With a key injury in front of him last season, Marist running back Conor Hunt went from backup to key starter in the blink of an eye.
Those RedHawks finished 4-5, missing the IHSA playoffs. So for Hunt, it’s all about making a statement now.
Last year was just not good enough.
The senior had 10 carries for 90 yards and two total touchdowns on Aug. 29 as host Marist defeated King 43-7.
“We’re going to prove we are a better team than we were last year,” Hunt said. “We need to be better. Last year, 4-5 was not acceptable. We’ve got some big games coming up in the (Catholic League) Blue, so we need to be confident and trust ourselves to be great.”
Junior quarterback Jake Fleming finished 13-for-17 passing for 139 yards and two touchdowns, also connecting with senior Nick Mayoski for a 7-yard strike.
Senior Tommy Hosty added a rushing TD.
Senior lineman Brandon Brown was a force on defense and special teams, piling up a blocked punt, a safety, a sack and a tackle for loss.
Hunt came on strong as a workhorse out of the backfield after senior starter Kevin Bartolotta went down with a knee injury last fall.
Over the offseason, he packed on 10 pounds of muscle to help counter the grind.
“I’m feeling great. I still feel quick,” Hunt said. “I still have my speed and my good weight where I can bounce off some tackles and get more yards than I was getting last year.”
Hunt’s 2-yard rushing score put Marist up 16-0 in the second quarter. His 11-yard TD reception from Fleming extended the lead to 23-0 later in the quarter as the RedHawks were off and running.
He said it was a fun offseason.
“I’ve definitely bulked up,” Hunt said. “It was eating good, lots of protein, do some sprints and lift. It’s evening everything out to put on weight.”
While Hunt and Fleming led the way on offense, Brown was a one-man wrecking crew on defense and special teams.
He also blocked a PAT kick in a Week 1 win over Simeon.
“Last week, I was focusing on big plays. This week, it was technique, muscle memory and reacting to what I see,” Brown said. “That blocked punt felt good. It was a big momentum swing.”
On the punt, junior Jimmy Stokas scooped up the loose ball and returned it 15 yards for the score.
Marist (2-0) heads into a tough stretch of games in the Catholic League with Montini and Mount Carmel the next two weeks and then Loyola in Week 6.
Coach Mike Fitzgerald likes where his team is at heading into league play.
“We’ve played well in all three phases of the game,” Fitzgerald said. “I’ve been impressed in terms of execution, alignment and assignments. Some physical mistakes, but pleased with where we’re at.”