Montini recovers with big second half to secure win
Montini overcame a sloppy first half to pull away from the De La Salle 43-30 Friday night.
Led by senior quarterback Chuck Norgle, the Broncos outscored the Meteors 29-9 in the second half to earn their first win as a member of the Chicago Catholic League Green Division.
Norgle threw three second-half touchdowns - two to Leon Thornton III - on his way to 267 yards and 4 touchdowns to help the Broncos break out of their early funk.
"We came out sloppy and weren't ready to play," Norgle said. "We started taking what they were giving us."
What the Meteors gave them was all they could handle for most of the game.
"We're not playing in the old Suburban Christian League anymore; we don't have any of those easy, soft games anymore," Montini coach Chris Andriano said.
The Broncos (2-2, 1-0) converted two early turnovers into touchdowns, but the Meteors responded each time, tying the game at 7 and 14, respectively.
De La Salle (1-3, 0-2) converted on a Montini turnover with 2:05 remaining in the first half, going 81 yards in less than 30 seconds to take a 21-14 lead.
Norgle threw an interception on the ensuing drive, but Caleb Stevenson prevented the Meteors from capitalizing with an interception inside the Broncos five with under 30 seconds remaining.
The Broncos came out motivated in the second half, scoring on their first drive in seven plays to tie the game at 21, with Norgle connecting with Thornton on a 3-yard pass.
After another miscue resulted in a De La Salle safety, it was all Montini from there, as they held quarterback Tom Duddleston in check, and scored the next 19 points to put the game out of reach.
Prince Walker ran in from 8 yards out to make it 27-23 after a failed 2-point attempt. Norgle and Thornton connected from 16 to make it 34-23, and Norgle threw his third touchdown of the half to Patrick Maloney to make it 40-23.
De La Salle finished a 16-play drive to get within 30-23 but failed to recover an onside kick.
Mason Weissenhofer added a 37-yard field goal for the final margin.
"It was a learning experience," Andriano said. "We just have to keep learning and understanding what it means for the physical part of the game, got to play a whole game, all phases."