D2football.com: Tony Nicolette's Weekly Column

Hillsdale (3-2, 4-2) at #1 Grand Valley (5-0, 5-0)

It's Homecoming in Allendale, and GV will face the Chargers for the first time in a few seasons. The Lakers have been decidedly sharp on offense the last couple of weeks, and the defense is allowing less than five points a game in their last four outings. HC has been moving the ball pretty well lately, but they have had some trouble finishing drives and putting points on the board.

Hillsdale Keys:
- Finish Drives - If you get a chance to score points on the Lakers (or anyone, for that matter), you better do it.
- Stuff the Run - GV has been much more of a "run first" bunch this year. The Chargers are second in the league in run defense, and they'll need to live up to that ranking this week.

GV Keys:
- Rotten Return - HC QB Troy Weatherhead (Comstock Park, MI) returns to Metro-Grand Rapids for his first start at The Shipyard. While he's shown quite a bit of poise thus far this season, he hasn't seen a pass rush quite like this yet. Look for GV to try and rattle him and force some mistakes, and really test Jared Veldheer and his mates with how well they can pass protect.
- The Offensive Line - It's been terrific all year, and the Lakers have run the ball well regardless of how good the defense was that they were facing. This bunch will need to be solid again, and be sure they get a hat on Tom Korte whenever possible.

Prediction: GV has been playing at a rather high level the past two weeks. While they did split a pair of games, Hillsdale really can't say the same. Unless these trends make a sudden, quantum shift it's hard to think HC will go into Allendale and take this one. Grand Valley 35, Hillsdale 15.

Full Column

MLive.com: Hillsdale linebacker back home to face GVSU

Hillsdale linebacker back home to face GVSU
by Greg Johnson | The Grand Rapids Press

Hillsdale's Tom Korte is a Catholic Central graduate who leads the GLIAC with 11.5 tackles for a loss and has 2.5 sacks.

ALLENDALE -- Hillsdale College middle linebacker Tom Korte periodically comes home to Grand Rapids and often has to answer the Grand Valley State and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference questions.

"Yes, we're in the same conference; no, we haven't played Grand Valley since I was a freshman because it's just the way the schedules have worked -- you know that explanation," he said.

"I would be lying if I said that this game wasn't a little bigger. I get to come home. I'll have a lot of family and friends there. We're playing the team that's No. 1 in the country -- the team at the top of the conference. It's big."

Korte, a senior linebacker, preseason All-American and the Chargers' leading tackler, is expected to play a major role in the outcome against the Lakers on Saturday night.

"Korte has had a phenomenal career there," Grand Valley coach Chuck Martin said. "He's all over the field, he's physical, has a great motor and he is also great at stripping the ball. He makes a lot of plays."

Martin admitted Korte was one of the prize recruits that got away when he graduated from Catholic Central.

"We really liked him, and he has just excelled, too," he said. "I'm sure he will be fired up coming home. We'll try to be ready for him. I think our guys will see on film that he's different than the linebackers we have faced so far this season. This guy goes downhill, reads quick, reacts quick and hits people. We have to make sure we get him blocked."

Korte, 6-foot, 235 pounds, leads the GLIAC with 11 1/2 tackles for loss, ranks fourth in tackles per game (11) and has 2 1/2 sacks as Hillsdale has built a 4-2 record. The Chargers are second in the league behind Grand Valley in the team rushing defense statistics (117.8 yards per game).

Hillsdale officials said the NFL has shown interest in the star linebacker by sending scouts to several practices and games. Korte, who is in a pre-dental program and will graduate in May, said football past college is something he will consider.

"I feel right now I would like to play more," he said. "That's later though. I came here to help (Coach Keith Otterbein) turn this program back in the right direction and win games."

Hillsdale vs. Grand Valley Preview: Hillsdale.edu

Hillsdale Release:

FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Charges face the ultimate test vs. top-ranked Grand Valley State Saturday night
Lakers haven't lost to Chargers since 1994


October 8, 2008 - For anyone competing at the high level of college athletics, games like the one the Hillsdale College football team plays Saturday night are what it's all about.

The Chargers, fresh off a 20-13 homecoming win over Findlay, travel to Allendale to battle undefeated and No. 1 ranked Grand Valley State University at 7 p.m.

These two teams haven't played one another since Oct. 8, 2005, when the Lakers defeated the Chargers 38-10 at Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium. Since that game, Grand Valley State has won two more Division II national championships, while Hillsdale has taken a big step up the GLIAC ladder, going 8-3 in 2007.

Hillsdale is currently part of a big traffic jam for third place in the GLIAC. Three other teams: Ferris State, Michigan Tech and Wayne State, are all tied with the Chargers with 3-2 records in conference play. Ashland is also 4-2 overall, but its 4-1 GLIAC mark put it in second place, one game behind the Lakers.

This week, the first NCAA Division II regional football rankings came out, and Hillsdale is not in the top 10. However, after this weekend, the Chargers will have already played three of the top four teams in that poll: Grand Valley State, Ashland and Michigan Tech.

Hillsdale hasn't beaten Grand Valley State since 1994, but there have been several close games in the series betwene the teams in recent years. The games between the Chargers and Lakers were decided by five points or less in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2000. But starting in 2001, when the Lakers rose to become a national power, the games weren't as closely contested. The closest game between the two teams was played in 2003, when GVSU beat Hillsdale 37-24. The Lakers played just one other regular season game in 2003 that was decided by fewer points, and that was a 9-6 overtime win over the Univeristy of California-Davis, a I-AA school.

Full Release

Charger Kicking Game is Tops in the Country

Hillsdale place kicker Mark Petro is currently ranked #1 in the NCAA Division II with 1.83 field goals per game. He is ranked 24th in scoring with 8.5 points per game.

The punting combination of freshman Andrew Wilburn and backup junior Eric Schweller whose day job is on the Charger defensive line lead D2 in net punting at 39.95 yards per punt.

Search the rest of the current NCAA Division II national statistics.

More Pics from FJ Gaylor's visit to Hillsdale.

Check out this one of Tom Korte and 8 others from professional photog FJ Gaylor's visit to Hillsdale this week. Gaylor was on campus to shoot photos for admissions and other promotional purposes. I would say he got some great ones.

Read FJ Gaylor's blog post.

Wojcik and Schweller are GLIAC Players of the Week

Hillsdale Release:

October 6, 2008 - For the first time this season, Hillsdale College teammates earned GLIAC Player of the Week accolades in the same week.

Senior defensive back Alex Wojcik was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week, and defensive end/punter Eric Schweller was named the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Both awards were announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.
news story image
Wojcik was in the center of several big defensive plays in Hillsdale's 20-13 win over the University of Findlay. He blocked a field goal in the first half, and intercepted a pass on the Charger 13-yard-line with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory. He finished the game with eight total tackles and four solo stops. Wojcik has a team-high three interceptions this season.

Schweller, normally a starting defensive lineman for Hillsdale, news story imagewas pressed into punting duties due to an injury to freshman Andrew Wilburn. Schweller performed very well, launching four punts that averaged 47 yards per kick. Two of his punts pinned the Oilers inside their own 20-yard-line. One of Schweller's punts was measured at 58 yards.

Wojcik played his high school football at Detroit Catholic Central, where he was part of two state championship teams. Schweller played at Bellbrook High School in Bellbrook, Ohio

Late interception seals 20-13 Homecoming win for Hillsdale College, over Findlay

Late interception seals 20-13 Homecoming win for Hillsdale College, over Findlay

Hillsdale College Release

Chargers have won five straight Homecoming games

October 4, 2008 - A common theme in the four victories this season by the Hillsdale College football team has been key plays by the defense at key times. That same trait was on full display in Saturday’s 20-13 Homecoming win by the Chargers over the University of Findlay.

A last-minute interception by senior safety Alex Wojcik turned out to be the game-clinching play for Hillsdale, who is now 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the GLIAC. The Oilers fell to 2-4 with the loss. The Chargers will hit the road next week to face No. 2-ranked Grand Valley State University in Allendale at 7 p.m.

The Charger defense held Findlay to a 4-for-15 mark on third-down conversions, made one fourth-down stop, and held the news story imageOilers to 1-for-3 on chances inside the red zone. Wojcik’s interception was the second forced turnover of the game for Hillsdale, and the Charger defense recorded four sacks on the day.

Full Article