After transferring to Mount Carmel from Portage in Indiana, Ryan Scanlan isn’t just settling into a new school. He’s playing two sports in the same season while doing so.
Scanlan is a junior midfielder on the soccer team and is kicking for the Caravan’s four-time defending state champion football team.
Talk about a whirlwind — but Scanlan wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Two sports in a season is always rough,” Scanlan said. “It’s always a lot, and at Mount Carmel, it’s a bit more because it’s so intense here. But I love the challenge. I love the intensity. I love everything about it. I like where I’m at.”
The Caravan are certainly happy to have him on the soccer field. Scanlan scored two goals and dished out an assist Thursday night to lead the way for host Mount Carmel in a resounding 6-1 Catholic League Blue win over Brother Rice in Chicago.
Ethan Hamer also scored twice for the Caravan (6-4, 1-1). Kobe Chancellor and Mateo Sanchez also scored goals, while James Stosich made two saves.
Anthony Piech tallied off an assist from Brody Briggs for Brother Rice (3-4-1, 0-2-1).
Scanlan scored once in each half on similar plays. Both times he picked off a pass from a Brother Rice defender and quickly hammered the ball into the back of the net.
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First-year Mount Carmel coach Quinn Cloghessy, who formerly coached at Bishop Noll, said he and Scanlan have bonded over their Indiana roots.
“Ryan and I get along greatly,” Cloghessy said. “We’re both Northwest Indiana guys. It’s funny because before games he’ll be like, ‘Hey, can you compare whoever we’re playing to a school from the region?’ I’m like, ‘I can’t. I need a year here to be able to do that.’
“But he has such a drive and he wants to do well. He’s his harshest critic. He always works hard. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Cloghessy knows what kind of a time commitment it takes to play two sports in the same season and confirmed that Scanlan never slacks off.
Scanlan has gotten used to bouncing between the two.
“On a typical day, I’ll go to soccer practice first and then 30 minutes into practice, I’ll jump into football practice and do some kicking,” Scanlan said. “Then it’s back to soccer practice.
“Then I go home, do some homework and I’m back the next day.”
Hamer, who scored twice in the first three minutes Thursday night, knows all about what Scanlan is handling this fall.
The last two seasons, Hamer kicked for the Caravan in football. When Scanlan arrived at the school, Hamer stepped aside.
“Ryan’s a pretty good kicker,” Hamer said. “I didn’t really compare to him too well. I had to let him have his victory there.
“The football experience was great for me, but it was more just an experience for me and soccer is where I want to go. So if there’s someone else who can do the football part, I’d rather just stick with soccer and focus on that.”
Hamer pointed out that he has no bitterness toward Scanlan for taking his kicking job. It’s quite the opposite, in fact.
“We have a great connection on the soccer field and in school, too,” Hamer said. “He’s one of my close friends now. He has a great personality and he’s a great player.
“He knows exactly what to do on the field and he knows how to pick up our teammates and make everyone better.”
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With a 6:30 p.m. start for the soccer game after a football practice that followed a day of school, Thursday was one of the especially long days for Scanlan.
As far as he’s concerned, it’s worth it.
“It’s crazy sometimes, but I enjoy it and I know I’m going to miss it when it’s over,” Scanlan said. “I’m trying to take advantage of it now.”