By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Mount Carmel’s plan was to open and close the season in Normal.
They wanted to open the 2023 campaign by beating then-nationally ranked East St. Louis in a neutral-site game at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University, then return 13 weeks later and a win a state championship.
Mission accomplished on both ends.
The Caravan wrapped up the season by winning the IHSA Class 7A title — their second consecutive championship and the 15th in program history — with a 35-10 victory over Downers Grove North on Nov. 25. Mount Carmel is tied with Joliet Catholic Academy for most state titles in Illinois history.
After the Caravan knocked off East St. Louis, 36-33, on Aug. 26, the team ran to the stands and had a postgame moment with the Caravan fans who made the trip. It was more of the same after the Downers Grove North triumph.
“It’s been kind of cool to just see the growth of the team from our Week 1 win all the way until now,” Caravan junior quarterback Jack Elliott said minutes after the game. “State champs. It’s just so surreal.
“Seeing that improvement and seeing the growth from every single person on the team is just surreal.”
The Caravan (13-1) took a 21-0 and never looked back. Elliott, an Orland Park resident, threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 74 yards and another TD.
Wisconsin commit Darrion Dupree closed out his high school career catching seven passes for 60 yards and running the ball 12 times for 78 yards. He missed the 2022 postseason with a toe injury but was able to play in all five playoff games this year.
“It hurt not playing last year,” Dupree said. “I was sad. I’m happy to be playing this year.”
Kevin Gardner nabbed five catches, two of them for touchdowns.
The only blemish on the Caravan’s record the past two year was a 23-21 loss at Loyola to close the regular season on Oct. 21.
It was a jolt the team ended up thriving from.
“We’re a totally different team from when we played Loyola,” Caravan coach Jordan Lynch said. “After that loss, we had a tough meeting [the following] Monday and everyone was held accountable, myself included.
“These teams that saw us in the playoffs saw a different Mount Carmel team. They saw a more explosive, dynamic offense and a defense that was hungry and aggressive.”
