NORMAL — Even though senior defensive back Havy Payne missed Mount Carmel’s final three regular-season games with a dislocated shoulder, he wasn’t worried.
The 5-foot-10 Payne knows the playoffs are his time to shine and he has consistently come through in the Caravan’s biggest games. Why? Because he always has a point to prove.
“I know I have a little height situation and that gives me extra motivation because I feel like I’m under-recruited because of it,” said Payne, an Eastern Illinois commit. “I’m definitely the best DB in Illinois, and I have to go out and show it every week.”
Payne proved it Saturday night with a key interception in the end zone and also by returning a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, helping lift the Caravan to the program’s state-record 16th state championship with a 55-34 win over Batavia in the Class 7A final at Hancock Stadium.
Vanderbilt recruit Jack Elliott broke the 7A championship game record with six TD passes to lead the Caravan (11-3), who won their third straight title. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 301 yards and added 115 yards and a TD on just eight carries.
Cooper Lehman also hauled in 10 catches for 114 yards and a TD. Quentin Burrell added two TD catches, while Stephen Winkler, Danyil Taylor Jr. and Zander Gorman each made a TD catch.
Gorman also had 10 tackles, while Matthew Mucha added eight stops and a sack for the Caravan.
Batavia (12-2) was looking to cut into a 42-21 deficit when Payne pulled down his interception with 14 seconds left in the first half.
It was Payne’s second straight state championship game with an interception.
“I feel like that moment definitely put us in control,” Payne said. “It was like a repeat of last year against Downers Grove North when they had some momentum and I took it away from them, too.
“It’s definitely the moments that God put me in to be able to make big plays.”
Payne refers to himself as a “future NFL player” in his bio on X. That’s the goal.
“I definitely feel like I can make it,” he said. “I’ve watched guys make it to a high level. My cousin, Alante Brown, is playing at Michigan State and played at Nebraska. I know I’m that type of player.”
Mucha also believes Payne is that kind of difference-maker. That’s why he had something to say to his teammate when Batavia scored three early TDs.
“We had some struggles on defense,” Mucha said. “We talk all the time about leaning on seniors and guys who are the guys on this team, and that’s one thing I made adamant on the sidelines.
“I even went up to Havy and was yelling at him, ‘We know the caliber of player you are. Play like it.’ He ended up doing it. When times get tough, you’ve got to lean on guys like Havy Payne, and he makes plays for us.”
At the same time, Elliott closed out a remarkable two-year run as the starting quarterback with a lights-out performance.
“It’s great because of all the adversity,” Elliott said. “Not a lot of things went right this year, especially in the regular season. We got to the playoffs, we had a talk as a team and we knew what we wanted to do.
“It’s pretty special getting that 16th state championship.”
Batavia was within 28-21 with under four minutes to go in the second half before the Caravan reeled off 27 straight points.
Mount Carmel also broke a tie with Joliet Catholic for the most state titles after the Hilltoppers lost 29-27 to Nazareth earlier Saturday in the Class 5A championship game.
Caravan coach Jordan Lynch said he watched that game with some interest.
“We knew if we won this game, we’d be kings of the state,” Lynch said.
