• BY JACK MOLITOR - JMOLITOR@VICAD.COM
• Originally published November 19, 2009 at 11:33 p.m., updated November 19, 2009 at 11:56 p.m.

Matt Mayes had been waiting all season for his number to be called.

When it finally was, he was determined not to disappoint.

With the most important game of the year on the line and the Flyers only up 7-3 on Houston Northland Christian in the third quarter on Friday, Mayes got his chance.

On a crucial third-and-five in Cougar territory but out of field goal range, St. Joseph quarterback Kevin Daniels lobbed a pass over the oncoming blitz and into the arms of Mayes.

He had clear field to run for a while.

As the seldom used senior tight end who was tasked with filling in for the injured Luke Dornak, Mayes said he was a little frustrated by his under-use, but that just made him more fired up when he got the ball.

Having already picked up the first down, Mayes made a little more out of the pass and picked up 20 yards, breaking a few tackles before finally being brought down at the 24-yard line.

"The ball has something about it that just makes you work harder and push a little more, looking for the end zone and everything," he said.

It fired everyone up. The sidelines were jumping with enthusiasm and the fans at Patti Welder Stadium who had been quiet for most of the game erupted. It reinvigorated an offense that had been devoid of big plays. Kamen Ruelas stomped for a touchdown on the very next play, giving the Flyers a more comfortable cushion.

It pumped Mayes up, too.

"It gave me a whole new energy to go out there on that play and get the job done," he said.

But the opportunity Mayes had been waiting for all season was a culmination of mostly unnoticed hard work.

"Filling in for Luke has been a pretty tough job. I've just been trying to hold up his standard," he said. "But throughout the season, I've been getting experience and I think I've filled his shoes well."

Mayes had only made two previous catches during the season and had been used primarily to block for Ruelas and the other running backs on run plays. The Flyers rarely pass, so even when they do, the fill-in was low on the list of options. It all made the reception in the critical moment that much more important to Mayes.

"Just getting to be part of the team and catching a pass like that is pretty special, especially since I've kind of been overlooked all year," he said.

But that could be changing. Mayes' catch was the longest pass play of the night for the Flyers, and at 6 feet, 3 inches, he provides Daniels with a big target over the middle.

And with some primary receivers still recovering from injury and illness, head coach John Mares said the tight end could quickly become an important piece of the offense. He said Mayes has been working hard and getting better with every game, and he was glad Mayes got a chance to prove himself on a key play.

"You've got to watch him. The defense has to keep an eye on him or he's going to hurt you," he said. "You've got a young man who has been waiting, waiting all year for the ball. And he proved that under pressure and in the big moment he can make the play."

Mayes said more opportunities might come his way in the Flyers' TAPPS Division II regional playoff game against Dallas Parish Episcopal, and just like last time, he needs to be prepared.

"Hopefully I'll be seeing the ball a little more. Hopefully we'll see more opportunities for me and for the rest of the team, trying to spread the ball around in our next game," he said. "Hopefully we can sneak in a few like that here and there and get some big yards."

As a senior, Mayes is also finding he needs to be prepared for the next phase of his life. He said he wants to go to college, but he's still not sure where.

"I'm not sure yet, but I want to major in engineering of some kind when I go," he said.

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