Halfway through the second quarter of Providence IHSA Class 5A playoff opener, the officials did something visiting Springfield High could not do – stop running back Broden Mackert.

The officials forced Mackert to the sideline for an equipment change with 7 minutes, 24 seconds to play in the half, ruling that the visor on his facemask was too tinted and against IHSA rules.

The damage, however, had already been done.

The junior carried the ball 11 times in the first quarter for 145 yards and three touchdowns, leading Providence to an eventual 63-19 win in the first round of the playoffs.

“I wore that all season,” Mackert said of his visor. “The guys up front do a great job giving me room to run, and when I hit the second level, I see it and I just go. We had a great week of practice and we came out ready.”

Mackert finished the game with 183 yards on 18 carries and the three scores, as his services were not needed much late.

“He is outstanding,” said Celtics coach Tyler Plantz. “He is a tough kid, and the way he carries the rock is pretty impressive.”

Mackert tallied the first three Providence scores, as they opened a 21-0 lead before Springfield scored in the closing seconds of the first quarter.

Providence came back when Dominic Vita hit Xavier Coleman for a 10-yard scoring strike on the play after Mackert was sent to the sideline. The two-point conversion was good, and the Celtics were up 29-7.

After another Senator score, Coleman scored on sweep with 1:03 to play in the half.

Providence then blocked a punt in the final seconds of the half that freshman defensive lineman Jaxon Hutton fell on in the end zone, putting the Celtics ahead 43-13 at the break.

“He is just a ballplayer, so it is not surprising he was in the right place,” Plantz said. “He is a fearless football player. He has a lot to learn as a freshman, but he just makes plays. Good things happen when you are around the football.”

The score was the first of Hutton’s varsity career.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” he said. “My teammates set me up, I just cleaned it up.”

Hutton also recovered a fumble later in the game when sophomore Jasper Harper strip-sacked Springfield High quarterback Brody Scheffler. It was Harper’s second sack of the day in his first varsity start.

The Celtics also got scores from Curtis Stubbs II on a 25 catch from Vita (11-for-11, 115 yards), and reserve quarterback Leo Slepski hit Teagan O’Brien from 37 yards out. Jackson Killeen wrapped up the scoring on a 10-yard run in the final minutes of the game.

“This was a great team win,” Plantz said. “Offense, defense and special teams.”

The Celtics now advance to play Kankakee next Saturday at Kankakee.

“This was Step 1,” Plantz said. “It is now one week at a time.”