As Chicago Bulls broadcaster Stacey King likes to say, big-time players make big-time plays.

Mount Carmel wide receiver Quentin Burrell – a big-time player for the Caravan – came through with a pair of highlights during CCL/ESCC action at Nazareth on Friday evening. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior and highly-touted prospect scored on a flea-flicker before adding another touchdown on a catch-and-run late in the second quarter.

Burrell finished with a team-high 101 receiving yards on just four catches as the Caravan capitalized on four Nazareth turnovers to beat the Roadrunners 42-23 and remain undefeated through three games. Senior quarterback Emmett Dowling was the engine for the Mount Carmel offense, throwing for 153 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 56 yards and two scores.

“We say that we have to be tight like a fist, because you only hit with a fist,” Burrell said. “We fought together, we played as a team, and we came out with the win. ...

“We have a lot of athletes on the field, and I feel like you have to pick your poison. We have good running backs, a good offensive line, a good quarterback and good receivers.”

Dowling’s 36-yard strike to Burrell on the flea-flicker put Mount Carmel (3-0, No. 1 in Class 8A) ahead midway through the first quarter. But the Roadrunners, who entered Friday averaging 33 points on offense, answered with a touchdown on the final play of the quarter when a trio of grabs from wide receiver Trenton Walker led to a 1-yard scoring plunge up the middle from running back Justin Watson.

“Mount Carmel is an 8A powerhouse, and I told the guys before the game that, regardlesss of the outcome, we’d be a better team moving forward after playing a team like that,” Nazareth head coach Tim Racki said. “Our boys didn’t back down. ... We were moving the ball, and we were clicking until we started shooting ourselves in the foot with the penalties and giving them the ball back quickly with turnovers.”

Nazareth (2-1, No. 2 in Class 6A) briefly gained the edge early in the second quarter, forcing a fumble on a kickoff return by Mount Carmel receiver Jamari Brown and taking a 10-7 lead on a 22-yard field goal by kicker Billy Harding. Brown atoned for his mistake on the next return, however, nearly running the ball to the end zone before a diving tackle by Walker stopped him inside the 10-yard line.

From there, Mount Carmel started pulling away.

The Caravan retook the lead on a 7-yard touchdown run by Dowling and forced Nazareth’s offense off the field after safety Patrick Breakey jumped a short-yardage route and intercepted quarterback Jackson Failla. Operating in plus territory, Burrell reeled in a pass from Dowling and turned upfield, beating two defenders to the pylon for a 35-yard touchdown.

“We all believe in each other,” Burrell said. “Nothing gets to us, and we just do our thing. We have a lot of talent, and we have a lot of guys who are back from last year. We had guys before us who showed us the way, and we’re trying to carry that on and show our younger guys the way.”

Mistakes continued to pile up for the Roadrunners, who trailed 21-10 late in the second quarter before a fumble by Charles Calhoun on a kickoff return led to another Caravan scoring drive. Running back Madden Wilson, who carried the ball a team-high 13 times for 49 yards, ran up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown.

“We had three plays in the first half where we gave them the football and made it a short field for our defense,” Racki said. “Our offsides penalties need to be cleaned up as well.

“We’re at Week 3 and looking at what our strengths and weaknesses are, I’m much happier with the direction we’re heading in right now. I wouldn’t normally say that after a loss, but I saw a lot out there that I think we can build upon.”

A 34-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Frankie Nichols to wide receiver Eddie McClain helped the Roadrunners bring Mount Carmel within two scores, 28-17, at the end of the first half. Nazareth took the ball to start the third quarter and nearly made it a one-score game, but Caravan cornerback Tavares Harrington intercepted a pass to the end zone for Walker and gave Mount Carmel possession at its 3-yard line.

After a 2-yard loss, Mount Carmel’s offense went 99 yards to score its fifth touchdown. Aided by a 25-yard pass from Dowling to Burrell, the Caravan cashed in on a 4-yard burst by running back Nathan Samuels.

The seesaw continued early into the fourth quarter, where Walker soared over Harrington for a 5-yard touchdown grab to bring Nazareth within 12 points. Walker led the Roadrunners receiving corps, posting 81 yards on a team-high nine catches.

Dowling helped clinch the victory for Mount Carmel, calling his own number on a 9-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter. A fumble on Nazareth’s final drive allowed the Caravan to run out the clock and preserve a three-score victory.

Nichols threw for 165 yards and added 47 rushing yards to lead the Roadrunners.