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Saturday,
November 30, 2002
Bloomington, Pontiac set for
title shots
Mount Carmel past won't
deter Raiders in present 6A game
By Randy Kindred
Assistant sports editor
CHAMPAIGN -- The Illinois High School Association record
book lists nine state championships for Chicago Mount Carmel's football
program. One more, and the Caravan will tie Joliet Catholic for the most
titles.
Bloomington High School senior fullback Damon Mehlberg didn't have to
research Mount Carmel's storied past. He's heard all about it in
preparation for today's 10 a.m. Class 6A state championship game at
Memorial Stadium.
Finally, it was his turn.
"The team we're facing has never won a state championship. It's
all in their history," Mehlberg said. "I look at the tape, and
I just feel comfortable like I did last week."
Strong words?
Maybe.
But Mehlberg is not alone in downplaying the aura of Mount Carmel,
which won its most recent title two years ago.
"You have to look past the mystique or you're going to go into
the game losing it already," said BHS senior tackle Andrew Kernes.
"We have to go into it looking at it as another game and just stay
focused."
The Purple Raiders have met Mount Carmel twice in the playoffs, losing
to the Caravan 15-12 in 1990 and 37-14 in 1998. Both years, Mount Carmel
won championships.
BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer said it is impossible to win nine state
titles "without having the best kids there."
However ...
"This is not the same team we faced in 1998," Schmelzer
said. "There are not five Division I athletes out there this time.
There is one definite, and then they have some very good football
players. But we do, too."
Third-ranked BHS takes a 13-0 record into its second state title game.
The Raiders lost to New Lenox Providence, 9-3, in 1991 in their other
appearance.
No. 4-ranked Mount Carmel is 12-1 and, like most teams in Coach Frank
Lenti's 19 seasons, relies heavily on the running game.
The Caravan has 4,042 yards rushing and 837 passing. Four players have
570 or more yards on the ground, led by senior running back Greg Owens'
1,563 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10.2 average per carry.
"What impresses us is their ability to hit the hole,"
Schmelzer said. "We're very fast and we flow very well. Nobody is
going to turn the corner on us. I think we've shown that in the past.
"But they're not going to try to bounce it wide. They're going to
go right at you. They just run the ball and you have to stop them. Force
them to throw, and I think we're OK."
Making that a challenge is an offensive line led by right tackle Sean
Doheny and right guard Robbie Krutilla, both 6-foot-2, 285-pound seniors.
BHS' defense has been up to every test so far, allowing 5.7 points per
game. Lenti is leery of the Raiders' defenders, as well as an offense
paced by senior quarterback Andre Brown, junior tailback James Wade and
the 5-9, 213-pound Mehlberg.
"Their inside linebackers really stand out," Lenti said of
seniors Noah Wyatt (85 tackles) and Ryan Pankey (80). "Offensively,
pick your poison. Their quarterback is a great thrower and (Wade) is a
great runner.
"And their fullback (Mehlberg) will knock you on your fanny until
next week or gash you himself. They're all well-coached and they play
hard."
Mehlberg said the goal is to "wear out their defense like we have
everyone else."
Mount Carmel could have an edge in that regard. The Caravan has no
two-way players, while Mehlberg, Kernes and senior receiver/defensive
back Eric Esch start on both sides of the ball for BHS.
"We just have to go toe-to-toe with them," Schmelzer said.
"Our biggest fear will be them going 10, 12 plays at a time, long
drives that keep the ball away from our offense.
"Our offense has sputtered at times. If we go three and out or
give them the ball back, we're in for a long game. But if it's a
shootout, it's to our advantage."
Senior tackle Brett Sides said the Raiders must play with "a lot
of heart and determination" to win, adding, "There's no doubt
these guys are good, but we deserve to be here as well."
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