Montini grabs 7th team title

BLOOMINGTON - The 125-pound showdown proved to be a fitting symbolic coronation for Stephen Robertson and his Montini teammates.

The Montini sophomore met Yorkville junior Jed Lightfoot for the second Saturday in a row with state championship implications on the line. Robertson dispatched Lightfoot in Champaign for the Class 2A individual title last week, and the Lombard resident returned the favor in the marquee match of the Broncos' seventh team championship since 2000.

With his 10-3 victory Robertson and his three fellow reigning state champions - Isaiah Gonzalez, Carl Foreside and Grant Goebel - led the Broncos' path to another team title. Yorkville never had a chance against the Broncos; Montini won the first eight matches of the championship dual, and Alex Saunders' second-period fall cemented the 52-6 final.

With its seven state championships - all in this decade in three different class arrangements - Montini trails only Providence (8) for most titles in state history.

"All the tournaments we went to as a team, all the early-morning workouts, the conditioning - it really paid off," Robertson said. "I scored most of my points on my feet (against Lightfoot). He definitely came out a lot harder, maybe with a little revenge on his mind. I ended up exploding right on the whistle."

Montini began its championship drive with a 58-6 quarterfinal triumph over Mahomet-Seymour, but the Broncos' key performance came against Crystal Lake Central in the semifinals. The teams' status as the top-two middle-tier programs in the state was certainly justified as the Broncos held off the Tigers, who feature two individual state champions, 39-17.

Any hope of Montini looking past the Foxes evaporated early - by design.

"After beating the tough team we couldn't let down in the finals," said Gonzalez, the Broncos' 160-pound state champion. "It's just a team effort that gets us through. This (simultaneous individual and team titles) has been my goal my whole high school career."

"(Avoiding a letdown) is what we talked about (after the semifinals)," said Montini coach Mike Bukovsky, the most decorated mentor in state history. "I have a lot of respect for (Crystal Lake Central). We did what we had to do. It all starts with the seniors."

Foreside and Goebel anchor the Broncos' upper weights at 189 and 215 pounds, respectively, and the senior duo opened the championship match with technical fall and fall to give Montini its early cushion that would never be relinquished.

"I felt like I have accomplished all I could," said Goebel, the Villa Park resident who continued the family tradition at Montini. "I didn't lose to anyone in the state all year."

Kevon Powell (103 pounds), Christ DiVito (112), Eric Powell (125), Colton Rasche (130), Frank Baer (140) and Elliot Hudson (145) earned wins against Yorkville (16-6).

"We knew what kind of team Montini has," Yorkville coach Shane Darnel said.