Montini stays steady, wins 33-20

Wind that kept the flags at Hillcrest's football stadium starched throughout Saturday's game with Montini also did its best to blow both teams' offenses off course.

Hillcrest spent more than a half trying to get any passing game going while Montini's Tom DiCristina worked to come to terms with the elements as well.

DiCristina was not only able to get the ball to move properly through that wind, he and his mates also adjusted and allowed their running game to take control too in a wild 33-20 Class 5A second-round playoff game.

"We warmed up with (the wind) and got used to it," DiCristina said. "But yeah, it's hard sometimes. It's changing directions and you don't know what to expect. But you get used to it."

Montini (11-0) hosts fellow Suburban Catholic Conference foe St. Francis on Saturday afternoon in the third round of the playoffs.

But the game got very close in the fourth quarter. Ahead 26-8 late in the third quarter, a pair of fumbles on swing pass plays gave Hillcrest life, and the Hawks scored twice. The game was still in doubt until DiCristina went over from the 1-yard line with 1:01 to play.

"It was getting close," DiCristina said. "I felt I personally made some mistakes. I let my guys down when I made those mistakes. We just kept coming hard and playing and good things happen."

The Broncos adjusted in the game to a more run-oriented approach, especially with DiCristina running the ball himself. He carried 32 times for 114 yards and 3 touchdowns.

"Our offensive line was blowing them off the line and doing a great job," DiCristina said. "The receivers got the blocks on the outside so we kept running the ball."

The decision wasn't made to showcase Montini's quarterback, however.

"It wasn't because of me - it was because of our line," DiCristina said. "The line was doing such a good job blowing the D-line off the ball."

DiCristina also threw 2 touchdown passes in the game, both to Christian Westerkamp.

But after stuggling through three quarters, Hillcrest (6-5) found its rhythm finally in the fourth quarter, especially through the play of its quarterback, Herb Offord. After throwing 9 straight incompletions, Offord got the offense moving. He also gained 130 rushing yards.

"We knew speed-wise that they had some definite players," Montini coach Chris Andriano said. "Those are the kids that showed up tonight for them. They made some big plays."

One of the biggest plays of the game came following Montini's first possession of the second half. After struggling to move the ball, Ryan Gorrell punted. The ball was muffed by a Hillcrest returner, and Montini took over on the 3-yard line. DiCristina scored on the first play from scrimmage.

"We got a break on that muff call," Andriano said. "We got the breaks. We got a lot of breaks tonight. Sometimes that translates into momentum and that will probably carry into next week."