Brock Phillip had an eventful final drive in a back-and-forth game Tuesday.

He had to leave for a play on his team’s last drive with a cramp in his leg.

He took a huge hit on a run later in the drive. He was part of a controversial play on second-and-goal.

But the St. Francis senior quarterback was not to be denied.

Phillip took in a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal with 11 seconds left.

His fifth touchdown run, and third lead change of the fourth quarter, was the final play in a 17-play drive – and proved the game-winner.

St. Francis, in the first-ever IHSA football game played in December, beat Providence 39-35 in the Class 5A final on Tuesday at Illinois State for the program’s second state championship.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday morning was one of four championship games postponed because of the snowstorm that hit northern Illinois.

Phillip, a backup quarterback for Class 6A runner-up Geneva who transferred to St. Francis for his senior season, rushed for 144 yards and the five touchdowns on 23 carries. He also threw for 226 yards and a TD for the Spartans (11-3), who beat Providence (10-4) for the second time this season to win the school’s first state title since 2008.

Dom Vita threw for 137 yards and a TD and ran for two scores for Providence, which was playing for its 11th state title. Vita’s TD run 6:16 left gave the Celtics their last lead. Broden Mackert rushed for 126 yards and a TD.

With a sparse crowd of fans limited to one side of the stadium, with the other snow-covered bleachers empty, Providence scored on its first two drives and led St. Francis 21-14 at the half.

Mackert took in a 1-yard TD run set up by a Vita 46-yard screen catch-and-run to Xavier Coleman. Vita threw a 21-yard TD pass to Coleman on a fade along the left sideline.

Phillip, who threw an 18-yard TD pass to Dario Milivojevic, took in a 1-yard TD run on fourth and goal and the ensuing conversion to tie it 14-14 with 3:08 left in the second quarter.

But Providence came right back on its ensuing drive. A Mackert 50-yard run set up Vita’s 3-yard QB keeper with 50 seconds left in the first half.

St. Francis pulled closer in its first drive of the third quarter. Phillip connected with Washington for a 46-yard gain, setting up Phillip’s 7-yard QB keeper. But the extra point was missed, leading Providence ahead 21-20 with 6:01 left in the third quarter.

Providence extended its lead on its next drive. Mackert’s second-effort just converted a fourth-and-1 at the Celtics’ 44. Six plays later Brayden McKay took in a TD run form 3 yards out, making it 28-20 with 2:09 left in the third quarter.

St. Francis got within 28-26 on the first play of the fourth quarter, Phillip’s 7-yard TD run on a QB keeper. The Spartans ran a trick play on the conversion, and the receiver was wide open, but it missed.

But Providence went three-and-out on its next possession, the punter inadvertently took a knee on the punt and St. Francis quickly capitalized. Phillip took in a 1-yard TD with 9:23 left, giving St. Francis its first lead, 32-28.

Providence came right back on its next possession. Vita completed a 14-yard pass to DeAngelo Coates on third-and-11 to midfield, and hit Coleman for 38 yards.

Vita took in a 1-yard TD with 6:16 left, putting Providence ahead 35-32.

But St. Francis, which scored on all five of its second-half drives, answered with the 17-play game-winning drive.