Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel cruise in Class 7A opener
Before a Class 7A opener in Machesney Park on Nov. 1, Mount Carmel and Harlem had never played each other.
The Huskies are likely fine with not seeing the Caravan again anytime soon, as the Caravan rolled to a 56-14 victory.
Playing only in the first half, Mount Carmel quarterback Jack Elliott completed 11 of 16 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns. Quentin Burrell was Elliott’s primary target, catching touchdown passes of 19, 5 and 40 yards. Burrell finished with six catches for 106 yards.
The Caravan (7-3) will host St. Charles North (9-1) in the second round at 5 p.m. Saturday. The North Stars beat Rolling Meadows 49-14 in their playoff opener.
Mount Carmel and St. Charles North have met once before, with the North Stars winning 27-21 in double overtime in the 2018 Class 7A semifinals.
The Caravan wasted no time taking a 7-0 lead against the Huskies, as Danyil Taylor Jr. (four carries, 72 yards) scored on a 30-yard run on the first possession.
A miscue on special teams gave the Caravan excellent field position when the Huskies’ punter dropped the snap, and Mount Carmel’s Duran Sims recovered the fumble at Harlem’s 19-yard line.
On the next play, Elliott connected with Burrell in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead at 7:40 of the opening period.
A 7-yard touchdown run up the middle by Madden Wilson (five carries, 47 yards) made it 21-0 Caravan.
On the ensuing possession, Harlem (7-3) attempted a fake punt, with its blocking back throwing a pass. However, it fell incomplete, and Mount Carmel took over at the Huskies’ 16-yard line. Following a holding penalty against the Caravan, Taylor scored for the second time on a 25-yard run, making it 28-0 with 1:40 left in the first quarter.
Elliott’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Burrell on a fade route to the left corner of the end zone widened the Caravan’s margin to 35-0 at 10:38 of the second quarter.
With 2:50 remaining in the half, Elliott found a wide-open Burrell for a 40-yard touchdown down the right sideline, pushing the score to 42-0.
Mount Carmel scored once more before halftime as backup quarterback Emmett Dowling (6 of 7 passing, 92 yards) hit Jake Carroll with an 18-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 49-0.
The Caravan’s final points came when Allen McCoy caught a 25-yard pass from Dowling down the right sideline, making it 56-7.
Also contributing to Mount Carmel’s offense was wide receiver Marshawn Thornton, who finished with three catches for 76 yards.
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