With the season on the line in Thursday’s IHSA Kankakee Regional title game against Oswego, Yorkville found itself having to fill a vital gap at the quarterback position.

After two-year starter and senior Brooke Ewkinski went down with an apparent knee injury in the first quarter, the Foxes began to cycle through possible replacements while looking for answers against a stout Oswego defense.

The Yorkville defense was also holding down the fort while the offense stabilized, and when the game headed to overtime in a scoreless tie, it was freshman Mackenna Fousek who had started to settle in at quarterback.

After both teams were successful on their first conversion attempts of overtime and Yorkville stopped Oswego’s second attempt, Fousek found Kayla Kersting for the game-winning conversion, sending their teammates pouring onto the field in celebration of the program’s first-ever regional title in a 2-1 nail-biter.

“It was definitely a special moment and something that we worked for all season,” Kersting said. “It was definitely a team goal high up there, and we’re just really proud we get to bring home a regional championship to the Yorkville community and YHS.”

Fousek, who was seeing varsity action for the first time since joining the team at the end of the JV season a week and a half ago, also connected with Kersting in the corner of the end zone on the opening conversion attempt of overtime.

After Oswego tied things up on a pass from Sophie Augustine to Alexis Fomby, Yorkville’s Hayden Hodges batted down a pass to Augustine on the next attempt to set the table for a Yorkville win.

Fousek said it was quite an adjustment to see her first varsity action late in a regional title game, but her teammates stepped up around her to make it easier.

“Coming up from JV, that was really difficult and a lot of weight on my shoulders, but I’m really grateful [to the players] around me to pick me up and let me know that I’ve got it,” she said. “I like knowing my team is always there for me, and Kayla being out there for me was a big piece of this win.

“But the whole is what got us here, and I’m so grateful for the whole team.”

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Yorkville's Kayla Kersting catches a touchdown pass in overtime ahead of Oswego's Jazmin Hurston during the Foxes' 2-1 overtime victory over Oswego in the IHSA Kankakee Regional championship game on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Head coach Clarissa Cooper said she and assistant coach Vic Mendez had been stressing the importance of pushing through obstacles, and she was proud of how the team responded in the win.

“Coach Mendez really talked with the offense, especially about adversity,” Cooper said. “We lost Brooke with an injury, and obviously that wasn’t in the plan by any means. But really, they pushed for it when they hit adversity.

“In all, I think it was a good team win given the circumstances, and they deserve it.”

The Foxes now look ahead to the Danville Sectional semifinals where they will play Plainfield Central on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Kersting said the team is simply trying to keep playing for as long as they can, especially for her and her fellow seniors.

“Now it’s just game by game,” she said. “We just want just keep having the chance to play each day, having practice, being around each other. For us seniors, it’s the last dance.”

For Oswego, the loss marked the end of the first season of the program. The Panthers were the lone semifinalist in the Kankakee Regional that did not have a team last season.

They ended the year at 15-10 overall and as winners of eight of their final 10. Oswego will be without six seniors as it heads into Year 2, but with 19 juniors and three sophomores on the varsity roster this season, head coach Anny Jambor said the program has a strong future.

“It was such a learning year for coaches, players, everybody,” she said. “We’re excited to learn a little bit more and continue to build on this youth that we have. ...

“It’s all about development and getting those reps in. So that time will help us grow a little bit more as a team and individually to bring a competitive group out here next year.”