Hubs dominate Dukes

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ROCHELLE - It was fourth-and-1 at midfield on the game's opening drive. The Dixon Dukes were going for it. The Rochelle Hubs would have none of it. The Hubs defense stopped the Dukes short by about two links of the chain, then dominated the next 46 minutes Friday night in a 30-0 nonconference win at Douglas Creason Athletic Complex. "We told the kids that Rochelle was going to come and come and keep on coming," Dixon coach Tony Agrimonti said. "They're a machine that can be beat, but they looked pretty unbeatable tonight." Rochelle outgained the Dukes 363-93, including 308-46 on the ground. Dixon stopped the Hubs inside the Dukes' 10-yard line on Rochelle's opening drive, then kept them out of the end zone on the final drive of the first half. Little else went Dixon's way. Rochelle went to the perimeter running game and threw in some very effective passes in the first half, then gave Dixon a steady diet of Dan Ruppenthal. The fullback rushed for 93 of his 131 yards and both of his touchdowns after halftime. "We just went belly-kick, belly-kick, and I just ran through the holes," Ruppenthal said. "We wanted to pound it at them, we got locked in, we got off the ball hard and we did what we wanted." Inside or outside, offense or defense, the Hubs' lines controlled the game. Rochelle's blockers were 2 or 3 yards downfield on every play, and the Hubs tacklers spent most of the night infiltrating the Dukes' backfield. "Their kids did the job up front and we didn't," Agrimonti said. "They got off the ball quicker, they got below our guys and opened the holes, and they were tough to block." Trailing 14-0 at the break after keeping the Hubs from the end zone in the final second of the first half, the Dukes were looking to get a stuff to open the second half. But the Hubs (2-0) were relentless, and the Dukes (1-1) touched the ball twice the entire second half. Dixon finished the game with six possessions and five first downs, while the Hubs didn't punt in seven possessions. "You have to give credit to Rochelle, because they're a good team and a great program," Dixon quarterback Nick Rains said. "It hurts right now, but we have to learn from this. I think this game can only help make us better." Dixon's best chance to score came after Rains hit LaSean Richmond for a 30-yard pass play on the Dukes' lone drive in the third quarter. Dixon had a first-and-goal at the Rochelle 6, but came away with a blocked field goal that the Hubs returned to midfield to set up their final score. "I just don't think we came out and played," Dixon lineman Jon Phillips said. "I said before the first game that if we didn't come to play, we wouldn't win, and we didn't do anything tonight. We jut have to work harder, reload and come out fired up next week."