Rejoice, high school football fans, because we are so back!
There couldn’t be a better way to kick off Labor Day weekend than with some thrilling Friday Night Lights action. And a bit of Saturday madness, granted most of that came 400 miles away.
Some points were certainly proven. New contenders emerged. The next wave of stars made their first marks on their programs.
Here are my takeaways from an eventful Week 1.
Statements were made at the top
The top three teams in the Daily Southtown’s rankings all emerged from tough opening games unscathed and certainly showed they are worthy of the hype.
We’ll start with Mount Carmel, which made the seven-hour bus ride to Ironton, Ohio, and took part in an absolute classic against nine-time state champion Moeller from Cincinnati.
Moeller took a 42-35 lead with 1:17 to go, setting the stage for senior quarterback Emmett Dowling to lead the Caravan on a memorable drive.
Dowling, the younger brother of former Caravan star quarterback Blainey Dowling, was solid filling in for all-state quarterback Jack Elliott last season when Elliott dealt with some injuries.
But this was Emmett’s first game as the full-time starter, stepping into big shoes. The final minute presented the ultimate opportunity to prove himself, and Dowling sure delivered.
As the clock ran out, junior running back Nathan Samuels scored on a 2-yard run. Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch elected to go for two and the win.
Dowling, who threw for 382 yards and four TDs, hit Quentin Burrell for the game-winning 2-point conversion and it was a happy trip home.
Dowling was named the game’s MVP on the same day his twin sister, Tessa, led the Marist girls volleyball team to the title of the 32-team Crimson Classic at Plainfield North.
While the Caravan were representing the Southland well out of state, Lincoln-Way East was asserting its dominance back in Illinois.
The Griffins went on the road and crushed Maine South 40-0, demolishing a team with huge expectations.
Talk about an opening statement. I certainly expected Lincoln-Way East to win this game, but who saw a running clock coming?
The Griffins shut out Indiana-bound quarterback Jameson Purcell, who had a whopping 64 pass attempts. They picked him off three times, with junior linebacker Jacob Onik returning one for a TD.
I haven’t even mentioned senior quarterback Jonas Williams yet. The USC recruit threw for 315 yards and four TDs. Business as usual.
Now, I’m not crazy enough to delude myself into thinking Loyola — which looked a bit vulnerable in a 21-14 win over Merrillville in Indiana — is going anywhere. And there are plenty of other contenders.
But I’m giving all the Southland fans permission to dream of a Mount Carmel vs. Lincoln-Way East battle in the Class 8A state championship game.
After Week 1, that sounds more fun than ever.
Oh, and while I believe the Caravan and Griffins are on another level compared to the rest of the area, let’s give some credit to No. 3 St. Rita.
The Mustangs were undervalued in most preseason rankings. Not here. St. Rita isn’t flashy but gets the job done in close games. That happened again in a big 28-21 victory over Marist as Brandon Johnson Jr. finished off a 4-yard TD run with 13 seconds left to seal things.
The stage is set
Week 2 is as good as it gets. There are four Top 10 matchups set for Friday night. This is my 18th season of covering football in the Southland, and I don’t know if I’ve seen a schedule as good as this one.
It’s No. 3 St. Rita at No. 1 Mount Carmel. It’s No. 7 Marist at No. 4 Brother Rice in the Battle of Pulaski. It’s No. 10 Providence at No. 6 Lincoln-Way Central in a crosstown clash in New Lenox. And it’s No. 9 Sandburg at No. 5 Richards.
For good measure, let’s toss in No. 8 Lincoln-Way West’s trip to Lockport, which was strongly considered for this week’s Top 10.
I can’t wait for Friday night. Stay tuned for my breakdowns and predictions of these games later in the week.
Most eye-opening score
Oak Lawn 58, Wheeling 0.
A tip of the cap to the Spartans, who snapped a 17-game losing streak in resounding fashion.
Junior running back Jayden Schlosser piled up 151 yards and two TDs on 10 carries, senior running back/receiver Alex Soto was a force on the ground and in the air and added two TDs, while junior linebacker Laith Abassi returned an interception for a score.
What a way to get back in the win column.
