Raiders understand success offensively is predicated on getting Hun, ground game going

QUINCY — As the days passed prior to Friday’s opening night affair with its crosstown rival, there was a clear approach in mind for Quincy Notre Dame football coach Jack Cornell.

“Our goal is that on Saturday morning we all wake up and that everybody in Quincy was going to be talking about Ivan Hun,” Cornell said. “Perhaps that’ll be the case to some extent.”

Hun, the Raiders’ bulldozing senior running back, rushed for a team-high 106 yards on 22 carries, including a 7-yard touchdown scamper in the early stages of the second quarter of QND’s 40-12 loss to Quincy High School at Advance Physical Therapy Field.

It seemed as Hun went, so did the Raiders’ offense.

“Our run game is so big in our offense,” Hun said. “I think it will carry us really far (this season).”

Cornell took Hun’s impact to the Raiders’ success this season a step further, referring to Hun as arguably the most important piece to his team’s offensive prowess.

“I think that what he brings to the table is something athletically that we haven’t had here in a long time, if ever,” Cornell said. “I think he’s a powerful young man who can do a lot of special things, side-to-side, but downhill as well.

“We need him to hold on to the football and we need him to be an effective blocker, but as long as he keeps running behind his pads, I think he’s going to be tough to stop.”

Fortunately for the Raiders, they are more than just a one-trick pony in the backfield. Junior running Oliver Triplett showed his shifty abilities, carrying the ball six times for 15 yards.

“Our motto is to move the football in an aggressive way. When me and Ivan have a good day, it’s going to be a great day,” Triplett said. “We got to keep working throughout the season, stay healthy, and I think we’ll be good.”

QND’s effectiveness running the football only bodes well for the development of the offense as a whole.

The Raiders have plenty of weaponry at their disposal, which includes the quarterback duo of Hunter Schuckman and Wyatt Mueller, as well as outside threats in receivers Gavin Doellman and Joseph Doellman.

“I think that that’s something that we continue to develop, continue to try to scheme up and find unique ways to get Ivan the ball, unique ways to get (Triplett) the ball, but also to spread it out,” Cornell said. “We have good playmakers on the outside as well. There are things, certainly, that we did well up front, things that we need to do better at. But I think that we started to see glimpses of what we can ultimately be.”

Ultimately, the season will be judged by wins and losses. Friday’s setback didn’t help in the immediate, but the Raiders are hoping to gain more than they lost as they turn the page to Week 2 against perennial power Richmond-Burton in the second of four straight home games.

“This was a great benchmark for us tonight. Hats off to Quincy High. I know that what they’re going to do this year will be special and I wish them nothing but the best. For us, it’s great to see where we’re at,” Cornell said. “For us to know where we’re at against a team like (QHS) gives us confidence going into teams that we should be more familiar with.”