Friday’s Week 7 Game of the Week between Kensington-Thunder Ridge (4-2) and Hill City (5-1) features two of Eight-Man, Division I’s top teams. The winner will likely head to the postseason. Not only have both teams played exceptionally well since Week 1 (an 8-1 record, all eight wins by at least 40 points), but both teams have two very different — yet very successful — quarterbacks.
For Hill City, junior Reggie Jordan has collected 1,324 total yards, including 1,121 passing, rushing and receiving yards. In his second year as a starter, the scrambler ranks 11th on MaxPreps.com state-wide Eight-Man list for total offense and fourth in points per game (22). He has excelled in the Ringnecks’ play action game.
“Last year was my first year playing quarterback and I was getting in the flow, but now I have a year under my belt and I trust my receivers,” Jordan said earlier this fall. “…A lot of our plays is a roll-out play, so it depends on whether the D-lineman get free towards me. If the D-line doesn’t get free, I am looking downfield to pass.”
His efforts have helped Hill City outscore its last five opponents 248-12 and put the Ringnecks, ranked in the top 10 in the statewide media poll, on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in school history.
“They put up some  big points, but I would say we are a pretty well-rounded team,” Thunder Ridge sophomore end/linebacker Blane Hrabe said. “If we stop Reggie, that would be pretty good. He makes just so many good plays right on the spot, it’s just instinct. Just has such good instincts, what do to with the ball.”
For Thunder Ridge, senior quarterback Cade Rietzke is not considered a running quarterback. Instead, he will sit in the pocket and look for receivers in the Longhorns’ two-wide, one-tight end set. Rietzke has completed 33 of 54 passes for 809 yards (all since Week 2) with 16 TDs and 1 INT. He has already bettered his 13/2 TD/INT ratio from last season and is less than 100 yards shy of last season’s passing total.
However, Rietzke has rushed just 30 times for 128 yards. Jordan has 76 carries for 724 yards. Rietzke ranks third in eight-man in TD passes.
“He has done a really good job and of course, our offensive line has done a good job to give him time to throw the ball to the guys and then the guys do a good job catching it. It’s an all-around deal, but we have got a lot of confidence in  Cade,” Thunder Ridge head coach Jerry Voorhees said.