By Sean Duncan

CRESTWOOD - The state?s No. 1 team vs. the No. 1-ranked junior. The first game of the inaugural Do It Stevie?s Way 219 Challenge certainly had cache, despite the frigid weather Sunday at Standard Bank Stadium.

Top-ranked Providence Catholic, however, quickly deflated any pregame hype when the Celtics scored five runs on Marian Catholic junior left-hander Brett Lilek in the first two innings en route to an easy 9-1 victory as part of the four-game event.

While the Celtics? offense lived up to the challenge against Lilek (2-2), the story of the game was Providence senior right-hander Brandon Magallones (3-0), who was lights-out in his complete-game masterpiece. Magallones, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound Northwestern recruit, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, struck out 12, walked none and hit one batter. He allowed two hits, one which was a bunt.

 Magallones had No. 18 Marian Catholic (11-2) guessing all game behind his consistent 87-88 mph fastball, a sharp breaking ball and changeup. He pounded the zone with all three pitches, and even sprinkled in a forkball to further confound the Spartans.

?I was feeling really good today,? said Magallones. ?It was really cold, so I knew the velocity wasn?t going to be there, so I had to control all my other pitches. They?re a good hitting team, so I just had to buckle down. I was happy with my performance today.?

Magallones came out with a bang, striking out eight in the first three innings, including six straight at one point.

?All week he was really focused,? said Providence coach Mark Smith, ?so I expected a good outing from him. Maybe not this good, but I expected a good performance. He kept them off-balance all game long.?

Providence (12-0) wasted no time putting pressure on Marian Catholic, scoring five runs in the first two innings on five hits ? some squib, bloop hits, but hits nonetheless. Leadoff man Kevin DeFilippis was the offensive catalyst for the Celtics. DeFilippis, a second baseman who?s signed at Notre Dame, reached base all four times, went 3-for-4, scored three runs, stole four bases ? including home ? and drove in one.

Senior catcher Dan Potempa went 2-for-2 with a first-inning sacrifice fly, a walk and drove in two runs. Junior outfielder Zak Kutsulis went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and shortstop Joe Houlihan, who made a terrific diving play to rob Jeff Leppellere of a single in fourth inning, went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

?I told the guys yesterday that this is a sectional-type game, at a supersectional-type venue, against a very good pitcher,? Smith said. ?This was a test for us to see where we?re at offensively.?

Lilek, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound standout, allowed eight hits, five earned runs, struck out six and walked one in four innings work. His fastball climbed as high as 88 mph, sitting at 84-86. Junior infielder Devin Pickett, who?s verbally committed to Iowa, broke up Magallones? no-hitter with a leadoff triple in the fifth inning. Pickett scored on Lilek?s sacrifice fly.

?I like to thank the Do It Stevie?s Way Foundation for putting this event on,? said Smith. ?This is such a first-class event, and I hope we can be part of it for years to come.?

The four-game Do It Stevie?s Way 219 Challenge commemorates the life of former Mount Carmel standout second baseman Steven Bajenski, whose life was unexpectedly cut short from complications following heart surgery in August 2009. Bajenski was entering his senior year at Mount Carmel and was going to be the team captain.

To learn more about Steve Bajenski and the Do It Stevie?s Way Foundation, Click Here.