Senior Ben Geno and junior Eli Haidamous run down the field. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Senior tailback Michael Herzog rushed for 106 yards and scored a touchdown, but the Hillsdale Chargers football team fell behind early and lost its second game of the season to the Michigan Technological University Huskies, 45-20, on Sept. 9 in Houghton, Michigan. 

The Chargers had a chance to bring the same opening momentum they had week one against the University of Indianapolis into this game, but they were not able to capitalize on a muffed punt by the Huskies that placed them at Michigan Tech’s 33-yard line. With this set and other missed opportunities, the Chargers could only score two field goals in the first two quarters.

“In essence, we didn’t start fast,” head coach Keith Otterbein said. “That was an opportunity early on in the game where we really could have captured some momentum and made a difference, and we let that opportunity slip.” 

The Huskies were able to rack up a total of 28 points in the first half, with one of these touchdown drives coming after a Charger fumble.

“Things didn’t go our way. Let’s just say that,” senior quarterback Garrit Aissen said. “That’s football. That’s college football on any Saturday. Anyone can have a good game, anyone can have a bad game, and last Saturday things just did not go our way.”

The Huskies scored early in the second half, 35-6, and the Chargers responded with a 13-play drive that resulted in a touchdown run by Herzog. 

Herzog said he didn’t feel like he played well.

“I felt like I was making a lot of mental mistakes on the field when it came to running the ball and pass blocking,” Herzog said. “I’ve addressed those problems the day after and so far this week. Just know that it’s not going to happen again.”

The only other Charger touchdown came from a one-yard run by Aissen in the fourth quarter. Aissen ended the game with 115 passing yards. 

While the team lost by 25 points, Aissen said the team made some good changes that weren’t highlighted in the score.

“There’s a lot of good, solid football; blocks that were fantastic, some routes that were really good that maybe I just didn’t have enough time in the pocket because of the blitz or whatever,” Aissen said. “But, you know, when you look back on the film, there was a lot of good that happened. We just have to put it all together into an entire game.”

The Chargers are set to take on the Ashland University Eagles Sept. 16 for another away game. 

Last year, the Chargers pulled out a victory against the undefeated Eagles, who at the time were ranked sixth in the nation for the NCAA Division II.

This year, the game against Ashland marks the Chargers’ first conference game, and Otterbein said it’s a fresh start for the team since it is 0-0 in the conference. 

“Certainly, we’re working on the things to fix and get better, and we certainly have to play better to beat good teams, but the reality is, we’re zero and zero in the league,” Otterbein said. “Winning conference championships is one of our program objectives, so we’ve got a fresh start there and we’re ready to get after it and get to work.”

Herzog said Otterbein’s mentality on the Ashland game next week is helping the team, but Herzog said he knows Ashland is coming to redeem itself.

“They’re going to be coming for blood here, but we just got to play harder than they do, and we just gotta want it more,” Herzog said.