October 17, 2009 – Any talk of a letdown by the Hillsdale College football team was answered by the right arm of junior quarterback Troy Weatherhead and the team’s run defense.

After tossing just one touchdown pass in his last four games, Weatherhead’s throws found the end zone four times, as the Chargers defeated Northern Michigan University, 28-17, Saturday afternoon in Marquette. Hillsdale is now 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the conference, while the Wildcats, ranked 23rd in the nation, fall to 5-2 on the season. Hillsdale is now 3-0 vs. nationally ranked teams this season.

The Chargers were coming off a memorable 27-24 homecoming win over then-number one-ranked Grand Valley State last week. Coming off a win like that and going on the road to take on a one-loss team on its home field can sometimes be a formula for a letdown. But a determined and disciplined Charger team wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Weatherhead went 24-for-30 for 276 yards and a career-high four touchdowns to lead the Chargers to a key road victory over a NMU team that was off to its best start in several years. His four scoring passes went to four different players, and eight different players caught passes in the game for the Chargers.

Coupled with Weatherhead’s prolific and accurate passing, the Hillsdale defense held the explosive Wildcats to 21 points less than their average scoring output for the season. The Chargers held an eight-minute advantage in time of possession, and the defense recovered two Wildcat fumbles in the game.

The game was decided in the third quarter, when Hillsdale scored 21 points and held the ball for more than 11 minutes. A.J. Kegg got the scoring started on a 20-yard scoring pass from Weatherhead to break the 7-7 halftime tie.

Weatherhead’s next scoring pass covered 21 yards, and went into the hands of junior WR Andre Holmes, to extend Hillsdale’s lead to 21-7. The Wildcats booted a field goal to make it 21-10, but on the final play of the third quarter, the Chargers scored a game-clinching touchdown.

Sophomore tight end Bren Bergquist caught his first career touchdown pass, a 32-yarder from Weatherhead, to spring the Chargers back to an 18-point lead. Senior Vinnie Panizzi had 30 carries for 131 yards for the Chargers. Kegg led the team with seven receptions for 72 yards and a score, while Holmes hauled in six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers’ run defense was up to the task of controlling the top rushing team in the GLIAC. Hillsdale held Northern Michigan’s running backs to two yards or less on 15 carries in the game. Although Hillsdale had just three tackles for loss in the game, it was the consistent run-stopping that helped the team to its time-of-possession advantage, as well as holding down the NMU offense throughout the game.

Defensively, sophomore Joe Vear led Hillsdale with eight total tackles, including five solo stops. Freshman Nick Galvan recovered a fumble and returned it 43 yards to stop a long Wildcats drive early in the ballgame. He also had five solo tackles and three pass breakups. Senior Drew Berube recorded a sack on the first play of the game, and senior Marcellus Wade had four solo tackles.

The Chargers are back at home next week hosting Wayne State University starting at 2:30 p.m.

Click on the link below for the statistics from Saturday's game.

Chargers 28, Northern Michigan 17