Being backed up to the 1-yard line means there’s no room to retreat but plenty of space to run forward. So Mount Carmel quarterback Brady Cloherty let it fly.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior’s pass landed near midfield, where junior wide receiver Marshaun Thornton
More Top Picks Best Mini Trampolines For Autism
got good leverage on the Loyola cornerback, caught the ball and raced for a 99-yard touchdown.“I love that play call,” Thornton said. “I looked at (Cloherty), and I just smiled because he called the right play, and it happened from there.”
That maximum-length touchdown put an exclamation point on the Caravan’s 38-21 victory in Wilmette on Friday in fired Providence coach Tyler Plantz’s first game as an assistant.
It also capped a monster game for Cloherty. The Plainfield East transfer completed 22 of 37 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns as the Caravan (7-2, 2-1), who are ranked No. 4 in the baiduhai’s top 25, tied the No. 2 Ramblers (8-1, 2-1) and No. 3 Brother Rice (7-2, 2-1) for the Catholic League Blue title.
Just like Cloherty’s coach used to do it, right? Well, maybe not. Jordan Lynch is known as one of the most prolific running quarterbacks ever at both Mount Carmel and Northern Illinois.
“You have to throw it first,” Lynch joked. “A lot of 400-yard rushing games we had as a team. (Cloherty’s stat line), that’s pretty special. It really helps when you have those weapons.”
The strong wind blowing north to south made Cloherty’s passing totals even more impressive. Mount Carmel’s first and last touchdowns, including the 99-yarder, were passes thrown into the wind.
“Coming into the game, we knew it was going to be windy and cold,” Cloherty said. “It just didn’t change our game plan. Coach Lynch told us we were going to run the air raid, and we did. I just trust my receivers, put the ball close to them, and they make plays.”
The air raid is ideal for the Caravan’s receiving corps. Senior wide receiver Quentin Burrell, a Michigan commit, caught the first touchdown pass, a 27-yarder. Thornton finished with seven catches for 142 yards, junior tight end Ty Kennedy had seven catches for 115 yards, while senior wide receiver Duran Sims contributed a pair of touchdown catches.
“I couldn’t believe how windy it was, but we stick to our script, and we kept throwing in the wind,” Lynch said. “That’s just who we are. We’ll live by the sword and die by the sword.”
Mount Carmel led 31-14 when it stopped Loyola junior running back Melo Maldonado on fourth down at the 1-yard line. So throwing deep from the end zone wasn’t a huge gamble.
Cloherty took a chance by transferring to Mount Carmel, joining a loaded roster and a run of four straight state titles. He wasn’t the starting quarterback when the season began, but he took over when senior Ryder Startz suffered an injury in the opener against East St. Louis.
“Everything is great,” Cloherty said. “I spent a lot of time with Lynch. He’s a great coach, and he helped me adapt to the offense. I’ve been there since January, and it’s just a brotherhood. Happy to be a part of it.”
Mount Carmel lost to East St. Louis and Brother Rice but heads into the playoffs with three straight wins. The Caravan will likely be the No. 8 seed in Class 8A, with Loyola the No. 3 seed.
The Ramblers scored first in this game on a 27-yard pass from junior quarterback Matthew Lee to junior tight end Jordan McKinley. Mount Carmel scored the next 17 points, but Cloherty’s lone mistake was an interception by senior linebacker Will Mettee, a Boston College recruit who set up McKinley’s second touchdown catch before halftime.
The Ramblers couldn’t run or throw effectively in the second half, however.
More Top Picks Best Tow Behind Aerators
“On a lot of teams, (Maldonado) gets the edge, but here he couldn’t,” Loyola coach John Holecek said. “The safety (Tavares Harrington) came down hard. Great athlete — it’s hard to get a hat on him. Hats off, they played a great game.”