Jonah Beauduy leads Nazareth past St. Viator for sole possession of ESCC title

LaGRANGE PARK — Nazareth has employed a two-quarterback system since the start of the season and that decision might pay huge dividends as the Roadrunners enter the playoffs.

Jonah Beauduy and Carson Bartels have shared snaps every game, but Beauduy played almost every down against St. Viator on Saturday when Bartels left the game with a right leg injury early in the second quarter.

Beauduy led Nazareth (9-0, 7-0) to a 49-21 East Suburban Catholic win over St. Viator in LaGrange Park, guiding the Roadrunners to sole possession of the East Suburban Catholic title.

The senior is a believer in sharing snaps with Bartels, making it makes it more difficult for teams to scheme their defenses.

“I think that it is a huge advantage, because teams are always trying to figure out why one is in and one is out,” said Beauduy, who completed 10 of 16 passes for 164 yards. “It just kind of throws teams off. One can be a little bit better runner and one can be a little better passer on the out routes or the deep ball. It really just makes teams have to think more.”

Both quarterbacks think that they become better because each gets meaningful snaps during important periods of the game.

“It has actually worked out great,” Bartels said. “I truly believe that I would not be the quarterback I am without Jonah, because we push each other.”

“It helps that we are in competition all the time,” Beauduy said. “It almost always gives us an advantage because we are always competing for that spot.”

The undefeated regular season and outright conference championship is the first for head coach Tim Racki and his coaching staff at Nazareth, who took over the Roadrunners’ program in the fall of 2005.

“It is the first leg of the journey; you separate the regular season from the playoffs,” Racki said. “After tonight this record gets burned, so we throw it away. Being in this conference and going undefeated with the competition we face, it is absolutely a big deal and something to enjoy.”

St. Viator (5-4, 4-3) never recovered from the first quarter, when Nazareth scored four times before the Lions had recorded a first down, let alone cross midfield.

Nazareth jumped to the 28-0 lead behind touchdown passes from Beauduy to Christopher Simmons and Justin Weller. Nolan Dean and Julian Love also rushed for TDs in the opening quarter.

The passing game clicked for St. Viator in the second quarter, when Tyler Johnston tossed two touchdown passes to Ben Dickey before halftime. Johnston completed 10 of 24 passes for 183 yards, while Dickey caught seven passes for 155 yards.