With a roster full of college commits and nearly two dozen seniors, Mount Carmel baseball enters the season with one goal in mind: finishing what the last two years’ teams have started.
After falling short to Brother Rice in last year’s Sectional Championship, the Caravan returns one of the most talented teams in the state and will face a demanding schedule that features trips to Las Vegas and Kentucky, as well as a game at Wrigley Field.
MC is ranked among the top teams in Illinois and features 16 players committed to play college baseball, making this one of the most experienced and talented rosters in program history.
Head Coach Brian Hurry said the focus throughout the offseason has been on preparation, team chemistry, and staying together despite high expectations. The team’s ultimate goal is to win the state championship.
“Our goal is to win the last game of the year,” Coach Hurry said, referring to the championship. “We want to become a really tight, close-knit family along the way to achieve that.”
The Caravan’s roster is loaded with players who have been competing together for years, giving them a familiarity and family feeling that many programs lack.
“The culture of our team, we’re a lot closer than we were my freshman year,” said senior third baseman TJ McQuillan, who is committed to Wake Forest. “Being able to hang out with each other and all of our experiences together has made us grow much closer as a team.”
Several players noted that chemistry will be key this season, particularly with 20 seniors on the roster, the most Coach Hurry has ever had.
“I think the expectation this year is to win,” said first baseman Anthony Chavez, who is committed to Illinois. “After coming up short last year against Brother Rice, I think everyone expects us to win.”
Senior shortstop Joey Ireland, who is also committed to Illinois, added that the team is confident in its approach. “The expectation has been high before, so it’s nothing new,” he said. “The guys know what we have to do.”
While the expectations are high, players and coaches emphasize focusing on their own performance.
Senior pitcher Jake Matise, last year’s Chicago Catholic League Blue Pitcher of the Year, who is committed to Lewis University, said that the key is not letting reputation go to their heads and not looking too far ahead. “We have to stay humble with ourselves and stay focused on one game at a time,” he said. “We take it one game at a time and don’t worry about our opponents.”
Coach Hurry reinforced that mindset. “Just keep our energy and focus on the things that we can control,” he said, “Focusing on our effort day in and day out and trying to block out the noise of rankings and social media.”
The team’s schedule brings both challenges and excitement. The Caravan travels to Las Vegas to play nationally ranked Corona (CA), Jesuit (CA), and St. John Neumann (FL). They also travel to Louisville to take on nationally ranked Trinity (KY) and St. Xavier (KY). But some might consider the biggest matchup of them all coming at Wrigley Field on April 23 versus a familiar opponent, Brother Rice.
“I’m looking forward to the game vs. Brother Rice at Wrigley Field,” McQuillan said. That was a popular response among players when asked what game they’re looking forward to this year.
Coach Hurry said that managing a senior-heavy roster with a talented group of young players will be a balancing act. “We have some really talented younger guys that we have to figure out a way to get them some opportunities and give them a chance to compete,” he said.
Ireland added that the team’s focus on unity will help handle the pressure. “Coach’s message to us has been to stick together,” he said. “Don’t let the outside noise get to us. Keep playing hard.”
Despite pressure and expectations, the team remains optimistic about the season ahead. For all of the players, there is only one way to end this season.
“I think that for all of us, the goal is a state championship,” said Matise. “We’ve been together for a long time as a group.”
