Schedule
Thomas More (3-5, 2-4 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (3-5, 3-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 2 | Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium | Hillsdale, MI
 
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Thomas More Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Thomas More Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
 
Last Week
Hillsdale set the tone early with a 75-yard rushing touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and never trailed from there in a dominant 41-7 victory at Kentucky Wesleyan for the Chargers' second-straight win. Hillsdale rushed for a season high 281 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, led by a career day from senior Logan VanEnkevort, who put up 175 yards on 12 carries, and two touchdowns, including the 75-yarder to open the game. Zach Tetler added two rushing touchdowns as well, and Matt Soderdahl returned an interception for a touchdown for the Chargers.
 
Scouting the Opposition
Hillsdale returns home with momentum after two road victories, and look to build toward a strong finish with three games left in the season. Next up for the Chargers is a Thomas More squad that enters on a four-game losing streak but remains a dangerous opponent.

While the Saints haven't won since September, three of those four losses have come against the top three teams in the G-MAC standings, and Thomas More remains a talented squad.

The Saints returned a dynamic quarterback in Rae'Von Vaden, who gave the Chargers problems in a road meeting last year, but the senior has battled injuries the last few weeks, which has meant a greater role for backups Chase Crone and Griffin Scalf. All three players have seen action in recent weeks and any of the three could get the call on Saturday. Thomas More's top receiving threat is Evan Brown, but the sophomore missed last week's game and is uncertain to play this week. If he is absent, the Saints will lean on Freddie Johnson and tight end Mike Kirch as the primary targets in the passing game.

Returning starter Jaden Hall leads the Saints in rushing, though Thomas More has struggled to run the ball in the last few weeks. When healthy, Vaden is a key part of the Chargers' rushing attack, but Crone and Scalf don't have the same playmaking ability on the move. Eli White is the team's primary backup to Hall. The Saints are running behind an experienced offensive line that returns four of five starters from 2023, led by senior Shaquille Brown and junior Cam Weil on the left side.

Thomas More's defensive unit was a key part of the team's strong performance in their first season in the G-MAC in 2023, and got off to a strong start in 2024. After giving up 20 or more points in the last four games, including 51 to Tiffin, however, the unit enters this weekend looking to get back on track.

Linebacker Elijah Manning leads the Saints in tackles with 64, while defensive ends Tanner Lawrence and Trey Weems have been disruptive pass rushers with five sacks each.

Safeties Kolton Reeves and Jevan Rivers have been playmakers for the defense, combining for five pass breakups and two interceptions. Cornerback Caleb Benton has five pass breakups as well for the Saints, who have been sound defensively but have not forced turnovers at a high rate, with just seven combined interceptions and fumble recoveries.

Thomas More has a strong special teams unit led by returning All-G-MAC punter Elgin Phillips, who's averaging 46.9 yards per punt, and kicker Luke Iden, who's 11 of 16 on field goals with a long of 48. Freddie Johnson is the top return man for the Saints, fielding the majority of both kickoffs and punts.

The Series
Hillsdale won the first-ever meeting between the Chargers and Thomas More on the road last season, stopping a two-point try by the Saints in the final minute of the game that would have tied the contest in a 35-33 victory. Saturday will mark the first time the Thomas More football team travels to Hillsdale for a contest.
 
Other Notes

• New head coach Nate Shreffler may be in his first season as the man in charge, but the veteran coach is no stranger to the sport and to Hillsdale. Shreffler is entering his 26^th season as a coach for the Chargers after successful stints as the team's offensive line coach (1999-2009) and offensive coordinator (2010-2023). Hillsdale's all-time leading passer, rusher and receiver all played in offenses led by Shreffler, and he was the position coach of Hillsdale's most recent NFL draft pick, Jared Veldheer. A 1993 graduate of Hillsdale College, Shreffler was a three-year starter on the offensive line and an important part of the team's 1992 conference title.
• The biggest strength on paper for the Chargers is a veteran offensive line, and especially an All-Conference due at left guard and center who are all entering their third year together as starters. Senior center Nick Affholter, a two-time All-G-MAC player and two-time Hillsdale lineman of the year anchors the unit. He's flanked on the left by guard Eli Haidamous, another All-G-MAC honoree. Along with that gifted duo, Hillsdale also returns right tackle Carter Cushman as a second-year starter.
• After struggling running the ball in the first four games of the season, Hillsdale's offense has been strong the last four weeks, averaging 229 yards on the ground in those four games with three wins. Key to the turnaround has been senior Logan VanEnkevort, who has spent the last two years as a slot receiver but returned to the backfield against Northwood on Oct. 5 and has two 100-plus yard rushing days since, including a career-best 175 yard rushing performance with two touchdowns last Saturday at Kentucky Wesleyan. Redshirt freshman Zach Tetler also impressed against Lake Erie on Oct. 19 with a three-touchdown performance on the ground, and added two more scores against the Panthers last weekend.
• Sophomore wide receiver Shea Ruddy nearly tied Hillsdale's single-season record for kickoff return touchdowns to match Chad Gurica's three in 2005, returning a kickoff 95 yards for what would have been his third of the year before a holding penalty brought it back. Ruddy has been one of the top return men in the country, leading both the G-MAC and all of NCAA DII with 666 yards, and currently tying for the national lead in kickoff return TDs. The sophomore's versatility, as a ballcarrier, pass catcher, and a returner of kickoffs and punts have allowed him to put up massive numbers, currently ranking him second in all of NCAA DII with 1,475 all-purpose yards through eight games. Hillsdale will look to continue to find ways to get the ball in Ruddy's hands down the stretch of the season.    
• The Chargers' pass rush has been improving in recent weeks, with two defensive linemen leading the way. Sophomore Drake Badger leads the Chargers with five sacks and has added three pass breakups, a forced fumble and fumble recovery, and has been a major player for the Chargers in his first full year as a starter after putting up two sacks in limited playing time as a true freshman last season.
• Junior Matt Soderdahl has been one of Hillsdale's top cover corners for the last two seasons, and has exploded in the last two Chargers victories with big plays, including three total interceptions across wins over Lake Erie and Kentucky Wesleyan. Soderdahl took his third interception in two weeks 35 yards to the house for his first career touchdown against the Panthers on Saturday. Soderdahl's three interceptions tie him for the most by a Charger in the last three seasons with three games to play, and his five pass breakups are also tied for the team lead with junior Vince Francescone.
• Hillsdale's two permanent captains this season are VanEnkevort and junior defensive end Landon VanBeek. VanEnkevort was Hillsdale's Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023 and is one of Hillsdale's most versatile players, having played as many as six different positions for the Chargers over the past two seasons. His success on and off the playing field has earned him several accolades, including semifinalist recognition for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Award, the sport's academic Heisman Trophy. VanBeek, meanwhile, has been a critical part of Hillsdale's defensive line for multiple seasons and is making the move to end this fall after excelling on the interior for Hillsdale in 2023.
• The Charger football program continued to shine academically over the past year, with eight players earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, including returners Benjamin Affholter, Bart Bixler and Ty Williams. In addition, 48 Hillsdale football players received Academic All-G-MAC honors for posting a 3.3 or better cumulative GPA through the spring 2023 semester.
• The Charger football program has long been known for its strong family tradition, and that continues in 2024 with multiple sets of brothers on the roster. On the offensive line, twin brothers Nick Affholter and Benjamin Affholter (Quincy, MI/Reading) will hold down interior line spots for the third straight season, and are joined on the roster by younger brother Zac Affholter, a true freshman lineman. All three are sons of Brad Affholter, a multi-year starter on the Charger offensive line in the mid-90s and an assistant coach with the team in 2023. There are several other sibling duos on the team -- sophomore wide receiver Corban Creason (Coppell, TX/Founders Classical Academy) and freshman defensive back Christian Creason; junior offensive lineman John VanOpstall (Jenison, MI/Jenison) and younger brother Chris VanOpstall, and sophomore wide receiver Shea Ruddy (Temperance, MI/Ottawa Lake Whiteford) and freshman defensive back Ryin Ruddy. Along with those sibling pairs, several other players on the roster have older brothers, fathers or grandfathers who suited up for previous Charger teams.