The Road to Champaign: Hillsboro's Getting Healthy

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[While the 2009 regular season didn't quite go as scripted for the Hillsboro High School Football team, it hasn't exactly turned out too darn bad.

The Hilltoppers, 6-3, visit Du Quoin (8-1) in the opening round of the Class 3A State Playoffs Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 o'clock at venerable Van Metre Field, which will host Du Quoin's 41st home playoff encounter.

"Its just a great atmosphere down at Du Quoin and a great place to play a playoff game," second year Hilltopper coach Aaron Duff said. "Our kids are pretty excited about getting the chance to play down there. Its somewhere our kids have never been and that's a neat part of the playoffs."

At early season, the playoffs seemed far from Duff's mind. The Hilltoppers lost standout fullback-linebacker John Joyce (5'11, 175, sr.) to a practice injury just a few days before the season opener.

Hillsboro lost to Piasa Southwestern-another 3A qualifier-28-26, but quickly bounced back despite a rash of even more injuries.

At one point, midway through the season, Joyce and the squad's three other senior captains-Robbie Dirigo, Reid Cerutti and Derek Davidson-were sidelined.

"We even had a few games where all four were out at the same time,

Duff said. "Right now, we are finally getting healthy and seem to be hitting our stride at just the right time."

Dirigo (5'10, 190, sr.) is the Hillsboro quarterback. He runs (452 yards) and throws (607 yards, 6 TD) effectively well out of the stacked-I offense employed by the Hilltoppers.

Also using the double wing, Hillsboro's offense is ground-oriented.

However, Dirigo's top target Nolan Rappe (5'10, 160, sr.) is one of Central Illinois' biggest receiving threats. In just 14 catches, Rappe has accumulated 442 yards. He's also caught all six TD thrown by Dirigo, averaging almost 32 yards per reception.

"We haven't thrown it much," admitted Duff. "But we've been pretty effective when we have passed. Robbie (Dirigo) is a solid quarterback and we have several kids who can catch the ball."

Rain- at least several inches worth- is forecasted for the Du Quoin area between mid-afternoon Thursday and kickoff time Saturday.

"You never want weather to be a factor in any game," Indians coach Al Martin said. "We've been staying off the field and hope it can stay pretty dry for Saturday. But right now, the weather doesn't look too good at all. "