Rye twins Jake and Luke Van have never had the opportunity to play against state power Akron, but the one-two punch for the third-seeded and undefeated Thunderbolts finally gets that chance Saturday.
Using a double-wing set, the Thunderbolts have run over their competition this season. Jake leads Class 1A with 1,802 yards rushing and has 18 touchdowns. Luke ranks fourth with 1,066 yards on the ground.
That combination has taken pressure off sophomore quarterback Ty Van Oort, who has yet to throw an interception this season.
“They are both extremely hard workers who’ve been starting since their sophomore year,” Rye coach Jeff Bailey said of the Van brothers. “They played a lot as freshmen. They work extremely hard in the weight room. They’re not very big kids, but they’re very, very strong. They’ve got great speed.”
Rye is pushing for its first state title since 1993. Akron, powered by Jourdan Hottinger, is out to win its seventh title and sixth this decade. Hottinger ranks second in Class 1A with 1,689 yards rushing and has 20 touchdowns.
The three-time defending state champions are a handful, and Rye knows it.
“They’re the class of the class,” Bailey said.
The Thunderbolts know they can’t be intimidated by what Akron brings to the table if they want to reach the next level.
“We want to be at the level and want to be able to beat them,” Jake Van said.
Said Luke: “I definitely think we can move the ball. Our offense is solid, but they are too.”
