Carey Carries Mt. Carmel to Title-Clinching Victory : High school football: Sundevils bounce back from last season’s 1-9 record.

They were a laughingstock only a year ago, but Friday night in front of an overflow crowd of 6,200, the Mt. Carmel High School Sundevils wiped away the memory of last year’s 1-9 season, scoring a 14-7 victory over Poway and winning the Palomar League title.

It was the first football championship for the Sundevils (7-1-1, 6-0) since 1987, and it came against a long-time rival that could have created a first-place tie with a victory.

The players, though, clearly have more on their mind than a league title.

“We know we’ve got something more important to play for,” offensive lineman Doug Lichtenberger said.

Marlin Carey, who rushed 28 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns, summed up the Sundevils’ goals in two words: “The Murph.”

The Sundevils clinched an automatic berth to the San Diego Section playoffs.

Carey had his big night against a defense that had allowed 82.5 yards per game rushing.

Mt. Carmel took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on the strength of a nine-play, 62-yard drive. Every play went to Carey, including a five-yard pass, the only completion of the night for Mt. Carmel. He scored with 2:02 left in the first quarter on a a two-yard run and Trong Nguyen added the first of two extra points.

Carey’s second touchdown was more spectacular, a 73-yard run midway in the third quarter giving Mt. Carmel a 14-0 lead.

It was his fourth scoring run of more than 70 yards. Eight of Mt. Carmel’s 26 touchdowns this season have been beyond 60 yards.

Poway had its scoring chances, but two field-goal attempts were blocked and receiver Charley Kamen was ruled to have caught an apparent touchdown out of bounds.

“I think the ballgame could have gone either way,” Poway Coach John Self said. “That was a very close call. On film, both feet are in.”

Travis Nichols, who had suffered a mild concussion in the first half, came back and threw a 17-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Kamen.

Poway was trying to win is first league title since the Palomar League formed in 1980 and holds an 11-7 lead in the series.