Richard McNutt waited until the end before making the two biggest plays of the game.
That’s why the fast-moving Rich East junior is considered one of the most dangerous gamebreakers in the south suburbs.
McNutt caught a 34-yard pass from quarterback Walter Young for the winning touchdown with 5 minutes 23 seconds left in No. 17 Rich East’s 22-19 victory over No. 12 Richards Saturday in Park Forest.
Then, with Richards threatening deep in Rich East territory, McNutt intercepted a Cody Lettiere pass intended for Morgan Thompson just in front of the end zone to preserve the Rockets’ biggest triumph of the season.
“He (Thompson) ran the same pattern five or six times, and I got burned by him earlier in the game,” said McNutt, who also had an interception in the first quarter. “I told myself I wasn’t going to get beat anymore. I held my position and made the play.”
Rich East (5-0, 3-0) paid dearly for two mishaps on punts. A high snap allowed the Bulldogs to recover at the Rich East 5 in the first quarter and halfback Shaun Brown (111 yards, two TDs) ran it in one play later.
Rich East led 15-12 in the third quarter when the snap from center Luke Dematteo went right through punter Josh Taylor’s hands. On the next play, Brown broke away for a 27-yard TD run.
The two best teams in the SICA Orange went back and forth, right down to the final minute.
The Rockets needed only 32 seconds to retaliate for Brown’s first touchdown as running back John White (23 carries, 130 yards) ran for 30 yards and then the 6-foot-5-inch left-hander Young hooked up with 6-3 wideout Maurice Williams on a 45-yard touchdown pass.
Back came Richards (4-1, 2-1) with Lettiere hitting Thompson with a 29-yard TD pass.
Just before halftime, Rich East went back on top 15-12 courtesy of Young’s 28-yard scoring strike to 6-3 Darian Yarborough.
Young wound up completing 12 of 27 passes for 200 yards and three TDs along with a two-point conversion pass to Williams.
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All of that on a sprained ankle that held him out of practice until Thursday.
Offensive linemen Tom Merry, Chris Grays, Dematteo, Kevin Adams and Andy Moffat kept the heat off except for two sacks.
“They gave me so much time, I want to thank those guys a lot,” Young said. “I could stand back there and wait for my receivers to get open. It really feels good to beat a top team like Richards.”
Richards coach Gary Korhonen said the Bulldogs didn’t execute a play-action move designed to momentarily freeze McNutt on the late interception.
“Outstanding players make those plays, and McNutt came up with a big one down there,” Korhonen said of the pass play that originated at the Rich East 16. “And Young is phenomenal. He has the best touch I’ve ever seen for a quarterback that size.”