Mount Carmel secured a 38-21 victory over Loyola in a Catholic League Blue matchup on Friday in Wilmette, highlighted by a spectacular 99-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brady Cloherty. Facing a rare predicament backed up at their own 1-yard line, the senior quarterback connected with junior wide receiver Marshaun Thornton near midfield, who then outran defenders to complete the play.
Cloherty, a transfer from Plainfield East, delivered an outstanding performance, completing 22 of 37 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns. The Caravan improved to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play, tying with Loyola (8-1, 2-1) and Brother Rice (7-2, 2-1) for the Catholic League Blue title. This offensive milestone comes in the first game under assistant coach and former Mount Carmel standout Jordan Lynch, who praised Cloherty’s passing amid challenging windy conditions.
Despite gusts blowing north to south, Cloherty thrived throwing both into and with the wind. The Mount Carmel offense, running an air raid scheme favored by Lynch, took advantage of a talented receiving corps that included senior Michigan commit Quentin Burrell, who scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 27-yard pass, and junior tight end Ty Kennedy, who caught seven passes for 115 yards. Thornton finished with seven receptions for 142 yards, while senior wide receiver Duran Sims contributed two touchdown catches.
The game was close at halftime with Loyola leading 14-10 after junior quarterback Matthew Lee opened the scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Jordan McKinley. Loyola benefited from a key interception by linebacker Will Mettee, a Boston College recruit, which led to McKinley’s second touchdown before the break. However, Loyola’s offense struggled in the second half, unable to establish momentum either on the ground or through the air.
Loyola junior running back Melo Maldonado, who had posed a threat throughout the game, was contained near the goal line late in the third quarter on a crucial fourth-down stop at the 1-yard line. Loyola coach John Holecek commended the Caravan’s defense and singled out safety Tavares Harrington for his impactful play.
Cloherty initially wasn’t the starting quarterback, taking over after senior Ryder Startz was injured in the season opener. He credited Lynch with helping him adjust to the Mount Carmel offense, emphasizing the team’s camaraderie. The victory extends the Caravan’s winning streak to three games as they prepare for the playoffs, where Mount Carmel is projected to enter as the No. 8 seed in Class 8A, with Loyola expected to be the No. 3 seed.
Mount Carmel now shares the lead in one of the state’s most competitive Catholic League divisions and looks to build on its strong finish heading into postseason play.