JEROMESVILLE – After finishing 7-4 and making the playoffs in 2016, expectations are high again in 2017 for the Hillsdale Falcons football team.
The Falcons lost three All-Ohio honorees to graduation — defensive standout Ben Rogers, receiver Andrew Wolf and running back/linebacker Craig Cline – but coach Tom Williams is confident his team can fly high again this season.
“We don’t have a ton of depth so we have to stay healthy but we feel like if we stay healthy we should have a real good shot to compete with everyone that we play,” Williams said.
The coach and his players have spent the past three weeks preparing for their opening game on Aug. 25 against Mapleton.
Although the Falcons lost their top rusher and two of their top receivers to graduation, Hillsdale boasts three-year starter Trey Williams back under center and running the offense again. Williams threw for 16 touchdowns and over 1,500 yards in 2016.
Coach Williams said he has seen his son mature and take more of a leadership role this year.
“For me he’s just become more consistent, taken more command of the huddle. I see a little bit more of the leadership kind of things because he still left the leadership to the seniors in the two classes before him. But now it’s his turn so he’s taking that role on,” Tom Williams said.
Junior Alex Becker is the top returning receiver, but Williams is looking for contributions this year from some new receivers including senior Josh Vinsack and junior Tyler McFadden.
The coach also pointed to his returning offensive linemen as key to his team’s success in 2017.
“We feel like we have some really good offensive linemen back and some skill guys that have made plays for us in the past,” Williams said.
Hillsdale finished third in the Wayne County Athletic League in 2016 and the coach expects his team to be at the top of the WCAL pack again come October. Last season, Hillsdale’s three league losses were to Northwestern, Norwayne and Daulton, all of which made the postseason.
“We expect to compete for the league championship, but we know there’s other teams that have done the same thing. They’ve done the hard work in the offseason and they’ve prepared so it’s going to be a struggle,” Williams said.
The Falcons have 50 players on the roster, including 12 seniors. Williams said this year’s squad is a cohesive unit that works well together.
“They seem to be good friends. They just kind of seem to do their thing together,” the coach said. “We’re going to do what we do and we’ve done it a lot of years. And if it’s not good enough then it’s not good enough.
“But we feel like we’ve got the pieces to be pretty good if everyone’s pulling in the same direction.”
