Boys soccer: Orr, Montini reach final

Four-year varsity boys soccer player Michael Orr contributed even more than usual to Montini on Wednesday.

Orr scored his first goal of the season - and then another - as the Broncos defeated Westmont 7-1 in the Class 1A Lisle regional semifinal at Lisle Junior High School.

"Total two. My two goals this season. That's it," said a smiling Orr, a central defender in the Broncos' usual flat-back line. "On corners I come up usually, but today I guess I was feeling goals."

Montini (7-11), the No. 3 seed in its Lisle sectional bracket, meets No. 2 Lisle (8-7) for the regional title at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lisle Junior High.

Orr is the last player connection to Montini's only regional championship in 2013, a 4-3 victory over Lisle.

"That, to me, was the greatest feeling ever so coming back to this field is nostalgic. I was like, 'Aw. This is where it happened,' " the senior said. "It will (be tough Saturday), but we're going to be practicing all week. We're going to be ready for (Lisle)."

Seniors Chris Parrilli and Brandon Beahan and freshman Cody Collier also scored for a 5-0 halftime lead. Sophomore Anthony Burger scored twice in the second half, including from a 30-yard free kick.

The Broncos' lineup is a mix of young and old. They started five of their seven seniors with two sophomores and freshman outside defender John McManus. This season they have lost two freshmen starters to injury, offensive threat Joshua Gonzaga and defender Justin Mondschean.

Orr said the seniors have tried to prepare the underclassmen for their transition to varsity and the seasons to come.

"We wouldn't be anywhere without (Orr)," Montini coach Brian Briggs said. "He's carried us so far this season with his strong play and leadership, not just in games but at every practice. He's been tremendous for us."

Steady and sometimes hard rain fell throughout the early part of the first half. That didn't deter Orr from scoring just 4:05 into the match after he battled to control a ball centered by junior Nathaniel Lukasik.

"That was our mindset pretty much these whole playoffs. We're going to try and take teams out early and score first," Orr said. "We had to watch our touch because the ball was skipping all around the field."

Parrilli followed with 25:10 left in the half off a throw-in by Max Hanzlik skipped through the crease by George Lambesis. Beahan scored after another Lukasik pass, Orr scored again following a free kick and Collier pounced on a mishandled long ball by Lambesis.

"Mike goes to the ball harder than anybody on the team so we started sending him up on restarts. He's got hops. He can get up and win the ball so it's really nice to have him up there," Briggs said. "We don't like leaving him out of the back too much. He's very fast and he's a really smart defender, just very solid."

With 2:42 left No. 8 Westmont (2-14) got the final goal from junior Ko Aphornram off a cross by junior Ben Ledwon, who initiated most of the Sentinels' few offensive surges. Westmont, which had no seniors and started four freshman and one sophomore, lost its first two goalies to injuries.