High school football: Four downs from Week 1

Top-ranked Mount Carmel delivered on Friday, taking down St. Rita with ease in the 100th matchup between the South Side rivals.

Caravan quarterback Blainey Dowling’s maturation was the story of the game. He’s bigger and stronger this season and his accuracy was impeccable. Dowling was 19-for-21 passing for 318 yards and five touchdowns. He connected with seven different receivers.

One player that seems to get lost in the hype around all of Mount Carmel’s future college players is wide receiver Denny Furlong. Last season it was Furlong’s nine-yard touchdown run on that untimed down in overtime that beat Batavia in the second round of the Class 7A state playoffs.

It was a play designed for Furlong to take the handoff and pass to Damarion Arrington. Furlong made the split-second decision to run instead and it gave the Caravan a magical victory.

Furlong (5-11, 185 pounds) was Mount Carmel’s leading receiver last season with 30 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns. He was a force in Week 1 against St. Rita, finishing with three catches for 97 yards. His 54-yard touchdown reception was the standout play of the game.

“He’s a kid that is under-recruited,” Caravan coach Jordan Lynch said. “That kid can play FCS Division I football. He’s a heck of a player that comes to work every single day.”

Freshman phenom

The week before the season Bolingbrook coach John Ivlow wasn’t sure which of his talented quarterbacks would start. Ivlow thought having two quarterbacks with “cannons” was a strength of the team and not an issue.

Freshman Jonas Williams got the job. And he delivered a spectacular debut in Week 1, leading the Raiders to a 49-12 win against Minooka, throwing for more than 400 yards and seven touchdowns.

Williams has two standout receivers to target in I’Marion Stewart and Kyan Berry-Johnson. Expect the Raiders’ offense to be one of the area’s most impressive units this season.

Bolingbrook will face Simeon at Gately on Saturday.

Young Mustangs debut

Morgan Park opened on Friday against Richards and wasn’t part of the three-game slate at Gately Stadium, which left them a big out of the spotlight in Week 1.

The Mustangs had the most impressive win of any Public League team in Week 1 though, knocking off Richards 30-2 at Gately. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs last season.

Morgan Park’s young stars all sparkled. Junior Tysean Griffin had nine carries for 97 yards and sophomore quarterback Marcus Thaxton was 13-for-24 passing for 172 yards and three touchdowns.

Jovan Clark, a highly-touted sophomore, was a force at linebacker. The Mustangs are the youngest of the elite Public League football teams but could wind up having the highest ceiling.

New factor in the Fox Valley

Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge have dominated the Fox Valley and the local scene in Class 6A for several years. The conference has been very solid overall, with Huntley featuring regularly in the Super 25 as well.

Late last season another Fox Valley team started opening eyes. Jacobs finished 8-4 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 7A state playoffs where it lost a tough game to Prospect.

The Golden Eagles opened the season in the preseason Super 25. They have a star in senior Grant Stec (6-6, 220 pounds). The tight end has offers from Cincinnati, Florida, Michigan State, Penn State, Syracuse, Tennessee, Wisconsin and seven other Power Five schools.

Jacobs knocked off Crystal Lake South 41-31 in Week 1 and racked up nearly 400 rushing yards, led by senior Antonio Brown with 18 carries for 163 yards.

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