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Montini clobbers Hyde Park

For most high school football programs, entering a season with three players competing to start at quarterback and no clear intentions to name a No. 1 might be a problem.

Montini isn't most programs.

The six-time state champion started its 2018 season with three quarterbacks in the running for time with the first team. The Broncos expertly used a 52-0 defeat of Hyde Park on Friday night to get all three meaningful action.

Junior Deontay Bell got the start and he capped an efficient 6-play, 65-yard drive with a 10-yard scoring strike to Zach Olson. He had the best day statistically with 74 yards on 5-of-6 passing and 2 touchdown tosses and another 45-yard scoring run. Sophomore Robert Brazziel and junior Nick Mudd also had a hand in one touchdown apiece.

"There might not be a lot of separation. They're all gonna play, we're gonna do this and we're gonna win games," Montini coach Mike Bukovsky said of his quarterbacks. "It might shake out in the middle of next week, it might shake out in the middle of the next game or it might shake out in three weeks. Who knows? But we're not pressing it."

With eight defensive starters back Montini looked well-equipped to get hats on the football. It recorded a pair of safeties, registered six sacks and forced three turnovers all while holding the Thunderbirds to minus-32 yards rushing and 17 yards of total offense.

"What we saw was what we've been talking about since last year. We had to be more physical defensively," Bukovsky said. "We put a big premium on that in the weight room and the things that we've done in practice, and guys are bigger and stronger - we were young last year."

Returning from a 136-tackle season in 2017, Jackson Bruscianelli led the way on defense for Montini. He recorded the sack for a safety on Hyde Park's first offensive play and was around the football with regularity.

On the other side of the ball, the other household name at Montini, running back Nick Fedanzo, didn't get a lot of chances to get involved with the score getting out of hand early. However, he did manage to produce 75 yards and a pair of scores on just five touches.

The Illinois commit has added about 10 pounds without losing any of his 10.9-second 100-meter dash speed and he's hoping it will pay off for him during what's sure to be a physical season with Montini moving up to the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division.

However, despite a strong night with 207 yards rushing as a team, Fedanzo does see the running game evolving as they get into the meat of the schedule.

"We're gonna have to bump out a little bit more - go outside with bubbles and sweeps and all that, but I think our inside run is going to be really good."

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