Jonathan Walker/Collegian
The Charger offensive line sets for a play during their last home game against Wayne State University.
The Chargers said goodbye to the record of 4-7 that has plagued their past three seasons with a 28-14 win on Saturday against Wayne State University. Gone with the 4-7 record are the pink shirts that the Chargers wore during off season training to motivate themselves to improve that record. The team finished with a 5-6 record overall.
“What a great job everyone in the program did,” said head coach Keith Otterbein. “It’s very easy to get frustrated and question yourself. I just think it showed the character and pride of our kids to keep going. We finished strong.”
The Chargers put up 425 total offensive yards on Saturday despite two turnovers. Sophomore quarterback Mark Nicolet completed 15-of-25 passes for 213 total yards, two touchdowns, and one interceptions. He finished with 986 yards out of six starts this season.
Junior tailback Phil Martin rushed for 115 yards on 24 carries and finished with over 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the first Charger to do so since 2002.
For the seniors, tight end Keith Recker had 94 yards and one touchdown on seven receptions; wide receivers Chris Clay and Ryan Hermoisillo finished with five catches for 84 yards and two catches for 25 yards and a touchdown, respectively. Defensively, senior cornerback and co-captain Chad Gurica finished with a season-high 12 tackles. The Charger defense also had two sacks and two interceptions in the game.
“We probably played one of the most complete games of the year, from offense [to] defense to special teams,” Nicolet said .
“We kept playing hard the whole game,” Gurica said. “That’s why we won.”
“Wayne State is a program that’s made progress, so it’s a good solid win,” Otterbein said. “They had as much on the line as we did. We felt really good about the effort we got out of our kids.”
According to all three, one of the most important benefits of the win on Saturday was being able to send the seniors off on a positive note for their last game.
“That senior class deserved to go out feeling good about the program,” Otterbein said.
“The seniors this year just really took us to where we needed to be,” Nicolet said. He added that it was now left to those returning members of the team to build on the program’s successful finish.
Otterbein also said the win was important for ensuring that both players and coaches could talk to recruits with an upbeat attitude and carry their enthusiasm into off season training. He said the linebackers went straight to the weight room after Saturday’s game.
The Chargers also finished the season with a three game winning streak, the first time the Hillsdale football team has accomplished this feat since 1995.
“It was really nice, especially because after that loss to Ashland, we were like, ‘Is our season over?’” said senior cornerback Chad Gurica, who was co-captain of the team this year. “[We decided] we were going to play these last three games like they’re the most important games of the season.”
“We reset our goals after the Ashland game,’ Otterbein said. “It was going to be one opponent at a time.”
Otterbein said the team’s ability to focus from week to week coupled with senior leadership were factors in the team’s improved record.
“The program is not totally about wins and losses,” Otterbein said. “I think one thing this team showed was being able to focus from week to week. There wasn’t a game where I didn’t think we were ready to play. I think guys stepped up and played through some nicks and cuts and bruises and bangs. We had some good senior leadership.”
One of those senior leaders was Gurica, who received the MVP award for the season from his teammates at the football banquet this past Sunday. Gurica led the GLIAC in kickoff return yards, averaging 33.1 yards per carry, and also returned three kicks for touchdowns this year. He also had 71 tackles on the season.
“I was happy to receive it,” Gurica said. “I felt like there was quite a few guys who could have got it [and] who put in the same amount of work.”
Gurica said the thing that he will take away most from having played football at Hillsdale Colleges are the lessons the game has taught him about life. He also has a positive outlook for the team’s future.
“I’ve had a great time with the guys,” Gurica said. “When they come back next year, I think it’s going to be a winning season.”