The Hillsdale College football team got the 2023 season off to a rough start against a brutal schedule, going 0-4 in their first four contests.
But it's not how you start in life, it's how you finish -- and right now, the Chargers are on a tear.
Hillsdale crushed visiting Lake Erie 52-21 on Saturday, piling up 505 yards of total offense in a game that was nowhere near as close as even the lopsided final score indicated. The Chargers scored 35 first quarter points and led 52-7 in the third quarter before the Storm were able to score a couple of late touchdowns against Hillsdale's deep bench.
The Chargers rode a near-perfect start to victory, going 40 yards in three plays on their opening drive after linebacker Jacob Vance recovered a Lake Erie fumble and capping it with a four-yard touchdown run by Michael Herzog to take a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in.
After a Lake Erie three and out on the ensuing possession, Hillsdale struck quickly again, as Herzog broke open a 40 yard run to get the Chargers in the red zone, and Logan VanEnkevort finished a four-play, two minute drive with a nine yard rushing touchdown.
Sensing an early opportunity to land a knockout blow, Hillsdale ran a perfectly-executed onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, with kicker Julian Lee recovering his own onside kick after rolling it 10 yards up the middle. Hillsdale cashed in that stolen possession as well, as Herzog got his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard score.
The Chargers D forced another three-and-out on Lake Erie's next drive, and the Chargers got a second huge special teams play, as redshirt freshman Josh Lee blocked the Lake Erie punt and fellow redshirt freshman Colin Morrow recovered the loose ball and returned it 18 yards to give Hillsdale a 28-0 lead with 3:21 to play in the first quarter.
Hillsdale wasn't done, as on the next Lake Erie drive, junior Sam Zemis picked off Lake Erie quarterback Xeavier Bullock for his third interception of the season, and on the first play of the ensuing Chargers drive, Herzog took a rush to the left 71 yards to the house for Hillsdale's fifth touchdown of the quarter. On that touchdown run, Herzog became the first Hillsdale running back since David Graham in 2019 to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season, and did so with two games remaining in the season.
The final three quarters were all academic from there. Hillsdale added two passing touchdowns, a 34-yard score by Ruddy from Garrit Aissen in the second quarter, and a nine-yard passing touchdown by Josh Lee from Jake Burger in the third, as well as a 19-yard field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Evan Mick in the second quarter. Lake Erie would get a touchdown right before half and add two more second half touchdowns, but would never seriously threaten to get back in the game.
Herzog had a monster game despite playing just one quarter, finishing with 156 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries and averaging 19.5 yards per rush. Caden Gogggins added eight rushes for 54 yards and Jack Robinson three rushes for 35 yards as well.
Hillsdale quarterbacks Garrit Aissen and Jake Burger were a combined 8 for 11 for 146 yards on a light day of work, with each connecting on a well-executed touchdown pass. Joe Schmidt led Hillsdale with a 49 yard reception, Ruddy caught two passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, and Josh Lee added two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown as well.
On defense, Zach Pardonnet led Hillsdale with four tackles and shared a sack with Hunter Sperling, who also finished with three quarterback hurries in the contest. Zac Tokie added four tackes and a quarterback hurry as well for the Chargers.
Julian Lee made all six extra points he attempted for the Chargers, and Mick added an extra point as well as the made field goal. Ian Woodyard saw his first action at punter for Hillsdale, averaging 44.5 yards on two punts.
Hillsdale is now 4-5 overall, and 4-3 in the G-MAC with the victory on Saturday. The Chargers have a real shot at a winning season but have to first navigate a tricky road test at Walsh next Saturday at noon before returning home for the season finale on Nov. 11.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan