Mount Carmel came out flat Saturday against Loyola. That was clear to everyone in attendance on the South Side. Senior linebacker Stephen Winkler, one of the Caravan’s captains, admitted it after the game.
Maybe that was understandable after Mount Carmel had beaten the Ramblers the week before, but it has been a habit for the Caravan this season and a regular feature under coach Jordan Lynch.
That’s about the only dent to be found in Mount Carmel’s armor. So far, the Caravan have lived up to all the preseason hype. Senior quarterback Emmett Dowling, in his first season as the starter, has been even better than expected.
‘‘I have to give props to the receivers, the offensive line and the defense,’’ Dowling said after the victory. ‘‘It’s not me making the plays, it’s them.’’
Dowling is humble, but he has become a star this season. He won the CCL/ESCC Blue Tony Lawless Player of the Year award this season and has expertly guided all the high-level talent around him.
Mount Carmel defensive lineman Caleb ‘‘Bonecrusher’’ Tucker limped off injured in the second quarter and didn’t return. Tucker, a 6-5, 355-pound sophomore, is one of the best players in the country. Losing him would have decimated most defenses. Just look at how Lincoln-Way East struggled when Illinois-bound defensive lineman Jacob Alexander went out.
The Caravan, however, didn’t miss a beat.
‘‘We were fine,’’ Winkler said. ‘‘I mean, it is obviously big because [Tucker] is awesome. But we have faith in everybody who is going to come and step up in his place.’’
Next up for Mount Carmel is a trip to Belleville East, a school in suburban St. Louis, in the second round. The Caravan are heavy favorites and, if they win, might host Lincoln-Way East in the quarterfinals. That would be the biggest game of the season so far.
Porter pride returns
In the last 10 years, four teams have won Class 8A state championships. Loyola has five titles, Lincoln-Way East two and Maine South one. Those are perennial powerhouse teams. There was no state title awarded in 2020 because of COVID.
Some fans might struggle to come up with the fourth team. It was Lockport in 2021. The Porters defeated Maine South 24-6 in the championship game after beating Loyola -35-21 in the semifinals.
Lockport hadn’t won a playoff game since 2021 — until Saturday, that is. The Porters topped Sandburg 21-14 on the road.
Lockport (7-3) has received some solid buzz lately. The Porters will host Homewood-Flossmoor in the second round. The Vikings defeated Lockport 28-13 in Week 3, so that will be a major test.
Shamrock success
St. Patrick’s splashy coaching hire of former NFL and Notre Dame star Tom Zbikowski has started well.
The Shamrocks (6-4) won the CCL/ESCC Purple this season and defeated unbeaten Wauconda in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. It was the first playoff victory for St. Patrick since 2021. The Shamrocks were 2-7 last season.
Public League football woes
Public League teams finished 0-15 against non-Public League teams in the first round of the state playoffs and were outscored 688-178.
Only three teams were competitive: Morgan Park in Class 5A, Sullivan in Class 2A and Crane in Class 1A.
Lane is still alive in Class 8A after beating Perspectives. Kenwood beat Prosser in Class 7A and will play at Lincoln-Way West in the second round. Simeon defeated Goode to reach the second round in Class 6A and will host Normal West this weekend.
King and Corliss advanced in Class 5A and will face each other in the second round.