Mount Carmel Ends Loyola's Four-Year Playoff Streak in Thrilling Upset
In a stunning turn of events, Mount Carmel (10-0) defeated top-ranked Loyola 21-17 on Saturday in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs. The Caravan's victory marked the end of Loyola's four-year playoff streak and sent shockwaves throughout the football community.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout the contest. However, it was Mount Carmel wide receiver Marshaun Thornton who stole the show with a 92-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Dowling in the fourth quarter. The play capped off an impressive display of speed and agility by Thornton, who outmaneuvered two Loyola defenders en route to the end zone.
Thornton's magic was instrumental in securing the Caravan's victory, as they overcame a 17-14 deficit with just under 10 minutes remaining. Dowling found his trusty target on multiple occasions throughout the contest, and his poise in the pocket proved decisive in the face of Loyola's pressure.
Loyola coach Beau Desherow credited his team's resilience for their effort in the game, saying "I couldn't be more proud... We had a good plan in place. We talked about having that warrior's mentality. The guys fought to the very end. They executed our game plan. We just came up four points short."
Despite the loss, Loyola showed signs of improvement from their previous matchup against Mount Carmel last weekend. Malooney played the entire game and was 13-for-27 for 161 yards with a touchdown.
In contrast, Mount Carmel's performance was marked by maturity and poise. Lynch praised his team's ability to bounce back after a tough season, saying "The last two weeks, we were finally playing Loyola football... If it is easy, it won't feel worth it."
For the Caravan, who have now advanced to the next round of the playoffs, the road to state will undoubtedly be tougher. However, coach Jordan Lynch remains confident in his team's ability to overcome adversity. "It's awesome," he said. "I love it. We want it tough. We wanted Loyola."
In a stunning turn of events, Mount Carmel (10-0) defeated top-ranked Loyola 21-17 on Saturday in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs. The Caravan's victory marked the end of Loyola's four-year playoff streak and sent shockwaves throughout the football community.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout the contest. However, it was Mount Carmel wide receiver Marshaun Thornton who stole the show with a 92-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Dowling in the fourth quarter. The play capped off an impressive display of speed and agility by Thornton, who outmaneuvered two Loyola defenders en route to the end zone.
Thornton's magic was instrumental in securing the Caravan's victory, as they overcame a 17-14 deficit with just under 10 minutes remaining. Dowling found his trusty target on multiple occasions throughout the contest, and his poise in the pocket proved decisive in the face of Loyola's pressure.
Loyola coach Beau Desherow credited his team's resilience for their effort in the game, saying "I couldn't be more proud... We had a good plan in place. We talked about having that warrior's mentality. The guys fought to the very end. They executed our game plan. We just came up four points short."
Despite the loss, Loyola showed signs of improvement from their previous matchup against Mount Carmel last weekend. Malooney played the entire game and was 13-for-27 for 161 yards with a touchdown.
In contrast, Mount Carmel's performance was marked by maturity and poise. Lynch praised his team's ability to bounce back after a tough season, saying "The last two weeks, we were finally playing Loyola football... If it is easy, it won't feel worth it."
For the Caravan, who have now advanced to the next round of the playoffs, the road to state will undoubtedly be tougher. However, coach Jordan Lynch remains confident in his team's ability to overcome adversity. "It's awesome," he said. "I love it. We want it tough. We wanted Loyola."
i gotta give props to marshaun thornton though, dude is a baller! 92-yard touchdown pass in the 4th quarter? 
that's insane. but you know what's even crazier? loyola thought they were gonna cruise through this game, but mount carmel just brought their A-game and shut 'em down 
i love how coach lynch said "we want it tough" - like, he's not afraid to get his team in a grinder mentality 
the playoffs are gonna be lit with these two teams!
coach lynch looks like a GENIUS 
his team played with maturity and poise, loved how they bounced back from tough season 
gotta give it up for Loyola though, showed signs of improvement and gave it their all 
mount carmel's marshaun thornton is like a superhero out there 
92 yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter?! game changer, for sure. i love how loyola kept it close tho, they showed some great resilience. but mount carmel's maturity and poise were on full display, especially in the second half 
can't wait to see what happens next in the playoffs 
... it sounds like a scripted play just for the sake of making highlights go viral 
. And what about all those defenders getting beat on that play? Didn't anyone notice they were being torn apart by one player? 
. Give me a break...