Mike Helfgot has a piece...

...in the Tribune in which he says that "not a single senior from Mount Carmel made an official visit to a Big Ten school last year." He then mentions that defensive linemen Steve Richardson and Enoch Smith will be attending Minnesota and Michigan State, respectively, while running back Matt Domer has committed to Illinois. (According to Scout.com, center Nathan Oquendo is also likely to visit at least one Big Ten campus this year.)

Helfgot then lets Caravan coach Frank Lenti, above, go into his usual schtick of lowering expectations. Win the 8A crown again? Who, us? But at least Helfgot calls him on it:

Of course, downplaying his team publicly — particularly during the preseason — is among his old habits.

And Lenti is a master at it. He fooled me good last year.

Meanwhile, I saw that MaxPreps has You Know Who at the top of their preseason rankings:

1. Mount Carmel
2. Glenbard West
3. Lincoln-Way East
4. Crete-Monee
5. Montini
6. Glenbard North
7. Neuqua Valley
8. Wheaton North
9. Lake Zurich
10. Providence

And my first thought was, Is this for 2013, or 2012? (MaxPreps states that "A team must have played three games before they will appear in the rankings." Huh?)

I also noticed that there are only two other 8A teams in the MaxPreps Top Ten: Glenbard North and Neuqua Valley. 

And I wondered, Who else can plausibly challenge the Caravan in 8A this year? And I answered myself, Oh, yeah, I wrote about that already:

Maine South, Loyola, Bolingbrook, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley (more on them later) all seem to be in rebuilding years. So who does that leave?

I'd say any one of the following teams: Naperville Central, Stevenson, Marist or Hinsdale Central could end up in the 8A final against the Caravan if Glenbard North stumbles (or if Justin Jackson gets injured).

Oh, and what the heck, why not Lyons?

Mount Carmel opens up the season at 10:00 a.m. on August 31 against St. Patrick at Soldier Field. And I'll be there.