Heading into the season, Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East were the two programs that many considered to be the best in the Chicago area and beyond.
The noise on social media surrounding the two grew even louder when they were set to meet in the Class 8A quarterfinals. The Caravan entered the game undefeated, while the Griffins had USC commit Jonas Williams, who was hoping to end his season with some hardware to go along with state records for career passing touchdowns and yards.
Williams set the career passing yardage mark in this game. But otherwise, it was all Mount Carmel, which led 42-7 at halftime en route to a 48-7 home win on Nov. 15.
“Teams have to beat us, not just a guy,” Caravan receiver Quentin Burrell said. “You have to outwork us. You have to outprep us. It can’t just be one guy.”
Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch wanted his players to raise the intensity level against Lincoln-Way East.
“When we came out (for) our last home game, we came out flat against Loyola,” Lynch said. “I did not feel the energy and that swagger we’ve had the last few years or so. When we’re a confident team, we go out there and feel it and that’s what I wanted to see.”
“Just be a real confident team and that’s what we brought,” defensive lineman Joey Quinn said. “We got our assignments done and when we made plays we just made sure the other team knew what we’re about.”
“That speech coach was giving us all week about swag, I feel like we just had to go out there and execute,” running back Nathan Samuels said. “We had a great week at practice. It was physical, and I feel like it showed.”
Samuels rushed for a game-high three touchdowns and 102 yards on 12 carries. He also had six catches for 91 yards.
The quarterback talk mostly surrounded Williams. But Caravan quarterback Emmett Dowling made sure to make a statement in the win.
“Everyone was saying he’s the best quarterback in the state and I took it a little personal,” Dowling said. “I wanted to show that I was a little better.”
He went 21-for-32 for 321 yards with four touchdowns, two to Burrell (five receptions, 72 yards) and one each to Marshaun Thornton and Jamari Brown.
“He’s a dog. I coached his brother and he was the exact same way,” Lynch said of Emmett Dowling and his brother Blainey. “Those guys are going to get the job done. There is no other quarterback I’d rather have in this program than him.”
Dowling and his offensive teammates did not wait much between their drives because the Caravan defense worked so quickly and effectively against the Griffins.
“Defense wins championship,” Dowling said. “It’s a lot easier when your defense is getting all these big stops and putting you in great field position.”
Quinn led the way with three sacks and sophomore Caleb “The Bonecrusher” Tucker added one.
“The energy — I felt like we were going downhill the whole game,” Quinn said. “There’s nothing stopping us, so I felt relentless.”
Roman Igwebuike and Tavares Harrington each had an interception.
Brown’s touchdown triggered a running clock with 10:57 left in the fourth quarter, a rare position for Lincoln-Way East to be on the wrong end of.
Mount Carmel will play Fremd at 5 p.m. Nov. 22 in the semifinals. Lynch does not want to see much change going into the game. And he definitely wants to continue with his team showing swagger.
“No, same message,” Lynch said.