| Joliet Catholic rips 6A Champ Carmel |
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Mike Menozzi JolietCatholicFootball.com
Last year Carmel handed Joliet Catholic their only loss in route to the Hillmen’s eleventh state championship. Walking off the field with Coach Sharp last year it was obvious that the results of that game wouldn’t fade from memory quickly.
Carmel was hoping they could carry some of that momentum from last year into this game, but it wasn’t going to happen. The Hilltoppers ran through, around and over the Corsairs at will.
”Come on”, you might say, it couldn’t have been that easy.
Well, consider this:
- Carmel had 1 first down in the first half.
- Catholic had 31 first downs in the game
- Catholic turned the ball over twice, and only punted once. Every other time they touched the ball they scored.
- Catholic had over 500 yards of offense.
- Benson and McKeon were well over 100 yards, Clancy just short of the century mark.
- On the negative side, Catholic had to have been penalized for 150 yards
The first half
Carmel got the ball first and went three and out. Catholic got the ball back on the 22, McKeon ran for 14 yards, to the 36. Catholic was piling up the yards.
A slant pass to McKeon took the ball to the Carmel 20 but they fumbled and turned it over to the Corsairs.
A Pete Barney sack set Carmel back to the 15 before they punted again.
McKeon broke off a 40 yard run, before Clancy scored the games first TD 7-0 with the Platt kick.
Carmel went 3 and out again, but not before Pete Barney blocked the punt and recovered on the 8. McKeon and then Benson for the TD 14-0 with 1:31 left in the first quarter.
Carmel bobbled the kickoff but escaped running the ball to the JCA 15, they scores two plays later 14-7 JCA.
Catholic got a blocking below the waist penalty bringing the ball back to the 10. It mattered little, they could have doubled the length of the field and Carmel was not going to stop the Hilltoppers.
Carmel was within 1 TD, and had pinned JCA at their own 10, the team was jumping up and down, they had Catholic right where they wanted them . . . or did they?
Benson ripped of a 22 yard run, a slant pattern from Kiernan to Eastman for 22 yards, Benson for 13, Clancy for 9, Eastman for 40 yards, and Clancy added the TD from the 1 yard line. 21-7 with 9:17 left in the half. So much for being back in the game.
Carmel punts again, the ball went out of bounds at the JCA 15, but the refs marked it out at the 5. It appeared the refs wanted to see if JCA could go 95 yards for a TD.
A motion penalty then a McKeon run for 25 yards, Clancy for 9 yards, Benson for 5 and the ball was at their 45. Kiernan rolled right and Carmel FS Solan made a leaping interception.
Carmel made a switch at QB - #7 took over for the sophomore who couldn’t get the Corsair offense on track. It mattered little, Another punt for Carmel.
Eastman muffed the punt but returned it to the 18. After a motion penalty, with 1:57 left JCA started from our own 26. McKeon for 9, Benson for 18. Benson for 17 yards on a screen pass. With 33 seconds from the 33 it appeared the Hillmen would be held out of the end zone before the half.
Never, leave your seats early at the half to get to the concession stand early with this team on the field. On 4th and 10 from the 30 Kiernan hit on a 30 yard screen to Benson and the TD with 8 seconds left in the half.
28-7 at the half and Carmel was never in the game again.
Catholic moved the ball anyway they choose against the Carmel defense. Conversely, the Corsairs did nothing the entire half, save for the kick return to the 15 resulting in a TD.
The Second half
McKeon ran the ball back to the 34, Clancy for 9, Benson for 34, Benson for 5 more moved the ball to the 8, Clancy for the TD with 10:13 left in the 3rd. 35-7 the Hilltoppers were in total control.
Carmel finally mounted a drive that resulted in a 1 yard QB keeper 35-14 with 7:23 left in the 3rd.
Catholic was now about to shoot themselves in the foot . . . repeatedly.
McKeon fumbled but recovered it, followed by a delay of game, followed by a motion call, followed by a illegal block call moved the ball back to the 6. They recovered to the 19 and faced a 3rd and 11, but a draw only netted 1, so Catholic would punt for the first and last time in the game.
Carmel gained good field position fro the exchange, and took the punt at the 50. A complete pass and a roughing the passer put the ball at the Hillmen 26. Carmel drove to the 5, but had (maybe their only penalty) a 5 yard motion call against them. A completed pass to Carmel’s McGrath, but he was called for an obvious offensive pass interference. A 4th and 20 dictated Carmel attempt a 40 yard FG but it was wide left.
Catholic took over on the 20, a 15 yard run my McKeon, 13 yards by Clancy, and a 51 yard pass to Eastman for a TD, 42-14 with 11:51 left in the game.
Carmel tacked on another score, the Hilltoppers tacked on two. more scores.
Halfway through the 4th quarter, Benson had 160+ yards, McKeon had 140+ yards and Clancy had 75+. Kiernan had throw for right about 100 yards.
In Summary
This was a great tune up against a quality opponent for the playoffs. Carmel didn’t just suffer their 3rd defeat against 6 wins, It was the way they lost this one.
On the plus side, the Hillmen moved the ball on Carmel on the ground, and in the air any way they wanted to. Often in poor weather conditions as it was raining on and off during the game.
On the negative side there were way, way too many penalties, and we may have lost another offensive lineman to injury. Luckily, the first couple playoff games likely will give the Hillmen a couple games to recover from bumps and bruises.
In the end, the Corsair fans suffered the long drive home after the defeat this year. The loss places the Carmel Corsairs behind the 8 ball defending their 6A title. Likely opening the playoffs on the road, possibly not hosting a home game until the quarterfinals, if they advance that far.
As for Catholic, they are firmly in 5A, conference champs, undefeated, and likely a #1 seed. They’ll wait to see who the IHSA sends their way in round one when the pairings come out tomorrow night.
Congratulations Hillmen – another undefeated season. Best of luck in your quest for #12.
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