Mount Carmel coach Frank Lenti pointed to a “young and inexperienced” offensive line as a reason the Caravan didn’t deserve the No. 1 preseason ranking that everyone gave them. The line is not green or inexperienced any more.
With three backs running for more than 100 yards each, the Caravan sewed up a fifth consecutive berth in the state semifinals by knocking off Marist 42-7 before a standing-room crowd of more than 6,000 in a Class 8A quarterfinal Friday night at Gately Stadium.
“It’s maturity and experience,” Lenti said. “We had to move people around until we had the right combination. And [quarterback] Jordan Lynch does so many things well. He makes us multidimensional on offense. We have three backs who can go the distance.”
After Mount Carmel (10-2) ran for almost 200 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, the ground game seemed to kick it up a gear in the third quarter. The Caravan took the second-half kick and moved 80 yards on 10 plays with Milton Greer (nine carries, 157 yards) scoring his third touchdown on a 13-yard run.
“Jordan gets the attention of the linebackers and the line blocks until the whistle blows,” Greer said. The offensive front five — Mike O’Brien, Tim Houghton, Mike Husar, Michael Rodriguez and Anthony Battle Jr. — owned the line of scrimmage.
After a Marist punt pinned the Caravan at its 2-yard-line, Byron Stanford (five carries, 116 yards) exploded into the secondary and went 98 yards to put Mount Carmel up 35-7.
“I was pretty tired,” Stanford said. “We were backed up and the linebacker blitzed. Our tight end and tackle picked it up and I took off.”
The Caravan capped the scoring with a 28-yard pass from sophomore Chris Sujka to tight end Jack Sherlock.
The RedHawks (9-3) took the opening kick and marched 80 yards in 17 plays capped by a one-yard scoring run by quarterback Mike Perrish. The drive ate up 9:08 of the first quarter.
But Mount Carmel answered in just over a minute as Greer broke loose on the east sideline for a 66-yard scoring run. The Caravan missed the PAT leaving Marist ahead 7-6.
After a three-and-out from its defense, Mount Carmel drove 52 yards in six plays with Greer scoring on a seven-yard run. Lynch (10 carries, 103 yards) ran in a two-point conversion for a 14-7 lead. After the defense forced another punt, the Caravan scored again as Lynch cut back across the field and ran in from 36 yards out to send the teams to the break.
“It was a great atmosphere, big crowd and a lot of people we know,” Lynch said. “Our line has come a long way. Before practice we work on chemistry and getting to know each other every day. I couldn’t ask for more. The line has a second and third push every play.”
Mount Carmel will play in a state semifinal for the fifth year in a row at the winner of Saturday night’s Hinsdale Central-Brother Rice quarterfinal.
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