Huntley tops Jacobs to become playoff eligible

One deep breath at a time Huntley, one deep breath. You're almost there.

With their 16-6 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division win over Jacobs, the Red Raiders solidified their fifth victory to become playoff eligible. Yet, the Red Raiders (5-4, 2-3) will have to wait like a college basketball team on the bubble to see if their 5-4 record will signify postseason play when the IHSA reveals its playoff qualifiers tonight.

"We just want to make it," said Huntley running back Brett Kleckner. "We just want to start a legacy here, and have people know that Huntley football is a tough team and we're here to play and we never back down."

"You can't assume," said Huntley coach Steve Graves, believing Huntley will play in 7A. "I know that 38 (points) almost methodically gets you in, one time we had 37 here I think at Huntley and didn't get it at 5-4, which was devastating to us. I know how devastating it can be. There's no guarantees until it's over."

Said Kleckner: "If we're in, we're in. If we're not it's going to be a bummer."

Huntley simply needed victory, and it gave Jacobs a lethal dose of Kleckner and Marcus Popenfoose, especially in the thick mud that covered them from head to toe.

"This was pretty bad. We were getting muddy and the ball was really slippery out there," Kleckner said. "We just held on to it and did our best."

And a muddy Kleckner did. His only touchdown, which culminated a 9-play 50-yard drive on a 2-yard run with 11:29 in the 2nd quarter, gave the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead. Kleckner (27 carries,119 yards) and Popenfoose (8 carries, 28 yards), a dominant rushing attack, combined for 147 yards rushing (214 total).

While each team traded long-drives and punts, a Jacobs' option-pitch that failed with 6:37 in the half allowed Huntley to suck up the remaining clock. The drive ended with Tor Larkin's 18-yard field goal, giving Huntley 10-0 lead at the half.

After Jacobs (2-7, 1-4) capitalized on a fourth down offsides penalty when it was forced to punt, Kyle Wright scored from a yard out with 3:30 in third which sliced Huntley's lead to 4. They twice had chances to stuff Huntley in the red zone midway through the fourth, but Huntley reared its ugly head, as Larkin rushed for a 6-yard score, giving Huntley a 16-6 lead. Jacobs amassed just 125 total yards, 8 first downs, and lost 2 of its 6 fumbles.

"They're powerful. They're good upfront; those guys run hard. They're a potent running attack," said Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter. "I think they can play with anybody."