Bryce Tencza took up taekwondo after his appendix burst when he was 6 years old. While Tencza initially started practicing to gain flexibility after his injury, the respect and techniques he’s learned are showing on the gridiron.

Now a senior offensive lineman at Providence, Tencza is a third-degree black belt who attributed his improved hands and feet to his years of experience in taekwondo.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder has become one of the top tackles in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference, having recently earned the CCL/ESCC Orange Division’s Lineman of the Year honor.

“Taekwondo helps with my hand movement, so I’m able to strike hard and see the placement before it even happens,” Tencza said. “I’m able to move my feet quicker... I started taekwondo to gain flexibility and to gain that sense of respect as I got older. Being able to plank and do push-ups and sit-ups the right way at a young age... I’ve grown in my strength, but I’ve also grown in being disciplined and knowing what’s right from wrong.”

Currently starting at left tackle, Tencza headlines a big, strong and physical Providence offensive line that spearheads the charge for a potent rushing attack. The Celtics (7-3), who dominated Springfield 63-19 in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, accumulated over 100 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the first quarter alone.

“Every single play, we’re going harder and harder,” Tencza said. “We control our tempo and our thoughts of what to do during the game and during each play leading into the next. From going fast to slowing it down, reading the defense and seeing different fronts and the different blitzes that come... We’re a tough offense. You’re going to hit us, but we’ll hit right back.”

For Providence, the action starts up front, where Tencza and his teammates create holes for a rushing offense that averages 6.2 yards per carry and has generated 2,457 yards and 33 touchdowns this season. Five Celtic players, including 1,000-yard junior running back Broden Mackert, have accounted for rushing touchdowns. The Celtics average 246 rushing yards per game.

“The offseason was the biggest key to our success,” Tencza said. “It’s been a team effort... It comes from our coaches, but it also comes from the rest of the O-line having our tempo and knowing our assignments, our keys and our footwork. Doing that first is what leads us to those big yardage plays... Our running backs and quarterbacks believe in us, trust in us and run behind our blocks. Protecting them is the biggest thing we can do in a game.”

The Celtics, who have reached the state finals three times since 2009 and are seeking their first state title since 2014, will look to keep their physical run game going during Saturday’s second-round playoff game at Kankakee. Tencza, who will be playing Division I FCS football at Lafayette next year, was one of seven Providence players to earn All-CCL/ESCC awards this year.

“It means a lot,” said Tencza, an All-CCL/ESCC recipient as a junior as well as an All-CCL/ESCC honorable mention as a sophomore. “It comes from the rest of the group and the coaches. I want to thank all of the coaches first because they’ve helped me and put me on this path. My teammates push me along and I wouldn’t be here without them. It’s a big accomplishment.”

A multi-sport athlete who helped lead the Providence baseball team to a Class 4A state championship in 2024, Tencza is in his fourth year of high school football and his third with the varsity team. Tencza, who grew up idolizing former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski, began his high school career as a tight end before moving to right tackle four weeks into his sophomore season, when the Celtics reached the 5A state semifinals.

“He’s been one of the cornerstones of our program,” Providence coach Tyler Plantz said. “Seeing his progression to becoming a high-level football player and playing scholarship football has been really cool... He’s going to be one of those guys people can rally around. I think he’s going to end up being a great interior player at the next level. He has a skillset at the snap, he runs really well and he bends really well. He’s an absolute road grater inside.”

Tencza, who took over at left tackle at the start of his junior year, has been the team’s blindside protector for the last two seasons. Now a team captain, Tencza has taken on a greater leadership role since moving from tight end to offensive tackle. He announced his commitment to Lafayette on Aug. 30 and has received Division I offers from Western Illinois and Cornell.

“The transition was hard at first,” Tencza said. “Going from a receiving and blocking tight end to just run blocking and pass protecting were the two big things. As I got into playing right tackle and then made the switch to left tackle, it’s become my everyday life. I practice at home and I practice with my Providence coaches and other coaches. I get better every single day.”

Tencza, whose academic interests include engineering, physical therapy and sports analytics, formed a relationship with Lafayette after an in-school visit with offensive line coach Kevin Baumann during his junior year. After making a summer visit to the Lafayette campus, where he talked to head coach John Troxell, Tencza made his commitment in August. Recruited as an interior offensive line prospect, Tencza is ready to play wherever he’s needed.

“My family left it up to me,” said Tencza, a Tinley Park native whose father Stanley played high school football at St. Rita and Andrew. “For me, going there was my best decision... I’m getting ready for the experience, the travel, the atmosphere and the college life. I’m getting ready to know different players from around the country. I always want to get better physically, but for me, one of the biggest things is the mental part.”

Football runs in the Tencza family. Beyond his father, Bryce’s uncle Brian played at Sandburg before competing at Illinois Wesleyan, where his older cousins Jake and Zack both played after graduating from Lincoln-Way East. All four men have been role models for Tencza, who played flag football as a child, but didn’t play tackle football until his freshman year of high school.

“My dad played at the high school level and hearing all of the stories he had to share was great,” Tencza said. “My uncle and my two cousins played at Wesleyan and I got to see my two cousins play and win a state championship at Lincoln-Way East, which was nice to see. I’ve always been told I look like Rob Gronkowski with the shaved head, but his game and how he played the game were how I wanted to play when I got the chance to play growing up.”