Hillsdale treats Otterbein to 100th win in thriller
Hillsdale College could be heading for a special season. The Chargers gave their coach, Keith Otterbein, a special win Saturday -- 37-35 at home over Michigan Tech for his 100th career victory.
Hillsdale also scored 37 in its opener, a 37-7 rout of Saint Joseph's (Ind.). The Chargers will try to push their record to 3-0 Saturday at Northwood.
Otterbein, who played his high school ball at Southfield-Lathrup, is enjoying his time at Hillsdale, where he played from 1975-78. He took over as head coach in December 2001 after working as an assistant coach at Ball State.
Otterbein became the youngest head coach in the nation when he took over the program at Ferris State at age 28 prior to the 1986 season. He turned the Bulldogs into a national power, winning 30 of 36 games during one stretch (1992-94) before moving on to Ball State.
Otterbein has a chance for a strong season in 2009 after the Chargers finished 7-4 (6-4 GLIAC) last year. They have an outstanding offense, led by quarterback Troy Weatherhead, running back Vinnie Panizzi, wide receiver A.J. Kegg, 6-foot-9 lineman Jared Veldheer and kicker Mark Petro.
Weatherhead, who threw for 2,874 yards and 21 TDs last year, has completed 51-of-71 for 619 yards and three TDs. Panizzi, a 1,000-yard rusher last season, has 153 yards and four TDs, and Kegg has 14 receptions for 152 yards.
Weatherhead knows all he has to do is get the Chargers in the red zone and they are likely to end up with points. Petro has connected on 6-of-7 field goals this season.
It's highly unlikely Hillsdale will wins its homecoming game Oct. 10 against No. 1 Grand Valley, but the Chargers are gaining momentum with every win. And Otterbein has them playing well, winning 17 of their last 24 games. Look for this team to win eight or more games and challenge for a spot in the Division II playoffs.
