Marion Persich runs for 183 yards as Morris dominates Montini in long-awaited 4A playoff showdown

High school football is Morris's pride and joy. The Warriors are undefeated this season, led by bruising, physical quarterback Marion Persich.

The team, and the entire football-crazed town, have spent a year preparing for another crack at Montini. The Broncos, led by Israel Abrams, knocked Morris out of the Class 4A playoffs last year.

“I’ll be honest, the second we started lifting in the offseason, daily, we started talking about these guys,” Warriors coach Alan Thorson said. “We knew this game was coming. We were all Montini during the bye week. Last week we were 80% Montini.”

Abrams, a Miami recruit, arrived in Morris as the consensus No. 2 quarterback prospect in the country. But nothing went his way on Saturday.

Abrams left with an injury in the third quarter with Morris leading by 14, and the Warriors went on to win the second round Class 4A playoff game 41-7.

“Yeah, they have a five-star quarterback,” Persich said. “I might not have all that many offers, but I am going to come out here and give it my all, and I’m going to play with all my heart.”

Persich had 22 carries for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 142 yards.

Montini (8-3) stopped Persich three yards short of a touchdown to end the first half, but Morris opened the third quarter with a dominant, all-run drive, and Persich scored on a one-yard run to give the Warriors a 21-7 lead.

Abrams, who led Montini to the 4A title last year and the 3A championship in 2025, was injured a few minutes later. He was sacked in the backfield and fumbled the ball away to Morris (11-0).

“He has had a rib injury, and he hasn’t been 100% for a few weeks,” Montini coach Mike Bukovsky said. “He got cracked pretty good in the ribs, and on top of that he got his ankle twisted. The ankle was not as serious of a thing, but he was struggling to breathe for a little bit there.”

Senior lineman Carter Snyder blew up Montini’s first play from scrimmage with a tackle for loss, setting the tone. Senior Jackson Knapp and Snyder both added sacks later in the game.

“That’s how we are,” Morris lineman Brady Armstrong said. “We are a hard-nosed football team. We had to come in and just knock them on their butts and go down the field.”

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

A crop duster plane flew over the field after the anthem. Fireworks went off at points during the game, and there was a full fireworks show as soon as the game finished. Fans from Morris surrounded the entire field.

“Coming to Morris is not an easy place to play at, and our kids thrive under our lights,” Thorson said. “We told our kids all week that this is why you sign up to play football at Morris. We are not strangers to games like this. We needed to get over this hump. This was a huge mountain to get over.”

Abrams finished 14-for-22 for 154 yards. Freshman quarterback Charlie Bliss finished out the game for the Broncos.

“I want to thank everyone on this coaching staff and this team,” Abrams said. “All the classmates and people who have helped me. I came here knowing one person. Montini is the school that gave me a chance, and [Bukovsky] gave me a chance. Three years later we are two-time state champions.

“We came out, and we fought. That’s all I can expect of the guys. Everyone fought. We are all brothers, and that is what matters.”