Loyola’s Maldonado celebrates birthday with 3 scores, team victory

Loyola Academy junior running back Melo Maldonado had an unforgettable 17th birthday celebration at Marist on Friday night, Sept. 25.

On the Ramblers’ first play from scrimmage, he caught a pass from Matthew Lee and took it to the end zone on a play covering 67 yards.

The party was just beginning.

Maldonado ran 78 yards for the Ramblers’ fourth touchdown in the third quarter and 11 yards for their fifth touchdown in the fourth quarter, and his teammates joined the celebration as undefeated Loyola routed the Redhawks from the South Side 42-12.

Lee also had a blast, as did a pair of fellow juniors: wide receiver Jordan McKinley and tight end Dylan Williamson.

After Marist reduced its deficit to 7-6 early in the second quarter, McKinley caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Lee in the right corner of the end zone in the final minute of the first half and then scored the game’s last touchdown, collaborating with Lee on a 78-yard play late in the fourth quarter.

Williamson, who had a 43-yard touchdown on his first career reception the previous week at Benet Academy, outdid himself with a 66-yard TD on his second career reception at the start of the second half of the Marist game.

Returning after missing the preceding two games because of illness senior Ryan Edwards kicked the six extra points.

“I’ve been playing football since I was 5 years old and this is the first time I ever played on my birthday,” Maldonado said. “Definitely this is a birthday I’ll never forget. From a mental standpoint it was my best game ever.”

It also was the finest physical performance of his two-year varsity career. The three touchdowns increased his season total to nine (six runs, three receptions).

McKinley’s two touchdown catches gave him six for the season. The receptions were a study in contrast.

On the first he won a battle for the ball in the end zone; on the second he was wide open and no defender laid a finger on him as he went the distance.

“We knew Marist’s cornerbacks were going to be physical and I had to play physical against them,” the big wide receiver said of his winning end zone duel with the defenders.

“On the second one Matthew threw me a great ball. I looked behind me (and seeing no Redhawks in close proximity) I slowed down and jogged the rest of the way.”

As was the case the previous week Williamson’s reception was scripted by the Ramblers’ new assistant coach and offensive coordinator, Danny Schaechter.

“We got the play from him at halftime and (on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter) I was in the clear, Matthew got me the ball early and just like last week I was off to the races.”

Lee downplayed the four touchdown passes that increased his season output to 17.

“Melo played great on his birthday and Jordan came through in a tough situation when we needed a touchdown,” the quarterback said “Dylan made another huge play, and our offensive line played well — no sacks, which is always one of our biggest goals.”

Tthe Redhawks (3-3), however, managed to give the Ramblers (6-0) some guff in the first half, and it wasn’t until McKinley caught his first touchdown pass in the last minute of the half that they gained a 14-6 lead.

Marist’s second-quarter touchdown came on an 85-yard drive that was climaxed by an 18-yard pass from junior quarterback Jake Fleming to junior wide receiver Chase Tylka.

Fleming and his younger brother, sophomore wide receiver Conor Fleming, spearheaded the 80-yard drive that enabled the Redhawks to reduce the Loyola lead to 28-12 with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter. A Fleming-to-Fleming 5-yard pass produced the touchdown and they collaborated on plays covering 53 and 23 yards en route to the end zone.

Loyola coach John Holecek again saw areas in which he believes his team has to improve during the three games left in the regular season.

“You have to know how much better we could be,” he told the Ramblers. “We’re a good team; we could be a great team if we cut out some of those mistakes we’ve been making.

“Today we won a Catholic League Blue game and that’s always big. Congratulations.”

Loyola’s next game will be a Senior Day contest at home at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, against St. Ignatius (5-1). Going into Friday night’s games — that also saw St. Ignatius emerge victorious — Loyola was ranked No. 2 in the Chicago metropolitan area (behind Lincoln-Way East) and St. Ignatius was ranked No. 14 by the Chicago Tribune.

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