Senior running back Conor Hunt sets Marist’s standard for success near the goal line.
He never settles anything less than a touchdown.
“Whenever you’re in the red zone, it’s a failure if you don’t get into the end zone,” Hunt said with a nod. “Every time you touch the ball, you have to be as tough as you can.
“You have to make sure you do everything to get in there.”
Hunt got going Friday night for the host RedHawks, scoring three TDs in a 49-28 victory over Neuqua Valley in a Class 8A opening-round playoff game in Chicago.
Junior quarterback Jake Fleming completed 12 of 18 passes for 369 yards and three TDs for Marist (6-4), which will play at Catholic League Blue rival Mount Carmel (7-2) in next weekend’s first round.
Fleming hit nine out of his first 10 attempts for 255 yards, connecting on TD passes with junior wide receivers JJ Nash and Billy Nitsche.
Hunt, meanwhile, finished with 142 yards on 21 carries. He scored on runs of 1, 3 and 18 yards.
“He just got it done,” Jake Fleming said. “The offensive line did a great job with the holes. He did the rest. That’s just the kind of player he is. He’s always making sure we’re doing the right thing.”
Sophomore receiver Conor Fleming added four catches for 114 yards, punctuated by a 9-yard TD pass from his older brother. Conor Fleming credited Hunt for the diversified attack.
“We like to pass a lot, but they stretched their defense out and the box was open all day for Conor to survive,” Conor Fleming said of Hunt. “When he’s in the open field, he makes everybody miss.”
Hunt’s 52-yard screen pass late in the fourth quarter set up a 3-yard TD run by senior running back Tommy Hosty to seal the victory.
The RedHawks clicked on every cylinder offensively, with Hunt forcing Neuqua (3-7) into playing more defenders closer to the line of scrimmage.
“It’s just great because one sets up the other,” Hunt said. “When you’re running the ball, the defense has to stop that and it opens up the pass. I love being able to do both.”
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Hunt combines size with power, elusiveness in space and a willingness to deliver hits. As a junior last year, he also started three games at quarterback.
An injury to the starting running back opened up the running position for him. That’s where he has always felt more dialed in and comfortable.
More Top Picks Best Steel Toe Work Boots With Toe Guard
“Running back is my favorite position, and I think also the most fun, because you get to run the ball,” he said. “You get to hit somebody. You get to block somebody.
“The biggest thing — you get to score touchdowns.”
The game marked Hunt’s third game with multiple TDs.
“I love when there’s pressure on me and everyone’s watching me,” he said. “The adrenaline’s pumping and you don’t even feel the hits. I just lock it out.”
Hunt is the oldest of four kids who grew up in Mount Greenwood. His father, Brian, was a standout linebacker at Brother Rice who played in college at St. Ambrose.
“He taught me everything I need to know about football,” Hunt said of his dad. “It’s been great. I started playing in the third grade and always knew this is what I was meant to do.”
Off the field his manner, Hunt is more quiet and chill. He’s a free thinker who loves working out or hanging out with his family and friends.
But his approach to the game? It’s intense.
“Being competitive has always been a part of my life,” he said. “It’s fun to compete against someone else. You want to try and be better than anyone and make sure you’re that one.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.