The 2025 season was a rough one for the Washington High School football team when it came to games against the CCL/ESCC.

The Panthers opened the season with a 13-12 loss to Niles Notre Dame before running the table in the Mid-Illini Conference to earn a top seed in its half of the IHSA Class 5A playoff bracket. Washington then brought its 10-1 record and its 26.8 point differential to New Lenox on Saturday to face No. 5 seed Providence, from the CCL/ESCC Orange.

And the Celtics thumped Washington 39-6 to advance to face Oak Forest – a winner over Peoria High on Saturday – for a chance to play in the IHSA 5A state championship game at Hancock Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois.

“The O-line did a great job up front, (sophomore quarterback) Dominic Vita, it was nice to see him work through his progressions, Curtis Stubbs (junior receiver), when everyone wants to lean to Xavier (Coleman, senior receiver), Curtis steps up and to see his progression,” Providence coach Tyler Plantz said.

Washington drew first blood. After Will Freeman from his linebacker position intercepted Vita, Freeman moved to his running role and help the Panthers move the ball down the field, ending in a quarterback sneak from 1 yard out by sophomore Noah Garcia. The point-after was blocked, putting Washington up 6-0 with 5 minutes, 4 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Providence got its only score of the first half when junior running back Broden Mackert ran it in from 4 yards out with 2:10 to play in the opening quarter.

The Panthers were moving the ball twice in the second quarter, but once Gavin Farley forced Freeman to fumble (recovered by Lamar Winfield), then Winfield kept Washington off the board when he blocked a 32-yard field goal try late in the opening half.

“Coaches preach to fly around and have energy,” Winfield said. “We thrive off of that and don’t get too high or too low. Coach Plantz harps on that – special teams and field position wins games.”

Plantz is happy with how all three units played.

“Special teams has been a little bit of our Achilles’ heel all season, and I take pride in special teams,” Plantz said. “We practice more than probably anyone in America when it comes to special teams. We have made mistakes, but we have learned from them, and we haven’t made the same mistake twice.”

After halftime, the Providence defense and special teams remained constant, but the offense came on, starting with an 80-yard scoring run from Mackert on the first snap of the second half. Mackert finished the game with 158 yards on 10 carries and the two scores.

Vita (10-15, 200 yards, TD, INT) found Stubbs (six catches, 87 yards, TD) for a score.

“We know the main thing is our running game, but the pass game is there when we need it,” Vita said. “This will give us a lot of confidence knowing that [Washington] only gave up 11 points per game. It felt good to throw a lot today – a lot of them hit.

“We have now shown we can do anything.”

Brayden McKay carried one in from 3 yards out to put Providence up 28-6 late in the third quarter. A 12-yard scoring run from Coleman and a Bryce Vlasak 43-yard field goal closed out the scoring and sent Washington home on the long bus ride the same way they left Niles in Week 1.

“Everyone always asks what (level) are we in,” Plantz said. “I tell them, we are 8A for nine weeks and then wherever they place us the other five. It is always good to play (the tough, local schedule) and see where we stack up, and then come and respond during playoff time.”