Montini catcher Joe Howard has been nearly unstoppable this season–on and off the field.
The senior is batting .490 with five home runs and a team-high 45 RBIs as the Broncos make their first appearance in the Class A quarterfinals.
But if he hadn’t worn his seatbelt Sunday, he probably wouldn’t be making the trip to Springfield’s Lanphier Park.
The morning after Montini’s sectional championship victory over Driscoll, Howard was driving to practice at the Lombard school. As Howard was driving his parents’ 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix through the intersection of 31st Street and Meyers Road in Oak Brook, a Ford Taurus, whose driver did not see the stoplight change, collided with his car.
The Grand Prix was totaled. However, the 18-year-old Howard walked away from the accident with just a few bumps and bruises. Howard, who was picked up by his father, did not go to the hospital and eventually made it to practice–just 10 minutes late.
Against Yorkville in Monday’s Oakton Community College supersectional, Howard shook off a headache and returned to do what he has done all season–crush the baseball. Howard twice drove in runs with 400-foot extra-base hits and helped rally the Broncos to a 5-4 nine-inning victory.
Howard’s three homers in postseason play have been vital, but the Broncos (22-9) have plenty of other seniors who have been leaders. Second baseman Kevin Tyrrell, shortstop Joe Rondinelli and outfielders Joe Winckowski and Ryan Cavanaugh are critical parts of the team’s success.
Tyrrell is batting .481 with 14 doubles and 33 RBIs. Rondinelli is hitting .371 with a team-high 39 runs scored. Winckowski and Cavanaugh are hitting .402.
Junior left-hander Dave Simms leads the pitching staff with a 6-3 record and 90 strikeouts in 71 innings. Rondinelli is 6-1 with 2.86 ERA and Dan Mueller is 5-4 with a 2.37 ERA.
“You never know who’s going to step up on a particular day,” Montini coach Bill Leeberg said.
The Broncos will need all the support they can get in Friday’s 11:30 a.m. quarterfinal against Rock Falls (26-9).
Sophomore infielder Nick Massey leads the Rockets with a .421 average.
Coal City also makes its first appearance in the quarterfinals. Senior catcher Ben Trotter, who is batting .463 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs, leads the Coalers (28-5), who play Anna-Jonesboro in Friday’s third quarterfinal.
