Competition brings out the best in Carmel's Serio

Two-a-day football practices are often grueling, which is why Carmel quarterback Brian Serio rarely made plans beyond them.

"I usually came home and just slept for the rest of the day," Serio said of the double sessions in August during preseason camp. "It was exhausting."

From toe-to head, so to speak.

Not only was Serio's body spent, so was his mind.

For him, preseason practices were as much a mental challenge as they were a physical test.

Serio, a junior and the younger brother of Mike Serio, one of Carmel's all-time great fullbacks, was in the fight of his young career this summer. He was competing for the starting quarterback spot with veteran senior Larry Amato, who had started a few games last season.

The two were put on notice by head coach Andy Bitto that the starting quarterback spot was completely up for grabs and that they had better bring their A-games to practice every single day if they wanted the job.

Serio wound up winning it, and has since led Carmel to a 2-1 start that includes a big win over neighborhood rival Libertyville and last week's victory over Marist, in which all three of his completions (163 yards total) went for touchdowns.

Yet despite how good the results look now, Serio will tell you that his path to becoming the first-stringer was anything but a first-rate experience.

"At first, when we were back in camp competing every day, it was kind of awful for me, very stressful," Serio said. "I was definitely the second-string quarterback coming in. Larry is a great player and he started some playoff games last year and it's like 'How do you beat out that?' I was pretty nervous.

"I was making the same mistakes over and over again. I was rushing, not taking my time. I just wasn't looking too good. I got better as time went on, but I didn't think I would get the job."

And so it was with a bit of surprise that Serio entered Opening Night.

Bitto had decided to extend the competition at quarterback into the first game, against none other than mighty Joliet Catholic.

Both Serio, a quick, elusive runner, and Amato, a savvy, skilled passer, would get equal time with the offense. What they did with it would determine who got the start in Week 2, and likely beyond.

"So not only is the first game still a tryout, but we're having to try out against one of the best schools in the state," Serio said with a laugh. "That was stressful."

But at least Bitto knew he'd get an answer.

"(Serio and Amato) were even going into that game," Bitto said. "We thought, 'What better way to determine (the starter) than in a game situation?'"

Ironically, Amato wound up leading Carmel to its only offensive touchdown in Carmel's 19-16 loss to Joliet Catholic. But it was Serio who moved the ball up and down the field more efficiently.

And that got Bitto's attention.

"I was surprised I got the job, but happy because I had so much fun during the time I got to play (against Joliet Catholic)," Serio said. "It was like 'Wow, this is awesome, I need to keep this job.' I think just that feeling has made me keep working hard."

Knowing that Amato is on stand-by has kept the fire lit, too.

"It's pretty much understood that if I screw up, Larry's going in," Serio said with a laugh. "It's true, though. We all know it and I think that helps me push it and stay motivated to play my best."

Truth is, Amato is also helping Serio play his best.

Serio's not sure how he would have handled Amato being named the starter, but he is certain that Amato couldn't have been any classier.

"We never got mean about (the competition) Not at all. Larry's a great friend," Serio said. "He's been great. During games, he's always telling me what to look for, what to try. He helps me out a lot. He helps me get better."

It used to be older brother Mike who filled that role for Serio.

Mike is seven years older than Brian, a 2004 Carmel graduate who is now 23 and working at a Wall Street firm as a bonds trader. It's his first job after a successful run at the University of Chicago, where he majored in economics and played both football and baseball.

Interestingly, Mike also had to beat out an extremely formidable teammate for his starting job at Carmel.

The spot in question was at fullback. And according to Bitto, the job had belonged to Sean Walker.

"Sean Walker was this great athlete, a senior and an all-state baseball player but we ended up moving him to wide receiver because Mike beat him out as a junior," Bitto said. "That's how good Mike was."

Just like his younger brother, Mike didn't make the climb easily. He was tested physically and mentally like never before.

"I remember that. Sean had the spot and there were a lot of things I had to improve on," Mike Serio said. "It was a lot of hard work and I've talked to Brian about how difficult it was. I think the biggest lesson I learned from that was to never give up."

Clearly, Serio never did.

Serio rolled up the yardage as a junior, and as a senior the following season, he was a key component of Carmel's 2003 state championship team. In fact, he set an IHSA Class 6A title game record for his 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Bloomington.

Brian remembers it well.

"That's my best memory of that season. I was so proud of Mike," said Brian, who was about 10 years old at the time. "That was such a great football team and Mike and the other guys on the team let some of us younger brothers hang out with them. We'd go over to people's houses after the games and hang out, have dinner. It was great. Just being around all that got me really excited about football and about Carmel.

"It made me want to get to do all of that, too."

In fact, Brian would love to follow directly in the footsteps of his highly successful older brother - in football, in academics, and in life.

But-

"It's a lot to live up to," Serio laughed.

Then again, Serio is used to measuring up.

pbabcock@dailyherald.com