The largest crowd in Barda-Dowling Stadium history crammed in behind Mount Carmel on Friday.
It was the Caravan vs. Brother Rice, both South Side, all-boys schools entered undefeated. The Crusaders were riding high after knocking off the three-time defending Class 8A state champs, Loyola, earlier in the season.
No. 1 Mount Carmel’s defense thwarted No. 3 Brother Rice multiple times in the red zone to win 27-14.
“It got out that Brother Rice on their podcast or something said the defense was the soft part of our team,” Caravan coach Jordan Lynch said. “You can’t say that anymore. I’m proud of the guys.”
Crusaders quarterback CJ Gray valiantly extended plays and targeted receivers in the end zone, but the passes popped out or fell short.
“[Gray] is an athlete, and he’s tough to contain,” Mount Carmel linebacker Stephen Winkler said. “Credit to our [defensive backs]. They stayed on their guys.”
Gray, an Army recruit, connected with Collin Goggin for a five-yard TD with 7:16 left in the third quarter that pulled Brother Rice within 20-14. But the Crusaders (5-1, 1-1) never scored again.
Mount Carmel (6-0, 2-0 CCL/ESCC Blue) scored two minutes later on an eight-yard TD pass from Emmett Dowling to Marshaun Thornton.
Dowling was 24-for-37 for 351 yards with three TDs and no interceptions. Jamaris Brown caught a 54-yard TD late in the first quarter, and Duran Sims had a 5-yard TD catch early in the second quarter.
“It was packed, and we love that,” Dowling said. “The student section was huge, and it hasn’t always been like that the past few years.”
Thornton had seven catches for 77 yards. Quentin Burrell finished with five receptions for 86 yards. Junior Nathan Samuels had a breakout game with seven catches for 90 yards and seven carries for 24 yards and a TD.
“[Samuels] has always been a stud,” Dowling said. “We finally used him a lot and he’s a dog. He’s truly special.”
Defensive back Tavares Harrington had a key sack in the third quarter for the Caravan and Gabe Spencer came up with a huge interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
“It just showed the more conditioned team,” Lynch said. “It was bend don’t break and we toughened up in the red zone. They tried to pound the ball, and we stood up strong.”
Mount Carmel athletic director Phil Segroves said there were more than 4,000 fans in attendance. The small stadium is eight years old.
“That was the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here,” Harrington said. “I couldn’t hear the signals for the defense. But I love all the energy.”
Gray was 11-for-22 for 88 yards with one TD and on interceptions. Gray, Jameson Davis and Jaylin Green combined to run for 189 yards.
“Credit to Mount Carmel,” Brother Rice coach Casey Quedenfeld said. “[Lynch] does a phenomenal job. We feel that we lost that game. We had opportunities. Some things were out of our control.”
Quedenfeld was out on the field screaming for a timeout he didn’t get right before Brother Rice’s failed fourth down in Mount Carmel territory in the first quarter.
“When you are down there that much and you don’t punch it in you have this coming to you,” Quedenfeld said. “We will come back and be ready to go for the rest of the year. This is one game. It is not going to define us. But it definitely can open up our eyes to focus on the details a little bit more.”
Mount Carmel stops Brother Rice on another 4th down deep in Caravan territory.
Mount Carmel leads 27-14 heading into the 4Q. pic.twitter.com/Caqkj1IZKM
— Michael O’Brien (@michaelsobrien) October 4, 2025