Oregon commit Dierre Hill’s record-setting game leads Althoff Catholic past Lena-Winslow to 1A title

NORMAL – On the first play from scrimmage between Lena-Winslow and Belleville Althoff Catholic on Friday in the Class 1A state championship game, Gannon Dunker stuffed Crusaders running back Dierre Hill Jr. for a 3-yard loss.

That was more the exception than the rule, however, as Hill would prove two plays later.

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The Oregon commit broke off a 59-yard scoring run on third-and-1, the first of his seven touchdowns in a 52-14 win over the Panthers.

“I just went out there with the mindset to win, and my brothers picked me up on that,” Hill said. “We just had the drive and the mentality to get the job done. I just go out there and look to score every time I touch the ball.”

Hill finished the game with a 1A title game-record 46 points to go with 438 rushing yards, a 1A title game record and the second most in any title game. He finished with 518 all-purpose yards.

But Hill said it wasn’t the records or any individual performance he’ll remember most of all.

“The best thing about it is seeing my brothers cry,” Hill said. “None of us really like to show emotions like that. To finally finish our mission and accomplish what we did, it’s nothing but happiness and tears.”

The championship was the fourth for the Crusaders (14-0) and the first since a 3A title in 1990. It’s a complete turnaround for Althoff Catholic, which went a combined 7-25 between 2018 and 2021 before a playoff return in 2022.

The Crusaders reached the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons before winning it all this year.

The Panthers have appeared in five straight 1A title games, having won the first three but taking second the past two seasons under coach Ric Arand, still searching for his seventh state title with the Panthers.

Hill’s second touchdown was a 5-yard run up the middle, capping a 12-play, 78-yard drive with 4:29 left in the second quarter. He added a 65-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-4 play to push the lead to 21-0.

Crusaders coach Austin Frazier said it was just another Friday for Hill.

“I’ve seen him, and now hopefully a lot of people have had the chance to see him on TV,” Frazier said. “He’s the best player in the state of Illinois, and it’s not close. He was last year and he is again this year. Again, that was a Friday for me with Dierre. I’ve been spoiled by it.”

The Panthers got on the board with a quick five-play scoring drive, capped by a 4-yard run by Aiden Wild. Every play on the drive was a run by Wild.

Althoff needed only 25 seconds to respond. Hill took a screen pass from Jayden Ellington, shed about three tackles and went 80 yards for a touchdown, building the lead to 28-6 with 1:34 left in the first half.

Lena-Winslow had the ball to start the second half and kept the scoring party going when Alex Schlichting broke a 45-yard touchdown run, cutting the Crusaders’ lead to 28-14 with 8:31 left in the third quarter.

But as always, Hill had an answer, this time a 78-yard run for a score and a 34-14 lead with 8:14 left. On the next Crusaders’ possession, Hill added a touchdown and two-point conversion to reach the 1A points record.

“He’s really good,” Arand said. “But I’ll be honest with you, I don’t really want to talk about Althoff.”

Patton Leib, a 6-4, 265-pound senior lineman for the Crusaders, said Hill makes the line’s job easier.

“All we have to do is give him 3 seconds and he’s got a touchdown,” Leib said.