Hoppel leads area players in Bearcats’ Orange Bowl bid

By John Kovach

There’s quite a pipeline from the Valley to Cincinnati.

Four players from the Youngstown area, including starter Adam Hoppel from Beaver Local High, are members of the University of Cincinnati football team that will be playing in tonight’s 75th FedEx Orange Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

Hoppel, a senior defensive lineman from Lisbon in his third season as a starter, will be joined by reserve players Tomaz Hilton (Rayen), Delbert Ferguson (Warren Harding and Ursuline) and Derek Wolfe (Beaver Local) when the 12th-ranked Bearcats (11-2) face Virginia Tech (9-4). FOX coverage begins at 8 p.m.

All four area players have been part of the Cincinnati turnaround under second-year coach Brian Kelly (21-5), who is ranked No. 12 among Football Bowl Subdivision coaches with a 148-54-2 overall record in 18 seasons.

Hoppel (6-2, 300) has started 12 of Cincinnati’s 13 games this year and is tied for No. 13 on the team in tackles with 25 (15 solos and 10 assists). He has 5.5 tackles for losses of 26 yards and three sacks for 21 yards.

As a junior, Hoppel started all 13 games and had 38 tackles to rank No. 13 on the team and No. 2 among defensive tackles.

In 2006, he started three of the final five games, and was named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week against Louisville.

The son of Carl and Patty Hoppel, Adam is majoring in marketing.

While at Beaver Local under coach Rich Wright, Hoppel had 217 tackles and 26 sacks for his career, and made second-team All-Ohio as a senior.

Also a standout wrestler, Hoppel won the state Division II championship in 2002, and was runner-up in 2003. His father was a three-time state wrestling champion.

Hilton (6-3, 215) is a redshirt freshman linebacker who has played in 10 games and made three tackles, two of them solo.

The son of Janice and Thomas Hilton, Tomaz is majoring in criminal justice.

While at Rayen under coach Brian Shaner, Hilton caught 40 passes for 900 yards and nine TDs in two seasons. He also had 63 tackles and four punt returns for TDs.

Ferguson (6-1, 230), a senior linebacker who has won two letters, played in 10 games with two tackles (one solo and one assist).

Last year as a reserve outside linebacker and on special teams, Ferguson had 14 stops in spot duty. In 2006, he played in 11 games, mostly on special teams.

The son of Walter and Deborah Ferguson, Delbert is majoring in finance.

He attended Ursuline High his first three years and helped Jim Vivo’s Irish win the state Div. IV title in 2000 and finish state runner-up in 2002. Ferguson made first-team All-Ohio in 2001 and 2002.

He transferred to Harding High for his 2003 senior year under coach Thom McDaniel, then suffered a broken leg in the ninth game. Ferguson helped Harding (11-1) advance to the regional final.

For his high school career, Ferguson rushed for 4,982 yards and 60 scores.

Wolfe (6-5, 295) is in his freshman season for Cincinnati, joining Hoppel on the defensive line.

Wolfe has played in six games and has three tackles, including two solos.

The son of Dennis Wolfe, Derek lives with his grandmother. He was a three-year letter-winner at defensive tackle for Beaver Local under Wright.

Wolfe registered 78 tackles and seven sacks as a senior to make the 2007 All-State Div. III first team, and finished his Beaver Local career with 205 stops.

kovach@vindy.com