September 8, 2012 - The start was the same, but the ending was quite different. And the Hillsdale College football team couldn't have been happier.
Playing its home opener in front of more than 2,300 fans, the Charger football team raced out to a 38-0 lead over Ohio Dominican before wrapping up a 38-20 GLIAC victory Saturday night at Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium.
Hillsdale, ranked 25th in the nation, is now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the GLIAC on the season. The Chargers are back home next Saturday night for their first-ever meeting with Malone University at 7 p.m.
The post-game scene was much different than the last time Ohio Dominican came to Hillsdale, exactly 11 months ago. The Panthers rallied from a 21-point deficit to shock the Chargers in a 43-42 win. This time, the 21-point lead would only grow, once Hillsdale jumped out to it.
Using a methodically paced offense and some big plays on defense, Hillsdale put together a superb all-around effort in this contest. The Chargers generated 420 yards of offense compared to 244 for the Panthers, and Hillsdale intercepted four passes on the evening.
Sophomore Daniel Pittman was outstanding all night long, starting with the game's very first play from scrimmage. He intercepted a long pass on Ohio Dominican's opening play, setting the tone for the evening. He later read a pass perfectly and dove towards the visiting sidelines for his second pick of the game. In just his second collegiate start, Pittman has emerged as a string point of this defense. He finished the game with six total tackles in addition to his two interceptions.
After Pittman's first pick, the Chargers ate up more than eight minutes of the first quarter clock, going 86 yards on 20 plays, capped by the first touchdown of the season by senior running back Joe Glendening. He took a fourth-down pitch from quarterback Anthony Mifsud and glided unimpeded into the end zone, staking Hillsdale to the early lead.
The Chargers tallied 14 more points in the second quarter, quite differently from its first drive. Glendening busted through the left side of the defense and outran four Panthers for a 56-yard touchdown with 12:50 left in the second quarter, doubling the Chargers' lead.
Mifsud finished a supremely efficient first half with a pair of short touchdown throws, to senior Cam White and juniro Andrew Mott, giving Hillsdale a 28-0 lead at intermission. Mifsud completed 14 of his first 17 passes, and finished the game with 207 passing yards and 35 rushing yards.
Glendening scored his third touchdown of the game, and the 50th of his career, with 3:38 left in the third quarter to make it a 38-0 ballgame. ODU tacked on three touchdowns deep in the fourth quarter to make the score closer.
Glendening is just the third Charger in program history to record 50 or more touchdowns in a career, joining Vinnie Panizzi (52) and Nate Clark (51). He finished the game with 35 carries for 180 yards.
Mifsud completed passes to nine different receivers in the game, highlighted by the first career catches by redshirt freshmen Noah Hiser and John Haley. White led the receiving corps with six receptions for 68 yards and a score, while Evan Bach had three catches for 38 yards, and Mott hauled in four passes for 30 yards.
Redshirt-freshman linebacker Justin D'Agostino was very active in his first college game at home, leading the Chargers with nine total tackles, including six solo stops. The junior linebacking trio of Steven Embry, Devin Moynihan and Brett Pasche each picked up a tackle for loss in the win. Senior cornerback Ben Karaba had his second interception in as many games for the Chargers.