Montini takes down Palatine

Updated: May 9, 2012 9:44AM

Junior quarterback Mark Gorogianis may have the keys to the Broncos, but junior running back Dimitri Taylor and senior wideout Jordan Westerkamp are the keys to the Broncos.

Taylor rushed 15 times for 160 yards and touchdowns of 25 and 65 yards and Westerkamp caught five passes for 88 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown with 2:57 left in the third quarter that proved to be the difference as No. 9 Montini beat Palatine 26-21 on Friday in Lombard.

“Gorogianis stepped up,” Westerkamp said. “Coming into a game like this against an 8A school, OK, he threw a couple of picks, but that’s to be expected. He didn’t take many reps in the summer. But he came in and was unbelievable.”

Montini took a 13-0 lead with 5:53 left in the second quarter on two Andre Harte field goals and a 25-yard run by Taylor. A 47-yard pass from Gorogianis to Westerkamp set up Taylor’s score.

Gorogianis (13-of-24, 134 yards, three interceptions) started in place of the injured John Rhode, who underwent surgery for a fracture in his right thumb. He is expected to miss five weeks.

Palatine (0-1) scored on a 16-yard run by junior fullback Sam Miller with 1:34 left in the half.

On the next possession, Palatine scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Olles to Taylor Hall that went off the hands of at least three players before Hall hauled it in.

But Taylor took the first snap of the second half 65 yards to give the Montini (1-0) a 19-14 lead they never relinquished.

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