The greatest 25-second span of Austin Synoga’s football life ended with him doing something he’s done many times before for Richards — pulling down an interception.
It began with something far more unfamiliar for the senior defensive back/receiver. He called his own number on offense.
“I called the play myself,” Synoga said. “That was one of one as far as me doing that. At the beginning of the game, they gave me ‘Nacho,’ which is a little reverse. That first time, I thought I was gone, but they caught me.
“But this last time, it worked. I knew it would.”
Synoga ran for the go-ahead 19-yard touchdown with 30.5 seconds left Friday night, then sealed the victory with an interception as the Bulldogs pulled out a 27-26 win over host Crete-Monee in a thrilling season opener.
North Dakota State recruit Myles Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a TD and added a pair of rushing scores for Richards (1-0). Maddux North had a key sack and Kamron Norwood delivered two tackles for loss.
Derrin Couch completed 21 of 30 passes for 173 yards and four TDs for Crete-Monee (0-1), including a 29-yard TD strike to Karion Young — who finished with 11 catches for 92 yards — that gave the Warriors a 26-21 lead with 6:32 to go.
That appeared as if it would hold up for the winning score until Synoga broke free in the final minute after coming up with a play idea that Richards coach Tony Sheehan quickly got behind.
“He looked and he saw it,” Sheehan said. “Hey, they’re the ones playing. They know what’s going on out there and they want it, so let’s put the ball in the hands of one of our playmakers.
“We have no problems when guys see something. We’ll run it. We have faith in our kids.”
Synoga has given his coaches plenty of reasons to have confidence in him. But that has mostly come on defense, the only side of the ball he played on last year.
Richards’ plans to get him involved on offense this season paid off immediately.
“I’m excited to play offense, but I’m more of a defensive guy,” Synoga said. “I’ve grown up doing it. I like to hit. A lot. I missed playing offense last year a little bit, but I had my fun on defense.”
But when he gets the ball in his hands?
“I feel unstoppable,” Synoga said. “Electric.”
Sheehan sees that, too.
“We would have liked him to play in the slot a little more, but he cramped up a bit and we need him on defense so it was one of those, ‘We’ll save him, we’ve got other guys,’” Sheehan said. “But he’s a playmaker, man.”
Mitchell, who also battled cramps while playing just about every play on both sides of the ball and special teams, was held to 34 yards on 19 carries but fought for TD runs of 1 and 10 yards in the first half.
He was a decoy on the winning score as junior quarterback Noah Escobedo faked a pitch to Mitchell before dishing it to Synoga going the other way.
That was just fine with Mitchell.
“I’m ecstatic,” Mitchell said. “I love that dude (Synoga). I love that he’s on my team. I’m hurting and he steps up. If he’s hurting, I’ll step up. He’s my brother, for sure, and he’s a dog.
“College coaches need to start recruiting him.”
Of course, it still wasn’t over until five seconds remained and Synoga leaped high to pull down Couch’s desperation heave.
It capped a 25-second sequence that was almost too good for Synoga to believe.
“That was unreal,” Synoga said. “When I got the pick, I didn’t even celebrate. I didn’t know what to do. It took me five seconds to process what just happened. I won the game.”
