One Nazareth player stands out on the game footage that Lincoln-Way West coach Dave Ernst has seen while scouting the Roadrunners for the Class 5A state championship game at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.
It’s hard to miss senior Julian Love, who rarely leaves the field as a running back/receiver, defensive back and returner on both punts and kickoffs.
“I think he’s the best football player I’ve seen since I’ve been at West,” said Ernst, who in his fourth season after serving as an assistant coach. “Because (when) he’s on defense, he’s a great tackler. He plays tough. He’s fast. He’s everything you want in a football player. He’s going to Notre Dame for a reason.”
When Ernst was reminded that he once coached against former Joliet Catholic star running back Ty Isaac, Ernst said Love is better than Isaac, who is a reserve at Michigan.
Love has scored seven touchdowns in the playoffs and is coming off a four-TD performance during the 34-0 semifinal win against St. Laurence, when he looked like he was the only player not wearing snowshoes on TD runs of 99, 32, 27 and 75 yards during a snowstorm. Love also scored on a 66-yard reception against Joliet Catholic in the quarterfinals and returned a kickoff 85 yards against Solorio in the second round.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Westchester resident is listed all over the stats sheet for the Roadrunners (11-2), the defending Class 6A state champions. On defense, Love is tied with linebacker Joe Muscolino for first in tackles (88) and is first in tackles-for-loss (16).
On offense, Love ranks second in touchdowns scored (27), second in rushing yards (1,017), second in rushing TDs (18) and second in receptions (26). He leads the Roadrunners in receiving yards (655) and receiving TDs (7).
Leading rusher Ivory Kelly-Martin has carried for 1,802 yards and scored 29 TDs, including nine in the postseason. He had a 70-yard kickoff return against St. Laurence.
“Julian is playing at a high level. He has that innate ability,” Nazareth coach Racki said. “He’s not a rah-rah (player) before games. He takes care of his body. He’s serious about it. He’s a tough kid. He’s the first kid I’ve had to go to Notre Dame on a full football scholarship.”
Montalvo a threat
Nazareth’s defense has had mixed success with stopping dominant running backs during this postseason. The Roadrunners will face one more rushing standout in the Class 5A state championship game.
Lincoln-Way West senior Gabe Montalvo enters the state final with 308 carries for 2,274 yards and 38 TDs for the run-first Warriors (11-2), who will be making their first state title appearance. Montalvo is coming off one of his biggest games of the season when he gashed Champaign Central for 247 yards and five TDs in a 42-14 victory. It was Lincoln-Way West’s first semifinal appearance after making two trips to the quarterfinals.
“Gabe is a wrestler and his older brother (Javier, currently at St. Francis) played here,” Ernst said. “He did everything to get ready for the season, like flipping tires and pulling tires.”
Much of Gabe Montalvo’s success is due to an offensive line that averages 6 -4, 265 pounds and is anchored by 6-5, 280-pound right guard Bryan Brokop (Nebraska) and 6-7, 275-pound right tackle Justin Witt (North Central State).
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“That’s the best line I’ve seen since Joliet Catholic,” Racki said. “They are big and they get off the ball. The running back, Montalvo, is a stud.”
When Nazareth faced St. Laurence, the Roadrunners limited 2,000-yard running back Fayezon Smart to 16 yards on 15 carries.
The Joliet Catholic rushing tandem of Michael Johnson and Ke’Von Johnson combined for 184 yards on 40 carries, but neither found the end zone in the quarterfinals. During East Suburban Catholic action, Ke’Von Johnson rushed for 213 yards and four TDs in Joliet Catholic’s 38-35 win on Oct. 9.
Twitter @geomwilcox