Late touchdown lifts DePaul Prep past Carmel
This game featured a little of everything — lead changes, controversy, plenty of late-game drama and an October surprise.
DePaul Prep rallied from a 16-7 halftime deficit to beat Carmel 25-22 on a perfect Friday night on Chicago's North Side.
“Carmel's good,” DePaul coach Mike Passarella said. “This was a dogfight on both sides all night long. We were just able to finish it off at the end and wear them out and grind them out in the fourth quarter and move the ball a little bit on the ground.”
In the fourth quarter, Carmel delivered a clutch 80-yard drive and took a 22-17 lead with 3:12 left. Jordan McKie moved over from the defensive side to score on a 9-yard run, his only carry of the night.
The host Rams (6-1) answered back with their own 80-yard drive, with quarterback Juju Rodriguez hitting Matthew Osterman for a 20-yard TD pass with 42 seconds left. On the last gasp drive, Carmel crossed midfield and sophomore QB Trae Taylor nearly hit Jameer Miles in stride in the end zone, but the ball was tipped away by the DePaul DB at the last moment.
Taylor went 18-for-30 through the air for 190 yards. After the game, Michigan offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell stopped by to chat with Taylor, who has an offer from the Wolverines.
“In my eyes, we can't not score a single point in the third quarter and expect to win,” Taylor said. “I just need to play the game more easy. I feel like I made it a little too complicated. Get back to the drawing board, watch some film, see what we can fix up for next week.”
Carmel's senior running back Donnie Dey limped off the field after his second carry of the night. He came back out later and converted a third down with a 7-yard run, but limped off again and did not return. Sophomore Michael Pierre had 61 yards on 16 carries, including a 33-yarder for the Corsairs' first touchdown of the game.
There was one bad break that could have cost Carmel. Between the third and fourth quarters, the Corsairs had a third down at the 21-yard line. The sticks were in the wrong place when the teams moved to the other end of the field and the referees placed the ball at the 26 to start the fourth. One play later, Jack Doyle missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt. It was well short, but he should have been 5 yards closer. Doyle hit a 39-yarder to end the first half.
Overall, Carmel's defense dominated the first half, limiting DePaul to just 28 yards rushing. In the second half, the Rams offense looked completely different. They drove for a touchdown to start the third quarter, then recovered a surprise onside kick, and a 42-yard field goal by Emmett McCue put DePaul in front 17-16.
“We didn't have school today,” Passarelli said. “I know when things are thrown off a routine, we're a little sluggish. But this team has persevered for the past three years. We've got a three-year starter at quarterback, running back and center. Those are our main guys.”
DePaul RB Nick Martinez had 89 of his 97 rushing yards in the second half. Rodriguez finished with 193 passing yards. Carmel's Kwintin King had an interception and forced fumble to keep the Corsairs in contention.
“Just as a whole defense, we needed to execute more,” King said. “We know what we need to work on for next week and execution is the main thing. It's more so on us and our execution.”
Carmel (3-4) needs to win both its remaining games against Loyola and Fenwick to be playoff eligible.