Westerkamp, Montini come through in end
Kaneland held one of the greatest receivers in Illinois high school history without a catch through three quarters.
In the end Montini's Jordan Westerkamp exerted his will.
Capping a 10-play drive and 14-point comeback, Westerkamp ran a 19-yard post route from right to left, caught John Rhode's pass and tumbled into the end zone with the game-winning touchdown with 2:03 left in Montini's 35-31 victory in Saturday's Class 5A semifinal in Maple Park.
"They called my number and I knew I had to make the play," said Westerkamp, whose 4 receptions for 69 yards came all in the last quarter.
"I ran a skinny post pattern and I faked like I was going to go to the outside," he said. "Once I saw that safety jump I cut right under him and John, unbelievable throw, the line, unbelievable job blocking this game. It's just an unbelievable game."
The chance to play for a title is why Rhode transferred from Marian Catholic. Two-time defending state champ Montini (11-2) will play Joliet Catholic, a 49-7 over Sacred Heart-Griffin, in the 5A title game at 10 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
"There's no feeling like it," said Rhode, who completed 20 of 35 passes for 229 yards. "These guys, they told me all the time before the season how great the feeling was. But you really don't know how it is until you're there. Having these guys around me, going down to state, it's just awesome."
No. 1-seeded Kaneland (12-1) looked a tad more awesome much of this rematch of last year's semifinal, leading 17-14 at halftime and 31-21 entering the fourth quarter.
"I couldn't have been prouder of any group of kids that I ever coached," said Knights coach Tom Fedderly. "They battled. We were total underdogs, no one gave us a chance and our kids came out and answered the bell every time. It came down to the last couple minutes and they made a play."
No. 6 seed Montini took leads of 7-0 and 14-7 on the first of Joey Borsellino's 2 short touchdown runs and the first of Dimitri Taylor's 2 long ones.
Kaneland's Jesse Balluff answered each time. The sophomore back busted 81- and a 16-yard touchdown runs, and Matt Rodriguez's 26-yard field goal gave the Knights a 17-14 halftime lead. Balluff ran for 119 of his 145-yard total by halftime.
Montini defensive tackle Mike Kaiser said: "We knew we didn't want to end it this early, we wanted one more week together because it's going to last the rest of our life."
Kaneland whose safety, Jacob Razo, intercepted his 10th pass on an early try to Westerkamp wasn't sympathetic.
The Knights sandwiched Borsellino's second touchdown run with quarterback Drew David's 18-yard touchdown pass to Zack Martinelli and David's own 4-yard run for a 31-21 lead after three quarters.
Westerkamp's first catch, for 13 yards on the second play of the fourth quarter, led to Taylor's second touchdown, a 31-yard sprint to pull within 31-28 with 11:30 to play.
"Had to bring the team back. Had to get them hyped up somehow," said Taylor, who ran for 112 yards.
The Broncos defense recorded two key three-and-outs, then after Westerkamp's game-winning catch, closed it out. Kaneland earned 2 first downs, but on fourth-and-9 from their own 47-yard line with a minute left, Borsellino jumped high to knock a pass to the turf.
"I saw that ball go up and I was thinking, no way I'm letting that get over my head," Borsellino said. "I'm going downstate. I'm not losing this game."
"It was a chess match," said Montini coach Chris Andriano.
"A lot of things were going on out there, they had a great game plan. But our guys just kept hanging in there and they did a great job. And the Westerkamp kid is incredible."