CN100 Game of the Week football preview: Week 3 - Mt. Carmel vs. Providence

NEW LENOX – Providence is off to a 2-0 start as it attempts to return to the playoffs for the 23rd time in the past 24 seasons.
Two-time defending Class 8A state champions Mt. Carmel is looking for its 13th state title this year, 12 of which have come under Illinois’ all-time winningest coach, Frank Lenti.
The two storied programs renew acquaintances in New Lenox at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Chicago Catholic Blue opener for both teams. CN100, The Comcast Network, will playback the game at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, and 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15. You can also find the game throughout Chicagoland with Xfinity On Demand.
Coming into the game, the Celtics’ passing game has made headlines.
Notre Dame recruit Myles Boykin, the 10th-ranked wide receiver in the nation according to Rivals, already had the Celtics on people’s radars. But the job that quarterback Justin Hunniford has done through two games has really opened eyes.
Hunniford is a mind-boggling 48-for-58 this season for 584 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions. He set a school record with seven touchdown passes in a 56-13 win over Minooka last week.
Boykin hasn’t disappointed either, grabbing 16 passes for 256 yards and six touchdowns. He caught 11 for 184 last week. Nate Velvoda has been a solid second option, catching 11 passes for 154 yards and the other three scores.
“Obviously the success of Justin Hunniford and the passing game is a pretty impressive story,” Providence coach Mark Coglianese said.
Hunniford, Mike Madej and Zac Pych, all key members of the football team, were also members of the Celtics’ state championship baseball team last spring.
Defensively, Jimmy Sharkey has led the way with 21 tackles, 14 of them solo.
The Celtics, who went 7-5 last year and advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals, started the season off with a 21-10 win at rival Joliet Catholic.
Mt. Carmel nearly knocked off one of the top teams in the nation in the opener, falling 28-27 to St. Joseph’s Prep out of Philadelphia at home. The Caravan bounced back with a 43-6 win over Morgan Park last week.
The Caravan always find a way to reload, and this year they needed a complete overhaul of the skill positions as several key players graduated. So far, junior quarterback Anthony Thompson has triggered the run-first attack.
Senior Jaquan Buntyn and junior A.J. Lewis have been splitting carries evenly through the first two games. Both of them have 35 carries thus far. Buntyn has accounted for 271 yards, while Lewis has rushed for 221. Offensive lineman A.J. Deurig is a Syracuse recruit.
The Caravan has only one offensive starter back – and he’s an offensive lineman.
Lenti enters the game with a 340-61 mark in his 31st season at the helm at Mt. Carmel.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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