Broden Mackert's 241 rushing yards spark Providence to a comeback win against Kankakee in 5A playoff showdown

When the Illinois High School Association released the state playoff brackets, one likely first-round matchup caught everyone’s eye: Providence at Kankakee.

Possibly the two best teams in Class 5A would meet incredibly early in the playoffs. The Kays picked up a forfeit loss for using an ineligible player against Lincoln-Way West, so their two-loss record was deceiving.

But Kankakee entered as hosts and one of the area's hottest teams. Meanwhile, Providence spent the season in turmoil after the unexpected firing of head coach Tyler Plantz in mid-October.

Bigger than all of those issues was running back Broden Mackert's health. The senior missed several games at the end of the regular season and had limited carries in the Celtics’ opening-round win.

Mackert obliterated any concerns immediately, rushing for more than 100 yards in the first quarter. He put his team on his back, scoring three touchdowns and rushing for 241 yards as Providence knocked off Kankakee 35-20 on Saturday.

“[Last week] I was getting back in the groove,” Mackert said. “This week I wanted to play, and I tried to show it. It was a great game today.”

Mackert had 32 carries, more than coach Adam Nissen had planned on, but Kankakee led 12-7 at halftime.

“I’m banged up,” Mackert said. “I mean, I’m feeling good, but I will feel it later. We were just trying to run the ball like last year; we came with the same scheme. The big guys did all the work up front.”

Kankakee senior Phillip Turner is one of the state’s most dynamic quarterbacks. He connected with Kymani Billings for a 74-yard TD on the first snap of the game.

Turner went 16-for-36 for 302 yards with three touchdown passes and one interception.

“He’s a special player,” Nissen said. “Our defensive guys adjusted with some of our pressure packages so we were able to get to him a little bit quicker [in the second half]. But he is slippery. He’s hard to get your hands on and a really, really good football player.”

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun Times

Providence (8-3) took a 15-12 lead early in the third quarter on a perfectly executed trick hook-and-ladder play. Quarterback Dominic Vita completed a five-yard pass to DeAngelo Coates, who threw a long, underhand lateral pass to Mackert, who went 77 yards for the touchdown.

“It is a really amazing experience [watching that play unfold after throwing the pass],” Vita said. “When I saw Broden get free, I got very happy. It was definitely a momentum shifter for us.”

Coates, a 6-5 junior, caught a 12-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to put the Celtics ahead 29-12.

Vita went 9-for-12 for 161 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. He picked up his first major scholarship offer this week, from Syracuse.

“That definitely felt nice, but I have a lot more work to do and a lot more to show,” Vita said.

A young player also sparkled for the Kays (7-3). Sophomore receiver/cornerback Davion White intercepted a pass on the goal line and caught seven passes for 149 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown.

Providence, now the favorite to win 5A, will face Morgan Park next weekend in Chicago. The Mustangs are one of the best remaining teams in 5A, but it is only a second-round game.

“Everyone knew this was probably a semifinal game if not a state championship game,” Nissen said. [Kankakee] is a really good program. We knew we would have to see them at some point, so we took the mindset of let’s do it early. We are going to have to go through them anyway, so let's knock them out. It is the same thing next week.”