The heavily anticipated Class 3A title game in Normal has so far been a one-sided affair, with the Montini team dominating the Sages to take an impressive 35-0 lead into halftime.
This lopsided scoreline leaves the Sages facing a daunting task ahead as they attempt to salvage their championship hopes and stage a dramatic comeback against their imposing opponents.
Montini's commanding performance has seen them outmaneuver Monticello in almost every aspect, with the Sages struggling to mount any meaningful resistance against their opponent's powerful offense.
As the Sages trudge into the locker room at the break, they will surely be ruing their missed opportunities and lapses in defense that gifted Montini their substantial advantage.
Despite their current predicament, the Sages still have the requisite skill and talent to mount a late surge and turn the game around, but it remains a formidable task.
In their favor is the fact that they have 24 minutes to attempt a revival, ample time for coach adjustments and player recalibration.
However, in order to even dream of making inroads into their opponents' lead, the Sages must redouble their efforts, cut out avoidable mistakes and create scoring opportunities.
Only a gargantuan second-half effort would be enough to upset Montini and salvage this game, which from the outside appears all but lost.
As things currently stand, the onus falls squarely on Monticello to showcase their resilience and determination as the Sages attempt to rewrite the halftimescript in their favor and secure a result in this all important Class 3A title showdown.