Week 4: Du-Pec vs Orangeville

Saturday afternoons in Orangeville during football season have become the norm for a lot of football fans over the past couple years. This year is no different, as the Broncos were playing host to the Du-Pec Rivermen in a pivotal NUIC North match-up. The underlying issue was the consistent rain that drenched the field all afternoon.

Orangeville wasted little time getting the game going as they recovered the opening onside kick at the Rivermen 49 yard line. On their 2nd play from scrimmage Cade Janecke took the handoff on a dive to the left and had nothing but daylight as he rumbled in from 44 yards out. Chase Jordan would add the 2 point conversion to give the Broncos a quick 8-0 lead with 11:01 still remaining in the 1st quarter.

The Rivermen would take the ensuing possession and complete short pass after short pass, as Orangeville kept the deep ball from being a threat, but the underneath route would be open as Hoffman would connect with Trent Hetland, Trenton Taylor, and Gabe Howard before connecting with Bryce Fitzanko for 14 yards. Hoffman would complete a pass to Hetland for the 2 point conversion to tie the game at 8 with 8:19 left in the 1st quarter.

The Broncos would keep to the ground and keep running the ball, mixing carries with Janecke, Chase Jordan, and Carson Rote to get the ball downfield. With 5:22 to play in the 1st quarter Janecke would find the end zone from 5 yards out to put Orangeville back on top 14-8.

Not to be unraveled despite the rain coming down harder, the Rivermen kept going to the air. Hoffman would lead the Rivermen version of the air raid down the field. He would hit Tyler Kormoczy for a 17 yard strike. Kormoczy would add the PAT kick to give Du-Pec their first lead of the game 15-14 at the 3:13 mark in the 1st quarter.

On Orangeville's ensuing drive they would fumble the ball away and Du-Pec's Matt Nevdal was all over it. Hoffman found Gabe Howard on an out route on the right sideline and Howard would add the rest on the run as they would score from 48 yards to extend the Du-Pec lead to 21-14. The lead would remain the same entering the 2nd quarter.

The 2nd quarter belonged to Du-Pec as they would benefit from 2 more Nevdal fumble recoveries, along with a 4th fumble recovery by Trent Harris. These would lead to Hoffman throwing for 4 more TD passes, connecting with Tre'Von Stifter for 18 yards, Kormoczy for 53 yards, Taylor for 37 yards, and Hetland again for 18 yards to give Du-Pec a commanding 47-14 lead at the half.

The second half would be more of a fight, as Orangeville was able to get more pressure on Hoffman, only allowing him to complete 1 pass and forcing him to scramble more. Midway through the 4th quarter Janecke would get his 3rd rushing TD of the game to finish the scoring on the day as Du-Pec walked away to a 47-20 win.

Hunter Hoffman's 7 passing TD's set a new NUIC record for most passing touchdowns in a game, and set the NUIC record for most total touchdowns in a game surpassing Le-Win's Sean Ormiston who had 6 total touchdowns in the 2019 state championship game.

Hoffman would finish the day with 21-38 passing and 357 yards with his 7 TD's. Matt Nevdal would record 11 tackles, 1 sack, and 3 fumble recoveries on the day, while Trent Hetland and Gabe Howard each caught 2 touchdown passes, and Tyler Kormoczy, Tre'Von Stifter, and Trenton Taylor also caught touchdown passes on this record setting day.

Orangeville was paced by Cade Janecke who ran the ball 22 times for 131 yards and 3 TD's.

Du-Pec (3-1) will play host to EPC (2-2) Saturday at Auburn High School. Orangeville (1-3) will travel to Knoxville (2-2) to play the Blue Bullets, a game that was scheduled this past Friday to replace the Dakota game.