NORMAL—Jack Elliott burst onto the scene as a sophomore with a cross on a faux punt that helped Mount Carmel beat Loyola.
He took over the beginning quarterback job as a junior and at that time it appeared it might be troublesome to fill Blainey Dowling’s sneakers. Dowling set Mount Carmel passing information and led the Caravan to the Class 7A state title in 2022.
Elliott didn’t fill sneakers. He raised the bar. The Vanderbilt recruit led Mount Carmel to 24 wins and two state championships.
Elliott threw for a Class 7A title recreation document six touchdowns in Mount Carmel’s 55-34 win in opposition to Batavia on Saturday at ISU’s Hancock Stadium.
It’s fairly particular,” Elliott mentioned. “Not quite a lot of issues went proper this 12 months, particularly within the common season.”
It’s the sixteenth state championship for the Caravan. That’s a brand new document, breaking the tie with Joliet Catholic, which misplaced the Class 5A title recreation to Nazareth earlier on Saturday.
“We knew if we received that [Joliet Catholic] sat at 15 wins and we might be the kings of the state,” Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch mentioned. “Quantity 16 and three in a row. It feels particular.”
Elliott was 15-for-25 for 292 yards. He rushed eight occasions for 115 yards and a landing.
“He’s a winner. Each child at Mount Carmel is recruited to Mount Carmel. I keep in mind watching Jack in seventh and eighth grade. I haven’t seen a frontrunner like that on the sector. He’s an ideal match for Mount Carmel. It’s particular to have a child like that. Youngsters like him come round each 15 years or so.”
Lynch, who went on to be a Heisman Trophy nominee at NIU, graduated from Mount Carmel 15 years in the past.
The Caravan (11-3) scored two touchdowns within the first three minutes of the sport and by no means trailed. Batavia (12-2) minimize the Caravan’s result in seven factors on two events however Mount Carmel led 42-21 at halftime.
Mount Carmel dominated the Class 7A playoffs over the previous two seasons, successful ten video games by mixed rating of 499-204. The one group to come back inside one landing of the Caravan throughout the run was Regular, which Mount Carmel beat 49-42 within the semifinals final weekend.
It’s the fifth consecutive 12 months that the Caravan has ended Batavia’s season.
Batavia quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren, who solely turned the featured quarterback in Week 9, was 30 of 48 for 392 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
“I’m so happy with this group,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron mentioned. “What they did all through these playoffs was so joyful for our neighborhood.”
