Evanston Explodes For 82 Points In Regional Flag Rout

Ella Martin finally got a chance to shake off some rust for the Evanston girls flag football team Wednesday at the Chicago Academy Regional tournament.

So did the rest of the ETHS bench.

The Wildkits shattered school records left and right, and the starters only played one quarter as Evanston slaughtered Chicago Roosevelt 82-0 and set a new school record for points in a single game.

After starting quarterback Maggie Conforti threw three touchdown passes --- in the FIRST quarter --- Martin took over the offense. She completed 10 of 15 passing attempts for 98 yards and four more scores, converted five successful PAT passes and also ran for an extra point in the most lopsided matchup in school history.

The Wildkits, the No. 2 seed in the Maine South Sectional tournament complex, advanced to the regional title game Thursday at 5 p.m. while improving to 15-3 on the season. They’ll face No. 7 seed Maine West, a 26-0 winner over Niles North in the other regional semifinal.

Evanston’s record onslaught for a single game featured a 34-point (first) quarter, 54 points in the first half and seven interceptions on defense. KyNia Hunt tied her own individual record with two interception returns for scores and Tariah McLendon also stole two passes, including the first pick 6 of her career.

Overall, ETHS scored on all 9 offensive possessions and ended Roosevelt’s season at 5-7. The CPS school had advanced with a 6-0 triumph over host Chicago Academy.

Martin, a sophomore, has been a starting safety ever since being promoted to the varsity midway through last year and helped solidify the defense as part of Evanston’s run to the Elite Eight in 2024. She figures to succeed the lone senior starter --- Conforti --- at the quarterback position next year, but Wednesday’s game marked the first time she’s taken snaps at QB this season.

Head coach Carlton Rosemond doesn’t want to find himself in the same position next year as the head coach of the Evanston boys football team, who inherited a squad with a group of quarterbacks who never got on the field last year in a varsity game.

But Martin’s overall value to the team has increased exponentially this year and her role as a backup quarterback diminished.

“She’s doesn’t get many reps at quarterback and that’s on me,” admitted Rosemond. “She does so many other things for us, as a safety, as a screener (blocking for Conforti), and as a receiver if we need one, and it’s just hard for me to get her reps in all of those roles. So quarterback is really the last thing we need her for right now.

“I have the utmost faith in Ella. She did get some reps at quarterback in the summer (travel league) and today was an opportunity for her to get some of that mojo going. I feel her reps will increase there when we move into our off-season stuff and I know she’ll come in ready for the challenge. We also have a nice freshman quarterback in Ava Bellis, so as a program we’re fortunate to have two or three quarterbacks who will be here for the next couple of years.“

Conforti completed all 8 passes she tried in an explosive first quarter, hooking up with Brielle Rosemond for TD passes covering 9 and 24 yards. She also threw a short 3-yarder to Nina Ott, then retired to the sidelines to watch her heir apparent in action.

Martin certainly looked better than Roosevelt’s Makaylah Robinson, who was just 5-of-23 for 43 yards passing and coughed up all 7 of those interceptions.

“I did feel a little rusty when I was warming up,” said the ETHS sophomore. “This is the first time I’ve played quarterback in a game since Maggie couldn’t be at one of the (Nike League) summer games. But I’m not worried about next year. I’ll get in a lot of work over the (upcoming) summer to prepare.

“My first love has always been playing safety, and as long as I get to play there, I’m happy. I wasn’t really tested today (by no real pass rush from Roosevelt’s defense), but I’m happy with the way things went. I think my strength as a quarterback is that I’m not afraid to use my legs. And I know I’ll be able to make the reads I need to make once I get used to playing quarterback again.”

Martin pulled off one of those interceptions --- “KyNia actually tipped it to me” --- for the defensive unit. Harper Wesenberg and Kiernan Kasprzycki were also credited with picks for the winners.

On offense, the Wildkits shared the wealth as 8 different players scored TDs. Ott (3-yard reception, 20-yard run) and Zahria Cruz (24-yard catch, 20-yard run) showed the way for the ETHS reserves and both of them added PAT catches to their individual resumes.

The winners also counted TD passes to Bella Henderson (13 yards), Katie Lindsay-Ryan (5 yards) and Meri Croft (3 yards).