A dynamic first-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown by Carmel junior Lucas Gonzalez gave his team all the momentum it needed Saturday afternoon against visiting Normal Community.

The Corsairs offense did the rest.

Carmel (8-2) put up 540 yards against the Ironmen in a 60-44 Class 7A playoff victory at Baker Stadium, but the win didn’t come without some anxious moments in the fourth quarter.

Normal Community scored 22 points in the final period and was knocking at the door to cut the lead to single digits with four minutes remaining until a big pass breakup by Corsairs senior linebacker Kevin Murphy saved the day.

Carmel’s Nebraska-bound junior quarterback Trae Taylor threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, all to senior wide receiver Eli Jackson, and ran for a score as well.

Jackson mentioned that the Corsairs did well to get the win, but have to avoid the late-game letdowns.

“We played a great first three quarters,” he said, “but in the fourth quarter, not so much. We kind of let up at the end. We can’t do that.”

After Normal Community (7-3) scored on its first possession to take a 7-0 advantage, Gonzalez electrified the home crowd with an 88-yard return on the ensuing kickoff to tie the game.

“At first I muffed the ball,” said the speedy junior defensive back. “Then I was able to pick it up and saw a wide-open gap. My blockers were doing a great job, and I was just gone. I outraced everyone.”

Carmel scored four more times in the second quarter — a 22-yard field goal from Jack Doyle, a 22-yard catch by Jackson, 1 one-yard plunge by Jorden Moore, and a 6-yard run by Taylor — to take a 32-7 halftime lead.

The Corsairs tacked on four additional touchdowns after intermission to take a commanding lead, with Jackson scoring two of those on catches of 18 and 31 yards, and Moore getting another one on the ground.

Then Normal Community shocked the Corsairs with three early scores in the final stanza. They were poised for another with 4:03 remaining, but Murphy deflected away an Ironmen pass headed for the end zone on fourth-and-goal.

Carmel was able to run out the clock and get the victory. The Corsairs, the 14th seed in Class 7A, will play next Saturday against third-seeded St. Charles North.

The high-flying team from Mundelein has now scored more than 50 points in six of their 10 contests on the year. They put up a season-high 70 on Sept. 26 against Marian Catholic.

“This (60-point effort tonight) just shows we’re unstoppable,” said Carmel sophomore guard Nathan German, “if we don’t make any mistakes.”

Normal Community QB Lucas Beaty played a heroic game in defeat, leading the Ironmen rally with four touchdown passes and a 2-yard scoring run.

“I love the way we finished tonight, and I love my teammates,” said Beaty. “It’s amazing we don’t get the respect we deserve. That fourth quarter just shows we have more heart than anyone else out there.”