Mount Carmel's Dominance Ends with Oswego's Defense: A Historic Four-Peat Secured
In a game that was expected to be a high-scoring affair, Mount Carmel's Caravan defense proved to be the difference maker, shutting down the Panthers' offense and leading their team to a 20-3 victory in the Class 8A state title game at Huskie Stadium.
The expectations were high for this year's Caravan, which boasted one of the most talented teams in Chicago high school football history. However, it was Oswego's stout defense that proved to be the undoing of their opponents' offense, holding them to just 109 yards passing and forcing them into costly mistakes.
"We are going to get everyone's best game," said quarterback Emmett Dowling, who threw for one touchdown but also struggled with accuracy in the cold and windy weather. "They played us tough. We started off slow. That's not what you want."
Despite the initial slow start, Mount Carmel's defense came to life, blocking an Oswego punt and scooping it up for a touchdown midway through the third quarter that put the Caravan ahead 14-3.
Senior Jamari Brown had seven catches for 56 yards for the Caravan, while senior Teddy Mannikas had four catches for 43 yards for the Panthers. The game's only other scoring play came late in the fourth quarter when Dowling found sophomore Marshaun Thornton with a four-yard pass for the Caravan's second score.
Oswego quarterback Drew Kleinhans was held to just 107 yards passing, one interception, and eight carries for 23 yards, while senior Jamari Brown had seven catches for 56 yards for the Caravan. Senior Teddy Mannikas had four catches for 43 yards for the Panthers.
"This team is going to mean a lot to the school and the community," said Oswego coach Brian Cooney. "The parents at Oswego are one of a kind."
For Mount Carmel, it was just their fifth state title since Jordan Lynch took over as head coach in 2019, and it completes a four-peat for the team. The Caravan won the Class 7A state title the last three seasons, and Loyola and Nazareth were both attempting four-peats this season, but didn't pull it off.
"It's hard to win," said Lynch. "And it is not common to do four in a row. But it is the second time in Mount Carmel history we have done it. These guys put in a lot of hard work and sacrifice and they deserve it all."
The win cements Mount Carmel's status as one of the top programs in Illinois, and sets up a new standard for excellence that will be difficult to match.
In a game that was expected to be a high-scoring affair, Mount Carmel's Caravan defense proved to be the difference maker, shutting down the Panthers' offense and leading their team to a 20-3 victory in the Class 8A state title game at Huskie Stadium.
The expectations were high for this year's Caravan, which boasted one of the most talented teams in Chicago high school football history. However, it was Oswego's stout defense that proved to be the undoing of their opponents' offense, holding them to just 109 yards passing and forcing them into costly mistakes.
"We are going to get everyone's best game," said quarterback Emmett Dowling, who threw for one touchdown but also struggled with accuracy in the cold and windy weather. "They played us tough. We started off slow. That's not what you want."
Despite the initial slow start, Mount Carmel's defense came to life, blocking an Oswego punt and scooping it up for a touchdown midway through the third quarter that put the Caravan ahead 14-3.
Senior Jamari Brown had seven catches for 56 yards for the Caravan, while senior Teddy Mannikas had four catches for 43 yards for the Panthers. The game's only other scoring play came late in the fourth quarter when Dowling found sophomore Marshaun Thornton with a four-yard pass for the Caravan's second score.
Oswego quarterback Drew Kleinhans was held to just 107 yards passing, one interception, and eight carries for 23 yards, while senior Jamari Brown had seven catches for 56 yards for the Caravan. Senior Teddy Mannikas had four catches for 43 yards for the Panthers.
"This team is going to mean a lot to the school and the community," said Oswego coach Brian Cooney. "The parents at Oswego are one of a kind."
For Mount Carmel, it was just their fifth state title since Jordan Lynch took over as head coach in 2019, and it completes a four-peat for the team. The Caravan won the Class 7A state title the last three seasons, and Loyola and Nazareth were both attempting four-peats this season, but didn't pull it off.
"It's hard to win," said Lynch. "And it is not common to do four in a row. But it is the second time in Mount Carmel history we have done it. These guys put in a lot of hard work and sacrifice and they deserve it all."
The win cements Mount Carmel's status as one of the top programs in Illinois, and sets up a new standard for excellence that will be difficult to match.
i've been following this team since jordan lynch took over in 2019 and it's just so surreal to see them win their fifth state title 
they're like the ultimate underdogs and i'm so hyped for them!!! i mean, can you even imagine how hard they must have worked to achieve this?!? i'm literally exhausted thinking about all the practice sessions and early morning runs 
senior jamari brown is my spirit animal lol he's like the ultimate leader 
and that defense on oswego? FOR. REAL. 
, i mean, 109 yards passing for Oswego? that's crazy low! and mount carmel's defense was like a brick wall, blocking that punt and turning it into a td 
. I mean, Oswego put it all on the line and came up just short. It's like life, you know? Sometimes we pour our hearts out and still don't get what we want. But that doesn't make it any less meaningful.
. For Oswego, it's about more than just a state title, it's about pride and unity among its players, parents, and fans. We can all learn from their energy and enthusiasm!
they played against oswego and their defense was super strong... it's kinda weird how much work goes into playing a game, like what's the point of all those practices and stuff? 
did i miss something?
they just couldn't move the ball at all! and to think they were expected to take down the 5-time state champ Caravan 
mount carmel's defense was EVERYTHING 
i'm low-key impressed by coach lynch, he really knows how to get the most out of his team 
On a more serious note, kudos to Mount Carmel for their fourth state title in a row! They must be doing something right. 
! i was on the edge of my seat watching them play Oswego, their defense was insane 
coach brian cooney is so proud of his team, it's clear he loves them 
. I mean, who needs personal fulfillment when you can just keep repeating yourself? And nice job, coach Lynch, you've managed to get another trophy without even having to, you know, try that hard 
. Can't wait to see what Mount Carmel does next season... maybe they can try something new, like a different system or strategy? Nah, probably not 
Did you see this game? 
91% completion rate on passes from Oswego! 
- they totally shut down Oswego's offense and made it impossible for them to score... i was on the edge of my seat watching this game, and when jamari brown scored that touchdown after blocking oswego's punt, i almost lost my breath 
especially since they were predicted to win lol what a game! 
his team played so smart and together it was beautiful to watch 
the defense was insane 
but overall congrats to mount carmel on their historic four-peat 
and coach Lynch is saying its hard to win but isnt that kinda obvious 
.