The natural grass surface at St. Charles North was shredded and pockmarked on Saturday, which was inevitable after Carmel visited the North Stars for a first-round Class 7A playoff game that proved to be a classic.
Despite injuries and a brutally tough schedule, the Corsairs rallied in the season’s second half to earn the 24th seed in Class 7A. The Corsairs entered the playoffs 5-4 despite playing eight teams with a winning record.
Carmel wanted to make a statement in the playoff opener and extend its season.
“People doubted us this year,” sophomore fullback Sean Lynch said.
The Corsairs executed coach Andy Bitto’s playoff formula to the letter by dominating possession and rushing for 384 yards on an astounding 61 carries.
The only downside is handling the ball that much leaves a team vulnerable to the occasional turnover.
Carmel committed two game-changing fumbles that tipped the balance, as the Corsairs’ season came to an end in a 31-24 double-overtime loss that ended with an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal from the North Stars’ 6-yard line.
St. Charles North linebacker Eric Lins returned the first fumble 34 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Defensive back Tyler Nubin recovered the second fumble with under a minute to play in regulation after the Corsairs had entered the red zone with a potential game-winning field goal within reach.
“I knew going in we could not have any major turnovers, and we had two major turnovers,” Bitto said. “I am really proud of my kids. All year we really battled. We had some major injuries on our team.”
The Corsairs’ triple-option attack is a matchup nightmare and served as a window at what Carmel (5-5) could achieve in the years to come.
Junior running back Zaire Barnes has proven himself as one of the best players in his class. At 6-foot-2, he has ideal size and speed. He displayed vision, toughness and breakaway speed in scoring on runs of five and 58 yards in rushing for 171 yards in 22 carries.
“Zaire is a Division I player, and Lynch came and did very well,” Bitto said. “We would not have made the playoffs unless we had those guys on offense.”
Promoted to varsity for Week 7, Lynch demonstrated his ability to grind for yards between the tackles. But he’s also surprisingly fast for a fullback. His 70-yard first-quarter burst set up the Corsairs’ first touchdown, a three-yard run by senior quarterback Jeremy Strutzel.
Lynch rushed for 152 yards on 27 carries.
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“The coaches and all of my teammates really supported me once I came up,” Lynch said. “Everybody really pushed me to do well. I could not have done it without them. We all worked very hard, and it’s really a shame (the season) ended like this.”
Seven of the Corsairs’ games were decided in the fourth quarter or overtime. The team had an acute sense of timing.
“We wanted to win and advance,” Barnes said. “We played with a lot of determination. We did not get what we wanted, but when you look back, we can all say that we tried our best. In the end that is all you can ask for.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press