BLOG 73: Bulldogs stunned right off the bat

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State quarterback Tom Schneider tucks the ball under and runs from Hillsdale defenders during Saturday's football game (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

HILLSDALE – Ferris was hit hard right off the bat as Hillsdale College drew first blood less than two minutes into the game.

On a third-down play, Hillsdale grabbed the 7-0 lead as quarterback Troy Weatherhead hooked up with receiver Andre Holmes on a 72-yard touchdown reception at 13:21. The Chargers were just getting started. At 7:40 of the first, A.J. Kegg scored on a 24-yard pass from Weatherhead for a 14-0 lead. At 7:47 of the second quarter, a 41-yard field goal from Mark Petro put host Hillsdale up 17-0.

It was an absolutely stunning start that was akin to a punch in the gut for Ferris.

“It’s tough to come down here and play because they’re such a good team and they’re a team that plays very well at home … like a lot of teams in our league,” Ferris head coach Jeff Pierce said as he was disappointed by the team’s rough start to Saturday’s contest. “It’s really disappointing that we weren’t able to come out here and play our best football game.”

So many times this season, as the offense has struggled, it seems the defense has been the unit to provide an unexpected spark. A Weatherhead pass was batted into the air and snatched down by senior All-American defensive tackle Jake Visser. Visser returned the football 34 yards for a touchdown to put finally the Bulldogs on the scoreboard at 17-6 after the extra-point attempt failed.

Quarterback Kyle Parrish, who entered the game at quarterback for the Bulldogs in place of starting QB Tom Schneider, scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left in the half. A personal foul was called on Hillsdale that put the Bulldogs in a stronger position to go for two points. Ferris rolled the dice and running back Paris Holloman converted the 2-point conversion attempt to make it 17-14 at the intermission.

But, the good time was short lived. Indeed, the game’s turning point happened early in the third quarter as Parrish was hit from the blind side as the ball was knocked free and recovered by Hillsdale’s Drew Berube. The Chargers turned the turnover into three points as a Petro field turned the scoreboard to 20-14.

It was all Hillsdale from there as Weatherhead tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Matt Patillo and a 7-yard pass to Aaron Waldie to complete a 17-point third quarter for the Chargers that put home team in command.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com