Homecoming curse continues

Home Sports Homecoming curse continues

Hillsdale’s homecoming curse continued on Saturday as Grand Valley State University rattled off 42 straight points over the span of three quarters, defeating the Chargers 42-21.

“We’ve just got to play better,” head coach Keith Otterbein said. “We didn’t play good enough to beat a good football team.”

Hillsdale has now lost four straight homecoming games, including an eerily similar result in 2012 when Grand Valley beat Hillsdale 42-23.

The Chargers started the game about as well as possible, when  senior defensive back Daniel Pittman picked off Grand Valley quarterback Heath Parling on the second play from scrimmage. A few plays later, tailback Jack Wiseman broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run, putting the Chargers up early 7-0.

Grand Valley immediately responded.

The Lakers methodically drove their way down the field, converting a couple key third downs. The drive was capped off when Grand Valley tailback Chris Robinson scampered in from 25 yards out.

“[Grand Valley is] a really good team,” offensive lineman Justice Karmie said. “They came back and scored just as easily as we scored the first time. I think some of the guys were taken aback by that a little bit.”

The game continued to go in favor of the Lakers, as they scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters, putting them up 42-7 late in the third quarter before Hillsdale bounced back to score a couple of touchdowns, making the final score more respectable.

“[We need to be] very precise offensively,” quarterback Mark LaPrairie said. “[We] can’t have room for three and outs, things like that. We just need to become even sharper.”

The Chargers converted just 36 percent of their third downs, while the Lakers converted 62 percent.

“We had too many third and long situations [on offense],” coach Otterbein said. “We’ve got to do better on both sides, there’s no doubt.”

“It’s a mentality,” LaPrairie added. “[We] just have to attack it and know that we need the first down.”

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers were prepared to stop Grand Valley’s big plays, but the Lakers made adjustments and started throwing underneath passes, allowing them to methodically move their way up the field and give themselves manageable third down situations.

“They were hitting nine, ten yard hitches or curls and stuff like that because we were so worried about them hitting the deep ball over the top,” Karmie said. “We could have been a little bit more aggressive but at the same time it’s tough because you don’t want to give up those big plays.”

Both Hillsdale and Grand Valley are now 2-3 on the season and 2-2 in GLIAC play. The Chargers’ schedule gets even tougher this weekend, as they travel to face the GLIAC defending champions Ohio Dominican on Saturday.

“[They’re] big, athletic, and strong,” coach Otterbein said. “They play sound fundamental football.”

Ohio Dominican, currently ranked an impressive No. 8 in the nation, are undefeated this season and coming off a 48-14 rout at Lake Erie.

The contest will tell a lot about Hillsdale’s mental toughness.

“We’ll bounce back,” Karmie said. “Our coaches are going to get us ready this week and I think we’ve got a good shot to go down there and shock them.”