Trailing entering the second half, Morgan Park opened the third period Friday night with a flourish against No. 4 Mount Carmel, recovering the half’s opening kickoff and punching in a quick touchdown.
After a sluggish first half, the Caravan wasted no time firing back with its own quick-strike offense.
Draco Smith’s 26-yard touchdown run capped a three-play, 58-yard drive in just 41 seconds as Mount Carmel blew open a close game en route to a 45-15 win at Gately Stadium.
Michael Domer rushed 12 times for 131 yards and two scores (24 and 68 yards) while Smith finished with six rushes for 50 yards and a score for Mount Carmel (2-0).
The Caravan scored twice more in the third quarter, with Domer’s 68-yard touchdown run and Jimmy Mickens scoring his first varsity touchdown, a 4-yard jaunt into the end zone late in the quarter.
Mount Carmel’s defense shut down the Morgan Park offense, chasing quarterback Andre Newell into an 8-of-20 day passing for 138 yards with a touchdown and interception.
After the Mustangs (1-1) recovered the second half’s opening kickoff, a scrambling Newell found Theodore Jones for a 37-yard touchdown strike on a third and long.
Mount Carmel led 17-0 at halftime.
