The big losses, repeated defensive stops and long stretches without anyone crossing the goal line were nothing like any game Marist has played all season.
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But if balance and versatility are what matter in the postseason, the Redhawks may stick around for a while.
Brendan Skalitzky threw two touchdown passes, the Redhawks defense had six sacks, and sophomore Tom Gillen kicked a 25-yard field goal with 35 seconds left to lift Marist past Notre Dame 17-14 on Friday night in Niles.
Marist (6-4) also handed Notre Dame (8-2) its only defeat of the regular season, a 49-42 shootout Sept. 18.
“Our defense played one of the best games of the year,” Skalitzky said. “It was fun to watch them. I had faith in them the whole time. I knew they’d have our backs. They definitely have gotten better. They figured it out and played unbelievable (Friday).”
Skalitzky (21-for-32, 255 yards) put up typically big numbers, but the Redhawks had just seven points through three quarters before he connected with Darshon McCullough on a 49-yard touchdown that tied the score at 14 early in the fourth.
After Skalitzky got Marist in position for the winning score in the final two minutes, Marist coach Pat Dunne decided to put the game on his kicker’s right foot.
The Redhawks forced Notre Dame to use all its timeouts, and the Dons helped Gillen’s cause by declining a penalty that would have given Marist a third-and-goal from the 18.
Instead, Gillen drilled the game-winning field goal.
“I kind of figured it out,” Gillen said. “I knew they were going to me unless they scored a touchdown. They believed in me, and it was a good snap, a good hold, and everyone blocked well.”
Neither team scored in the first quarter, a somewhat shocking development considering what transpired in the first meeting, and Marist did not find the end zone until the final minute of the first half.
Notre Dame struck first early in the second quarter on a broken play in which Western Illinois-bound quarterback Tyler Tsagalis (19-for-33, 257 yards, 2 TDs; 15 carries, 121 yards) scrambled and eventually heaved a bomb to Tim Simon. He hauled it in and broke two tackles on the way to a 64-yard TD.
After entering Notre Dame territory on two of its first three drives, Marist broke through with a 93-yard drive that Skalitzky capped with a 2-yard TD pass to Seamus Glascott to force a 7-7 halftime tie.
Tsagalis used his feet and legs to fool Marist on Notre Dame’s second touchdown, a 25-yard pass across the field to Ethan Jennings on fourth-and-20.
That gave the Dons a 14-7 lead, but Skalitzky and McCullough responded.
The Redhawks survived a successful fake punt by Notre Dame at midfield in the fourth quarter, then took over the field-position battle with a three-and-out to set up the winning drive.
“I’m so happy with our guys,” Dunne said. “They fought through so many situations out there. Our defense did a phenomenal job. This was a great victory.”
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.