The 2011 season marked a new era for the Montini football program, as an off-season renovation project brought an artificial turf playing surface to Duffy Memorial Stadium. The Broncos christened the new turf with an opening-week victory over Coach Andriano’s alma mater Palatine in a non-conference matchup. Despite sitting at 2-2 after four games, the Broncos went on a roll, finishing 7-2 for the second consecutive year and placing second in the SCC Blue. Montini’s offense shattered numerous records and scored 600 total points on the season to help the Broncos reach the postseason for the 19th straight season. The Broncos easily handled their first two playoff opponents in Woodstock North and Sterling before facing Marian Central in the quarterfinals. In a rematch of a week 4 Hurricanes win, the Bronco offense proved too much to overcome as Montini rolled to a 52-27 victory. Montini’s semifinal opponent for the second straight season would be the Kaneland Knights, and in a game that went down to the wire, Montini prevailed 35-31, ending the Knight’s undefeated season for the second straight year.
Montini would face Joliet Catholic in the 2011 Class 5A championship game, marking the third straight season these teams had faced each other. In contrast to the 2009 match-up, which was a low-scoring affair, the 2011 championship game saw numerous individual, team, and state records fall as a track meet unfolded on the turf at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. When all was said and done, Montini had prevailed 70-45 in one of the wildest and most exciting contests in program history. In his last season as a Bronco, Jordan Westerkamp broke all three records he had set the previous school year, including 353 yards and five touchdowns in the championship game alone. Westerkamp and defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson would go on to be named All-Americans and play college football at Nebraska and Iowa, respectively, with Johnson being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
Schedule:
08/26 vs. Palatine–W 26-21
09/3 @ Loyola Academy–L 41-24
09/9 vs. Marmion Academy–W 13-6
09/16 @ Marian Central Catholic–L 21-20
09/23 vs. Aurora Christian–W 55-14
09/30 vs. St. Francis–W 33-14
10/7 @ St. Edward–W 59-14
10/15 @ Walther Lutheran–W 75-0
10/21 vs. Wheaton Academy–W 54-6
10/29 vs. Woodstock North–W 49-14
11/4 @ Sterling–W 35-10
11/11 vs. Marian Central Catholic–W 52-27
11/18 @ Kaneland–W 35-31
11/25 @ Joliet Catholic Academy at Memorial Stadium–W 70-45
Montini Bronco Football 