Carmel well-equipped for postseason run
When Carmel coach Andy Bitto wakes up Saturday morning, he and the members of the Corsairs football team won't dread heading back to the school.
After all, it isn't equipment turn-in day at Carmel this year.
"We have to get up and be here by 8," Bitto told his more than jubilant football team. "We got to prepare for a playoff game - a lot better than turning in our gear."
Carmel had some wiggle room with playoff points accrued and probably would have advanced to the postseason with just 5 wins. But the Corsairs sure feel better with victory No. 6 in the bag.
With a resounding 31-17 win over visiting Notre Dame on Friday night at Baker Stadium, Carmel (6-3, 5-2) officially returns to the postseason for the first time since 2011 while at the same time eliminating Notre Dame (4-5, 3-4) from playoff contention.
"I read a line from Bette Davis one time," Bitto said. "She said, 'I grew up poor and then I was rich - and being rich was more fun.' I think being in the playoffs is much more fun."
The fun started early for Carmel as the hosts sped out to a 7-0 lead on the opening possession of the night. Senior quarterback Michael Huiras raced 21 yards on the fifth play from scrimmage to cap an 81-yard drive giving the hosts a 7-0 advantage.
Huiras ran the Corsairs' triple-option attack to near perfection as he ran for 110 yards on only 14 carries.
"I didn't know before the season if I would be the starter so I worked my butt off and tried to make my teammates proud of me," Huiras said. "I also have to give a lot of credit to my offensive line for all the work they did tonight."
When Huiras wasn't running, he was handing it off to talented sophomore Rondel Jamison, who found the end zone on three separate occasions, including a 17-yarder on the first playoff the second quarter that gave the Corsairs the lead for good at 14-7. Jamison eclipsed the 100-yard mark again, finishing with 152 yards on 24 carries.
"I have so much trust in him - I trust him with my life," Huiras said of Jamison. "He is such an incredibly talented kid and he's only a sophomore."
The Dons threatened to tie the game up just before halftime after a long interception return by Tim Simon put the visitors inside the Carmel 10. But the Corsairs defense came up with a key stop and limited the Dons to just a field goal.
"We went in at halftime and felt pretty good about ourselves, holding them to a field goal there," Bitto said. "I thought we responded well after that."
Carmel broke the game open in the third quarter, limiting Notre Dame to 34 yards in the period. Meanwhile, the combination of Huiras and Jamison was too much to stop for Notre Dame.
Jamison hit the end zone twice more from 1 and 3 yards in the third quarter to move the Corsairs in front 28-10.
"We have built a pretty strong group here - they are like a family to me," Jamison said. "I am just glad I am a part of this."