By Mike Walsh
Correspondent
Providence has won 10 state championships and finished runner-up four times, including last season in Class 4A.
So how did St. Laurence’s student body celebrate the Vikings’ second-ever victory over the Celtics, 31-24, last Friday night in Burbank?
With an old-fashioned field-storming.
St. Laurence senior Aaron Ball scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard run with 22 seconds to play in the game. The 6-foot, 203-pound running back finished with 23 carries for 149 yards.
“He’s a special talent,” Vikings coach Adam Nissen said of Ball. “He’s one of the most talented running backs I’ve coached.
“He’s our workhorse and he’s also a very unselfish player. He throws his body around and I trust him to get it done on third-and-two or fourth-and-one. Aaron’s the one to get it done.
St. Laurence (3-1, 1-0 CCL-ESCC White) finished 3-6 in 2022 and lost to Providence, 49-20.
“This is a good win for us,” Nissen said. “[The Celtics] are a great team and very well-coached with a great tradition. I’m proud of our guys because we executed and we made the plays we needed to make. This was a cool moment and the guys were very happy.
“We feel we can play with anybody.”
Vikings quarterback Evan Les was 16-of-20 passing for 154 yards and connected with Kyle Richardson (2 catches, 46 yards) on a 22-yard touchdown toss with 2:30 remaining in the game. Nick Popp added a pair of receptions for 57 yards.
Les added 12 carries for 65 yards and a 26-yard scoring run.
Les won the starting quarterback job during summer camp.
“He played a phenomenal football game,” Nissen said. “He stays within himself and he has a good command of the huddle. Without a doubt, he would have been our MVP [of the game].”
The St. Laurence defense also turned in an exemplary showing, sacking quarterback Colin Sheehan four times. It held the Celtics’ to 8 yards rushing and 43 yards of total offense in the second half.
Connor Cleary (9 tackles, 3 sacks), Jacob Bylina (6 tackles, 1 sack) and Jace Chamberlain (6 tackles, ½ sack) were key contributors for the Vikings defense.
“The defense stepped up,” Nissen said. “They had a rough go against St. Francis the week before (a 42-28 loss) so we put the heat on them. They came out and played a great second half of football.
“They stepped up and made the second half tough for Providence.”
Mount Carmel 38, St. Rita 7
Jack Elliott (18-of-20 passing) threw for 304 yards and two TDs as host Mount Carmel (4-0, 1-0) began CCL/ESCC Blue play with a win.
Darrion Dupree (3 catches, 102 yards) pulled in a 72-yard scoring strike from Elliott. Dupree also carried eight times for 55 yards and two tallies.
Kevin Gardner added four catches for 53 yards and a TD for the Caravan, while Maurice Densmore scored on a 57-yard run. Louie Chappetto drilled a 38-yard field goal.
Jett Hilding (9-of-18, 109 yards) threw a 69-yard TD pass to Jimmie Maxson for the Mustangs (3-1, 0-1).
Bremen 22, Evergreen Park 14
Host Evergreen Park (3-1) lost in South Suburban crossover. Antonio Clay-Jones (8-yard TD run) and Jed Adjayi (73-yard TD run) tallied for the Mustangs, who also got a fumble recovery from Devin Herrera.
Marian Central Catholic 49, Chicago Christian 34
Christian Fluteman was 19-of-29 passing for 281 yards and two TDs, and carried 14 times for 52 yards and two scores for Chicago Christian (2-2, 0-2) in a Chicagoland Christian Conference contest in Woodstock. Also chipping in for the Knights were Demo Griggs (5 receptions, 74 yards, TD), Obi Goble (3 carries, 75 yards, TD; 3 receptions, 68 yards, TD) and Caden Boersma (8 receptions, 103 yards; 9 tackles, 1 interception).
Loyola 41, Brother Rice 24
Brother Rice (2-2, 0-1) lost a CCL/ESCC Blue contest in Wilmette. The Crusaders’ Randall Nauden totaled 136 yards rushing on 21 carries and scored on runs of 1 and 60 yards. Quarterback Ryan Hartz completed 13 of 24 passes for 89 yards.
St. Ignatius 30, Marist 27
Marist saw its record fall to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the CCL/ESCC Green with a loss on Chicago’s Near West Side.
Glenbard West 13, Lyons 10
Lyons dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the West Suburban Silver with the defeat in Glen Ellyn.
Kankakee 48, Riverside-Brookfield 6
Visiting Riverside-Brookfield (3-1, 1-1) dropped a Southland Conference decision as Diego Gutierrez (10-of-22 passing, 104 yards) threw a TD pass.
Marian Catholic 36, De La Salle 6
Despite the efforts of Kenyonte Louis (11-of-20, 137 yards, TD) and Myles Green (6 catches, 120 yards, TD), who collaborated on a 6-yard TD pass in the third quarter, host De La Salle (2-2, 0-1) suffered a CCL/ESCC Red setback. Tyler Moss (13 tackles) and Devin Webb (10 tackles) led the Meteor defense.
Eisenhower 21, Shepard 7
Junior wide receiver Cameron Tryon caught a 60-yard TD pass to account for the only points for Shepard (1-3, 0-1) in a South Suburban Red contest in Palos Heights.
IC Prep 36, Nazareth 34
Visiting Nazareth (0-4, 0-1) dropped a CCL/ESCC Orange contest.
Andrew 41, Stagg 0
Stagg (3-1, 0-1) fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, losing its SouthWest Suburban Red opener in Tinley Park.
Hinsdale Central 48, Morton 13
Host Morton (1-3) fell in a West Suburban Conference crossover.
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