Never let it be said that Mount Carmel’s Alek Thomas doesn’t appreciate second chances.
The senior quarterback’s first pass Friday night against Brother Rice was delivered right into the numbers of defensive back Jayshon Means and returned to the Caravan 14.
Two things happened next — Brother Rice failed to score following the turnover gift, and Thomas was nearly perfect the rest of the night in the Caravan’s 49-14 Catholic Blue win.
The win moves Mt. Carmel (4-2, 1-2) out of the cellar of the Catholic Blue.
“You just have to blow it out when something like that happens,” Thomas said of the early pick. “One turnover isn’t going to end the game. You’ve just got to keep looking forward to the next drive.”
Thomas finished with 101 yards rushing, 104 passing and three touchdowns. He completed 7 of 11 passes.
Two possessions after Thomas’ interception, Kyle Davis burst up the middle for a 67-yard score and the Caravan never looked back.
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Thomas helped his own cause midway through the second, returning Brother Rice’s punt 55 yards to the Crusader 27 and scoring five plays later on a 1-yard keeper.
He added a 13-yard TD just before the half to stake the Caravan to a 21-0 lead, and then broke things wide open with a 68-yard TD run on only his second carry of the second half.
Brother Rice (1-5, 0-2) received a 3-yard TD run from quarterback John Bean early in the second half and a 15-yard TD from Davion Ervin-Poindexter in the closing minute.
Bean was pressured all night by a Mount Carmel defense that registered five sacks. Beau Saunoris picked up a pair.
Aristotle Nakos added a 50-yard TD and backup quarterback Radomir Premovic scored on a 76-yard run for the Caravan.
Phil English is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.