A week after outlasting Aurora Christian by a field goal on the road and a week before back-to-back road games against fellow Chicagoland Christian Conference standouts Wheaton Academy and Hope Academy, Bishop McNamara hosted a young, hungry and desperate Marian Central team Saturday afternoon in what could have easily been a trap game for the Fightin’ Irish.

But instead, Karter Krutsinger took the third Irish play of the day 37 yards to the end zone for a lead that would only grow from there, a 49-13 win that has McNamara (6-0, 4-0) undefeated through six weeks for the first time since 1998.

“It just feels great,” McNamara senior running back and defensive back Julius May, who ran for 169 yards and two scores on five carries, said. “All the hard work we’ve put in, it’s working. Coach (Greg Youngblood) gives us a script and it’s working. We’re one of the highest scoring teams in Illinois, and that’s for a reason.”

Like they’ve grown accustomed to seeing against their new spread option offense this season, the Irish saw the Hurricanes (2-4, 1-3) focus in on May and speedy slot back Malachi Lee from their first offensive snap. When Krutsinger faked a handoff to May on that third snap, the entire Marian Central defense flowed to May, allowing Krutsinger the walk-in opening score.

“They weren’t going to let Malachi beat us, they were going to focus on Julius and Jordan (Callaway) and make him beat them,” Youngblood said. “I understand that strategy, but he’s good enough to make you pay, and he did.”

May, Lee and Callaway all got their opportunities as well. Lee took a jet sweep in from seven yards out with 90 seconds left in the first to double the lead at 14-0, and after Krutsinger’s lone first-half pass went to Coen Demack for a 34-yard touchdown three minutes into the second, May broke an 89-yard touchdown run to give the Irish a comfortable 28-0 lead at the half.

“It’s unbelievable,” Krutsinger said of his offensive weapons. “Having Julius and Malachi in the backfield is special because how do you game plan for that? You take me and Malachi away, Julius is going to score. You take me and Julius away, Malachi is going to score. You take those two away, I might rarely, on occasion, score.”

The Hurricanes, who had a pair of drives deep into McNamara territory end with turnovers in the fist half, forced a McNamara punt to open the second half and marched right down the field, getting on the board when Colin Hernon found Max Kinney for a 10-yard scoring strike with 8:36 left in the third.

But the Irish quickly countered, as Callaway busted free for a 41-yard touchdown three plays later to evaporate any hopes of a Hurricanes’ comeback.

“It was huge,” Krutsinger said of the quick response. “It all started today during the national anthem and they yelled ‘Home of the ‘Canes.’ We took that personally, and Jordan gave his all all week long during practice and in the game, defensively and offensively. He got his opportunity and punched them in the mouth.”

After May again got free for an electric 63-yard scoring scamper, Gavin Antons brought out the running clock with a 20-yard touchdown run that made it 49-6 with 10:30 remaining. Hernon’s second touchdown pass of the game was a 26-yard strike to Josh Gawronski midway through the fourth.

Following a 43-0 win over defending Class 2A state champion Chicago Christian last week, some of the Hurricanes’ youth showed back up Saturday. They played well in spurts and had some solid chunk plays – as evidenced by Hernon finishing 11-of-23 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns and Eddie Kowalczyk tallying 116 yards on 11 carries – but are looking to find a way to play a full four quarters as they prepare to visit Christ the King Friday.

“Still growing pains, for sure,” Hurricanes coach Liam Kirwan said. “I feel like we’ve gotten better every week, so I’m proud of them, but we look like a lot of juniors and sophomores out there sometimes. … We’re young, and the rewarding part is seeing the kids get better every week, but against good teams like this, you can’t have those mistakes and those mental mistakes."

The Irish totaled 395 yards of offense, including a game-high 169 rushing yards from May and 117 total yards from Krutsinger (83 rushing, 34 passing). Defensively, Krutsinger, Demack and Richie Darr had interceptions while Victor Rosales recovered a fumble and had one of three McNamara sacks.