Offense Rolls; Defense slips
Nathan McClallen
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: Sports
For the third week in a row, the Hillsdale football team put 37 points on the board. For the first time, it was not enough to win the game. The Chargers fell short of completing an impressive comeback, losing at Northwood University 38-37.
Although it hurts to miss a chance to get the 'W' on the road, head coach Keith Otterbein is not going to dwell on what might have been.
"You play as hard as you can play, then you go on to the next game," he said.
In this case, the next opponent is Indianapolis University. An intense rivalry has developed between the two teams over the past decade, perhaps solidified by a four-overtime nail-biter in 2004 in which Hillsdale came out on top. Last season Hillsdale won 29-17 on the road, so the Greyhounds will be looking for payback. This matchup is especially appealing for the Chargers. They will be playing a night game at home for the first time since 2006, which means it will be the first for many of the Hillsdale players.
"I'm super-stoked about it," said junior quarterback Troy Weatherhead. "If you had to circle one game on our schedule that I was thinking of this summer, it was definitely Indianapolis. It's going to feel like I'm playing in high school again under the lights. It's going to be a great feeling, and I'm expecting a great atmosphere."
There will likely be some future Hillsdale players in the stands as well, according to Otterbein. Since the game is in the evening, it provides a better opportunity for recruits to visit.
The Chargers come into the weekend with plenty of momentum from an offensive standpoint, but the defense has yet to prove itself. They are allowing over 35 points per game against GLIAC opponents, and have not forced any turnovers.
Senior co-captain Mat Szula had a great individual performance against Northwood, recording a career-high 15 tackles on the day. According to Szula, the Chargers had a solid defensive game plan, they just didn't carry it out.
Although it hurts to miss a chance to get the 'W' on the road, head coach Keith Otterbein is not going to dwell on what might have been.
"You play as hard as you can play, then you go on to the next game," he said.
In this case, the next opponent is Indianapolis University. An intense rivalry has developed between the two teams over the past decade, perhaps solidified by a four-overtime nail-biter in 2004 in which Hillsdale came out on top. Last season Hillsdale won 29-17 on the road, so the Greyhounds will be looking for payback. This matchup is especially appealing for the Chargers. They will be playing a night game at home for the first time since 2006, which means it will be the first for many of the Hillsdale players.
"I'm super-stoked about it," said junior quarterback Troy Weatherhead. "If you had to circle one game on our schedule that I was thinking of this summer, it was definitely Indianapolis. It's going to feel like I'm playing in high school again under the lights. It's going to be a great feeling, and I'm expecting a great atmosphere."
There will likely be some future Hillsdale players in the stands as well, according to Otterbein. Since the game is in the evening, it provides a better opportunity for recruits to visit.
The Chargers come into the weekend with plenty of momentum from an offensive standpoint, but the defense has yet to prove itself. They are allowing over 35 points per game against GLIAC opponents, and have not forced any turnovers.
Senior co-captain Mat Szula had a great individual performance against Northwood, recording a career-high 15 tackles on the day. According to Szula, the Chargers had a solid defensive game plan, they just didn't carry it out.
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