Mick Hoffman fights off a sprained ankle, leads Cascade past Union in a 1A first-round playoff game, 35-27

CASCADE — Maybe he’d win. Maybe he’d lose.

But under no circumstance was Mick Hoffman going to end his career on the sideline.

“One thing for certain, I wasn’t going to quit on my teammates,” he said.

Not even with a gimpy right ankle.

Hoffman passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns — to three different guys — in leading Cascade past Union Community, 35-27, in a Class 1A first-round playoff football game Friday night at O’Meara Field.

“He’s the best quarterback in the class,” said Brody Otting, whose 8-yard touchdown catch gave the Cougars (7-2) a little breathing room at 28-20 late in the third quarter. “He’s out there with a busted-up ankle, dropping dimes.

“He’s a beast.”

OK, “busted-up” might be a stretch; Hoffman said the ankle was merely sprained. Still, this was a gutsy performance.

“It feels OK now,” Hoffman said. “It didn’t feel so good out there.”

Cascade advances to the Round of 16. The Cougars’ second-round opponent will be revealed by the Iowa High School Athletic Association at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s awesome,” Otting said. “We deserve this. Coach (Ryan) Altiere deserves this.”

Hoffman completed 17 of 28 attempts with one interception. The key pass was an 18-yard TD pass to Kalvin Manternach in the corner of the end zone on the final play of the first half, which got the Cougars even, 14-14.

The injury occurred early in the third quarter during Cascade’s go-ahead drive. Jackson Green’s 7-yard run put the Cougars in front, 21-14.

Union (6-3) got within 21-20 on Mays Weber’s 70-yard kickoff return, but the Cougars blocked the PAT, and led the rest of the way.

Hoffman stayed in the game and located Otting for the 8-yard touchdown, then hit Jackson Green in stride for a 54-yard TD to make it 35-20 with 9:32 left.

Union scored with 0:41 remaining on Levi Hadachek’s 4-yard TD reception.

Otting, who had five receptions, made his final catch of the night, hauling in the Knights’ onside kick.

“I knew by the way they were lined up, they were coming my way with it,” Otting said. “I play baseball (as a first baseman), so I focused on that short hop.”

Cascade finished with 401 yards of total offense (and that included a 29-yard loss on a wayward punt snap); Union accumulated 294.

Green ran for 81 yards on 18 carries, scoring two touchdowns on the ground in addition to the long TD reception.

Union’s Caden Sorensen passed for 187 yards, but threw three interceptions. Cascade had two turnovers plus that bad snap that set up a touchdown for a 14-7 Union lead.

Cascade 35, Union Community 27

Class 1A First Round, at Cascade

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Union 18, Cascade 18

Rushes-yards: Union 36-107, Cascade 36-145

Passing yards: Union 187, Cascade 256

Passing: Union 18-33-3, Cascade 17-28-1

Total yards: Union 294, Cascade 401

Fumbles-lost: Union 0-0, Cascade 2-1

Punts-average: Union 2-35.0, Cascade 4-25.8

Penalties-yards: Union 4-35, Cascade 5-43

SCORING SUMMARY

Union Community 0 14 6 7 — 27

Cascade 7 7 14 7 — 35

CASC — Jackson Green 17 run (Justin Pry kick)

UC — Caden Sorensen 7 run (Kallen Satterlee kick)

UC — Holden Craft 3 run (Satterlee kick).

CASC — Kalvin Manternach 18 pass from Mick Hoffman (Pry kick)

CASC — Green 7 run (Cody Lynch kick)

UC — Mays Weber 70 kickoff return (kick blocked)

CASC — Brody Otting 8 pass from Hoffman (Lynch kick)

CASC — Green 54 pass from Hoffman (Lynch kick)

UC — Levi Hadachek 4 pass from Sorensen (Satterlee kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Union — Caden Sorensen 15-42, Holden Craft 5-21, Mays Weber 8-18, Chase Johnson 7-16, Gavin Frederiksen 1-10. Cascade — Jackson Green 18-81, Jake Hosch 1-46, Mick Hoffman 10-41, Eli Fritz 4-12, Team 3-(minus 35).

Passing

Union — Sorensen 18-33-3-187. Cascade — Hoffman 17-28-1-256.

Receiving

Union — Jase Loveless 6-43, Cooper Spore 5-36, Levi Hadachek 4-61, Weber 2-33, Frederiksen 1-14. Cascade — Kalvin Manternach 6-64, Brody Otting 5-48, Fritz 4-59, Green 1-54, Hosch 1-31.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com