The Montini Catholic football program’s school record 25-game winning streak ended with Friday night’s 35-28 loss to the Sandburg Eagles in Orland Park.
The Broncos’ 2026 record dropped to 1-1 with the loss, while Sandburg raised its record to 2-0.
Montini had not lost a game since its 14-10 setback at Fenwick in Week 4 of the 2024 regular season. That loss on Sept. 20, 2024, dropped the Broncos’ record to 2-2. Montini closed the season by winning 10 straight games and capturing the IHSA Class 3A state championship. The Broncos posted an undefeated 14-0 record during the 2025 campaign and won the IHSA Class 4A state title. Montini’s winning streak reached 25 games with its 48-0 home win over Hoopeston Area High School in its 2026 season opener in Lombard on Aug. 21.
Montini and Sandburg scored one touchdown each in the first quarter of Friday’s contest. Senior quarterback Israel Abrams scored Montini’s first touchdown of the evening on a 1-yard run. Sandburg scored a pair of second-quarter touchdowns after taking advantage of a couple of miscues by the Broncos, including a fumble late in the second quarter. Shortly after recovering the fumble, the Eagles scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass and made the extra-point kick to take a 21-7 lead going into halftime.
The Broncos evened the score at 21-21 with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. Senior Eddie Kowalczyk delivered a 3-yard touchdown run to help Montini cut the Eagles’ lead to 21-14. Abrams connected with senior tight end Johnny Louise on a 5-yard touchdown pass later in the third quarter. The extra-point kick deadlocked the contest. Sandburg took the lead later in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run.
The Eagles expanded their lead to 35-21 after a 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Montini cut into the lead when Abrams fired a 49-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Damacio Ortegon.
Sandburg’s offense faced a fourth-and-four play with less than two minutes left in the game. A defensive penalty by the Broncos gave Sandburg a first down and allowed the Eagles to close out their victory.
Montini’s season will continue with this Friday’s Chicago Catholic League (CCL) game at Marist (2-0) in Chicago. Montini is a member of the four-team CCL’s Green Division, which also includes St. Rita, Nazareth Academy and St. Francis. Marist plays in the CCL’s Blue Division, which includes Brother Rice, Loyola Academy and Mount Carmel.
Abrams, who was Montini’s quarterback throughout the program’s 25-game winning streak, completed 16 of 34 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns in Friday’s loss. Ortegon made seven receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown.
Senior linebacker Ben Evenson made a team-leading 12 tackles for the Broncos in their loss to the Eagles. Senior linebacker Orlando Greco provided nine tackles, while senior defensive back Jack Spanos contributed eight tackles. Louise, a linebacker on defense, supplied seven tackles.
Montini coach Mike Bukovsky praised Sandburg after Friday’s battle.
“They [the Eagles] executed very well in all three phases of the game all night, and proved they are an excellent team. We had a tough time containing their quarterback all night, and we just couldn’t keep our offensive consistency going for four quarters. They made a few more key plays than us.”
