Months after gruesome collision, this linebacker patrols the middle for state-ranked Pekin

PEKIN — Brayden Hoover wasn't going to let anything stop him from playing football this season.

Not two broken cheeks, a broken nose, seven cracked teeth, a cut lip that needed seven stiches to close, a broken left hand and a concussion.

The Pekin football player suffered all those injuries in a scary head-to-head outfield collision with a baseball teammate in May as the two were chasing down a fly ball during practice.

"By the time I got out to Brayden, I knew I had to call 911," said then-Pekin baseball coach Larry Davis, who retired after the season. Hoover then was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria after the collision and underwent surgery the following night.

'I knew I had to call 911': Pekin athlete recovering from gruesome outfield collision

That began a long recovery.

"I've got to play football next season. I love playing football. I love hearing my name mentioned on the PA system when I make a tackle," Hoover said a few days after getting home from the hospital.

After clearing concussion protocol in early August, Hoover returned to the football field and eventually to his familiar middle linebacker spot in the Pekin defense.

The three-year starter is one of 23 seniors who were honored Friday night for leading the unbeaten, state-ranked Dragons (8-0, 6-0, No. 6 in Class 7A) to what's shaping up to be their best season in two decades.

Pekin crushed winless Limestone 49-6 on a rainy, cold night at Memorial Stadium and clinched at least a share of the Mid-Illini Conference championship thanks to its third straight running-clock victory.

"I had no doubt that Brayden would be back this season," Dragons coach Doug Nutter said, "because this team is important to him, just like it is to all the guys."

Hoover agreed with his coach, saying a big reason for Pekin's success this fall is the team's chemistry.

"We're like one big family," the 5-foot-10, 155-pounder said. "We all hang out with each other when we're not in school."

The Dragons are relying a lot on each other these days because of a quirk in their schedule that has seen the competition level of their opponents drop dramatically.

After plowing through a gauntlet of four straight games against the other top-tier teams in the Mid-Illini (Dunlap, Washington, Morton and Metamora), Pekin is finishing up conference play with three teams (Canton, Limestone and East Peoria) that have a total of three victories among them.

The Dragons are scheduled to play at East Peoria (2-6, 1-5) next week in their regular-season and Mid-Illini finale with a chance to go 9-0 during the regular season for the first time since 2001.

East Peoria has forfeited the last two games because of a lack of healthy and eligible players, but could be ready to play again on its senior night.

Nutter said his team won't be distracted by the uncertainty surrounding its next game.

"We work hard in practice no matter who we're playing so we can be ready to play on Friday night," Nutter said. "We don't take taking anything for granted. The Mid-Illini is a grind."

With the win Friday, Pekin remained a game in front of second-place Washington (5-3, 5-1) in the Mid-Illini standings. Washington beat Canton 41-0 on Friday.

Tanner Sprecher, Kanye Tyler and Connor Martin each scored a pair of touchdowns for the Dragons against a young Limestone team (0-8, 0-6).

Sprecher found the end zone on runs of 32 and 9 yards, Tyler carried the ball twice and scored on runs of 16 and 32 yards, and Martin had a 65-yard TD run and an 85-yard kickoff return for a score to start the second half.

The other Pekin touchdown came on a 50-yard pass from Scotty Jordan to Houston Roberson III.

Pekin led 42-0 at halftime. The entire second half was played with a running clock and the Dragons' starters on the sidelines.

Limestone avoided being shut out when Caleb Bieneman threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Chase Harper late in the fourth quarter.

Pekin outgained the Rockets 470-88 even though Limestone had more plays from scrimmage (38-30) had more time of possession (28:09 to 19:51).

Sprecher had six carries for 103 yards and Martin rushed twice for 92 yards. Jordan was 3-for-4 passing for 105 yards.

Steve Stein can be reached at (248) 224-2616 or stevestein21@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpartanSteve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football: Linebacker recovers from gruesome collision for Pekin