The Montini Catholic football team lost a high-scoring battle in its homecoming game against St. Rita on Friday, Sept. 25, in Lombard. The visiting Mustangs rallied to edge the Broncos 39-38 in a Chicago Catholic League (CCL) Green Division contest.
Montini dropped to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in division play with the loss. St. Rita moved to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the division with its win.
The Mustangs took an early 3-0 lead with a first-quarter field goal, but the Broncos moved into the lead later in the opening quarter when senior quarterback Israel Abrams fired a 62-yard touchdown pass to senior Damacio Ortegon. Montini added two more touchdowns in the second quarter, when Abrams scored on a 4-yard run and connected with senior Donovan Evans on a 23-yard pass. St. Rita, which produced one touchdown and one field goal during the second quarter, trailed the Broncos 21-13 at halftime.
Montini scored on its opening offensive drive of the second half, with Abrams finding senior Daniel Sago on a 10-yard touchdown pass. After St. Rita delivered its third field goal of the game, senior Johnny Louise of the Broncos kicked a 19-yard field goal to give his team a 31-16 lead by the end of the third quarter.
The Mustangs recovered a pair of onside kicks during a wild fourth quarter, when they tied the game at 31-31 with two touchdown runs and a successful two-point conversion pass. Abrams ran for a touchdown to help Montini to a 38-31 lead with just under seven minutes to play. St. Rita scored on a 7-yard touchdown run on its ensuing drive. The Mustangs successfully executed a two-point conversion pass to take a 39-38 lead with 2:52 to play.
Montini’s next offensive drive ended with a punt by Louise, who boomed a 49-yard punt. The Broncos needed to stop St. Rita to get the ball back, but the Mustangs picked up a first down and were able to run out the clock.
Montini piled up 464 offensive yards in Friday’s loss. Abrams completed 24 of 30 passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a pair of touchdowns. Evans made seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. Ortegon provided five receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown in one half of play. Senior Luca Florio contributed three receptions for 61 yards. He also gained 40 rushing yards on seven carries, and supplied up 12 tackles as a defensive back. Senior linebacker Ben Evenson also made 12 tackles for the Broncos. Sago hauled in four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. As a defensive back, he provided six tackles and an interception.
“St. Rita deserves a lot of credit,” stated Montini coach Mike Bukovsky in his post-game comments. “They hung in and converted a few key special teams plays to take control of the game. I feel like we wasted an outstanding offensive effort, throwing for over 400 yards and an 80-percent completion rate. You feel that with those numbers you’ve got to think you can win a football game.”
The Broncos will visit Chicago’s De La Salle Institute (0-6) of the CCL Red Division this Friday. Montini will end its regular season with a home game against Marmion Academy on Oct. 9, followed by a CCL Green Division battle against St. Francis in Lombard on Oct. 16.
