Mount Carmel, the four-time defending state champions, absolutely shocked the Illinois high school football scene Saturday night, pulling off a massive 21-16 upset win over the No. 1 seed Lincoln-Way East Griffins in the IHSA 8A quarterfinals. Talk about proving the doubters wrong, especially when you consider the Caravan rolled into this postseason as the No. 8 seed and a rare underdog. This was their biggest test yet on the quest for an insane fifth straight state title, and they delivered.
Overcoming the Doubts and the Early Holes
Let’s be real, the Caravan did themselves no favors early on. They were on the road against the top team, and heading into halftime, they were trailing 10-7. Penalties and what the team called “self-inflicted wounds” were absolutely killing their momentum. Quarterback Brady Cloherty did hit tight end Ty Kennedy for an opening-quarter touchdown, but even without their starting QB Evan LeFevour and running back Jayden Cawthon, the Griffins adjusted. They took away the deep shots Mount Carmel usually thrives on, especially when you consider they were averaging a ridiculous 43.6 points per game coming into this one. Senior wide receiver Quentin Burrell said it himself: “They were playing back, so we just took a lot of the short stuff. It was kind of frustrating, but we had to take what they gave us.” Senior middle linebacker Roman Igwebuike, a Notre Dame commit, summed up the entire vibe: “We beat them last year, but we still had a chip on our shoulder. I feel like we’ve been doubted too much this year and I feel like everybody knows what we’re capable of. They just keep doubting our program.”
The Comeback That Proved Everything
Even trailing for the majority of the game, this team stayed calm. Why? Because they’ve been there, done that. Senior defensive back Tavares Harrington put it perfectly: “To be honest, there was no anxiety or nerves. We’ve been in situations. We’ve been down 30 in Week 2. So we’ve experienced everything.” That experience kicked in at halftime. Harrington said they just went into the locker room, told everyone to “stay locked in and bring that energy,” admitting they “left a lot of plays out there in the first half.” And boy, did they find those plays. Mount Carmel finally put together a sustained drive, pushing from the end of the third quarter into the fourth. Cloherty was clutch, converting a pair of third downs and a huge fourth down. That drive culminated in a Duran Sims jet sweep touchdown, giving them the lead with 11:50 left in the third quarter. Then, just a couple drives later, after the defense forced a crucial interception, Cloherty hit Burrell for a 27-yard touchdown strike, extending their lead to 21-10 and essentially seizing control of the game. Burrell knew that defensive play was key: “The defense getting a turnover, that pick, gave us a little more momentum.” Cloherty finished the day 31 of 43 for 305 yards with two touchdowns, though he also threw two interceptions. Burrell snagged 11 catches, doing his part to keep the chains moving.
Mount Carmel is now off to the semifinals, keeping that quest for a fifth straight state title very much alive. Next up, they’ll face another challenge, but after knocking off the No. 1 seed as the No. 8, who’s going to doubt them now?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply