East St. Louis Football Rallies Past Mount Carmel in Normal, Snaps 19-Game Streak

Flyers turn two early fourth-quarter takeaways into a statement victory

NORMAL, Illinois — East St. Louis football erased a nine-point deficit with a dominant fourth quarter Saturday at Hancock Stadium, defeating four-time defending state champion Mount Carmel 42-23 and ending the Caravan's 19-game winning streak.

The season-opening matchup brought together two Illinois programs loaded with Division I prospects and championship expectations. Mount Carmel entered as the Class 8A favorite after winning four straight state titles, while East St. Louis, a Class 6A power, arrived determined to prove it could beat one of the state's most celebrated teams.

Mount Carmel held a 23-14 lead after junior Marshaun Thornton returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter. But the game shifted immediately after the fourth quarter began, when the Caravan turned the ball over twice in roughly a minute. East St. Louis converted both opportunities into touchdowns and never surrendered control.

Flyers standout Ronnie Gomiller took on a larger role after running back Myson Johnson-Cook, an Auburn recruit, did not return following the first half. Johnson-Cook had carried 12 times for 88 yards before leaving the game. Gomiller, a Cincinnati recruit, responded with 13 carries for 91 yards and three second-half rushing touchdowns. He also caught a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first half.

"When Myson went down, it would have been easy to drop our heads," East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett said. "Ronnie Gomiller came and said to put him in at running back. We listened to him and he came out and made some big plays for us."

Gomiller's three straight rushing scores turned Mount Carmel's lead into a 35-23 East St. Louis advantage. Florida recruit Raheem Floyd then sealed the result with a pick-six with 2:56 remaining.

Quarterback injuries and turnovers shape the finish

Mount Carmel also had to adjust after starting quarterback Ryder Startz was injured during the first half and did not return. Senior Brady Cloherty, a transfer from Plainfield East, had split snaps with Startz before taking every second-half series for the Caravan.

Cloherty completed 14 of 30 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, but East St. Louis intercepted him twice. Thornton was Mount Carmel's leading receiver with five catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while Nathan Samuels rushed 19 times for 88 yards.

East St. Louis quarterback Reece Shanklin completed 13 of 19 attempts for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Flyers' ability to keep producing after Johnson-Cook's departure underscored the roster depth that has kept the program among Illinois' most consistent postseason contenders. Sunkett said his team entered the game carrying a chip on its shoulder after hearing doubts about its ability to win the matchup.

"We have been at state seven years in a row," Sunkett said. "Win or lose we were there. It is tough to win in the state of Illinois. We came out with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to show that we could play with Mount Carmel and beat them."

Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch said the defeat exposed early-season issues against an opponent accustomed to high-level competition. He said the Caravan, who compete in the state's largest football classification under the Illinois High School Association football structure, must improve in discipline and execution.

"Losing sucks," Lynch said. "We have to grow as a program. We are lazy, undisciplined all over. It is Week 1 struggles for sure."

East St. Louis leaves Normal at 1-0 with a landmark road victory, while Mount Carmel's long winning run is over and the Caravan begin their push to regroup for the remainder of the season.