Breaking through the line early in the second quarter, Mount Carmel’s Caleb Tucker wrapped up Marist quarterback Jake Fleming and kept pushing.
He didn’t even realize he’d knocked the ball loose on the play.
Behind him, teammate Ty Kennedy fell on the ball, giving the Caravan possession near midfield.
Mount Carmel scored on its first offensive play on the next possession, going up 35-7 on the way to a commanding 55-21 victory on Oct. 30 over Marist in the Class 8A first round.
Tucker finished with 3.5 sacks along with his forced fumble.
“I didn’t know the ball was out,” the junior defensive tackle said with a laugh. “I was definitely just pushing back. I was trying to push the ball out though. Only thing better than that, than a sack, would be an interception. That’s what I’m striving for.”
Mount Carmel (8-2) will host Barrington at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 in the second round.
Sophomore Alim Mitchell added two pass breakups for the Caravan against Marist (6-5).
Senior Brady Cloherty threw for 267 yards and four touchdowns on 14-for-18 passing, connecting with junior Marshaun Thornton (four catches, 26 yards, two TDs) and seniors Quentin Burrell (three catches, 81 yards, TD) and Duran Sims (four catches, 116 yards, TD).
Senior Nate Samuels had eight carries for 71 yards and two TDs.
Tucker, a 6-3, 355-pounder, is a three-year varsity player and a four-star recruit with 24 Division I offers.
Even as visits to Michigan, Miami, Texas, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Purdue have popped up, he’s keeping his head at the high school level.
He knows his recruiting will be there.
“My parents (Star and Kendrick) keep me on track no matter what, keep me on the right path,” Tucker said. “I’m very grateful for mine.”
Tucker was a constant presence in the Marist backfield as he piled up sacks. Mount Carmel had nine sacks as a team.
Junior Emmanuel McMoore added two of his own.
“My reaction is I see the ball, go get the ball,” Tucker said. “I’m mad (trying to get through the line) so I’m going to go get the ball. For me, it’s keeping my composure and using my speed and size.”
Tucker earned the nickname “Bonecrusher” as a 5-year-old.
He arrived at Mount Carmel as a highly-touted freshman already well known to football fans.
For those that didn’t know him, his imposing stature quickly reversed that.
Coach Jordan Lynch said Tucker has continued to work hard to improve each game and each season.
“Caleb is playing his butt off,” Lynch said. “You can’t teach size and he hogs up the middle. He’s getting better and better as the weeks go by. We’re glad to have him on our side.”
Seniors Conor Hunt (12-yard rushing TD, four catches, 73 yards), Nick Mayoski (32-yard receiving TD) and Joey Doyle (20-yard receiving TD) and juniors Jake Fleming (197 passing yards) and Jack Bullington (two passing TDs) led Marist.