Former Metro East star Dierre Hill poised for big season at Oregon
The Oregon Ducks enter the college football season as a contender for a national championship, and one of the players looking to play a big role is former Metro East star Dierre Hill Jr.
After a stellar prep career at Vashon and Belleville Althoff, Hill became a key running back as a true freshman for a Ducks team that advanced to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
In his first year, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Hill averaged 8.7 yards per carry. He rushed for 656 yards on 75 carries and scored five touchdowns. He also had 16 receptions for 137 yards and another score.
Hill had one of his most productive games against Indiana in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. He rushed for 86 yards on only five carries. He also rushed for 82 yards on 10 carries and caught a touchdown pass in an early-season victory over Penn State.
Hill was a dominant player during his high school career, finishing with 5,970 yards rushing, 1,188 yards receiving and 118 touchdowns. As a senior at Althoff, Hill led the Crusaders to the Illinois Class 1A state championship. He rushed for 2,588 yards and scored 51 total touchdowns. He scored seven touchdowns in the state championship game against Lena-Winslow.
East St. Louis football makes a big early-season statement
The East St. Louis Flyers opened the high school football season with a big 42-23 victory over Chicago Mount Carmel last Saturday at Illinois State University in Normal, a showdown between Illinois state powers.
The Flyers have won many big games over the years, but last weekend’s victory over Mount Carmel was one of the biggest regular-season wins in recent memory. Mount Carmel entered last Saturday’s contest as a four-time defending state champion with a 19-game winning streak.
East St. Louis trailed 23-14 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Flyers erupted for 28 unanswered points to stun the Caravan and send a shot across the bow to the rest of the state. Senior Ronnie Gomiller was the offensive catalyst, scoring four touchdowns, including three in the decisive fourth quarter. The Flyers’ defense also forced three turnovers, including a game-sealing interception return for a touchdown by standout cornerback Raheem Floyd.
East Side will travel to Florida this week to take on American Heritage in the Broward County National Football Showcase. Kickoff is on Friday at 6 p.m.