November 7, 2009 - The Chargers did their part. The rest is up to the regional committee.

Hillsdale College’s football team put the finishing touches (and touchdowns) on its finest season since 1992 with a 59-24 destruction of Tiffin University in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated. The Chargers wrap up the 2009 season with a 9-2 record, and 8-2 in the GLIAC. The Dragons finished 0-11 in 2009.

The Chargers have put themselves in position to qualify for an NCAA Division II playoff spot for the first time in their history, but must wait until Sunday afternoon to learn if they have made the postseason tournament. The playoff pairings will be announced on ESPNNEWS at 3 p.m. EST.

Hillsdale exploded for 35 second-quarter points to put an end to all drama in this game early. Each team scored on its opening possession, but after the 7-7 tie, Hillsdale went on to score six straight touchdowns, and in the process, the team’s running back broke a 54-year-old record.

Senior RB Vinnie Panizzi (pictured), who was one of 19 players honored in a pregame Senior Day ceremony, finished the game with 17 carries for 128 yards and five touchdown runs. Those five scores tied a school record for touchdown runs in a single game, but also gave Panizzi the career record for rushing touchdowns with 51. Nate Clark, who played from 1953-55, held the old record at 51. That record stood for 54 years, until Panizzi’s huge game Saturday.

All of Panizzi’s yards and touchdowns came in a first half that ended with Hillsdale holding a 49-7 lead. It was the second straight game the Chargers have scored 59 points, and the 118 points scored over the last two weeks is the most ever by a Charger team in a two-game span.

Junior QB Troy Weatherhead picked apart the Tiffin defense to the tune of 11-for-14 for 208 yards and two touchdowns. He threw an 11-yard scoring pass to A.J. Kegg for the team’s first score of the second quarter, and he later connected with senior TE Matt Patillo on a 59-yard touchdown pass that saw Patillo outrun most of the Tiffin defense on his way to the end zone. But that wasn’t even the longest pass play of this game.

Early in the third quarter, backup QB Brad Otterbein found HB Cam White for a 68-yard pass that led to a one-yard touchdown run by RB Brian Thompson, making the score 56-10. Thompson ran the ball a career-high 10 times for 57 yards and his first collegiate score.

Hillsdale outgained Tiffin 585-277, and averaged more than eight yards per play. Ten different Chargers caught passes, including redshirt freshman QB Anthony Mifsud. Hillsdale held Tiffin to 22 net yards rushing, while Nick Hixson and Ben Wood each intercepted passes. Wood also blocked a punt that led to Panizzi’s second touchdown of the game, midway through the second quarter.

Patillo had four catches for a career-high 130 yards and one touchdown. Kegg caught four passes for 67 yards and a score. Freshman RB Joe Glendening ran for 26 yards, while Otterbein was 4-for-5 for 97 yards. White had two receptions for 70 yards in the game.

Senior LB Marcellus Wade led the defense with seven total tackles, and had 2.5 tackles for loss. Senior DT Jordan Knudsen was in on two sacks and had four tackles. Senior Drew Berube had two sacks to bring his season total to 13.

Please click on the link below for the stats from Saturday's game.

Chargers 59, Tiffin 24