Mount Carmel Knocks Out Neuqua In Overtime

Mount Carmel rolled into Naperville for Friday night's Class 8A second-round playoff matchup with Neuqua Valley with 10 state championships under its belt.

Neuqua had all of three playoff wins ever, including last week's victory over Downers Grove South in the first round.

Despite the differences in program pedigree, the Wildcats gave the Caravan all it could handle Friday night.

Neuqua never trailed in regulation, but Mount Carmel's Michael Banks was able to score a 10-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime and the Caravan defense made it stand up in a 21-14 overtime win over Neuqua.

"Coming into this game, we were supposed to lose by 14 points," Neuqua senior Trent Snyder said. "I think that gave us the most incentive. I don't ever want to be underestimated, and I thought we were tonight. We came out and made a statement that we weren't going to let them win this game without fighting for it."

The game was tied at 7-all through three quarters after first-quarter touchdowns by Snyder (1-yard run) and Mount Carmel quarterback Chris Sujka (70-yard run) before Neuqua (7-4) took the lead. T.J. Rhattigan saw his most significant action in the backfield since the Waubonsie Valley game in Week 7 and punched in a 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats a 14-7 lead.

After forcing a three-and-out from Mount Carmel (9-2), Neuqua marched the ball into the red zone, a 19-yard Rhattigan run keying the drive. But the Wildcats missed their second field-goal try of the game, which gave the ball back to Mount Carmel with 6:15 left in the fourth.

"I felt like we deserved to win this game tonight," Snyder said. "A couple of missed kicks, stuff like that, you find yourself winning the ballgame before overtime comes."

It looked like the Wildcats' defense was going to come through again on the next drive, but Sujka hit Marvin Carr for a 15-yard diving catch on a third-and-8 to keep the drive alive. A 31-yard run from Brandon Greer put the ball at the Neuqua 4-yard line, and two plays later Sujka sneaked in from 2 yards out to tie the game at 14-14 with 1:11 remaining in regulation.

"We had them third-and-long there, and if we get that stopped, they're likely going to punt," Neuqua coach Bryan Wells said. "Quite frankly, their kids executed on that drive. You have to tip your hat to them."

The Caravan got the first crack in overtime, and Banks made it look easy. Thanks to a key block from receiver Frank Kelly, Banks went in untouched from 10 yards out to put the pressure on the Warriors' offense.

"That was the same play that I scored on in regulation to make it 14-14," Sujka said. "This time, I just pitched it to Mike and Frank had a great block off the edge."

Snyder lost four yards on the first play of Neuqua's drive. Then Jeff Samuel hit Joey Rhattigan for a five-yard gain. After Snyder lost another yard to force a fourth-and-10, Samuel's pass to tight end Dan Menendez fell incomplete after his feet got tangled with the defender to set off a Mount Carmel celebration and end Neuqua's season.

"We should have won," Wells said. "That game was ours. We outplayed them the whole stinking game. That upsets me. But I'm not upset at my kids. I love these kids. This is a fantastic group. I'm sorry that this will be the last time I'll ever be on a football field with them."