Sorry folks, no podcast this week.

Sorry folks,

No podcast this week as the education of America's children has cut way into my time to chase down interviews. I really enjoy doing the podcast but things got a bit hairy this week.

I'll be back next week. Promise.

Hillsdale's Joe Glendening is Week 4 GLIAC Football Player of the Week

Hillsdale College's junior running back Joe Glendening was named GLIAC offensive football player of the week  on Monday after his 5 touchdown performance versus Lake Erie College on Saturday.

Glendening had 139 yards and 4 touchdowns rushing and caught 3 passes for 22 yards including another score in the team's 35-26 conference victory.

The Chargers are 3-1 on the season and 3-0 in the GLIAC.

Patrick Heckenlively photo

Chargers weather the Storm 35-26 in win over Lake Erie

#21 Hillsdale 35
Lake Erie 26 F


This one was way too close for comfort and was a lot like last year's game except it didn't take a heroic fumble return to win. Lake Erie took a page from the Hillsdale game plan and used ball control and short passing to take a 19-14 halftime lead.

Hillsdale took its first drive of the 2nd half to the endzone on an 8:00+ drive to go up 21-19. The Storm answered back immediately to make it 26-21 midway through the 3rd.

The Hillsdale defense finally got its grip and made big stops the rest of the way. Hillsdale's offense would eventually wear out Lake Erie as evidenced by the big runs Mifsud and Glendening would amass on the final two scoring drives.

Hillsdale: Joe Glendening: 36 carries for 139 yards, 4TD rushing - 3/22 1TD receiving
Anthony Mifsud: 24/33 for 251 passing 1TD 0INT, 50 yards rushing
Mifsud used 10 Hillsdale receivers. Andrew Mott led with 5 catches for 47 yards.
Devin Moynihan had 11 stops and a sack defensively

Lake Erie: Sean Bevedelsky: 17/21 183 passing, 69 yards and a TD rushing.
Alexander led LEC with 11 carries for 97 yards. David Romeo also carried for a TD.
Cameron Bryant had 9 tackles for the Storm

New Podcast posted: Riders on the Storm

Episode 2 is now up at the new Podcast page.

Give it a couple of minutes to load.

D2football.com: Tony Nicolette previews Chargers and Storm, rest of GLIAC

#21 Hillsdale (2-0, 2-1) at Lake Erie (0-2, 1-2)

After getting dumped in week one, the Chargers have found a way to win a pair of close games with wild finishes against quality opponents. They head to the shores of Lake Erie to take on a Storm outfit that has struggled mightily after getting the season off to a winning start against Gannon just three short weeks ago.


Hillsdale Keys:
- Give Joe a Break - I've chronicled how important Joe Glendening is to HC's offense. With that in mind, giving the kid a break might be in order. Anthony Mifsud has definitely settled in at the controls of the Charger offense, and the Lake Erie defense appears to be struggling in much the same way it did in 2010. Glendening had 40 touches last week, and while the kid can make plays his per carry average is down significantly over a year ago...not to mention he's on pace to risk being dinged once again down the stretch. I'd look for other ways to move the ball in this one, especially considering other options should present themselves against a sub-par defense. This is a good game to get some other guys some reps and to keep your top weapon healthy.

- Avoid the Steamroller - In other words, "don't come out flat". It wouldn't be a surprise, as Hillsdale just notched two huge wins at home against big rivals in last-minute thrillers. Jumping on a bus to Cleveland (and beyond) could certainly bring on a case of the blahs. Make no mistake, LEC can be dangerous...they darn near nipped HC at Muddy Waters a year ago.

Lake Erie Keys:
- Keep it in front of You - Despite some new personnel, Hillsdale is still Hillsdale...they run the ball, complete tons of high-percentage passes, and control the clock. Lake Erie must keep the plays in front of them, make sure tackles, and find a way to get off the field on third down. If they don't, the D will get gassed and big plays late will result. HC does this almost every week, so The Storm must be ready.

- Where's Sean? - I've been all about Sean Bedevelsky coming into the year, and after two games he's not been the threat he was a year ago. Granted, his first game was at Tech, but he really didn't do a whole lot against Saginaw Valley last week either. As he goes, so go The Storm...LEC needs its primary playmaker to get things going.

Prediction:
Hillsdale struggled against LEC last year, hold off The Storm 42-37 in a wild one. Despite the struggles LEC has had the last two weeks, I really think the Chargers need to have their guard up in this one. One has to wonder how much emotion HC will have left to be "up" for this one, especially on the road. I'll take Hillsdale simply because I haven't seen any real life out of LEC just yet, but I still contend that the Chargers should tread lightly. Hillsdale 34, Lake Erie 24.

Read the rest of Tony's take on things in Week 4.

Muskegon Chronicle: Plenty of football excitement for area gridders at Hillsdale

Tom Kendra
Muskegon Chronicle


Tuesdays with Tom ...
Another Saturday night home game, another thrilling victory for the Hillsdale College football team.
“Yeah, the last two games have been pretty crazy around here,” Tim Hornak said with a laugh. Hornak is a 6-foot-5, 270-pound starting sophomore left tackle for Hillsdale from Muskegon Catholic Central.

On Sept. 10, Hillsdale took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty on the final play and made the second field-goal attempt in a 34-31 win against rival Grand Valley State.

On Saturday night, the Chargers did it again, this time pulling out a 40-34 victory in three overtimes against visiting Ashland in the second-longest game in school history.

Hornak is a BIG part of the Chargers’ success, having added 45 pounds to his 6-5 frame since leading MCC to a Division 8 state championship in 2008.

Other local players enjoying Hillsdale’s wild season are Ben Jones, a fellow Muskegon Catholic graduate who plays tight end in short-yardage situations; and Aric Geerlings, an East Kentwood graduate and Norton Shores resident who is a second-team linebacker.

Hornak and his twin brother, Jon, were recruited by Hillsdale where their uncle, Grand Haven native Pat Hornak, is the team’s tight ends coach and director of football operations.

Jon Hornak decided to focus on hoops and is a forward for the Aquinas College basketball team.
Hornak boys always have had great coordination and athletic ability for their height. Now that Tim has added plenty of “good weight,” as he calls it, he has earned the starting spot at the key left tackle position.

Left tackle is considered the most important of the five offensive line positions because that lineman must block defenders who are coming from the side of the field a right-handed quarterback can’t see — known as the blind side. The left tackle faces the top pass-rushers, which has made them a valuable commodity at all levels.

For example, the two highest-paid NFL players last year were quarterbacks. Atlanta’s Michael Vick and Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck received $23.1 million and $19 million, respectively. The next two highest-paid players were left tackles: St. Louis’ Orlando Pace, at $18 million, and Seattles’ Walter Jones, at $17.7 million.

“It’s totally different than high school where I was run-blocking straight ahead on every play, going downhill and trying to drive my guy back,” said Hornak, 20, the son of Mike and Tina Hornak. “Now, my first step is back and I’m pass blocking on most plays.”

Rest of the story

Patrick Heckenlively Game Photo Galleries

Hillsdale sideline reporter has agreed to partner with Chargerblue.com and offers up these great photo galleries via SmugMug.

So far this year he has galleries that feature all of the individual player pictures as well as all of the action from the Grand Valley and Ashland thrillers.

Photos may be ordered online in all different sizes.