The Collegian

Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson

For the first time since 1999, and in head coach Keith Otterbein's career at Hillsdale, Charger football is 2-0 for the season.

"It was only one point that did it but the distance between being 2-0 versus 1-1 is very different," Otterbein said. "The confidence it brings to the team is great."

Intensity rang high in the ears of the players Saturday afternoon against Northern Michigan University where under the domed stadium junior Schuyler File forced a fumble in the last seconds of the game to keep the Wildcats from scoring and securing the final score of 42-41.

File sacked Northern Michigan's quarterback loosening the ball from his grip at a crucial point in fourth quarter within the Charger's 36-yard line. Junior Tom Korte recovered the ball and stopped Wildcats' play.

"Critical plays were made at the right times," co-captain Mark Nicolet, a senior, said. "We felt pretty confident throughout the game but it got pretty nerve wrecking at the end."

After the game sophomore Matt Patillo said he felt the team "exuded confidence."

"During practice [last week] the offense was clicking and we felt ready for this game," he said.

Like the back-and-forth motion in ping-pong game, such was the scoring pattern against Northern Michigan.

"It was an intense battle," said Greg Sparks, a junior and a lineman. "We could not stop them but they could not stop us. We kept scoring back-and-forth and then we were finally able to stop them when it counted."

Nicolet and Otterbein said third-down conversions were key to the team's victory.

"We were 7 for 13 on our third-downs which is ridiculously good," Nicolet said.
Otterbein attributed the success of third-downs to the offense trying to be more consistent with all plays.

"It can be tempting to come up with a whole bunch of plays but they can't be executed as well," Otterbein said. "This efficiency is a reflection of us trying to stick with our more basic and practiced plays."

After a win the 10 hour drive back to Hillsdale from Marquette, Mich., didn't seem so bad, Otterbein said.

"The guys got all their whooping and hollering done in the locker room and ate themselves to sleep [with pizza] on the bus ride back," he said.
Senior Matt Vanover was named All-GLIAC special teams player of the week for the second time in his career and last week sophomore Mark Petro also was bestowed the same honor.

The team is now gearing up for the homecoming game against Ashland University Saturday, which players and coaches agreed will be tough.

"In this conference there are no easy wins," Nicolet said. "We are excited for the fans and people coming back and that energy will boost the team's enthusiasm."

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