Montini blows out Monticello in Class 3A final, claims seventh IHSA state title

NORMAL – After eight years, Mike Bukovsky earned his state title as Montini’s head coach.

The Broncos’ offense was unstoppable most of the day Friday against Monticello, amassing 545 total yards in a 49-8 win in the Class 3A state championship game at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium.

It was the seventh title for the Broncos, the first since 2015 and the first since Bukovsky shifted from defensive coordinator on those title teams to head coach in 2017.

Bukovsky said it wasn’t about winning his first title as head coach. It was about stopping the almost decade-long drought without a title.

“I guess I don’t really differentiate,” Bukovsky said on the feeling of getting his first title as a head coach. “I was just as mentally invested as the other ones. This one probably feels in a lot of ways the best because it’s been a while.”

Senior linebacker Jaxon Lane was second on the Broncos with seven tackles. When he and the starters left, it was still a shutout.

Lane and many of the seniors were a part of the 2022 team that went 3-6, the second straight losing season for the Broncos and their first time with consecutive losing seasons since 1991-1992. Montini rebounded last season to reach the Class 3A semifinals, avenged a loss to defending champion Byron in this year’s second round – and finished the deal Friday.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Lane said. “It’s something I think we all came to Montini for. ... We wanted to be the team that brought it back and we believed in ourselves as a team.”

Montini (12-2) scored on its first three drives, needing nine plays and 3:02 to amass 225 yards.

Jeremiah Peterson put the Broncos on the board 102 seconds into the game with a 5-yard run after quarterback Israel Abrams scrambled 47 yards to get them into the red zone.

On the next drive Abrams found CJ Harkins on a screen that he turned into a 53-yard touchdown catch. Abrams on the next drive hit Peterson on a screen that he turned into a 47-yard touchdown catch and a 21-0 lead going into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Abrams picked up just his second rushing touchdown of the year. He entered the game with 61 carries and 199 yards but finished Friday’s game with five carries for 49 yards and the one score.

Abrams tossed his third touchdown of the game on another screen pass to push the lead to 35-0 with 1:20 left in the first half. This time he hit Harkins again for a 70-yard gain.

In the second half, JoJo James found the end zone on a 5-yard run, pushing the lead to 42-0 with 4:29 left in the second half, capping the longest drive of the game to that point at 13 plays, 77 yards and 3:44 off the clock.

Montini fell just short of the 3A record for most total yards in the title game. The 3A record remains the 555 yards Williamsville got against Byron in the 2019 game. The Broncos still hold the 5A title game with the 853 yards they got against JCA in 2011.

The Broncos scored on seven of their eight drives. The Sages (11-3) scored with 30 seconds left when quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper found Carter Foran for a 29-yard catch.

Abrams threw for 225 yards, with Harkins having two catches, both touchdowns, for 123 yards - 120 of which came after the catch. As a team, the Broncos had 190 yards after the catch, including of all Peterson’s 49 receiving yards. He also ran for 134 on 13 carries.

Monticello coach Cullen Welter said he was proud of the way Sages fought against what he called a great team.

“We saw them on film and I thought they were very good,” Welter said. “But I thought they took it to another level today.”