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High school football: Mount Carmel beats Batavia for 7A title, completes perfect season
Mount Carmel’s Blainey Dowling (7) passes the ball against Batavia.
Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times
CHAMPAIGN — Mount Carmel didn’t leave anything to doubt on Saturday, solidly beating Batavia 44-20 in the Class 7A state championship game at Memorial Stadium.
The Caravan won its 14th state championship and completed a perfect, undefeated season that saw them hold the top ranking in the Super 25 from the preseason all the way through the final game of the year.
Mount Carmel (14-0) scored touchdowns on passes from Blainey Dowling to Jimmy Deacy on its first two drives.
Batavia (10-4) muffed the kickoff after the second touchdown and the Caravan took advantage with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Dowling to Jaden Bossie and it was 28-0.
Dowling threw for more than 200 yards with four touchdown passes.
Mount Carmel led 31-12 at halftime. The Bulldogs scored on a three-yard run by Ryan Whitwell and and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Boe to CJ Valente.
The Caravan didn’t let up, even scoring on a fake punt in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel’s punter and likely starting quarterback next season, threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Damarion Arrington to make it 44-12.
It’s Jordan Lynch’s second state championship as head coach. He also led the Caravan to the 7A title in 2019.
Mount Carmel won the 7A title in 2013, the 8A title in 2012, the 6A title in 2002 and 1988 and the Class 5A title in 2000, 1999, 1998, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1981 and 1980.
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