Providence’s Brayden McKay is a throwback talent with a single-minded purpose.
And the senior running back has a knack for making plays in every conceivable way.
“I’m one of those guys where it’s a tough situation and I want the ball in my hands,” he said. “When they called for me to get the ball, I was ready and I knew I was going to score.”
Twice, in fact.
McKay rushed for two touchdowns Friday night, leading the Celtics to a hard-fought 28-21 victory over host St. Rita in a Catholic League crossover game in Chicago.
Senior running back Broden Mackert scored the game-winner for Providence (1-0) on a 5-yard TD run with 4:25 left. Mackert ended up with 118 yards on 22 carries and two TDs. Junior receiver DeAngelo Coates set up the clincher with a 34-yard catch from junior quarterback Dominic Vita.
Senior quarterback John Fennell threw two TDs and rushed for 93 yards on 23 carries for St. Rita (0-1). Junior wide receiver TJ Burgos caught TD passes of 35 and 37 yards. Senior running back Brandon Johnson, Jr. added a 5-yard TD run. Fennell completed 6 of 13 passes for 112 yards.
McKay, however, was a Swiss Army knife, finishing with 112 all-purpose yards. His crucial 5-yard catch on third down set up Mackert’s winning TD. McKay’s 33-yard kickoff return in the second quarter also paved the way for Mackert’s 3-yard TD run.
The two running backs, with their shared initials, are like variations on a theme.
“We really feed off of each other,” Mackert said of McKay, who had 31 yards on five carries and made two catches for 13 yards. “It’s the way that we work. We call it smash and dash.
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“I love playing with him. He’s energetic and never complains. He’s just a football player who loves to do everything.”
When Vita was dealing with consequences of a hamstring strain, Providence coach Tyler Plantz experimented with McKay at quarterback.
“There’s nothing the kid can’t do,” Plantz said. “He’s got a great motor and he just responds to everything. If we need him between the tackles, let’s do it. If we need him on the edge, let’s do it.
“He has the skill set to excel at every position.”
McKay pushed the Celtics out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on TD runs of 3 and 8 yards. The first came out of the Wildcat formation.
He flashed his explosive speed by breaking free on a jet sweep for his second TD run.
“I feel like I’m dangerous on everything,” he said. “If the ball’s in my hands, I feel it’s possible to go to the house at any moment. My style is quick and shifty, but I’m willing to put my shoulder down.”
As a sophomore last season, while serving as Mackert’s backup, McKay he rushed for 853 yards and scored 11 TDs.
He’s also an individual state qualifier in wrestling who was part of Providence’s Class 2A state runner-up finish in the dual team finals. His desire is his most significant trait.
“I love when people doubt me, especially because of my size and playing the position,” he said. “I’m not the biggest guy or the fastest or strongest. If people underestimate me, that fuels my fire.”
His wrestling background gives him the leverage and balance to work between the tackles.
The middle of three brothers, McKay considers himself a fun-loving kid who enjoys hanging out with his friends. He’s happily making a name for himself.
“My parents never pushed me into playing football,” he said. “They let me choose, and I picked football because I fell in love with it ever since I first picked up a ball.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter the Daily Southtown.
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