Benet senior quarterback Ryan Kubacki Jr. has found a new favorite receiver.
His name is Luke Doyle, a 5-foot-11, 160-pound junior who spent countless hours in the summer working out with Kubacki. They could often be found perfecting their timing at Benedictine University’s football stadium.
“We used to come out to Benedictine any day of the week, just getting work in, which is what we love to do,” Kubacki said. “All the time, on this field in the summer, we’d get our work in.”
The work was vital because all of the Redwings’ most experienced receivers graduated. Doyle was promoted to the varsity team midway through last season and got some action, but he didn’t begin to jell with Kubacki until later.
“We got close in the offseason, for sure,” Doyle said. “It was a lot of route running in the winter in the gym, then in 7-on-7.”
Kubacki and Doyle developed a chemistry that has allowed them to tear up opposing defenses. Doyle had nine catches for 134 yards and Kubacki completed 16 of 30 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns to lead Benet to a 23-16 CCL/ESCC Purple Conference victory over St. Viator on Friday night at Benedictine in Lisle.
The most spectacular play during the game between unbeatens came with 10:51 left in the second quarter, when Kubacki fired a 79-yard touchdown pass to Doyle to give the Redwings (4-0, 1-0) a 16-0 lead.
Kubacki’s pass traveled nearly 50 yards in the air. Doyle caught it in stride at St. Viator’s 40-yard line and outraced two defenders to the end zone.
“It was an awesome play,” Benet coach Pat New said. “He’s a gamer. He’s one of our big-play players. He’s only a junior, too, which is nice.”
A scary thought for opponents, but one that brings smiles to Doyle’s teammates.
“He’s having a great year,” Kubacki said. “I have faith in him, he has faith in me, and it’s just like practice.”
Doyle, one of former Benet basketball star and WNBA player Kathleen Doyle‘s cousins, had already caught three passes when Kubacki looked over the Lions’ defense on first down from his 21-yard line and liked what he saw. Offensive linemen Michael O’Rourke, Jack Sciortino, Alex MacDiarmid, Jack Costello and Jack Yenter gave Kubacki time to find Doyle.
“The big boys up front were getting it done all night, and that’s what caused them to play up, put some more guys in the box,” Kubacki said. “That left Doyle one on one.
“I like that matchup any day of the week — Doyle on the outside — because I know if I put it out there one on one, he’s going to win that every day. So I put it out there.”
Sure enough, Doyle was ready as he raced down the right side.
“That was a bomb,” Doyle said. “It was a great ball, and Ryan put it right on the money.
“He can really sling it. He’s really accurate, too, which is good. It was a little over my head, and I had to go and get it. It was great ball placement.”
Kubacki put the ball where only Doyle could get to it, and Doyle took it to a place he always likes to visit — the end zone.
“There’s nothing like it, just the crowd roaring,” Doyle said. “I love it.”
St. Viator (3-1, 0-1) had allowed just 13 points in its first three games, but the Redwings racked up 429 yards of total offense. Benet senior running back Marty Radgowski rushed 17 times for 98 yards and a touchdown, while Kubacki carried 17 times for 69 yards. Kubacki tossed a 9-yard scoring strike to Luke Wildes that made it 23-0 in the second quarter.
The Lions rallied behind quarterback Cooper Kmet, who is the younger brother of Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet. Cooper Kmet threw a 7-yard TD pass late in the third quarter, and a 25-yard field goal pulled St. Viator within 23-16 with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter.
The Lions had a chance to tie the game, but Kmet’s fourth-down pass from his 39-yard line was batted down by Doyle at Benet’s 20. The Redwings then ran out the clock.
“Their offense is high-powered, and their defense was really good,” Doyle said. “It was a tough task, but we pulled it out.
“First Purple Division win, that’s a big one. Our goal is to make it to the playoffs and win the Purple, so one more win and we’re in.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
