The seed for the showdown Saturday between East St. Louis and Mount Carmel at Illinois State was planted last winter at Soldier Field.
The Flyers and Caravan, both state champions, were being honored by the Bears. There was some playful chatter between the teams.
‘‘There was just a little talk going back and forth,’’ East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett said. ‘‘So we got together and decided it would be a great game for the state of Illinois.’’
It’s a great game and a special way to highlight the start of the high school football season.
The Flyers have the most victories in state history with 761; Mount Carmel is second with 734. East St. Louis has won 10 state championships, three since 2016; the Caravan has won 14 state titles, one behind Joliet Catholic for the all-time lead.
‘‘Saturday, we will have the two best teams in the state meeting up,’’ Sunkett said. ‘‘That hasn’t happened in a while.’’
Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch is relishing the opportunity for his team to play the underdog role.
‘‘We’re playing the winningest program in the state,’’ Lynch said. ‘‘They are ranked in the country. This is a huge matchup, a great matchup for us. It’s going to be a great challenge.’’
The Flyers are ranked No. 25 by ESPN. They consistently play a national-level schedule, travel all over the country and are followed by a load of fans.
‘‘It may look a little different because ISU has such a big stadium, but I’m sure we will bring a couple of thousand fans,’’ Sunkett said. ‘‘I’m just happy to get the opportunity to watch it up close on the sideline.’’
East St. Louis returns seven starters on defense but will have to replace the dominant offensive line that graduated.
‘‘We have pretty much all of our skill guys back,’’ Sunkett said. ‘‘So I’m looking forward to seeing them a year older. This new offensive line learned a lot from those guys that left. They were four-year starters, so these guys are excited about getting the opportunity to play.’’
Flyers quarterback Robert Battle threw for 2,123 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. He ran for 733 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Defensive back LeonTre Bradford (110 tackles) and receiver Jesse Watson (nine touchdowns) are Purdue recruits, and senior defensive back Jaion Jackson has committed to Central Michigan.
Junior athlete Charles Bass is another East St. Louis player to keep an eye on. He has offers from Auburn, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Purdue, Tennessee and Wisconsin, among others.
‘‘I can’t wait,’’ Mount Carmel linebacker Parker Startz said. ‘‘People keep asking if I’m nervous. It’s just another game for us. We’ve had some big games. Obviously, they are a really talented team, but we come with the same focus and same work ethic every week.’’
The Caravan’s running game, led by Wisconsin recruit Darrion Dupree and Navy recruit Alonzo Manning, should be difficult for any team to stop.
East St. Louis always impresses with its speed and size and seems to reload every season with college prospects. But this Mount Carmel team, on paper, appears to match the Flyers in that department.
‘‘There’s really no pressure,’’ Lynch said. ‘‘Here at Mount Carmel, expectations are high. That’s why the kids came here. Pressure only gets to certain kids when you’re not prepared. I will make sure they are more than prepared.’’
Mount Carmel’s Caravan Media Group will livestream the game here:
