Super 25 countdown: Montini

Coming off last season’s second consecutive Class 5A title, Montini had the building blocks for another potent passing game.

Big-time receivers? Check. Big bodies up front? Ditto. The only question was who would replace graduated senior Matt Westerkamp at quarterback.

Then incoming senior John Rhode transferred in from Marian Catholic. Now all the pieces were in place for another big year for the Broncos, who are No. 9 in the Sun-Times preseason Super 25.

“We were blessed to get John over here,” said senior receiver Jordan Westerkamp, who has committed to Nebraska.

Coach Chris Andriano feels the same way: “He has done such a good job of learning our offense in such a short time.”

That offense revolves around a deep and experienced corps of receivers. The leader of the pack is Westerkamp, a 6-foot-1, 195-pounder who racked up 23 touchdowns and 1,650 receiving yards last season. But he’s not the only player capable of burning opposing secondaries; also back are junior Joe Borsellino and senior Anthony Taylor. “The defense can’t just key on one guy,” Jordan Westerkamp said.

“We have an excellent group of skill kids,” Andriano said. “If our offensive line can give us time to throw and we can come up with a running game, we can be very good.”

Westerkamp is upbeat about the guys up front, including center Brian Piper and right tackle Jim Lowery. “Our offensive line is looking awesome,” he said. “We have really big kids; our average (height) is like 6-2, 6-3.”

The featured back will be Taylor’s younger brother Dimitri, a junior. “He’s on the short side,” Andriano said, “but he’s fast and he blocks well.”

Like the offense, the Montini defense got a boost from a talented transfer: defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson (6-4, 290), an Iowa recruit who arrived from St. Joseph. “He’s so athletic for such a big kid,” Andriano said.

Adding Johnson to the mix is key, because the only defensive starter back from last year’s 12-2 club is senior linebacker Franklin Bruscianelli. Andriano also expects Josh Rogers, Fred Beaugard and Mike Kaiser to be impact players up front.

And as Westerkamp noted, the Broncos’ defense has been tested already in the preseason because “they get to go against our receiver corps and John.”

That could get the Broncos ready for a challenging conference schedule in the realigned Suburban Christian Blue, which also includes 2010 6A runner-up Marmion and Marian Central, a returning 5A quarterfinalist. But a league title isn’t the only thing on the Broncos’ wish list.

“Three (state titles) in a row would be something special,” Westerkamp said. “Getting the third title is a bunch of motivation for our team.”

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