Nearly flawlss performance gives Hillsdale big win over #14 Saginaw Valley

Aside from the illegal procedure penalty in the first quarter, you would have to look pretty deep into the coaches' copy of the game film to find many Hillsdale mistakes in a 34-17 statement-type win over #14 Saginaw Valley today at Muddy Waters Stadium.

Such was not the case two weeks ago when Hillsdale let penalties and turnovers leave them 3 points shy of Wayne State.

It was the Chargers who benefited from a Saginaw Valley special teams fumble that set them up on a short field for a Joe Glendening touchdown. It was also 30 yards in Cardinal penalties on one late punt that gave Hillsdale the ball at the SVSU 24. Anthony Mifsud hit Cam White on a pass play for a touchdown one play later.

It looked like Coach Shreffler was going to be headed to the ATM so he could buy his linemen pizza for a sackless outing. A big host of Cardinals saved Nate 50 bucks though in the second half. The sack didn't seem much like a bust in protection but more like a smart decision by Mifsud to eat it and play another down. We have seen him try to force things too much in these situations but today he protected the football and set up a Colin McGreevy field goal.

There is another kid who was dialed-in today.  McGreevy's two field goals proved vital in the early chess match and the Chargers' taking over momentum throughout the second half.

Everybody who got their chance today played a role this one. I was forced to listen to the game on the Saginaw Valley broadcast because my Frontier Internet decided to take the weekend off and I couldn't watch the webcast. The Cardinal broadcast couldn't stop talking about how the Chargers hadn't dropped a pass all day.

The defense got big stops when the Chargers needed it most. It was the type of performance this team needs every week to finish its business and leave no doubt it belongs in the playoffs.

Hillsdale's win today moves them to 6-2 overall, 6-1 in league play, and into sole possession of first place in the GLIAC North. They got some help from Ferris State who knocked off Michigan Tech 56-49.