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Mount Carmel hangs on to top Hinsdale C
Updated: October 29, 2011 9:30PM
Backed up on its 9-yard line with a 21-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, Mount Carmel needed to keep the ball to hold onto the advantage.
That’s exactly what the Caravan did. After losing two yards on first down, Mount Carmel put together a 93-yard, 11-play drive that ended with a one-yard dive by quarterback Don Butkus.
The touchdown helped Mount Carmel to a 28-14 victory over Hinsdale Central in a Class 8A opening-round game Saturday at Gately Stadium.
“That’s classic Mount Carmel,” coach Frank Lenti said of the long drive that left just 4:53 on the clock. “That’s what we do when we’re on our game. We thought we have to move the ball out of the shadow of our goal post.”
The offensive line of tackles Nick Roach and Sal Arceo, guards Brian Parker and Nick Dreixler and center Tom Scanlan gave Brandon Greer (24 carries, 202 yards) room to run and Butkus time to pass.
“Just punish them, get our backs into free space because nobody can stop them,” Roach said of the drive.
Greer had four carries for 45 yards on the march, and Butkus completed 15- and 11-yard passes to Frank Kelly.
“We just needed to step up,” Greer said. “Our coaches felt like we were playing down to their level. We needed to kick it in gear.”
Mount Carmel (7-3) will play at Bolingbrook (9-1) in the second round.
Greer’s 18-yard run and the first of four extra-point kicks by Ivan Strmic put Mount Carmel ahead 7-6 with 52 seconds left in the first half.
Butkus ran it in from 18 yards out early in the second half before Hinsdale Central (6-4) made it 14-14 after a Caravan turnover.
Draco Smith’s 37-yard run on the last play of the third quarter gave Mount Carmel a 21-14 advantage.
Teddy Kwasigroch scored two touchdowns (26 and nine yards) for Hinsdale Central.
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