Big game by Lynch lifts Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel quarterback Jordan Lynch pitches the ball to Milton Greer during the first quarter against Loyola.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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Mount Carmel quarterback Jordan Lynch, whose abundant running and passing skills remind of former Caravan star Donovan McNabb, said it would be ‘‘nice’’ if coach Frank Lenti scrapped his patented split back veer offense and switched to a spread.

‘‘But until they learn to stop the veer, he’ll keep running it,’’ Lynch said. ‘‘I’m going to a college (he is committed to Northern Illinois) that runs the spread.

Sure, sometimes I wish we were running a spread. But every week our offense is getting better and we believe in a system that works.’’

Lynch, a steady and sturdy 6-1, 205-pound senior, amassed 288 yards in total offense, ran for two touchdowns and passed for another as Mount Carmel punished Loyola 35-14 Friday in a duel of Catholic League Blue contenders at Gately Stadium.

Operating against a defense that had shut out its last three opponents, Mount Carmel (5-2, 2-2) broke a 7-7 tie as Milton Greer scored on a 32-yard run and Lynch threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Brett Butler.

Leading 21-14 at halftime, the Caravan took the second half kickoff and marched 67 yards to score on Lynch's five-yard keeper. In the fourth quarter, Lynch scored on a 56-yard run.

‘‘We had something to prove. You have to play hard every day,’’ said Lynch, who passed for 149 yards in the first half and ran for 117 yards in the second.

‘‘Our offensive line made my job easier. They got great push. It’s a big accomplishment to beat a tough team like this.’’

Loyola (5-2, 2-2) was led by quarterback Lucas Ruske (18 of 31, 163 yards), who threw a 25-yard scoring pass to Michael Johnson to tie it at 7. The Ramblers closed to 21-14, driving 67 yards to score on Begley's two-yard run with 41 seconds left in the first half. But they never got closer than Mount Carmel's 39 in the second half.

‘‘We've used three wide receivers with Lynch but we won't go to a spread. We know our offense won't change,’’ Lenti said. ‘‘When we faced adversity (back-to-back losses to Providence and St. Rita), we responded. Our offense is coming of age.’’