Jared Veldheer's drive to the NFL draft picking up steam

Hillsdale College senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer got some exciting news to close out 2009. On Wednesday December 30th, the pro hopeful was officially invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Veldheer will compete against the rest of the linemen vying for a spot beginning February 24th.

The 6'8", 315 pound All-American begins his draft-focused training sessions this Monday at the D1 Sports Performance Center in Nashville, TN, co-owned by Peyton Manning. The facility has been the training home to NFL standouts Albert Hainsworth and DeAngelo Williams. Working specifically with Veldheer will be former 11 year pro Jason Mathews. Over 100 other combine invitees have trained at D1 Nashville.

Although invited to the D2 Cactus Bowl All-Star game, Veldheer will forgo that opportunity for the upcoming Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game in El Paso on February 6th at 2 PM EST. That game has been in years past carried by CBS College Sports.

The NFL Draft will be held this year with Round 1 on Thursday April 23 at 7:30 PM, with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m. ET.

WOOD TV: Grand Valley's Chuck Martin leaving for Notre Dame

Real GM Football: Jeff Risdon's take on Hillsdale's Jared Veldheer

Real GM Football Jeff Risdon gives his weekly 10 cents. See what he has to say about senior Charger tackle Jared Veldheer's rising draft status. Veldheer is at .10.

Article

Veldheer Earns AP Little All American Honors

Charger senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer has been named to yet another All American team.

The AP Little All-American team features NAIA, D3, and D2 players.

Full Release

Midland Daily News: Pat Riepma, Faith, Family, and Friends

Editor's note: Pat Riepma is a member of the Hillsdale College athletic hall of fame as a Quarterback and served as the school's offensive coordinator and SID before leaving to take over the Northwood football program in 1993.

Midland Daily News

Chris Stevens
stevens@mdn.net

Published: Sunday, December 13, 2009 4:21 AM EST

When Pat Riepma stepped down as head football coach at Northwood University after the 2007 season, he knew he was in for a new adventure.

What he didn't know was that his journey would include an intense battle with cancer.

This past summer, Riepma, the NU athletics director, began a fight with tongue cancer that included extensive surgery and a one-two punch of radiation and chemotherapy. Through that process, he's had to have a tracheotomy inserted in his throat to help him breathe, he's been fed through feeding tubes, a section of his tongue has been surgically removed and reconstructed, affecting his speech, and he's lost 35 pounds.

But, just like he did on the football field for 15 years, where he set the NU record for most career wins (90), Riepma has never given up and has never wallowed in self-pity. It's not in his DNA.

Riepma competed to win.

He accepted the challenge of fighting cancer and has battled all four quarters.

"I have the utmost respect for my husband. He's my hero for what he's gone through," said Sherri Riepma, his wife of 22 years. "He never complained, and never asked, 'Why me?' He was an excellent role model for our (three) boys."

Riepma, who turns 49 in February, has completed radiation and chemotherapy treatment, and is on the mend. His speech is not yet back to normal, and he's still unable to taste food. But the 6-foot, 3-inch Riepma has been able to put on five pounds, and is now up to 165 from a low of 160.

He's optimistic about his future, though, and believes God is using this trial in a positive way to reach others and give them hope.

"I feel better every day," Pat said.

Full Article

Mike Gatt and Jim Eckhardt Named in Hall of Fame Class

Excerpt from Hillsdale College Release

Mike Gatt, M.D., was the quarterback behind Hillsdale’s 1985 NAIA national championship team and at the time of his graduation, holder of most passing records in school history. His 2,664 passing yards, 201 completions and 355 pass attempts were all single-season records that stood for 22 years.

He was a three-year starter for the Chargers and was named Academic All-American in 1984 and 1985. He was also the senior class president and was honored as the Senior Man of the Year.

Gatt was named NAIA All-American following that 1985 season, when he threw 25 touchdown passes. After graduating, Gatt earned his M.D. from Michigan State University in 1990 and served his residency at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan. He is currently the chairman of the OB/GYN department at St. Mary Hospital in Livonia. He and his wife Maureen, also a Hillsdale College graduate, have four children: Meredith, Nickolas, Mitchell and Carson.

Jim Eckhardt has been a fixture at Hillsdale College sporting events for more than 20 years, and has handled color commentary for close to 1,000 football and basketball games in his career through his work with WCSR 92.1-FM in Hillsdale. A lively and energetic personality, Eckhardt lends a wonderfully lighthearted, but informed touch to all of his broadcasts.

He called his first Charger football game in 1975, and has approached every game since then with the same passion and love that have made him synonymous with Charger athletics. A former registered game official and father of a Hillsdale College alumn, Jim has also been a valued contributor and consultant to the Hillsdale College athletic department through the years. He has served on several coaching search committees and has been an important part of the Charger Club, actively involved in fundraising efforts for the department.

Hillsdale College Finishes #11 in final AFCA Poll

2009 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
December 14, 2009

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Postseason Results	Head Coach
1.	Northwest Missouri St. (25)	14-1	625	2	D. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 30-23, in championship	Mel Tjeerdsma
2.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	13-2	600	3	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 30-23, in championship	Chuck Martin
3.	Central Washington	12-1	558	1	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 21-20, in quarterfinals	Blaine Bennett
4.	Carson-Newman (Tenn.)	11-3	535	10	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 41-27, in semifinals	Ken Sparks
5.	Minnesota-Duluth	11-2	502	4	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-10, in quarterfinals	Bob Nielson
6.	North Alabama	11-2	492	5	Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-21, in quarterfinals	Terry Bowden
7.	California (Pa.)	11-4	426	22	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 56-31, in semifinals	John Luckhardt
8.	Nebraska-Kearney	11-2	413	6	Lost to No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, 42-7, in second round	Darrell Morris
9.	West Liberty (W.Va.)	11-2	377	9	Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 57-35, in quarterfinals	Roger Waialae
10.	Tarleton St. (Texas)	10-3	362	12	Lost to No. 1 Central Washington, 27-6, in second round	Sam McElroy
11.	Hillsdale (Mich.)	10-3	352	15	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 44-27, in second round	Keith Otterbein
12.	Minnesota St.-Mankato	10-2	310	8	Lost to No. 15 Hillsdale (Mich.), 27-24 OT, in first round	Todd Hoffner
13.	Abilene Christian (Texas)	9-4	307	18	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 35-10, in second round	Chris Thomsen
14.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	9-3	289	7	Lost to No. 18 Abilene Christian (Tex.), 24-21, in first round	Bill Maskill
15.	Shippensburg (Pa.)	9-3	272	17	Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 26-21, in second round	Rocky Rees
16.	Texas A&M-Kingsville	9-3	253	13	Lost to No. 12 Tarleton St. (Texas), 57-56 2OT, in first round	Bo Atterberry
17.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	10-2	244	14	D. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 21-7, in Pioneer Bowl	Willie Slater
18.	Arkansas Tech	9-3	235	21	Lost to No. 5 North Alabama, 41-28, in second round	Steve Mullins
19.	Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)	9-3	206	16	Lost to No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-20, in first round	Jim Collins
20.	North Carolina-Pembroke	9-2	166	11	Lost to No. 21 Arkansas Tech, 41-13, in first round	Pete Shinnick
21.	West Alabama	8-5	113	NR	Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 59-41, in second round	Bobby Wallace
22.	Albany St. (Ga.)	8-3	106	20	Lost to West Alabama, 24-22, in first round	Mike White
23.	Charleston (W.Va.)	9-2	82	19	DNQ Playoffs	Tony DeMeo
24.	Edinboro (Pa.)	9-4	77	NR	Lost to No. 9 West Liberty (W.Va.), 84-63, in second round	Scott Browning
25.	Washburn (Kan.)	8-3	43	24	DNQ Playoffs	Craig Schurig

Veldheer and Berube named 2nd team Daktronics All-Americans, Cactus Bowl Invite News

Hillsdale College Release:

Drew Berube, Jared Veldheer named Second-Team All-American by Daktronics

Mark Petro, Berube to play at the Cactus Bowl

December 9, 2009 - Three members of the Hillsdale College football team will get to find out what January weather in Texas is like.

Seniors Drew Berube and Mark Petro have been selected to participate in the 2010 Cactus Bowl, scheduled for Jan. 8, 2010 in Kingsville, Texas. The Cactus Bowl is the Division II Football "All-Star Game," and features two teams made up of the best seniors from around the nation.

Veldheer will participate in the Texas vs. The Nation game, scheduled for Feb. 6 in El Paso, Texas. He was invited to participate in the Cactus Bowl, but will play in a different postseason game in Texas instead.

It is very rare for one team to have three players invited to a Cactus Bowl roster, but Hillsdale's heavy presence on the team underscores not only the skill level of those three players, but the high level of success achieved by the Charger program in 2009.

Hillsdale finished the season with a 10-3 record and qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time. In their first trip, the Chargers won their first-round game, 27-24, on the road in overtime over Minnesota State-Mankato.

Petro, a First-Team All-GLIAC placekicker, holds Hillsdale College records for points in a career, extra points made in a career and field goals made in a career.

Berube and Veldheer were four-year starters on the defensive and offensive lines, respectively, for Hillsdale. Earlier Wednesday, both earned spots on the Daktronics 2009 Second-Team All-American list. Veldheer was a First-Team All-American selection by the AFCA earlier this week.

The Daktronics All-American teams are selected by Division II sports information directors around the country.

A total of eight Hillsdale College players have now been selected to play in the Cactus Bowl this decade. Previous Cactus Bowl participants included Silas Johnson (2003), Keith Recker (2007), Matt Vanover (2008) and Mark Nicolet (2008). Nicolet was named the MVP of the 2008 game.

Click on the links below for the 2010 Cactus Bowl webpage, along with the 2009 Daktronics Football All-American teams.

2010 Cactus Bowl

2009 Daktronics Football All-American Teams

3 Chargers invited to D2 All-Star Football Game

Chargerblue.com has learned that Hillsdale College seniors Mark Petro (PK), Drew Berube (DL), and Jared Veldheer (LT) have been invited to participate in the NCAA Division II Cactus Bowl on January 8, 2010 in Kingsville, TX.

Jared Veldheer Tabbed AFCA All-American

Hillsdale College Press Release:

Jared Veldheer named AFCA First-Team All-American

December 8, 2009 - Hillsdale College senior offensive lineman Jared Veldheer was recognized among Division II's very best Tuesday morning.

Veldheer, a left tackle for the Chargers, was named First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. The team was released by the AFCA Tuesday morning.

After starting all 46 games of his career and leading the Chargers to a 10-3 record in 2009, the postseason honors have been piling up for the 6-foot-9, 321-lb. Veldheer, who is from Grand Rapids, Mich. Earlier this fall, Veldheer was named First-Team All-GLIAC and First-Team All-Region, the latter honor being bestowed by both Daktronics and the AFCA.

Unique to college football is the number of postseason "all star" games that will take place, and Veldheer figures to be busy participating in many of those in the coming weeks. He has already secured a spot in the Texas vs. The Nation game, scheduled for Feb. 6 in El Paso, Texas. Veldheer is one of two Division II players on The Nation team, which will be coached by former University of Miami coach Howard Schnellenberger.

Veldheer is also a nominee for the Cactus Bowl, the Division II All-Star Game, scheduled for January. The rosters for that game have not yet been released.

In the most recent issue of Pro Football Draft Newsletter, Veldheer is projected as the No. 36 overall prospect in the 2010 NFL Draft. A capsul summary of Veldheer states that it wouldn't be surprising to see him get drafted before the fourth round.

Earlier this season, D2football.com pegged Veldheer as the fourth-best draft prospect among all Division II players.

Veldheer is also one of six finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award, which goes to the top lineman (offense and defense included) in the nation. He is one of two All-Region representatives from Super Region 3 for the award and was the top regional vote-getter.

During his Hillsdale career, Veldheer led the Chargers to a 30-16 record from 2006-09 and was named First-Team All-GLIAC twice. He blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher each season of his career, and the Chargers had two of their highest-scoring seasons in their history (2007 and 2009) during Veldheer's career.

In 2009, Veldheer helped lead Hillsdale to a second-place finish in the GLIAC and the team's first-ever NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The Chargers won their first-round game, 27-24 in overtime, over Minnesota State-Mankato before losing to Grand Valley State in the regional semifinals on Nov. 21.

Veldheer has plenty of GLIAC company on the AFCA All-American Team this season. Joining Veldheer from other GLIAC schools on the team are Wayne State RB Joique Bell, Grand Valley State OL Nick McDonald, and Saginaw Valley State LB John Jacobs.

The AFCA has selected an All-American Team every year since 1945. The AFCA’s Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA’s nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen. Only 25 players are named AFCA All-Americans each year in Division II.

To view the complete AFCA Division II All-American Team and press release, please click on the link below.

2009 AFCA Division II All-American release

Otter Named Regional Coach of the Year

Keith Otterbein named Super Region 3 Coach of the Year

 

Hillsdale College Release

 

Third honor of football coach's career

December 2, 2009 - For the third time in his distinguished coaching career, Keith Otterbein has been recognized as the Regional Coach of the Year. The award was announced by the American Football Coaches Association Wednesday morning.

Otterbein was one of five Division II coaches nationwide to earn regional honors by the AFCA. It is the first time he's earned the honor while coaching at Hillsdale, his alma mater.

Otterbein was previously named Regional Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1994 while coaching at Ferris State University. During those final three seasons with the Bulldogs, he led the team to 32 wins in 39 total games played.

With all his success, the 2009 season is certainly a high point in Otterbein's coaching career. On Sept. 5, he won his 100th career game as coach in Hillsdale's 37-35 home win over Michigan Tech. He would guide the Chargers to their best season in more than 20 years, with a 10-3 final record. On Oct. 10, he coached the Chargers to a 27-24 win over then-No. 1 Grand Valley State University, ending the Lakers' five-year regular season winning streak.

Hillsdale also qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in school history in 2009, and won its first playoff game, 27-24 in overtime, over Minnesota State-Mankato.

The 2009 GLIAC Coach of the Year, Otterbein has a career record of 108-81-3 as head coach. His 48 wins with the Chargers make him the fourth-winningest football coach in the 118-year history of Hillsdale College football. Over the past three seasons, Hillsdale's record of 25-10 is the second-best mark in the GLIAC.

Please click on the link below for the regional coach of the year release from the AFCA.

2009 AFCA Regional Coaches of the Year

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VELDHEER, HIETT SHARE SUPER REGION 3 GENE UPSHAW AWARD HONORS

VELDHEER, HIETT SHARE SUPER REGION 3 GENE UPSHAW AWARD HONORS

Winona State Univ. release

WINONA, MN  -- Seniors, Jared Veldheer (Hillsdale College) and Jack Hiett (University of Nebraska at
Kearney) will share the top honors as the representatives of Super Region 3 for The Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

The representatives with the top two vote totals will be placed on a national ballot of final eight and the winner will be announced as part of the ceremonies of the Cactus Bowl Dinner on January 7, 2010..
Veldheer received seven (7) first-place votes from the Sports Information Directors of Super Region 3 and  totaled 77 points, while Hiett received six (6) first-place votes in his point total of 77. Each helped their respective squads reach the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Andy Schoonover (Minnesota State Mankato) also received six (6) first-place votes and totaled 72 points to place third in the final vote totals.

The following is the voting breakdown. First-place votes in parenthesis:
77 (7) Jared Veldheer Senior Offensive Tackle Hillsdale College
77 (6) Jack Hiett Senior Center University of Nebraska at Kearney
72 (6) Andy Schoonover Senior Offensive Guard Minnesota State University
39 (1) L.T. Brown Senior Center University of Mary
21 (1) Zach Meints Senior Offensive Guard Colorado School of Mines
20 (1) Benjamin Puffer Senior Offensive Tackle Chadron State College
20 Bill Noethlich Senior Offensive Tackle Southwest Minnesota State University
4 Josh Teeples Senior Nose Guard Adams State College

Pre-order your 2009 Commemorative Charger DVD

The final mix of the 2009 commemorative Charger DVD is in the final mix and will feature all of the slide shows and videos produced this season by Chargerblue.com and few add-ons from the playoffs.

Trio of Hillsdale Chargers named to Daktronics Super Region 3 Football Squads

Senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer and senior defensive end Drew Berube have both been named to the Daktronics Super Region 3 first team offensive and first team defensive football teams respectively. Senior place kicker Mark Petro earned second team offense honors.

Veldheer started all 46 games of his career and never allowed a sack from his left tackle position. He was named first team All-GLIAC this season.

Berube was also named first team All-GLIAC after leading the league in sacks and tackles for loss.

Petro now holds the record for career field goals at Hillsdale with 49 and will be best known for his game-winning 34 yard field goal in overtime against Minnesota State. The win was Hillsdale's first playoff win since joining the Division II ranks in 1990. Petro as well, was an All-GLIAC selection.

Full Team:

Daktronics Super Region 3 Offensive Player of the Year
RB - Joique Bell, Wayne State (MI)

Daktronics Super Region 3 Defensive Player of the Year
LB - Robbie Aurich, Minnesota-Duluth

All-Region First Team Offense
QB - Silas Fluellen, Wayne State (NE)
RB - Joique Bell, Wayne State (MI)
RB - Rustin Dring, Nebraska-Kearney
RB - Isaac Odim, Minnesota-Duluth
WR - Adam Saur, Colorado School of Mines
WR - Frederick Bruno, Wayne State (NE)
TE - Galen Stone, Saginaw Valley State
OL - Ben Puffer, Chadron State
OL - Cameron Bradfield, Grand Valley State
OL - Nick McDonald, Grand Valley State
OL - Jared Veldheer, Hillsdale
OL - Andy Schoonover, Minnesota State-Mankato
OL - jack Hiett, Nebraska-Kearney
PK - Travis Atter, Chadron State
RS - Kelvin Rodgers, Minnesota State-Mankato

All-Region First Team Defense
DL - Marc Schiechl, Colorado School of Mines
DL - Danny Richard, Grand Valley State
DL - Drew Berube, Hillsdale
LB - Oscar Villa, Adams State
LB - Jake Anderson, Bemidji State
LB - Robbie Aurich, Minnesota-Duluth
LB - John Jacobs, Saginaw Valley State
LB - Ryan Reeves, Wayne State (NE)
CB - Anthony Fields, Findlay
CB - Jesse Hamilton, Minnesota State-Mankato
S - Jake Mandelko, Nebraska-Kearney
S - Nate Curran, Upper Iowa
P - Kevin Berg, Chadron State
P - Brian Schmeidebusch, Findlay

All-Region Second Team Offense
QB - Brad Iciek, Grand Valley State
RB - Jake Aberg, Minnesota State-Mankato
TE - Isaac Stockton, Chadron State
WR - Kyle Kaiser, Nebraska-Kearney
WR - Blake Wilson, Southwest Minnesota State
WR - Logan Masters, Wayne State (NE)
OL - Randy Greenbaum, Adams State
OL - L.T. Brown, Mary
OL - Adrian Battles, Minnesota State-Mankato
OL - Jeremy Clark, Minnesota State-Mankato
PK - Mark Petro, Hillsdale
RS - Brandon Harrington, Chadron State

All-Region Second Team Defense
DL - Will Brown, Concordia-St. Paul
DL - Junio Aurnavae, Minnesota State-Mankato
DL - Josh Rohde, Nebraska-Kearney
LB - Bennett Newton, Mesa State
LB - Kevin Klug, Minnesota State-Mankato
LB - Mike LeVand, Saginaw Valley State
CB - Kelvin Rodgers, Minnesota State-Mankato
CB - Ozzie Smith, Nebraska-Kearney
S - Kyle Goracke, Colorado School of Mines
S - Jacob McGuckin, Grand Valley State

Weatherhead, Kegg, Panizzi, Petro and the rest of the Chargers rewrote record book in 2009

So, just how special was the 118th season of Hillsdale College football?

Not to be lost in all of the playoff excitement and stories surrounding this recent run by the Chargers, is a look at just how good this season really was.

We all know it was the Chargers' first D2 playoff appearance and first playoff win but let's look at some of the great individual accomplishments.

Troy Weatherhead's 3348 passing yards is the new single season passing yard record, breaking Mark Nicolet's old mark set in 2007 by 13 yards. His 280 completions breaks his own record 240 set a year ago. Heading into his senior season, Weatherhead sits 439 behind Nicolet and 731 yards behind all-time  leader Bill Skelton in career passing yards.

AJ Kegg set an all-time single season record this year with 85 receptions. He also now sits atop the Hillsdale all-time career receptions list with 195. Kegg finishes his Hillsdale career with 2,383 receiving yards, 209 behind all-time leader Ed House. Also of note in the reception category is Andre Holmes' 77 receptions this season. That places him third on the single-season list.

Vinnie Panizzi broke 2 of Hillsdale College's oldest individual records, both set over 50 years ago by Nate Clark. Panizzi's 150 points is the new single-season high water mark for scoring and his 53 career rushing touchdowns broke Clark's mark of 51 set in 1955. Panizzi's 1442 yards rushing this season is the 4th best single season in Hillsdale history. His 3658 career rushing yards is the second highest career total assembled.

Mark Petro's 49 field goals is the new record for most fieldgoals in a career, breaking the record set by Rick Vear in the early 80's.

Of course there were other tremendous efforts and any of the above mentioned Chargers will tell you that their individual accolades all come from one simple formula: every player, every play.

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Bon Voyage Lakers! Sorry for your luck.

So Grand Valley is on its way to spend a couple of days after Thanksgiving in Duluth, MN and Laker head coach Chuck Martin is beside himself and not feeling well right now.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda I guess. Sorry for your luck.

This excerpt from Cody Eding's article from Sunday's Holland Sentinel:

"I feel awful," Martin said. "I told my wife last night, 'If we play well — we dominate them — I'll be sick after the game thinking that we should have had a home game next week if we had taken care of our business five weeks ago.'" 

Hillsdale defeated then top-ranked GVSU 27-24 on Oct. 10, giving the Lakers their first regular season loss since 2004.

The defeat ended up costing now third-ranked Grand Valley the region's top seed. It means the Lakers will have to play at defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth Saturday instead of hosting the rematch.

Minnesota-Duluth, which features former Spring Lake star Robbie Aurich, advanced by defeating Nebraska-Kearney 42-7 Saturday. In last year's playoffs, Minnesota Duluth handed GVSU a 19-13 quarterfinal loss en route to a national championship.

"I think we came out with a chip on our shoulder, but honestly I think we think that's the way the first game should have went," Grand Valley quarterback Brad Iciek said. "Give credit to them. They hung around and made plays the first time, but we came out fast."

In the teams' second meeting of the season, GVSU handled No. 13 Hillsdale easily.
The Lakers (11-1) scored 27 second-quarter points to lead 37-0 at halftime.

"We were pretty disgusted (after the first meeting) that we had 24 points against a defense we felt like we could have manhandled," Martin said. "On offense, we felt good coming in that if we just handled our business, that we should have a big day. We didn't think they could stop us."

Have a nice trip!

Some Random thoughts: Still a great day to be a Charger!

"Don't get mad. Get better."-Billy Tubbs

No excuses.

Today was an absolute clinic hosted by GVSU.  The 44-27 score won't look nearly as bad as we all know the game was when we look back at the scores in years to come but Hillsdale has smart kids and they learn from every experience. Today they learned about "playoff gear" and not the kind I sold like mad over the past two weeks on my website.

Iron sharpens iron. Today will make the Hillsdale program stronger.

Chuck Martin, Grand Valley's head coach said it pretty well in the post-game presser. "They like to play that 3 plays get a first down, slow, methodical game. We kept them from doing that today. Our biggest problem in the first one was we let them dictate and we got in that kind of game with them."

When Grand Valley can dictate the action, it is often overwhelming.

Probably the saddest part was to see the greatest class of players to come through in a long long time have to end their careers this way. It is pretty amazing to think Aaron Waldie and Tom Korte were the only 2 not redshirted out of the seniors that wore the white and blue for the last time today. Having Mat Szula today would have helped a bit. Wish he could have ended his career on the field and not hurt.

All in all, as bad as this game hurt to watch unfold, every single Charger fan in that place today was still beaming with pride with the type of year we had and believe Otter and crew will continue to deliver.


Fellas you made this football season so special! You energized a campus, a county, and the most loyal alumni base to be found for any small college. We all bled with you today and every single drop was Charger Blue! Remember every second of triumph and every lesson learned along the way.

In the immortal words of Dline coaching legend Bill Karpinski, "Don't be a flash in the pan."

Like every day, it is still a great day to be a Charger!

Holland Sentinel: WO grad looks to help Hillsdale tackle Grand Valley for a 2nd time

By ALAN BABBITT

The Holland Sentinel

Posted Nov 21, 2009 @ 05:00 AM

Last update Nov 21, 2009 @ 08:10 AM

---

Hillsdale, MI —

The Hillsdale College football team lost some juice when its top linebacker graduated and earned a NFL tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But the Chargers got a jolt for their defense from David Bakker, a 6-foot-3, 229-pound sophomore from West Ottawa High School.

Bakker is the fifth-leading tackler for Hillsdale, which plays at Grand Valley State University in NCAA Division II playoff action Saturday at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

The winner advances to the national quarterfinals.

“Those are really big shoes to fill,” Hillsdale coach Keith Otterbein said, referring to Tom Korte, one of the Steelers’ final cuts before the regular season. “We don’t ask players to be more than they are. David has taken it to heart. He really has worked very hard at getting to the right spot within our defensive scheme. When you try to do someone else’s job, that’s when you have problems.”

The Chargers (10-2) are counting on Bakker to handle his assignments as they go for their second upset of third-ranked GVSU this season.

They beat Grand Valley 27-24 Oct. 10 at Hillsdale after the Lakers missed a game-tying, 45-yard field goal at the end of regulation. The loss ended the Lakers’ 48-game win streak in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, a stretch that lasted back to 2004.

Full Article

D2football.com: Tony Nicolette's GLIAC Column

 

November 17th, 2009
Excerpts from Tony's column: (Read the piece in its entirety.) It was a "good news, bad news" result for the GLIAC in the first round of the 2009 Playoffs as we sent two teams off to battle, and only one returned with a victory. The fact that we got three teams into the post-season (making up half of the SuperRegion 3 field) is still a great accomplishment, but being able to have those same three teams chew up four of the regional semi-final spots would have REALLY been cool. Let's hope we make it happen next year. Saturday, November 21 "The Rematch" #6 Hillsdale (10-2) at #2 Grand Valley (10-1) As most D2 fans know (and have likely discussed ad nauseum), the Chargers put a stop to Grand Valley's 48-game regular-season win streak back on October 10. It was certainly the biggest win of the last 20 years for the Hillsdale program, and it started the Chargers on their current six-game cruise into this weekend's Regional Semi-Final. Despite smarting a bit from the loss (of course), the Lakers have since been rather dialed-in as well having knocked off four straight opponents with winning records - and typically doing so in impressive fashion. Both clubs have been terrific over the last month or so, making the fact that they get to play each other again all the more exciting. Playoff rematches of a regular season game are nothing new for Grand Valley. Saturday's tilt will mark the sixth time in the last nine seasons that the Lakers have played a GLIAC foe during the playoffs that they faced during the regular season. Much like their meeting six weeks ago, Hillsdale will be faced with stopping a streak as the Lakers have won all five of the previous occurrences. Just like the first time around, there are several match-ups to watch. Hillsdale brings their GLIAC-best scoring offense in to face GV's GLIAC-best scoring defense. The Chargers were second in the league in total offense, GV was tops in total defense. Hillsdale was the best in the league at converting on third down, and the Lakers were unsurpassed at stopping opponents on third down. With all of that said, I really think the most important match-ups of this game will take place in the trenches as each boasts outstanding play from both of their offensive and defensive lines. Whichever club does a better job controlling things with their "big-uglies" should have the advantage. Hillsdale Keys - Men of Troy - When HC QB Troy Weatherhead is connecting on his passes and managing the game efficiently (both of which he does MOST of the time) the Chargers have been very difficult to beat. In the pre-match, he really didn't post numbers that were all that great but he completed a lot of short passes that successfully kept the Lakers off-balance. While he was solid enough the last time around, he may need a bit more of a "polished" performance in this one as the GV secondary has been decidedly better in their games since. - No "Secondary" Efforts - Much like Grand Valley's defensive backfield will be tested, it's a safe bet Hillsdale's will be too. The Chargers were only seventh in the league in stopping the pass this year. While Minnesota State was not a great passing team, when they needed to throw last week they were able to find success in several instances. GV QB Brad Iciek had a very good game last time around (22 of 29 for 261 and 2 TD's), so the Lakers should be plenty confident that they can throw the ball against this defense. One thing Hillsdale did well in the first game was to not give up the big play. They need to make sure they can accomplish the same this time around. - Home away from Home - Hillsdale fans have to be thrilled to have a trip for this one that is nearly 500 miles shorter than the one they had to make to watch their team last week. Add in the "rematch" factor, along with several West Michigan kids on the Charger roster and rumors are swirling that Hillsdale plans on making a TON of noise at The Shipyard. By the sounds of it, they did so last week even with that long trip to face a team they (essentially) didn't know so I wouldn't discount the rumors. The question now becomes: Will Grand Valley fans will stand by and let their place be overrun? Expect the Charger faithful to be out in force and doing whatever they can to give their kids any kind of an edge. Grand Valley Keys - Offense Front - Despite having different groupings all year due to injuries, experiments with guys in different spots, and even a big wave of the flu (that knocked out half the team a couple of weeks ago but REALLY hit this group), the line play over the last four weeks has really started to come together. During that stretch, the Lakers have rushed for more than 277 yards per game and have yielded only two sacks. If this bunch can continue to perform at that level the Laker offense should be able to move the ball and do so effectively. - Defensive Front - We talked the last time around about the size and physicality of the Hillsdale offensive line. While they didn't run the ball especially well when they met in October (only 58 net yards rushing for the Chargers), they did what they had to when it counted - especially in short yardage and goal line situations. Since that game, GV has done a lot to change their personnel and to move folks around, including Danny Richard who is proving to be as much of a havoc-wreaker from the inside as he is on the edge. If the GV front can cause some confusion for the HC line it could create blown assignments, free-running LB's, and excessive QB pressure that can really bog down the Hillsdale offense. - Finish, finish, finish - In the three losses GV has suffered over the last three seasons (including the pre-match) one common theme can be found: The Lakers didn't finish drives when they had the chance. This is an imperative, especially during the playoffs. When the Lakers get into the red zone they MUST come away with TD's as often as possible. It sounds elementary but momentum, game flow, play-calling, etc. are all affected by whether or not a team is able to score, build leads, control momentum, etc. This can not be a problem for the Lakers or they will find themselves in trouble once again. Prediction Over the past few days, I seem to have detected a bit of a consensus among a good portion of the Laker fan base that suggests they are expecting a repeat of last year's "rematch". In that instance, GV overcame a 15-point second half deficit against Ashland to win a 48-42 shootout during the regular season. Any anticipation of another wild affair in the playoffs was quickly doused as the Lakers had things over by halftime on their way to a 40-7 drubbing of the Eagles. Will that happen Saturday? A Laker blowout in the playoffs after a close game (or even a loss) in the regular season? I suppose it could. Am I expecting it? Not really. I stated last week that I thought that this year's Hillsdale team was superior to last year's Ashland club and I stand by that statement. With that said, when you put the stats and X's-&-O's aside I really look to a couple of key factors that favor the home-standers. The first is that the Lakers are FAR more seasoned in terms of getting things done in the post-season. For players in this GV senior class Saturday will mark the tenth playoff game of their careers. That's almost an entire season's worth of games more than their opponent, and the Lakers know how to get things done after the leaves have fallen. The second factor is the "playoff gear" that GV often displays. Some may frown upon it and/or not like it (or even dispute it), but the Lakers truly have shown the ability to ratchet things up once the post-season commences and to play at an elevated level. Add both of those factors, along with a publicly unstated (even though you know it's there) desire to avenge this season's only blemish and I think the Lakers will find their way to a victory and make their ninth straight Regional Final appearance. Grand Valley 33, Hillsdale 23. GLIAC Trivia Last week, I wanted to know the name of the lone Ashland running back to register three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. From 1992 through 1994, Keith Weaver accomplished the feat and earned his place as one of the all-time Eagle greats. Congratulations go out to Candy for being the first one in with the correct answer. Candy is a Wayne State fan (easy to understand, considering her most acclaimed role is that of Joique Bell's Mom), but she pointed out that if her Warriors aren't still playing that she's a GLIAC fan the rest of the way. I'm with you, Candy! This week, let's take a closer look at our All-GLIAC playoff match-up. Both Hillsdale and Grand Valley have rather storied playoff histories. While the Lakers have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years, the Chargers had multiple stretches as an NAIA power before moving to the NCAA about twenty years ago. During the many playoff appearances (both NAIA and NCAA) that the two clubs have made, they actually share a pair of common opponents. For this week's copy of the D2Football.com Preview Magazine, tell which two schools have played both Hillsdale and Grand Valley at some point during a national playoff. Send your answers, questions, or comments to me at .

Keep on Believin' Chargers! Updated for Saturday.

MLive.com: Hillsdale High School stars help turn Hillsdale College into a program on the rise

Hillsdale High School stars help turn Hillsdale College into a program on the rise

By Mike Pryson | Jackson Citizen Patriot

November 19, 2009, 11:03PM

Courtesy, Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College defensive end Drew Berube, right, is one of five former Hillsdale High School standouts starring for the Chargers this season. The defensive end has 13 of the Chargers' 33 sacks this season.

The excitement surrounding the Hillsdale College football team this season isn't confined to just the college campus.

Having five former Hillsdale High School players on the roster and playing key roles for the Chargers has helped fuel that interest and enthusiasm through the town.

"It certainly does," said Hillsdale defensive coordinator Craig Blanchard, whose son, Mike, is a junior wide receiver and kick return specialist for the Chargers. "It's just a great atmosphere for local fans to come out and watch the local high school kids who are now in college."

Mike Blanchard is one of the former Hornets who hope to make their mark in the NCAA Division II playoff game at Grand Valley State at 1 p.m. Saturday. 

The Hillsdale High School connection also includes sophomore defensive back Joe Vear, junior backup quarterback Brad Otterbein, sophomore linebacker Nate English and senior defensive end Drew Berube. 

"It's been great playing with the guys we played with in high school," said Berube, who was a first-team all-conference pick in both high school and college. "It's been an unbelievable experience.

"Making the playoffs and going for a national championship was always one of our goals when we were growing up and talking about coming here, but I don't think any of us thought all of this would actually happen."

Last week, Hillsdale won its first Division II playoff game in school history. On Saturday in the Round of 16, the Chargers play Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Grand Valley State, a team that Hillsdale upset 27-24 earlier this season.

"If we could beat them twice and beat them at their own stadium, that would put the icing on the whole season," Berube said. "We're going to go out and play our game, and whatever happens, hopefully it's in our favor."

Berube, a 6-foot-4-inch, 261-pound defensive end who has 13 of the Hornets' 33 sacks this season, has played a big role in Hillsdale's emergence this season.

"He's very athletic for a big guy," coach Blanchard said. "You watched him play basketball at Hillsdale High School, and I watched him play basketball and baseball for seven years growing up. 

"He just continued to develop. He's got great instincts as a football player, he uses his hands well, he's always around the football, and that's what you want in a football player."

Brad Otterbein is the son of Hillsdale head coach Keith Otterbein.

Blanchard said that while having a coach's last name or coming up through the Hillsdale High School ranks was nice, neither guaranteed playing time at the college level.

"We let all those kids, like my son and like coach Otterbein's son, earn their opportunities," Blanchard said. "We know them, but it's about them making the plays. When they show up and make the plays, they're going to play. 

"I don't care if you're my son, or a guy from Canada. It's all about putting the best players on the field and giving our team the best opportunity to win."

Blanchard said that it's sometimes difficult to play the role of dad during the season. Even game days, when Blanchard is working with his defense, the best he can often do is sneak a peek at Mike.

If things get crazy on game day, the coach said there's always the film room the next day.

"It's fun having our sons with us," Blanchard said. "When they were in high school, we were just spectators. Now, the kids are just part of the program."

 

Original story location

Hillsdale Daily News: GVSU Lakers Showing Plenty of Respect for the Chargers

Hillsdale Daily News

The Grand Valley State football team was forced to shed its invincibility cloak, thanks to a historic upset at the hands of Hillsdale earlier this season, and while the Lakers aren’t exactly plotting for revenge this week, they are making sure they don’t make the same mistakes twice.

GVSU lost its No. 1 ranking in a 27-24 loss at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium on Oct. 10, but a home loss to the Chargers in the regional semifinals Saturday would mean the end of their season and talks of their reign as the GLIAC’s best being over.

At a press conference earlier this week, Lakers’ head coach Chuck Martin and his players gave plenty of credit to what Hillsdale has accomplished, and talked about ways they can reverse the outcome of the first meeting.

“It’s different when you play a team in the playoffs who is in your league, because there’s not a whole lot of surprises. There’s a reason Hillsdale is 10-2, there’s a reason we’re 10-1,” Martin said. “Neither team is going to come out and jump into the Wildcat offense and do something completely different. On the other hand, every time you play a time either next season or the second time the same season you’ll try and change things that didn’t work to give your kids a better chance in certain situations.”

Martin had plenty to say about the Chargers’ ability to convert key first downs late in the game and the difficulty his team had in trying contain Andre Holmes and AJ Kegg. But ultimately, Martin said he was most disappointed with the fact his team had numerous chances to change the outcome, but they failed every time.

“For me, we had the ball twice in the fourth quarter in their territory and we had a one-point lead, and if we score we go up eight,” he said. “For me the game was up and down and up and we had two fourth quarter opportunities on offense to ice the game. And we take pride in closing things out and finishing our job.”

Instead Billy Kanitz scored on a 1-yard run with :36 seconds remaining to hand the Lakers their first league loss since 2004.

All-conference QB Brad Iciek said he and his teammates certainly learned a thing or two about passion and desire from that loss.

“I think on the plays they needed to make they made them on us, especially on third- and fourth-down and short. They wanted it a little more, they were a little more hungry than us, so we’ve got to be focused, be more prepared than they are and see what happens,” he said. “We know it’s do or die, it’s been that way for us since we lost to them before. We’ve just got to be ready to go, we know it’s one game at a time and we can’t wait to play them on Saturday.”

The Lakers had 462 total yards of offense and turned the ball over just once in the first meeting, but Martin said his team simply faltered inexcusably in the clutch.

“Give credit to Hillsdale. Every key defensive snap for Hillsdale they made the play and our offense didn’t and their kids stepped up and executed in key situations,” he said. “We tried to run in key situations, we tried to throw in key situations and whatever we tried did not work, so we’ve obviously got to look at what we did on third- and fourth-down and in the red zone and give our kids the best opportunity for success.”

Full Article as posted at Down in the Dale Blog

D2football.com's Bob Eblen's National Column

 

What a first round. Two overtime games. Three six seeds winning. Three comebacks from double-digit deficits (and nearly a fourth if not for Albany State missing on a last-second field goal attempt). Two teams-- Nebraska-Kearney and Hillsdale-- won their first playoff games as D-II programs. West Alabama won its first playoff game in 34 years.


Then there is the remarkable Trevor Harris. Just nine days after having knee surgery, the Edinboro senior quarterback threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns in rallying his team past East Stroudsburg. Amazing.


Of course I couldn't forget to mention Garrett Lindholm's 64-yard game tying field goal in Tarleton State's 57-56 double overtime win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. That kick has to go down as one of the great clutch kicks in NCAA history.


But what many people are forgetting is that it took another small miracle just for that field goal attempt to take place. The Texans converted on a 4th and 18 play earlier in the drive when quarterback Scott Grantham appeared to just throw the ball up for grabs and receiver Arthur Buckingham came down with it for a 35-yard gain.


Then in the second overtime it was Grantham again, scrambling, breaking tackles, and running for a 20-yard touchdown on 4th down, then following up that play with the winning two-point conversion on a quarterback sweep. Keep in mind that the game hadn't even reached the third overtime, where teams are forced to go for two. Gutsy play call by TSU coach Sam McElroy, but hey, when your team seems to be playing with a rabbit's foot in its pocket, why not?


Can round two possibly replicate the excitement of round one? What we do know about round two is that many of these teams will be familiar with each other. Five of the eight games feature rematches from earlier in the season, and in four of them, I'm picking the team that lost the first time around to have the upper hand this week. It should be another very interesting week of playoff football in Division II.


Full Column

Week 13 Podcast: Round 2 Rematch

The Hillsdale College football blizzard is about to hit Allendale, MI as the Chargers travel to Grand Valley State for Round 2 of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

This week, I don't have to ask any questions. We begin with QB Troy Weatherhead's appearance on this morning's "Starting Lineup with Bakita and Grey" show on WBBL fm in West Michigan. The Troy Weatherhead VS The Ninja game even gets some love.

We finish up with a segment of Hillsdale president Larry Arnn's remarks at this season's banquet held on November 8.

Hillsdale and GVSU kick off at 1 PM on Saturday, but you probably already knew that.



Click to listen. November 19, 2009: Hillsdale at Grand Valley

Thanks to Michael Grey and Bret Bakita as well as Dr. Arnn for their permission to share the audio.

WOOD TV 8: GVSU Prepares for Hillsdale

The Detroit News: Hillsdale Enjoying its Historical Season

November 19, 2009 http://detnews.com/article/20091119/SPORTS0203/911190420 Hillsdale enjoying its historic season DAVID GORICKI The Detroit News Coming home has never been so fruitful. Especially when the homecoming meant turning your football program into a national contender. That's exactly what's happened for Keith Otterbein at Hillsdale. A little more than a month after a stunning upset over No. 1 Grand Valley State, Hillsdale looks to make one more against GVSU, this time in the Division II playoffs Saturday. "When the Hillsdale job opened up a light bulb went off in my head with the idea of, 'This is where I belong,' " said Otterbein, who played at Hillsdale more than 30 years ago. "I think I have the best job in college football. I love the players and the coaching staff here. We have the support of the administration, and it's a great environment." Especially after the 27-24 victory over Grand Valley State, which ended the Lakers' 48-game regular-season winning streak. The victory also ended Grand Valley State's 45-game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference winning streak. "(Grand Valley State) does a great job of recruiting and they have an indoor facility that D1 programs don't have," said Otterbein, who took over at Hillsdale in 2002 after several years as an assistant at Ball State. "They've been the elite D2 program in the country this decade." Still, don't think Hillsdale is overwhelmed by the presence of Grand Valley State on the field. Hillsdale is No. 15 in Division II and earned its first playoff berth in school history. It defeated Minnesota State-Mankato on the road last week. Hillsdale also has shown it has talented athletes. Consider: Troy Weatherhead has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,964 yards and 16 TDs; Vinnie Panizzi has rushed for 1,391 yards and 22 TDs; A.J. Kegg (75 receptions) and Andre Holmes (68) are Weatherhead's top targets; and Left tackle Jared Veldheer, at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds with 4.8 speed, is a potential NFL player. "We run a multiple one-back style with basic plays out of it; we try to keep it simple," Otterbein said. "Our success is predicated by controlling the line of scrimmage. ... You don't need to re-invent the wheel at this stage." But Otterbein knows Hillsdale must keep Grand Valley State quarterback Brad Iciek and Co., out of the end zone. And, that could be hard to do. "I don't want to say it's David vs. Goliath, but we're a smaller school, 1,300 kids compared to Grand Valley's 25,000," Otterbein said. "I admire what they've done at Grand Valley." Additional Facts Hillsdale at Grand Valley State Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday, Lubbers Stadium, Allendale Records: No. 15 Hillsdale 10-2, No. 3 Grand Valley State 10-1 Outlook: Hillsdale upset then-No. 1 Grand Valley State 27-24 on Oct. 10 at Hillsdale. ... Grand Valley State has advanced to the Division II quarterfinals every year since 2000, winning titles in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

 

Will Cover's Line: GVSU -10.5

Will Cover’s Line:  GVSU -10.5

Legendary Football Handicapper, Hillsdale College grad, and self-proclaimed Hillsdale Football Historian, Will Cover, was right on the “MARK” with his outright underdog call on the Chargers over Minnesota State by THREE POINTS in their 27-24 OT road win last Saturday at Mankato!

As Lawrence Berra (aka Yogi) once said,  “it was like Déjà vu all over again” and eerily similar to another post-season road win for the Chargers in 1985.  Hillsdale (and Will) traveled to Grand Junction , Colorado to take on Mesa State in the NAIA Playoffs.  Their Nickname?  The Mavericks…same as Minnesota State .  The Outcome…a THREE POINT win for the Chargers, 24-21, in OT on a 32-yard FG (not 34, but close) by MARK (not Petro) Baker after the greatest goal line stand in the long history of Hillsdale College Football.  What happened next?  A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP for the Chargers!

The Lakers have three key handicapping elements in their favor on Saturday.  First of all, they are playing on their own home field at Lubbers Stadium where they have been near invincible over the past seven years.  Secondly, they are well-rested off a bye week whereas the ROYAL BLUE and White had to travel all the way to Minnesota and now must hit the road once again to AllenDALE and thus fatigue may be a factor.  And, Grand Valley State is playing with MAJOR REVENGE after being upset, 27-24 (THREE POINTS) on October 10^th at Hillsdale, a game that ended the Lakers 43-game GLIAC winning streak!  Those are the reasons why Will has installed GVSU as a double-digit favorite in this contest.

MR. COVER’S CALL:  it is a known handicapping theory that has been proven over the test of time….you don’t BET with your HEART!  However, Will is not about to buck the “CHARGER KARMA” as the ‘DALE PREVAILS by THREE POINTS on a MARK Petro Field Goal in OT and moves on to the Super Region 3 Title Game next Saturday.  MUDDY will be watching from the best seat in the House!

Blizzard Warning: Wear White to Grand Valley!

The weather forecast for Allendale on Saturday is partly sunny and 50, but white out conditions are expected just before 1:00 PM.  A fast moving caravan of white will speed its way out of South-Central lower Michigan headed for Ottawa County and the Lakeshore.  Smaller squalls will descend upon the area from across the state and other parts of the midwest and nation. Although temperatures are expected to remain steady and mild, the whiteout will continue for most of the afternoon.

Associated with this expected whiteout is a special marine warning, as seas will build and become treacherous as the storm approaches. All Lakers are warned to take safe harbor and not venture out of port until the whiteout has passed.

The above advertised shirts are available on campus. All Hillsdale fans are encouraged to join the whiteout in support of the Chargers.

Charger Tailgater Headquarters set for Lot F

Thanks to Mr. Jim Veldheer and Gridiron Club founder Lennie Stover for laying the necessary ground work early this week.

Hillsdale fans will be gathering to the south of the stadium and fieldhouse for tailgating festivities in Lot F. Restrooms will be open in the building for fans to use.

A large tent will be erected in the morning and will be a place for fans to place food to share. Those wishing to grill meat will have the opportunity to do so as a number of players' parents will be bringing the necessary equipment.

Tailgating is set to begin at 10:00 AM. See the map below to  get directions and find out exactly where you need to go.


View Hillsdale at GVSU, Round 2 Playoffs in a larger map

Keith Otterbein: This is a new day.

Charger players know this piece well that head coach Keith Otterbein often recites before each early morning Spring conditioning practice. He shared it at this year's football banquet just before the Charger seniors gave their parting addresses. It could be no more appropriate than right now and the opportunity that lies before the Chargers on Saturday.


Find more videos like this on Chargerblue Space

INVASION ALLENDALE: The take-over continues in Sections 1 and 8

Note: As of this morning, there were still tickets in Section 13 available. Call Star Tickets at 1-800-585-3737.

Check Star Tickets! Seats still available in section 13

As of 10:00 AM, Star Tickets outlets still had seats available in section 13 behind the Chargers' sideline.

Call 1-800-585-3737 or hurry to a Meijer box office to get yours.

The sales agent reported "a good handful, but under 100". She noted that they are going "extremely fast".

Ticket sales ring GVSU phone off the hook. Approximately 250 remain on HC side.

As of 3:45 PM EST, there were approximately 250 total seats still available in the four sections behind the Hillsdale sideline.

Currently, Section 10 is sold out. Sections 11 and 12 are nearly gone, while close to 200 remain in section 13. There is standing room to the sides and behind those sections. Reserved seats may sell out, but any Charger fan wanting to be on that side can still be accomodated.

Call 616 331-3200. Hours are between 9 AM and 6:00 PM. I received a recording several times before finally getting through to a salesperson. Keep redialing.

Congratulations Charger Volleyball: GLIAC Champs

Congratulations to the 2009 GLIAC champion Hillsdale College Chargers and good luck in the national tournament.

Hillsdale enters the field as the #5 regional seed and will play NMU in the opening round.

Hillsdale at Grand Valley: Facebook Event Page

If you are headed to Allendale to watch the Chargers face Grand Valley in Round 2 of the NCAA Division II Playoffs, let your fellow Charger fans on Facebook know it. RSVP now at the official, unofficial Hillsdale College Fan event page.