Luis Vasquez, Providence ‘D’ pick up slack in win over WW South

It was no surprise that Providence and Wheaton Warrenville South were caught up in a defensive battle during a Class 7A quarterfinal Saturday in New Lenox. Both teams entered giving up just 14 points or less in the previous 11 games.

To no surprise a defensive player for the Celtics accounted for eight points in a 23-6 win. Luis Vasquez recorded a safety in the first quarter and a 13-yard interception return in the third.

“I couldn’t believe it, it was so unreal,” Vasquez said. “I felt like even though the offense was struggling for a while we would pull through as a team.”

The Celtics (11-1) are in pursuit of their first state title since 2004 and will have to go through Catholic Blue foe Mount Carmel (8-4), a 20-7 winner over Lincoln-Way East. In Week 3 the Celtics defeated the Caravan 33-14.

“That’s like a whole season ago,” Providence coach Mark Coglianese said. “They (Mount Carmel) have obviously found some things and we will take a look and see what they are doing differently.”

The first play from scrimmage resulted in a 6-yard run by Tigers leading rusher J.J. Johnson and two injured players for the offensive. One of those was Johnson, who was the last to get up and never returned.

Vasquez’s safety accounted for the only points of the first half. He made it 9-0 when he intercepted a Michael Stebbins pass and returned it 13 yards into the end zone. Stebbins came in for a few series in the third as starting quarterback Josh Prueter (17 carries, 82 yards; 5-for-10, 38 yards) moved to running back. Stebbins redeemed himself in the fourth quarter with an 81-yard TD pass to Keishawn Watson with 10:16 left.

“I could have ripped up our game plan after the first play (when Johnson got hurt),” WW South coach Ron Muhitch said. “That first play completely changed the game plan.”

Mike Markasovic answered for the Celtics when he scored on a 48-yard end run with 6:41 left for a 16-6 lead. Richie Warfield (15 carries, 78 yards) added a 21-yard TD run with 1:43 left. Justin Hunniford was 17-for-31 for 153 yards, including interceptions to Jasper Romero and Jake Kyllonen. Brandon O’Hara had three tackles for a loss and a late interception.

Jake Rost had two sacks for the Celtics and Emmet Trost added another. Trost also added an interception. The Celtics played without Notre Dame recruit Miles Boykin, who had surgery his left hand and will be questionable for the semifinals.