McHenry County notes: Marian Central’s Christian Bentancur finishes high in IHSA records

The numbers may seem a little empty now since Marian Central was left on the outside looking in at the IHSA football playoffs.

But what Hurricanes wide receiver Christian Bentancur accomplished in his four years, culminating with a 21-reception, 183-yard, three-touchdown performance in Friday’s 43-33 loss to Wheaton Academy, was staggering.

Bentancur, a 6-foot-5, 235 pounder who will play tight end at Clemson, finished his career with 231 receptions (fifth on the IHSA list), 3,867 yards (second) and 51 touchdowns (third).

Bentancur’s 21-catch game ranks No. 3 in IHSA history and his previous five-touchdown game against Christ the King ties him for second with 20 other players.

There were six 4-5 teams that made it into the IHSA’s 256-team playoff field. Unfortunately for Marian, it had 46 playoff points and the cutoff for the other 4-5 teams was 49.

Keep in mind, Bentancur’s freshman season was shortened to five games by the COVID-19 pandemic [the Hurricanes did not play their full allotment of games in the spring of 2021].

“To see Christian succeed the way he did makes me so happy for him,” Hurricanes coach Liam Kirwan said. “He is someone who already has the size and athleticism, but still works harder than everyone else, so he deserves all the records and praise coming his way. I think he will do great things at Clemson.”

Marist’s Nic Weishar (257 from 2010-13), Marist’s and Lemont’s Flynn Nagel (255 from 2012-14), Montini’s Jordan Westerkamp (235 from 2008-11) and Lexington’s Eric Schuler (234 from 2003-06) are the only players ahead of Bentancur in career receptions.

Locally, Johnsburg’s C.J. Fiedorowicz (174 from 2006-09) was the career leader until this season.

The 21 receptions in a game put him behind only Riverside-Brookfield’s Mark McDonagh (25 in 2009) and Mowequa Central A&M’s Keaton Garner (24 in 2016) for a single game.

Crystal Lake Central’s Jack Ortner caught 19 against Huntley in 2013 for the previous area mark.

Bentancur’s 92 catches for this season also is an area-best total and ties him for 15th in ISHA history.

The past two years, Bentancur was catching balls from Northern Iowa-bound Cale McThenia, who threw for 3,108 yards and 39 touchdowns this season.

“Cale really stepped up this year and without him we would have never been close to achieving the success we did,” Kirwan said. “He played within the offense, used his legs at times, and I think he still hasn’t reached his full potential, so I’m excited for his future as well.”

Tough matchup: Richmond-Burton (7-2) is accustomed to being the No. 1 or 2 seed in the northern half of Class 4A and getting less-competitive first-round games.

But the Rockets’ 30-20 loss to Rochelle on Friday dropped them to a No. 5 seed and they will host No. 12 St. Viator (5-4) at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lions will be a formidable first-round opponent.

St. Viator played in the CCL-ESCC Purple Division, placing second to Carmel. Three of its four losses came against playoff teams: Brother Rice, Carmel and St. Ignatius.

Go figure: For a team to play in one or two overtime games in a season would be a lot of excitement. So imagine what Hampshire just went through ending the season with three overtime games.

The Whip-Purs beat Dundee-Crown 23-20 in Week 7 when kicker Charles Terriquez kicked a field goal in the final seconds, then the game-winner in overtime.

Hampshire then fell to Burlington Central 17-14 in overtime on David McCoy’s overtime field goal.

On Friday, Crystal Lake Central found its way into the playoffs with a 27-24 overtime victory over Hampshire. The Whips got a field goal from Terriquez on their overtime possession, but Central running back Griffin Buehler scored on a 5-yard run on third down to give the Tigers the win.

“We made strides and improved each week,” Whips coach Shane Haak said. “Our guys really played with heart and grit, especially to come from behind and force overtime in each of the last three games.”

Fast learner: Harvard quarterback Adam Cooke finished the season with his and the Hornets’ most productive game Friday in a 32-28 loss to Johnsburg.

The Hornets finished 0-9, 0-6 in the Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 Blue Division, but Cooke, a junior playing his first year of football, gives Harvard something to look forward to next season.

Cooke was 6-of-10 passing for 124 yards and ran 26 times for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

“Adam has improved his football IQ, coverage reads, box alignments and just has become a student of the game,” Hornets coach Brad Swanson said. “He is a three-sport athlete (football, basketball and baseball). I am looking forward to watching him in his other sports and getting after it in the weight room to have a great senior season next fall.”

Streak extended: Huntley wide receiver Jake Witt caught only one pass in Friday’s 20-10 victory over Burlington Central, but it was for a 46-yard touchdown.

That stretched Witt’s streak of games with touchdown catches to four. He has five touchdown receptions in those four games.