Huntley keeps its playoff hopes alive

Brett Kleckner put the Red Raiders on his shoulders in a must-win game.

Klecker's 161 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns set the tone early for Huntley, which won 40-20 over Dundee-Crown at the D-C Bowl Friday night, setting up a giant game next week against Jacobs to determine their playoff eligibility this season.

"This was kind of a confidence boost. For the past four games, they were tough losses and we haven't really been to get it going on offense but this is proven we could get it done," Kleckner said.

And Kleckner boosted their confidence by getting the offense going, scoring on runs of 6 and 77, the last off a option pitch that put Huntley (4-4, 1-3) up 14-0 with 3:09 left in the first quarter.

"There's a lot of times this year where he's running in there and having no hole whatsoever, so for him to get some movement on the line scrimmage was big for him," said Huntley coach Steve Graves.

Amassing 393 yards rushing on the ground, Huntley's game plan was simple, and so was Kleckner's, as he benefited on his third rushing touchdown of the half from a yard out on a 10-play, 74-yard drive that made it 20-0 Huntley midway through the second quarter.

Huntley made sure Dundee-Crown couldn't crawl back in to the game, as quarterback Tim Lycos scored on an 11-yard run in the third, making it 27-0. Although Tanner Kotlan's (18-36, 185 yards) threw for 3 touchdowns in the 2nd half for D-C and valiantly tried to get the Chargers closer, they were too far back, as Huntley kept running and running and running, which the D-C defense just couldn't hold. Fullback Marcus Popenfoose (12 car. 75 yds) and Tor Larkin ran in 2 more scores Huntley, finishing with 476 total yards.

"We planned this all week," Kleckner said. "We have a pretty decent size line. We got a big fullback so we decided to pound the ball."

Danny Sharp, who returned to the Chargers (1-7, 0-4) after missing last week's game, rushed for 138 yards and caught a 22-yard touchdown pass as time expired. Geoff Clifford (79 yards receiving) also caught 2 touchdown passes.

As for next week, Huntley knows it's do or die.

"This is for all the marbles - this is for the playoffs. This is a huge game for us and we can't downplay that. It is a huge game and it's right where we wanted to be at the this time of the year," said Graves.