JEROMESVILLE — Expectations are a good thing in Jeromesville, where Ashland County’s biggest high school football game of the week will take place on Friday night.
Hillsdale returned just about everyone from last year’s Division VII state runner-up team and the Falcons have lived up to lofty expectations through the first two weeks.
Hillsdale (2-0) has outscored its two opponents 73-14 after Friday’s 31-0 win over Lucas. The defense is allowing 193.5 yards per game, while the offense is averaging 318 yards a game.
“Expectations are a good thing,” Hillsdale coach Trevor Cline said. “We understand there’s a lot of expectations, but for us, we understand that all that matters is finding ways to get better each day.
“All the noise outside the locker room, that stuff doesn’t matter.”
Hillsdale will host backyard rival Loudonville (2-0) on Friday. The Redbirds have outscored opponents 108-16 after scoring 72 points all of last year.
“That’s a big rivalry game for us,” Cline said. “We need to make sure we go into that game with focus … because in 2022 we went down there and they took it to us and shut us out (a 14-0 Loudonville win).
“That game is always going to be a tough game.”