Mount Carmel Runs Wild, Ousts Hinsdale Central From Playoffs

Mount Carmel got 264 yards from running backs Brandon Greer and Draco Smith as the Caravan scored the last 14 points of the game and knocked Hinsdale Central out of the 8A football playoffs with a 28-14 win Saturday afternoon at Gately Stadium in Chicago.

Greer, a senior, led the way with 174 yards on 20 carries. Smith, a junior, ran for 90 on only six carries. Each back scored one touchdown.

Senior quarterback Danny Callahan got the start under center for Hinsdale Central in place of junior Brian Owens, who suffered a concussion during the Red Devils’ Oct. 21 loss to York. Callahan completed 5 of 13 passes for 71 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.  

Callahan said he was very excited to start Saturday and remembered that his first start as a sophomore came in the playoffs as a replacement for a concussed starter.

“It’s kind of an interesting cycle; I ended up where I started,” Callahan said.

Hinsdale Central head coach Rich Tarka said Callahan had taken a minority of practice reps since Owens took the starting job in week four.

“He played his heart out,” Tarka said of Callahan. “He’s a very capable young man and he did a great job.”

Teddy Kwasigroch scored both Hinsdale Central touchdowns. The junior running back finished with 67 yards on 16 carries.

Caravan junior quarterback Don Butkus completed 6 of 8 passes for 62 yards. He also carried the ball 11 times for 54 yards and scored two touchdowns, including the final score with 4:53 remaining in the fourth quarter that put the Caravan up two touchdowns.

After the defenses kept the game scoreless through one-and-a-half quarters, Kwasigroch scored the game’s first touchdown on a 26-yard dash with 3:28 remaining in the first half. Senior kicker Alex Georgelos’ extra-point attempt was blocked.

Greer answered on Mount Carmel’s ensuing possession with 44 yards on five carries. He finished the drive off with an 18-yard touchdown run to put the Caravan up 7-6 at halftime.

The home team kept the running game rolling on the first possession of the second half. It took the Caravan five plays to cover 72 yards and Butkus ran off the last 18 yards for his first touchdown.

“It’s very difficult to defend what they do,” Tarka said.

When the Red Devils overcommitted to the run, Mount Carmel would go with play-action passes. If Tarka’s defense stepped back and looked for the pass, the twin backs would eat up yards up the middle.

Mount Carmel fumbled away its next two possessions and, in between, Hinsdale Central got its second touchdown from Kwasigroch to tie the game at 14.

But after Smith scored on the final play of the third quarter, the Caravan got the ball back up seven points and proceeded to drive 91 yards over more than five minutes. Butkus plunged in from the 1-yard line with 4:53 remaining in the fourth.

“That’s classic Mount Carmel,” Caravan head coach Frank Lenti said. “That’s exactly what we do when we’re on our game.”

Tarka said his team had chances to make plays but didn’t capitalize.

“Against a good team like this, if you don’t take advantage of your opportunities, you may not get many more,” Tarka said.

Hinsdale Central finished 6-4 in Tarka’s first season as head coach and made the playoffs after missing them in 2010 for the first time since 2000.

“I know last year, not making the playoffs, was just a big burden that hung above us,” Callahan said. “In the offseason, and during the season, we laid it all out there,  got back to the playoffs and we would’ve liked to have gone further but it didn’t work out like that.”

Tarka said he was happy to make the playoffs, but didn’t sound completely satisfied.  

“I like to think this is just the beginning,” the coach said.