Evergreen Park’s Jaylen Chothen knew the only real option was not being stopped in his tracks.
The sophomore receiver relied on his instinct near the goal line for the Mustangs, deciding to use his quick feet to get into the end zone rather than risk a tricky, low-percentage throw.
“We call it the swinging gate,” Chothen said. “We have a lot of options or variables we run with it. I got the ball, and I knew that I had to get in. The guy I was supposed to throw to was covered.
“I chose to run, and I think we’re now 100% running on that play.”
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Indeed, Chothen made the biggest play Friday night, delivering a game-deciding 2-point conversion run in the fourth quarter of a 14-13 South Suburban Red win over Reavis in Burbank.
Senior running backs Garret Kazmierowicz and Cory Isaac Jr. added TD runs for Evergreen Park (4-1, 2-1). Chothen, meanwhile, also made nine tackles in his role as a safety on defense.
Senior linebacker Jacob Ruvalcaba secured the victory by sacking junior quarterback Nick Gutierrez on a 2-point conversion by Reavis (2-3, 0-3) with 40 seconds remaining.
Ruvalcaba was inspired by Chothen’s successful 2-point conversion to deny the Rams’ effort.
“Even though he’s young, Jaylen is a very reliable player who plays hard and practices very hard,” Ruvalcaba said. “I’ve known I could trust him ever since he was a freshman.
“He’s very athletic and makes plays out there.”
The Mustangs already matched their win total of last season heading into their home showdown at 7 p.m. Friday against undefeated conference rival Oak Lawn (5-0, 3-0).
According to Evergreen Park coach Jim Ramazinski, the precocious Chothen has played above his age since he started in the secondary last season as a freshman.
“I saw him play when he was younger and I knew he had some physical talent,” Ramazinski said. “Once he started practicing with us, we quickly realized he was ready for varsity.
“Now his role is getting bigger, doing a little bit more each week on offense and defense. He always takes on a challenge in a way that you want a player to react.”
It was the second straight game that Chothen made the game-winning play. He also scored on a 85-yard TD reception in a 21-14 victory over Shepard.
“I always like to play really calm,” he said. “I always want people to understand what I’m doing out there on the field.”
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Chothen is still learning the nuances of playing receiver while waiting for chances behind seniors. He’s already made his mark as a hard-hitting, rangy defensive back.
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Most freshmen are unable to take the physical pounding against significantly older players, but Chothen was unafraid to throw himself into the mix.
“I definitely took my lumps,” he said. “But I learned a heck of a lot of stuff and I was really grateful to have the opportunity to come play up.
“I already had a bigger build than most guys, and then just getting into the weight room and practicing with the older guys helped a lot.”
Chothen, the oldest of five kids, shows the tendencies of a first-born child with an even-keeled disposition. He took up the game relatively late in sixth grade with the Evergreen Park Stallions.
Just months after first starting in football, Chothen moved up an age group and never looked back.
“He’s just an extremely smart player,” Ramazinski said. “He’s competitive, he wants to win and he’s a great practice player. He has the skill level but maintains those great leadership qualities.
“He made the right read on the 2-point conversion play. That’s just what he does. He makes the right decisions. His skill is something, but his knowledge of the game is also very impressive.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.