O’Brien: Week 3’s four downs

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Mount Carmel’s Kenenna Odeluga (36) intercepts a pass. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times.

Phillips and Loyola weren’t the only top five teams that lost this weekend. The third major upset of the week was in Park Ridge. No. 3 Maine South, which has beaten Glenbard West and Mount Carmel this season, lost to Barrington 26-23.

The Broncos won it on a bit of a trick play. Barrington quarterback Tommy Fitzpatrick received the snap and passed the pall to receiver Eric Darlington. He threw ball downfield to receiver Tim Lowe for a touchdown. It was the first pass Darlington has ever thrown.

The Hawks have played the area’s toughest schedule through the first three weeks and played without quarterback Bobby Inserra, who has a leg injury.

Inserra was the driving force in Maine South’s win against Glenbard West. Senior Cole Dow, who narrowly lost the starting quarterback competition in the preseason, played one quarter against Mount Carmel in Week 2. He started slow against Barrington but threw for 142 yards in the second half.

The Hawks play Conant in Hoffman Estates Week 4. Barrington, which is primed to jump in the Super 25, will face Evanston.

AARON VAUGHN DOES IT AGAIN

Providence’s freshman running back Aaron Vaughn continues to impress. He returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the Celtics’ 35-6 win against St. Laurence on Friday.

Vaughn, who is 5-8 and 175 pounds, ran for 99 yards on 18 carries and had a 21-yard touchdown run. His emergence has helped Providence get off to a 3-0 start this season despite injuries to several key players.

Those three wins will be crucial to the Celtics’ playoff hopes. They will be underdogs against at least four of their final six opponents. Providence has games remaining against St. Rita, Brother Rice, Hope Academy, Mount Carmel, Montini and Loyola.

PRAIRIE RIDGE WIN STREAK SNAPPED

Huntley quarterback Chris Raffin passed for 246 yards and ran for two touchdowns to beat Prairie Ridge and snap the Wolves’ state-best 30-game winning streak.

The Red Raiders beat Prairie Ridge 35-28. The Wolves’ last loss was in the 2015 state playoffs.

CARAVAN VICTORY

It only took new Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch three games to pick up his first signature win.

The No. 18 Caravan beat No. 2 Loyola 17-12 in Wilmette on Saturday, thanks to a game-saving tackle from Matt Lenti.

It all came down to the final moment of the final play of the game. Lenti tackled Loyola quarterback Matthew Schiltz just before he crossed the goal line. There was no time left on the clock.

“I saw the quarterback scrambling out to his left and I saw that we had [the receivers] pretty well covered,” Lenti said. “So I knew he was going to come out and run so I came up and made the tackle.”

It was the game-winning play, but it was just one of a slew of big defensive plays by the Caravan. Lenti also had an interception. Sophomore linebacker Kenenna Odeluga was a force. He had two interceptions and made several key tackles. Ross Valenti had two sacks and Koron Walker had one.

The Caravan’s last win against Loyola was in 2014.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with the coaches, it is the players,” Lynch said. “Our seniors are hungry.”

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