Playing for the first time this season in the stadium that bears his family’s last name, Mount Carmel senior quarterback Emmett Dowling showed Friday night that he’s ready to forge his own legacy with the Caravan.

Dowling completed 20 of 31 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns while adding a fourth-quarter rushing score as Mount Carmel (No. 1 in 8A) started fast on offense during its 35-14 win over St. Rita (No. 3 in 7A). The Mustangs were unable to slow down Mount Carmel’s array of talented wide receivers, including Division I prospects Quentin Burrell and Marshaun Thornton, who combined for three touchdown grabs.

“We had a great week of preparation,” said Dowling, who threw for 382 yards and four scores during Mount Carmel’s 43-42 season-opening victory against Ohio’s Archbishop Moeller in Week 1. “Moeller definitely gave us a lot of confidence and we used that momentum. We started hot and finished strong. Our game plan was to pick our matchups and use them. When there was man-to-man coverage, we took our shots.”

A packed crowd at Barda-Dowling Stadium watched as Mount Carmel (2-0) took a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter, when Dowling connected with his talented sophomore receiver Thornton on a 21-yard touchdown strike. A big sack from Caravan linebacker Roman Igwebuike, one of eight Division I recruits on the Mount Carmel roster, forced the Mustangs to punt on its second drive of the night. St. Rita’s first drive resulted in a botched long snap that gave Mount Carmel prime field position for its first score.

“We only have three home games and we need to take advantage of them,” Mount Carmel head coach Jordan Lynch said. “I’m proud of how the guys came out, especially after the high of winning on that 2-point conversion against Moeller. I thought we were focused and I thought we started fast. I’m proud of the guys.”

Dowling showed off his arm talent late in the opening quarter, launching a 37-yard deep ball to wide receiver Jamari Brown to give the Caravan a two-score lead. Brown posted a team-high 118 receiving yards on five catches for the Mount Carmel offense, which leaned heavily on its passing attack throughout the evening.

Needing a spark, St. Rita (1-1) drove the ball down to the Mount Carmel 20-yard line early in the second quarter, but a turnover on downs ended a promising series that saw the Mustangs move the ball without standout receiver Walter Jones, who departed with an injury. Even after a fumble gave St. Rita field position inside the red zone, Mount Carmel’s defense rose to the challenge, forcing a second turnover on downs. The Caravan finished with four sacks and held St. Rita to negative rushing yardage after one half.

“Last week, we really weren’t able to get any pressure on the quarterback,” Lynch said. “Tonight, we were able to get to the quarterback and get some sacks. Having played quarterback myself, it’s tough when the defense gets pressure on you. When there’s pressure, it leads to tough throws and it makes the defensive backs look really good also.”

Dowling rolled to his right and hit Thornton for a 7-yard score late in the second quarter that helped Mount Carmel surge ahead 21-0. After being blanked in the first half, St. Rita capitalized on a 35-yard pass from quarterback Steven Armbruster to receiver Donovan Evans to score on its opening drive of the third quarter. Faced with a fourth-and-goal situation after a facemask call on the Caravan negated a fumble, Armbruster moved to his left and floated a 2-yard scoring pass to running back Damon Sutton Jr.

But it was too little, too late for the Mustangs, who once again trailed by three touchdowns after Dowling fired a 20-yard strike to Burrell on a corner route to help the Caravan surge ahead 28-7. Burrell compiled 61 receiving yards on five grabs for the Caravan, who added another touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter after Dowling burst through the middle for a 1-yard rushing touchdown on fourth and goal.

“My coaches tell me all of the time to let my receivers make the plays for me,” Dowling said. “I try to give them catchable balls and let them make the plays. I think we have the best receiving core in the state... My receivers and I are always visualizing all of the big plays we’ll make before every game and it shows.”

Evans, who grabbed a 5-yard touchdown from St. Rita backup quarterback John Fennell late in the fourth quarter, finished with 82 receiving yards on seven catches to lead the Mustang offense. St. Rita will return home to face Brother Rice next week, while Mount Carmel will hit the road for another massive CCL matchup against Nazareth Academy (No. 2 in 6A).

“We’re special,” said Dowling, who received Most Valuable Player honors of the Great American Rivalry Series matchup Friday evening. “When adversity hits, we don’t back down and we have great senior leadership, which is what we need to win.”