The football team won its first game of the season and snapped a four-game losing streak in a 14-13 victory against the Northwood University Timberwolves in Midland on Oct. 5.
The win marks the first victory for new head coach Nate Schreffler and extends the team’s win streak over Northwood to 10 games.
“It feels great to finally get that first win, and it was even better that it was an away win,” sophomore quarterback Colin McKernan said. “There’s always room for improvement but we’re really picking it up and heading in the right direction.”
McKernan finished his first collegiate win as a starter with nine completions for 113 yards and one touchdown. McKernan leads Hillsdale quarterbacks this season with 666 total passing yards and six touchdowns.
“We’re getting the run game going for sure,” McKernan said. “We still have a lot to work on passing wise and that’s on me but I’m confident in where we’re at.”
On the ground, Hillsdale welcomed back senior captain and running back Logan VanEnkevort, who was injured in the first game of the year. VanEnkevort ran for 81 total yards on 15 attempts in his return, which is the most by any Charger so far this season.
“I had been itching to play and it was such a relief to be back,” VanEnkevort said. “I think it’s a bit of a sigh of relief to get this first win as well.”
Senior running back Kyle Riffel and sophomore wide receiver Shea Ruddy added a combined total of 62 rushing yards. The Chargers lone rushing touchdown came from redshirt freshman running back Zach Tetler, who punched the ball in from five yards out to give Hillsdale a 14-3 lead with three minutes left in the second quarter.
All of Hillsdale’s scoring came within seven minutes. McKernan found junior wide receiver Connor Pratt for a 14-yard touchdown to open the scoring for Hillsdale earlier in the quarter.
“We know we’re a good football team despite being on the losing end of some close games, so it was great to be on the winning end of a game against a great team,” Pratt said.
Defensively, the Chargers held the fourth-best scoring team in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to only 13 points. Senior defensive back Matt Soderdahl and junior linebacker Carson Ingram led the Chargers in tackles with seven each. The Hillsdale defense also combined for six tackles for loss, and recovered a crucial fumble in the red zone to prevent Northwood from scoring in the second quarter.
Senior defensive lineman Hunter Sperling and freshman defensive lineman Christian Herrema also contributed to the defensive effort with sacks on back-to-back plays to start the fourth quarter. Sperling now has two sacks this season, while Herrema earned his first career sack in a Charger uniform.
The win gives Hillsdale a 1-4 record on the 2024 campaign, as well as a 1-2 conference record. The Chargers will play in the annual homecoming game this Saturday against the Walsh University Cavaliers at 4 p.m. at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium.
“We have one job this week: win,” VanEnkevort said. “Our only job as the football team on homecoming is to win and to make sure that when our alumni return we show them that our tradition and character has always remained the same.”