Montini struts its stuff
Woodstock North, in its first playoff game in the program's third year, did all it could to hang with two-time defending champ Montini for a half Saturday.
Then the Broncos responded with what they do best.
Quick-strike No. 6 seed Montini needed just 12 plays to score four straight second-half touchdowns, blowing open its 49-14 win over the No. 11 Thunder in a first-round game of the Class 5A playoffs in Lombard.
Montini's answer to Woodstock North was as succinct as its coach's description.
"Bang big plays," Montini coach Chris Andriano said. "That's part of who we are. We score fast."
Montini (8-2) moves on to play next week at Sterling, an 18-14 winner over Julian.
The Broncos' biggest scare Saturday had nothing to do with the scoreboard.
On a second-quarter incomplete pass across the middle, Nebraska-bound receiver Jordan Westerkamp took a helmet hit in the hand. Westerkamp clutched his hand coming off the field, then assured a worried huddle of teammates he was OK.
"It got stuck between two helmets," Westerkamp, "but it's fine."
Teammates weren't the only ones whose heart stopped, thinking broken bone.
"The coach was worried," Andriano said. "His dad (assistant coach Bob Westerkamp) just said, 'Spit on it, he'll be fine.' He's a special player."
Sure enough, Westerkamp had a big hand in Montini's momentum-changing score.
Woodstock North (7-3), trailing 21-0 after a quarter, mounted an 85-yard drive that ended the first half on Brian Loftin's fourth-and-goal score. Then the Thunder went 80 yards out of the break to pull within 21-14 on a Ryan Wade touchdown.
Three plays into Montini's ensuing possession, a leaping Westerkamp won a jump-ball grab for a 43-yard gain to set up Joey Borsellino's 4-yard touchdown run.
The Broncos were just getting started.
John Rhode, who competed 17 of 25 passes for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns, hit Anthony Taylor on the first play of the next drive for a catch-and-run 43-yard score. Then Rhode went deep to Mark Gorogianis for a 64-yard touchdown, Montini's second straight one-play scoring drive and third score in 97 seconds with the ball.
"I credit Woodstock's kids for battling back," Andriano said, "and then we hit them with a couple big plays. Those big plays, they're back-breakers."
Dimitri Taylor's 31-yard touchdown run finished off the rush of offense.
"We knew when we got the ball back," Westerkamp, "we had to put the ball in the end zone. It sees like when we get one thing rolling, we can't be stopped."
Westerkamp caught 6 passes for 105 yards, and to no surprise found the end zone.
A crunching Fred Beaugard block sprung Westerkamp's 52-yard punt return to start Montini's scoring. Westerkamp caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Rhode, and Rhode found a wide-open Borsellino down the sideline for a 21-0 lead after a quarter.
Woodstock North had come back from down 28-13 at half to beat Grayslake North 47-35 for the Fox Valley Conference title a week prior.
Montini was a different animal.
"My kids, they're battlers," Thunder coach Jeff Schroeder said. "Montini just has a lot of weapons."