Hupf Engineers O'dea Title March -- Unsung Quarterback Quietly Gets Job Done

A few big-name quarterbacks strolled into Kingbowl XV yesterday. O'Dea's John Hupf wasn't one of them.

Guys such as Darren Erath of Puyallup and Pat Graham of DeSales got plenty of ink this season as they led their teams to the Class AAA and B-11 state-title games.

O'Dea's big-name players have been lineman Erasto Jackson and running backs Jovan McCoy and Kyle Patton. Hupf? He's just somebody who gets the job done.

He did it again last night, quietly leading the Fighting Irish to their first Class AA state championship, 21-14 over Prosser. He had a game-high 20 carries and netted only 38 yards. But he converted four fourth-down plays and scored two touchdowns. Hupf also completed eight of 14 passes for 81 yards with one interception.

A pinch of this, a dash of that.

"That's what I like to do," Hupf (pronounced Huff) said. "Whatever we can get, we'll take."

Hupf scored three touchdowns in the semifinal against Hazen.

"John's the type of quarterback who steps up under pressure," McCoy said. "He's proven that all season."

He has impressed Patton, too. "Of all the quarterbacks I've seen, he's definitely one of the best," Patton said. "He always knows what's going on. He takes control over the team. If people are arguing, he can pull them together."

O'Dea Coach Marty Kohler wouldn't have traded him for any big-name quarterback this year.

"I'm so proud of him," Kohler said. "He's done nothing but have a great year for us. He gets the job done. He makes good decisions."

Hupf engineered three long scoring drives for the Irish and came up with big plays - although not necessarily for big yardage - on each one. With the score tied 7-7 early in the third quarter, he faced third-and-six from the 10. He looped a pass just over the outstretched hand of a defender to Mario Banchero at the 4. First-and-goal. Hupf scored on the next play.

He credited his blockers for his success on fourth-down sneaks.

"With Erasto, (Brian) Magnuson and (Luke) Dacy in front of me, I'd trust them with my life," Hupf said. "They give me big holes."

Kohler figures it's a safe call.

"We must have averaged 6 yards on quarterback sneaks this year," he said.

Last year, Hupf spent the first part of the season as the junior-varsity quarterback. When Rodney Washington was injured at midseason, Hupf got the varsity job for four games. Washington came back in time for the playoffs.

This year, the team was Hupf's from the beginning. He said he knew it would be a special season.

"At the beginning of the year, I talked to my friends and some parents and I said, `I think this is going to be our year,' " he said.

This week, Hupf thought about making this his game.

"All week, I lost sleep over it," he said. "I'd go to bed thinking about making a big play and taking care of business. I'd go to bed at 10 and I wouldn't get to sleep until 12:30 or so."

Hupf said winning the state title "is like living a dream, once in a lifetime."