Chargers sign 20 recruits to join Class of 2027 on National Signing Day
Team 131 officially begins its march into the fall 2023 season today at Hillsdale College, as the Chargers football team announces its signers in the Class of 2027 who will join the team this fall.
The Chargers signed 20 players on National Signing Day, Wednesday, February 1. Hillsdale expects more to join the class in the coming days, so stay tuned – we’ll update this story as more letters of intent arrive.
Hillsdale College’s football program is built around the importance of family, and as is the case almost every year, there are several recruits with family ties to the Chargers in this year’s class. Freshman offensive lineman Zac Affholter joins older brothers Benjamin and Nick on the roster, while defensive back Christian Creason joins his brother, Corban, and Chris VanOpstall joins his brother, John.
Additionally, while his older brother, Josh, graduated last spring, defensive lineman Luke Peroni also has family ties to the Chargers. In total, this year’s four additions bring the total number of siblings to play at Hillsdale to 25 under head coach Keith Otterbein during his 22 years, including three sets of three siblings.
And as impressive as this year’s class was on the field in high school, it was just as impressive off it. Together, the class has a 3.72 high school average, a sign that the group will be up to the task of meeting Hillsdale College’s high academic standards for its student-athletes.
“I think it’s a great class for us,” Otterbein said. “We’ve added depth to a variety of key positions on both sides of the ball, and some really talented kids who we think will be great players for us in the future.
“Also, when you look at the academic success of these kids throughout high school, we think we’ve found guys who are a real fit for Hillsdale and who will be able to perform at a high level in the classroom and in the community as well. than on the playing field.”
Recent changes to NCAA Division II football rules that allow a true freshman to play up to three games without burning their red jersey year, mirroring the rule at the NCAA Division I level , mean that members of class 2027 could be larger contributors right away to the Chargers than in previous classes.
“It certainly changes our perspective a bit and gives us the chance to find ways to be creative in putting some of our freshmen in the field and contributing a little earlier than in the past,” said Otterbein. “It’s something that we will try to take advantage of and that this group will benefit from.”
Hillsdale is looking to improve on a 5-6 season that included huge highs, like a home upset of champion G-MAC and sixth-seeded Ashland, 36-20, but also included three losses by a score or less, with all of those opponents taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Close calls like this give the Chargers optimism that they’re not that far off from a much better season in 2023 with continued improvement on both sides of the ball.
The 2023 freshman class will be looking to play an immediate role in the next stage and help the Charger program move towards its ultimate goal of reclaiming the G-MAC Championship it last won in 2018.
Charger Football 2023 Recruitment Class
POS.
NAME
HT.
WT.
HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
COACH
LO
Zac Afholter
6-3
310
Quincy, Michigan/Reading
Rick Bailey
DL
Evan Bienick
6-4
245
Leesburg, Virginia/Riverside
Ernie Porter
comics
Gavin Chenevey
6-2
185
Tecumseh, Michigan/Tecumseh
Greg Dolson
comics
Christian Creason
5-11
170
Coppell, TX/Founders of the Classical Academy
Deairous Cathey
comics
Levi Ellis
5-10
190
Elyria, OH/Elyria Catholic
Brian Fox
DL
Hunt Follis
6-2
225
Grand Haven, Michigan/Grand Haven
Mike Farley
DL
Eugene Gibbons
6-3
205
Fairview Park, OH/Cleveland St. Ignatius
Chuck Kyle
KG
Armen Koltookian
6-0
208
Elkhart, IN/Concorde
Craig Koehler
AND
Andrew Konieczny
6-4
185
Lansing, Michigan/Grand Ledge
Joe Bria
DL
Jake Earth
6-2
195
Angola, IN/Angola
Andy Thomas
P
Eli Lawson
6-0
170
Franklin, Georgia/Heard County
Shane Lasseter
KG
Alexander Lee
5-10
190
Nunica, Michigan/Spring Lake
Cody Mallory
QC
Colin McKernan
6-1
185
Brighton, MI/Brighton
Brian Lemons
WR
Jonathan Metzger
5-10
180
Ashland, Ohio/Ashland
Sean Seder
comics
Colin Page
5-11
175
Mason, MI/Mason
Gary Houghton
DL
Luc Peroni
6-1
235
Thistle, OH/Notre Dame Latin Cathedral
Andrew Mooney
RB
Zachary Tetler
5-9
175
Marine City, MI / Marine City
Daryn Letson
LO
Chris Van Opstall
6-2
200
Jenison, MI/Jenison
Rob Zeitman
LO
Riley Wade
6-5
255
Cadillac, MI/Cadillac
Shawn Jackson
KG
John Weidenbach
6-2
220
Naperville, IL / Benet Academy
Pat New