-14 win over the Warriors (3-4, 3-2 CCC).

Bishop McNamara receiver/defensive back Coen Demack, who caught a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter and had an interception in the fourth to sour the Warriors’ comeback hopes, said it felt nice to finally break through.

“I’m a senior, and these guys have always given us trouble the last four years,” he said. “This year, I knew we were going to come out a lot harder to put a win on the board. It was great.”

After Malachi Lee’s touchdown, the Irish forced Wheaton Academy to punt on the ensuing drive. When the kick was downed at McNamara’s own 3-yard line, the Irish mounted a quick drive to double their lead, capped off on a 56-yard touchdown run from Micah Lee.

The Irish scored quickly again on their next drive, with the second play being senior quarterback Karter Krustinger’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Demack.

Krustinger said it felt great to pick up a win against an opponent that they had lacked recent success against, especially as the Irish are enjoying their longest unbeaten start in decades following a few turbulent years.

“We came a long way from our freshman year with four head coaches, and Wheaton was the team to beat in our conference,” he said. “That’s a statement for us. We circled them on the calendar, then we came here and did our job and got up early.”

But after scoring more points in the first nine minutes than they had in the previous 17 quarters against the Warriors, the Irish offense stagnated a bit, except for a 24-yard Bo Shalley field goal in the final minute of the second quarter, which made it 23-0 at the break.

The defense held strong through the third and into the fourth quarter, first stopping a lengthy drive from Wheaton Academy in the third with a turnover on downs just 14 yards shy of the end zone. Demack’s interception ended the Warriors’ next drive, and the Irish answered with a 14-yard touchdown run from Krustinger.

Head coach Greg Youngblood said the team did a great job in all three phases, including on special teams, where Gavin Antons had punts of 45 yards and 51 yards in the second half to pin the Warriors deep and make a comeback more difficult.

“The defense did a great job, and special teams was big,” he said. “Gavin Antons did a great job with two big punts, but we did a great job covering them, and that was huge because we kind of stalled offensively with only six points in the second half.

“...It was a team win for sure.”

Up next for Bishop McNamara is a road matchup with fellow unbeaten Hope Academy (7-0, 5-0 CCC) that will decide the conference title.

For the Warriors, the absence of a few key players, including leading rusher Tyler Jones, who averages nearly 12 yards per game, really hampered their chances to push through against a tough opponent

“We knew were coming into this game shorthanded, and the guys who were replacing them developed the confidence a little bit later in the game after 20 points had been scored,” head coach Jim Johanik said. “I’m proud for the way that they responded, we didn’t quit, but it’s tough when you don’t have the horses.”

Quarterback Colton Miller got the Warriors on the board with a 1-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter and hit Logan Oros for a 10-yard touchdown in the fourth.

The Warriors have a road matchup with Aurora Christian next week and a home matchup with Christ the King after that to close out the season. They will need to win both to keep their hopes for a fifth straight playoff berth alive.