Domer, Caravan plow into title game
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — Mount Carmel went back to the basics.
Now the defending Class 8A champion is back in a state title game.
Senior running back Matt Domer scored three touchdowns, including a 49-yard run on Mount Carmel’s first play from scrimmage, as the Caravan rolled past Edwardsville 34-7 in a Class 7A semifinal Saturday.
Mount Carmel (12-1), which didn’t attempt a pass — except on a two-point conversion — advanced to a state title game for a record-tying 17th time. It will face Lake Zurich at 4 p.m. next Saturday at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.
“We didn’t do anything different, we played our football,” Domer said. “The coaches got on us this week and we stepped it up in practice.
“It feels amazing. To go-back-toback is the goal.”
Mount Carmel wasn’t happy with its offense following a 7-0 win over Downers North in the quarterfinal.
“We told the kids that we had an off-week last week,” Mount Carmel coach Frank Lenti said. “We stepped it up. We weren’t the top seed and came down here as the underdog, so the whole thing was to start fast.”
Edwardsville (12-1) converted a first down on the game’s opening drive, but was then forced to punt.
Mount Carmel took over at the Tigers 49-yard line and the offensive line opened a hole that allowed Domer to race into the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 9:09 left in the first quarter.
“Our job is to make an alley and have the guys go right through it,” center Luke Cipich said. “Working on the offense was completely our focus this week. We jumped on them early and kept the pedal down.
“This will be my first time at state and it feels awesome.”
Domer, who finished with 22 carries for 176 yards, appreciated his line’s performance.
“I just give credit to my line and my coaches,” Domer said. “That [first touchdown] was definitely a momentum changer.”
Deontae Brown intercepted a Dan Marinko pass on the Tigers’ next possession and returned it 26 yards. Four plays later, Jimmy Mickens (16 carries, 67 yards) scored on a nine-yard run and the Caravan led 13-0 midway through the opening quarter.
Following a short punt against the wind, the Caravan traveled 38 yards in nine plays. Domer capped off the drive with an 11-yard scoring run and a two-point conversion made the score 21-0 with 16.7 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Tigers threatened to score late in the second quarter, but Brown recovered a fumble at the Caravan one-yard line to thwart the drive.
“I just saw one of my teammates knock the ball loose,” Brown said. “It was a real big play and I wanted to make it for my team.”
Marinko (14-for-36, 140 yards) had a one-yard touchdown pass to Darius Crochrell with 1:33 to play in the third period to cut the lead to 21-7. The Tigers then forced a fumble and reached the Caravan 24, but turned the ball over on downs.
Domer scored from four yards out and Jaquan Buntyn plowed in from a yard out to cap the scoring in the fourth quarter.
Edwardsville was held to 18 yards rushing and 158 total yards.
“It feels great,” Brown said of getting to the state title game again. “It feels even better this year because I’ve got a chance for two.”