Helfgot's football blog | Here a pick, there a pick, everywhere semifinal picks

Mike Helfgot

5:23 p.m. AKST, November 15, 2012

Montini does not play Joliet Catholic in the playoffs every year.

It seems like it because the Broncos and Hilltoppers have given us two of the most memorable state championship games in recent years. But the 2009 and '11 Class 5A finals are the only times they've met in the postseason.

Joliet Catholic, to paraphrase the Jay-Z, had 99 problems in those two games, and offense wasn't one.

That's how many points Montini, the three-time defending champion, scored in the two meetings. The Broncos scored when they needed to in '09 and at will last year.

In the first game, Christian Westerkamp caught a touchdown pass and two-point conversion pass from Brandon Pechloff with 32 seconds to play for a 29-28 Montini victory.

Then, in the highest scoring championship game in state history last fall, Jordan Westerkamp set an overall state record with 353 yards receiving and scored five touchdowns as Montini overcame Ty Isaac's whopping 515 yards rushing to win 70-45.

The Westerkamps are gone, but Montini's creative offense still has the uncanny ability score when the Broncos absolutely need to.

Sycamore seemed to out-Montini the Broncos when it scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to take a 22-21 lead with 31 seconds remaining in their second-round matchup.

But Alex Wills and Joe Borsellino marched down the field to set up a last-second 34-yard field goal by Andrew Harte for a 24-22 victory.

Last week, just as in the 2011 championship game against Joliet Catholic, Montini fooled Marian Central with a new offensive wrinkle — the option — and avenged a regular-season loss with a 42-27 victory over the previously unbeaten Hurricanes.

I'm guessing that by now, Joliet Catholic has figured out what Montini's offensive was doing in last year's title game.

I'm also guessing that the Broncos will come up with something that fools the Hilltoppers again.

Call it 45-28 Montini.

Here are the rest of my semifinal picks, with Tribune rankings in front of teams:

CLASS 8A

No. 6 Glenbard North at No. 1 Loyola

Junior RB Justin Jackson has been fantastic all season for GBN, but I don't see a one-dimensional offense beating Loyola. GBN quarterback Brian Murphy is a capable play-action passer, but the Ramblers have the discipline to prevent surprise big plays.

Pick: Loyola 20-10

No. 4 Mount Carmel at No. 5 Neuqua Valley

Joey Rhattigan is one of my favorite "5 Questions" subjects and running backs to watch. He's going to need help from QB Dylan Andrew against the Caravan's "D," and the Wildcats are going to have to do a better job against Mount Carmel's option than they did against Bolingbrook's. That's a lot of ifs, plus Neuqua fans like when I pick against them.

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