Chet Carmichael can hardly remember a time when he wasn't working on routes with Lane Cicciarelli.

Union's quarterback and wide receiver duo started building that relationship on the playground.

“Even at recess at elementary school. It was always me and him throwing the ball to each other,” Carmichael said. “Once we started playing ball together, you could tell we were best buds and do everything together.”

What they did together as juniors was help the Knights' passing offense re-write the school record book.

Cicciarelli, a 6-foot-3 175 pound senior, passed for 1,676 yards, a single-season school record.

Carmichael, a 5-11 155-pound senior, was one of two wide receivers to pass the school's all-time mark for receiving yards in a season.

Shane Murphy set the new record with 736, while Carmichael finished with 603 on 31 catches.

Carmichael and Cicciarelli didn't have the opportunity to play youth football together.

Since Carmichael was in a different age group, they were always on different teams.

But catching together off the field kept things sharp by the time they were freshmen.

“We just ran routes during the summer,” Cicciarelli said. “We always worked out together. We're close.”

Union coach Dave Louder thinks the offenses' chemistry, led by Carmichael, Cicciarelli and fellow senior wide receiver Tyler Wiser, will make the Knights dangerous.

“Lane had a lot of weapons, but he knew he could count on Chet as one,” Louder said. “I know they're both looking forward to this season.”

Carmichael and Cicciarelli will also both start together on defense at safety.

Cicciarelli, who completed 49 percent (85 of 149) of his passes, feels more comfortable.

Reading defenses was his most pressing obstacle.

“Pre-snap reads were tough,” Cicciarelli said. “If the cornerback broke on a route I was done. I just focus on where everyone is going to be.”

For Louder, everything came together for the duo during a 55-34 loss to Redbank Valley Week 3.

Cicciarelli passed for 263 yards, while Carmichael caught seven passes for 165 yards and also scored on a 75-yard touchdown run.

“It was kind of rough for Lane at the beginning of last year to realize becoming a starter meant taking control a lot more,” Louder said. “When Chet exploded in the third week and gave him another weapon it opened his eyes to how he performed as a quarterback.

“He's a fantastic quarterback and he sees a lot of things and understands the offense now.”

While Cicciarelli seems soft-spoken off the field, Carmichael says that's not the case on the field.

“Maybe to new people he's quiet, but on the field he has a big voice and everything,” Carmichael said. “We look at him as a leader.”

Louder hopes to be able to run the ball better to free up things for Union to sling the ball around the field.

That will allow Carmichael and Cicciarelli to get back to do what they do best.

Playing catch, just like on the playground.

“We always work well together no matter what it is,” Carmichael said. “We're always thinking the same thing.”