Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Red Bud quarterback is Musketeers' sparkplug

Play top-seeded Casey in next game

When the Red Bud Musketeers need a spark, the man that usually slips the key into the ignition switch is junior quarterback Jake "Hollywood" Hoffman.

"He's the star of the team, so that's where that came from," said senior offensive line starter and captain Cody Murray, whose 8-2 team plays host to second-ranked Casey-Westfield (10-0) in a 2 p.m. Class 2A second-round state playoff game Saturday.

Chester got the "Hollywood" treatment Saturday and wound up having its playoff show canceled by Hoffman and the Musketeers.

Hoffman completed 13-of-16 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns in a surprisingly lopsided 40-16 victory, running for a fifth TD along the way.

"Jake's a very emotional player and when he's on fire, it's hard to stop him," Murray said. "He just jukes people out of their shoes. He's a quarterback, but he runs like a running back and he's got a cannon on him, too."

Hoffman is the team's top rusher with 873 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also has completed 86-of-179 passes for 1,913 yards and 23 TDs.

Red Bud receiver Mitchel Cleveland set a school record for receiving yardage with five catches for 200 yards, hauling in touchdown passes of 69 and 62 yards in the third quarter.

Cleveland also made a juggling catch that wowed head coach Dave Lucht as the ball rolled up his arm, off his shoulder pad and eventually up against his helmet before being maneuvered back into position.

"He's streaking down the sideline, reaches out to get it and the ball rolled up his arm, then it's up by his helmet," Lucht said. "It was a really impressive reception."

Hoffman was an equal opportunity passer, firing a 45-yard TD pass to Tyler Magruder in the fourth quarter and a 78-yarder to Alex Phegley in the second.

"The linemen did a great job giving him time, the kids ran good routes and he read the openings," Lucht said. "It was just a great day."

Lucht said the slick playing surface may have helped Hoffman.

"That might have made him better," Lucht explained. "In good conditions, he stands a little flat-footed and doesn't really get into his throws and follow through really well.

"It was a little slick, so he was always checking his footing and that prepared him to throw the ball correctly."

Two years ago, Red Bud won its first two playoff games via shutouts before the joy ride ended with a 17-0 quarterfinal loss at Casey. This time top-seeded Casey will made the two-hour trip across the state from its eastern Illinois neighborhood, but the ninth-seed Musketeers will be pushed like they haven't been pushed all season.

Casey thumped Marquette 42-7 in a first-round win.

Running back Billy Seeley and quarterback Brett Livvix are the Warriors' top offensive threats.

Murray played sparingly in the previous Casey game and looks forwards to a rematch. So do Hoffman, Phegley and running back-linebacker Tyler Hubert, all of whom had older brothers starting in the game.

"They've got quite a tradition there and it's quite impressive," Lucht said. "This time we get to stay home and they get to come our way and they're touting a 10-0 record.

"One thing I did learn two years ago is that there's not a big margin of difference between a state champion and a qualifier. You've got to come ready to play."

Lucht said sophomore running back-linebacker Tyler Hubert (708 yards, 12 TDs) is questionable after suffering a knee injury against Chester. Hubert ran nine times for 39 yards against the Yellow Jackets.

"He tweaked his left knee, just got bent over a little bit," Lucht said Monday before finding out the results of Hubert's MRI exam. "He was walking around school today, but we're planning on him taking a week off. One guy had his legs and another guy came in high and kind of bent him back."