Members of the Monticello football team celebrate with their runner-up trophy after Friday's Class 3A state championship game against Montini.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
NORMAL - On a frigid November afternoon at Hancock Stadium, Montini Catholic (12-2) showcased its championship pedigree with a dominant 49-8 victory over Monticello (11-3) to claim its first Class 3A football state championship. The Broncos, who previously captured six state titles in higher classifications, overwhelmed the Sages in a game that underscored their experience and depth.
Montini’s victory added another chapter to its storied history. The Broncos won the Class 4A title in 2004, Class 5A titles in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, and the Class 6A championship in 2015. This was Montini’s first state title since moving to Class 3A last year, following a waiver granted by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to compete in the smaller classification. Their last title-game appearance was in 2018, a narrow 35-27 loss to Joliet Catholic in the Class 5A final.
"This group of kids worked so hard, especially the seniors. We've had a couple of rough years," said Bronco head coach Mike Bukovsky. "They felt the pressure of living up to some of the past achievements of Montini teams. I don't know if I've had a tighter knit group than this group."
They seemed like a team of destiny. Secretly, I was very fearful of that.
Friday’s triumph marked Montini’s seventh state title overall, continuing the DuPage County private school’s reputation as an Illinois football powerhouse.
The Broncos wasted no time asserting their dominance. The offense opened with a 70-yard drive capped by Jeremiah Peterson’s 5-yard touchdown run just 1:42 into the contest. The onslaught continued with a 53-yard touchdown strike to CJ Harkins and a 49-yard scoring dash by Peterson in the first quarter, giving Montini a commanding 21-0 lead.
Bukovsky said Monticello looked impressive on-film. He dug deep into his bag of team motivational strategies to make sure his team did not enter the game overly confident, overlooking what he thought was a solid opponent.
"They had something. They won a couple of games in the playoff that maybe the shouldn't have won. We respected that," he said. "They have some playmakers. They seemed like a team of destiny. Secretly, I was very fearful of that."
Bronco quarterback Gaetano Carbonara looks for running room during second half action against Monticello. The senior moved the ball eight yards down the field. He also saw action on the other side of the ball, recording a solo tackle.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
By halftime, Montini had built an insurmountable 35-0 lead, adding two more scores in the second quarter. The Broncos’ balanced attack proved unstoppable, utilizing just 35 plays to generate seven scoring drives. Peterson finished with 183 all-purpose yards, Harkins added 123 receiving yards, and Santino Florio tallied 91 rushing yards and 100 total yards.
Monticello head coach
Cully Welter said adjusting to Montini's size and quickness was difficult.
"Obviously, we saw them on film, and thought they were very good," he explained. "But, I thought they took it to another level today."
Bukovsky concurred with Welter's observation.
"Today, our guys just hit another level," he said, stating the rise in performance started two weeks earlier after the Broncos defeated Byron, avenging last year's 26-20 loss to last year's eventual Class 3A champions. "Since the Byron game, we've hit another level."
Monticello entered the championship game riding the momentum of three thrilling playoff wins, including a nail-biter against Unity. However, their hopes were quickly dashed by Montini’s suffocating defense and explosive offense. The Sages managed just 267 total yards, a stark contrast to Montini’s 545-yard effort, which included 320 rushing yards.
Adding to Monticello’s woes was the early exit of star
quarterback Ike Young, who left the game in the second half due to injury. Young, who had amassed over 4,000 total yards this season, was visibly affected even before leaving the field. Without their leader, the Sages struggled to find rhythm.
A late fourth-quarter touchdown by Carter Foran prevented a shutout. Foran hauled in a 29-yard pass from Nolan Buehnerkemper with just 30 seconds left.
"On the last drive they were trying to get me in the end zone," Foran said. "That one throw hung up in the air a little bit. I was like, if these guys bobble it, I'll be in the back of it. That's what happen and I was able to get in [the end zone]."
Quan Nguyen’s two-point conversion capped a six-play, better late than never 77-yard drive that was one of the few bright spots for Monticello.
Montini's Payton Nelson breaks up a pass play to Monticello's Carter Foran in the fourth quarter.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Buehnerkemper led the Sages with 46 rushing yards and threw for 85 and one TD. Koyie Williams and teammate Quan Nguyen finished the game with 21 yards rushing each.
Senior
Carter Foran hauled in a team-high nine passes for 110 yards. His longest catch resulted in Monticello's only touchdown. Before moving to quarterback, Buehnerkemper had four catches for 33 yards.
We gave it our best shot.
Montini’s defense played a pivotal role in the victory, limiting Monticello’s explosive offense. Douglas Mateo led the Broncos with 10 tackles, including six solo stops. Jaxon Lane and Nick Irion combined for 12 tackles, while Brody Boyer recorded a crucial sack for a 10-yard loss. In total, the Broncos recorded 54 tackles, showcasing their physicality and discipline.
Montini defensive back Max Bell tries to shed Sages' Hunter Romano after intercepting a Monticello pass. Bell, a senior who recorded one tackle, got the pick and ran the ball back 19 yards.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
On the other side, Monticello’s defense was led by Buehnerkemper, who tallied 12 tackles. Koyie Williams and Hunter Romano added five tackles each, while Carter Foran and Jack Helms contributed four apiece. Despite their best efforts, the Sages defense struggled to contain Montini’s multifaceted attack.
Monticello, a boundary school with a student enrollment of 485, was making its second title-game appearance. The Sages previously won the Class 3A championship in 2018.
Welter was proud of this year's squad. "We gave it our best shot. All I can say is what a remarkable year for these kids. I'm extremely proud of what they accomplished this year."
Keywords:
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Monticello responded with a string of victories, including Nick Litchfield’s 18-2 tech fall at 126 pounds and a forfeit at 132 pounds. Despite SJO's Aiden Hundley and Landen Butts securing key wins at 138 and 144 pounds, Monticello mounted a comeback. Russ Brown’s 16-1 tech fall at 190 pounds tied the score at 34-all, and Hunter Romano’s second-period pin at 215 pounds gave the Sages their first lead of the match, 40-34.
The Spartans’ hopes rested on sophomore heavyweight Cam Wagner, who delivered under pressure. Wagner pinned Nate Darnell in just 55 seconds, tying the match at 40-40 and preserving SJO’s unbeaten record for the day.
With Monticello behind them, the Spartans faced two more challenges on Saturday: Unity, a 2023 IHSA Class 1A Elite 8 team, and host Illinois Valley Central.
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