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mokenamessenger.com sports the mokena messenger | September 12, 2019 | 45 Football Bizarre beginning leads to strong ending for Providence JON DEPAOLIS Freelance Reporter A strange start to the game Friday, Sept. 6 may have been just the spark Providence Catholic needed. After a sluggish opening series that resulted in a three-and-out by the Celtics offense, the defense forced a Morgan Park punt from the Mustangs’ own 2-yard line. But the punt went straight up into the air and fell backward into the end zone. The Celtics converged on the Mustangs player who recovered for a safety. Then – after the Celtics’ next offensive series ended quickly with an interception – the defense forced another three-and-out. This time, however, Providence sophomore Brayden Garrigan not only blocked the punt but also recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown to make it 9-0. Providence rolled from there, topping Morgan Park 42-8 in the Celtics’ home opener. “With our offense struggling, we knew we were MORGAN PARK AT PROVIDENCE, SEPT. 6 1 2 3 4 F Morgan Park 0 0 0 8 8 Providence 9 27 6 0 42 Three Stars of the Game 1. Aaron Vaughn, Providence, sophomore running back – 14 rushes, 105 rushing yards, three rushing TDs 2. Kevin Conway, Providence, junior quarterback – 5-of-7 passing, 63 passing yards, two passing TDs; four rushes, 36 rushing yards 3. Elias Valdez, Providence, senior, defensive lineman – two sacks going to go after the punts,” Providence coach Mark Coglianese said. “They weren’t good snaps, so it’s not like we did much. But if that is the spark we needed to get things going, that’s what we had to do, I guess.” Providence senior defensive lineman Elias Valdez said the wacky start got the Celtics going. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” Valdez said. “It just turned up the tempo, made everyone better and made everyone feel more locked down. Everyone was [saying], ‘All right, we’ve got this.’ It made everyone perform and play, and it made everyone get their mindsets straight.” Jerrell Wright (14) and Lucas Porto celebrate a touchdown Friday, Sept. 6 in the Celtics’ 42-8 win over Morgan Park in New Lenox. JULIE MCMANN/22ND CENTURY MEDIA Valdez led the way with two sacks in the game, as the Celtics (2-0) kept Morgan Park’s offense on its heels all night. The Mustangs (0- 2) only managed one score late in the fourth quarter when the Celtics’ second unit was in. “Honestly, since we switched to the four-man front this year, everything is flowing way smoother,” Valdez said of the defense’s dominance the first two weeks of the season. “Run – no one can get anywhere on us, because our guys just get their gaps all day, every day. Pass rush – everyone was working all offseason to get everything down that we needed to. We did everything we needed to do, and it led to a [win].” Meanwhile, the Celtics offense was able to rebound after the tough start by stringing together 27 points in the second quarter. It started with a 7-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback and Mokena resident Kevin Conway to senior wide receiver Lucas Porto. Later, sophomore Aaron Vaughn took it to the house on a 25-yard touchdown run. Conway then connected with senior wide receiver Jerrell Wright for a 19-yard touchdown strike. Vaughn capped the firsthalf scoring with a 69-yard touchdown run to make it 36-0. “A little bit through the second quarter, our offense started to click a little bit,” Coglianese said. “I told the guys at halftime: Playing that [way in the] first quarter offensively is not going to cut it. Maybe, it is part of a wake-up call. We need to get going offensively. “We can’t wait and expect the defense to keep putting points on the board. We’re going to work harder in practice and turn up the intensity, because that’s the way it’s going to be next Friday at [Brother] Rice.” Early in the third quarter, Vaughn got the running clock going with his third touchdown of the night – a 4-yard run on a pitch from Conway to make it 42-0. Vaughn finished with 105 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Conway ended the day 5-of-7 passing for 63 yards. Conway also had 36 rushing yards on four attempts. On Friday, Sept. 13, Providence travels to Brother Rice (2-0) – something Coglianese knows will be a tough test. The Crusaders were the Class 8A state runner-up last season and beat the Celtics 20-0. “I told our guys, and they know, that we’ve got to be better,” Coglianese said. “Next week, we’re going to have a huge challenge with Brother Rice. “At practice, we’ve got to turn it up, because it seems like we just came out kind of flat. With our schedule down the road, we’re not going to be able to afford to do that. We’re not going to get those easy points off of special teams in the future.” Our staff’s predictions for the top games in Week 3 Week 1 leader Steve Millar just received an award from the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association as Girls Soccer Person of the Year for 2018 over the weekend, but he is not perfect. Thomas Czaja was perfect, and Sean Hastings darn near perfect, in Week 2, and we have a three-way tie at the top. Game of the Week • Providence Catholic (2-0) at Brother Rice (2-0) Other Games to Watch • Lincoln-Way West (1-1) at Sandburg (1-1) • Andrew (2-0) at Homewood-Flossmoor (2-0) • Lincoln-Way Central (1-1) at Lockport (0-2) • Oak Forest (0-2) at Tinley Park (0-2) • Bradley Bourbonnais (1-1) at LW East (2-0) 13-3 Thomas Czaja | Editor • Brother Rice 24, Providence 20. Celtics nearly avenge last year’s 20-0 loss, but the home team hangs on for the win. 13-3 Sean Hastings | Contributing Editor • Providence 28, Brother Rice 21. Provi gets good win on the road in a tight game. 13-3 Steve Millar | Sports Editor • Brother Rice 24, Providence 20. Defense, running game keep Celtics in it but 2018 Class 8A runners-up have a little too much at home. 12-4 Jeff Vorva | Sports Editor • Brother Rice 27, Providence 20. Last year, the Crusaders shut the Celtics out, but that won’t happen this year. Still, I like Rice’s home-field advantage. 11-5 Joe Coughlin | Publisher • Brother Rice 20, Providence 17. Host Crusaders tame the Celtics’ potent offense. 9-7 Heather Warthen | Chief Marketing Officer • Providence 21, Brother Rice 14. Tough game, but Celtics take home a victory on the road. • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East • LW West • Homewood-Flossmoor • LW Central • Tinley Park • LW East