Jaiden Henry and his fellow Richards seniors are on a mission.
The Bulldogs passed the 50-point mark for the third straight game and won their sixth in a row on Oct. 17, rolling past visiting Lemont 54-27 in a South Suburban crossover.
“We take a lot of pride in seniors having big roles on this team,” Henry said. “I’m glad a lot of guys can chip in and make an impact.”
Henry has not always been a Bulldog, but quickly found his fit in their program. He transferred from Stagg to Richards after his sophomore season.
“In the summers, I was just trying to prove myself to the team and show that I can be a Bulldog and that I have what it takes to play with them,” Henry said.
“He bought in right from the beginning,” Richards coach Tony Sheehan said. “He works hard and it’s just good to see him doing well here.”
The senior caught three passes for 67 yards and one touchdown from Bulldogs quarterback Noah Escobedo (14-for-18, 224 yards, three TDs).
Besides playing offense and defense, Henry also saw action on on special teams as a punter and a kicker.
Junior kicker Anthony Sanchez converted the first PAT, but felt discomfort kicking. Henry stepped in and converted five of the final seven PAT attempts for the Bulldogs (7-1).
A lingering injury to Sanchez prompted Sheehan to ask his players at a recent practice if they had any experience kicking. Henry shared with his coach that he played soccer growing up for the Minooka Indians and later was a kicker on the lower levels at Stagg.
“We tried Carmelo (Palumbo) and Henry out, Henry was the most consistent. And it’s worked out so far,” Sheehan said.
Returning from an ankle injury, Palumbo had a big game of his own, catching Escobedo’s other two touchdowns passes. A week after tying a program record with six rushing TDs, senior running back Ahmad Buchanan ran 18 times for 134 yards and four touchdowns.
“I like that our offense is not based around one guy,” Escobedo said. “They all can make plays. It’s just my job to get the ball in their hand and let them do what they can do.”
Emmanuel Mahonie added a 75-yard kickoff return touchdown and Amare Lavalle had an interception.
While Henry has enjoyed becoming a vital player for the Bulldogs, he also has liked seeing all his teammates find success.
“We have been looking for everyone to shine,” Henry said. “Having a game like this where everyone ate, we showed how talented we all are.”
“They are unselfish,” Sheehan said. “They realize that part of the offense is that we want to spread the ball around. And they get that.”