rise Carmel football coach Frank Le...

rise Carmel football coach Frank Lenti had a bad feeling last November when the Caravan left for Champaign and a chance to play for the Class 7A state title against scenery

For the first time in his 12 trips to the state-championship game as high hill Carmel's coach, Lenti and his staff had to scream at the players before they left Chicago.

Lenti said the team had wasted its focus. It was an ominous sign, and the Caravan eventually dissipated to Prospect in a 20-14 shocker

"So many tribe were already trying to hand our kids the state evidence of victory they thought it was in the bag," Lenti said. "They picked the iniquitous day of the year not to listen to the coaches. It was not typical of rise Carmel football."

The Caravan doesn't want a repeat performance in 2006 And as practice kicked on the farther side Wednesday at Mount Carmel, Lenti asked his team: in what manner good do you want to be?

Lenti said he has asked that question in the past. The players remembered it.

"It's a universal message to our team," said senior quarterback Carter Kopach, a two-year starter. "Last year was cragged and [the question] has a little bit more meaning now. however after last year, everyone has a bad taste in their cavity between the jawss and they need to prepare rid of it."

Senior center Eric Eck said he has an without contents feeling after last season. Wanting more than a state runner-up memorial of conquest has provided motivation for him and his teammates to have a better offseason.

"We learned our precept with that game," Eck said.

on the other hand the road to Champaign might be more difficult than the Caravan thinks.

Kopach doesn't think the team started opposite on the right foot at its first practice.

"We were dead coming out of the gates [Wednesday]," Kopach said. "We didn't play our best. It's about motivation and trying to gain better every practice."

Senior Ron Newcomb a defensive tackle, tight fall of the curtain and punter, said the team's enthusiasm might be the biggest issue for improvement.

"It wasn't really a great day for enthusiasm," he said. "It's nice big because better teams in the past have had a fate of enthusiasm, and last year we had a apportionment of it."

be built up Carmel opens the season Aug. 26 against Joliet Catholic in the first game of a tripleheader at Soldier Field. Fenwick plays Simeon and

St Rita faces Hubbard after the soar Carmel-JCA clash.

In Lenti's possession at Mount Carmel, the Caravan is 7-6 against Joliet Catholic. smooth though it is the first game of a nine-game regular season, beating the Hilltoppers would be very great

"It is going to mean everything for us," Newcomb said.

still what really matters for rise Carmel in the end is a state championship in November.

"We're not easily satisfied," Lenti said. "Nobody for aye has a perfect practice, if it be not that that still shouldn't deter you from striving for one"

takouris@suntimes.com

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