JEROMESVILLE – To an outsider, it must seem like Hillsdale football has been a powerhouse forever.
To anyone who knows of the program for more than the last 15 years, though, the Falcons’ rise has been more of a revelation than a regularity.
Prior to 2008, Hillsdale had never had back-to-back winning seasons. Before 2010, the team had never won a conference title.
From the program’s start in 1963 through 2006, the Falcons were nearly 200 games under .500.
“My first year (on the coaching staff in 2003) we won two games and people were actually excited,” said current assistant coach Mike Mack, the longest-tenured coach on Hillsdale’s staff.
Consider all that, then consider that when the Falcons (8-2) host Lucas (7-3) on Friday in a Division VII first-round playoff game, it will be their eighth consecutive trip to the postseason.
No other team in the Ashland Source coverage area has ever made it more than five straight years.
Some might poke holes in that stat by noting that it’s been easier to get into the playoffs since the expansion in 2021 from eight qualifiers in each region to 16.
But even if that expansion had never happened, the Falcons would have qualified in seven of the last eight seasons anyway – also something no other area team has done.
Sixth-year head coach Trevor Cline was the quarterback for Hillsdale in 2010 and 2011, passing for 2,300 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Those teams went a combined 20-3 with losses to two state champs (Delphos St. John’s in 2010 and Norwayne in 2011) and a state semifinalist.
Cline had been a waterboy and ballboy for former head coach Tom Williams when the program was in the infancy of its turnaround.
Williams was the architect of it all, coaching to a 98-63 record in 15 seasons – 84 more wins than any previous Falcons coach.
By the time Cline graduated in 2012, Hillsdale had made its first two trips to the playoffs (2009 and 2010), had its first two Wayne County Athletic League titles (2010 and 2011) and had set the foundation for consistent winning.
“I think about just how team-first the players on those teams were,” said Cline, who was part of a senior class that went 35-10 and now has a 43-23 record leading the Falcons.
“They laid the expectation that it doesn’t matter what your stats are, all that matters is you playing together and playing to your potential to achieve success on the scoreboard.
“Since then, that’s sort of been the expectation for all the kids that have followed – put the team before yourself and, if you do that, success will follow.”
The path to annual success wasn’t without moments of excruciating heartbreak.
Hillsdale’s 2007 team was in the midst of the best season in program history when it lost in double-overtime to Dalton in Week 7, then to WCAL co-champ Northwestern in Week 10.
The Falcons missed what would have been their first-ever postseason bid by one spot and less than one computer point, finishing 8-2. Prior to that, the program’s 7-3 campaign in 1999 had been its best ever.
The most agonizing ending to a season for Hillsdale – and perhaps any area team – came in 2011. The Falcons were riding a 17-game regular-season winning streak into a titanic clash at 8-1 Norwayne in Week 10.
The game wasn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter, when the Bobcats claimed a 33-22 decision. They went on to win the Division IV state championship over Kenton – the first state football title in WCAL history.
Hillsdale, meanwhile, missed the playoffs all together, once again one spot and less than one computer point outside of the postseason.
The Falcons had their best defense in program history (just 107 points allowed) but were one of just four 9-1 teams in Ohio to miss the playoffs that year.
Mack believes near-misses like 2007 and 2011 have helped galvanize the program through the years. He said those seasons serve as a reminder to the Falcons not to take anything for granted.
“Every year we’ve just wanted to get the most out of the kids we could, and every year we just reset and had our season goals,” Mack said.
“We’ve never really said, ‘We’ve made it (as a program).’ We’re always trying to get better and we still want to get farther in the playoffs than we have.”
Cline believes that having continuity with Mack and the rest of the Hillsdale coaching staff has been critical to keeping up the winning pace.
Every member of his current varsity staff – including volunteers – has been with the program for at least three years.
That group includes Cline, Mack, defensive coordinator Josh Barr, offensive coordinator Ed Yetzer, Mark Jump, Mike Wolf, Chad Buzzard, Eric Pickering, Ben Rogers, Brayden Bartter, Ryan Bee, Seth Ebert and Trey Williams. Even after he finished his time as head coach following the 2017 season, Tom Williams was the team’s defensive coordinator for four years after that.
The vast majority of those coaches played at Hillsdale and Cline said the youth and middle school programs help guide the consistency as well.
Players start learning the varsity program’s basic offensive and defensive schemes at the youth level and grow with it as they head into high school.
“Most of our kids, they start here in elementary school and they come up through the program,” Cline said.
“For me that’s neat because I’ve known the kids from them coming to our youth football camps starting in second grade, then getting to coach, teach and be around them throughout their whole school career.”
Josh Barr, who played linebacker and graduated with Cline in 2012 and has been the defensive coordinator the last two seasons, said he knew in high school that Hillsdale was growing deep, winning roots.
He said they helped with the youth teams as high school players and could see even then that the players were in good hands with the coaches at those levels.
“I know people in the community are very happy and proud of all the accomplishments,” Barr said. “Some of the (current players’) parents went through the very down years at Hillsdale, so for them to see it where it is now is pretty neat.”
“The seniors every year now, their goal is they have to live up to expectations (set before),” he added. “Each senior class we have, they do a good job of that.”
This year’s seniors include Jack Fickes, Bo Moody, Presley Lewis, Jacob Bryant, Braylen Jarvis, Ian Atkinson, Braden Burgett, Ethan Deter, David Ritchie and Gavin Casdorph.
Fickes has been the catalyst as a first-year quarterback, throwing for 952 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 401 yards and 10 scores.
Other stat leaders in that group include Jarvis (833 yards, 7 total touchdowns, 90 tackles); Moody (79 tackles); and Burgett (37 tackles). Barr said that trio has provided key leadership, with one playing at each level of the defense.
Cline, meanwhile, said one of the rare story lines for the team this year has been its success despite its youth.
The Falcons start 12 total sophomores on offense and defense, the most sophomore starters Cline has had – impressive considering it’s just the ninth team to win eight games in program history.
“We’re a pretty young team when you look at our overall roster,” Cline said, “and I’ve been impressed with the growth that they’ve had from the very first scrimmage to now in Week 11.”
Stat leaders for the sophomore class include Owen Sloan (768 yards, 6 touchdowns rushing); Hayden McFadden (28 catches, 599 yards, 9 touchdowns receiving); A.J. Brown (33-for-36 extra points, 4-for-4 field goals); Brady Heller (77 tackles); and Brock Bower (50 tackles).
The top-performing junior has been Lincoln Jones (42 tackles).
In 44 seasons from 1963 through 2006, Hillsdale had a winning record just five times. Since then, the Falcons have had winning records in 15 of 17 seasons. They have missed the playoffs just three times since 2009.
Perhaps most impressively, they enter Friday’s game against Lucas having won at least one postseason game in each of their last six trips to the playoffs. No other area team has ever done that.
The Falcons are 3-0 in postseason games at home, and now with one of the best athletic and academic facilities in all of Ohio, Barr said it just adds to the history.
“You couldn’t be happier for the kids and the community in general,” he said. “It’s almost like this can be a new era now in a way. This is definitely a community that has deserved something like this for a very long time.”
The Streak — by the season
2016 – 7-4, 4-3 WCAL; #8 seed
Lost at Division VI state runner-up Cuyahoga Heights, 24-7
Of note:
* No team was within 17 points of Cuyahoga Heights in the regular season
* Hillsdale’s 166 total points (15.1 per game) were the fewest allowed during their playoff streak
* Andrew Wolf set program records for receptions (50) and receiving yards (839) in a season and receptions (99) and receiving yards (1,464) in a career
2017 – 9-4, 4-3 WCAL; #6 seed
Won at Seneca East, 28-7; won vs. Carey, 41-0; lost vs. Liberty-Benton, 37-17
Of note:
* It was the final season for head coach Tom Williams, who had a 98-63 record in 15 seasons
* Fourth nine-win season in program history
* Trey Williams set program records for passing touchdowns (5) in a game, passing yards (1,678) and passing touchdowns (21) in a season, passing yards (4,222) and passing touchdowns (48) in a career
* Alex Becker tied the program record for interceptions (7) in a season
2018 – 9-3, 6-1 WCAL; #3 seed
Won at home vs. Northwood, 36-6 (first-ever home playoff game); lost vs. Fairview, 32-26
Of note:
* First season for current head coach Trevor Cline, fifth nine-win season in program history
* Hillsdale’s 400 points (33.3 per game) were the most scored during their playoff streak
* All nine wins were by at least two touchdowns, with seven wins by at least three touchdowns
* Tyler McFadden tied the program record for longest play (101-yard interception return)
* Garrett Smith set the program record for longest field goal (43 yards)
2019 – 8-4, 4-3 WCAL; #5 seed
Won at Northmor, 25-21; lost vs. Carey, 7-0
Of note:
* Hillsdale’s 31-7 win at home vs. Mapleton in Week 1 was the 200th win in program history
* Hillsdale’s 14.4 points allowed per game were the fewest allowed during their playoff streak
* Held six teams to a touchdown or less
* Hillsdale’s 173 total points allowed were 50 fewer than any other WCAL team, despite playing more games than any other WCAL team
* Ty Williams set the program record for tackles in a season (144)
2020 – 4-4, 3-3 WCAL; #12 seed by coach vote; all teams could opt in to playoffs due to COVID-19
Won at home vs. Campbell Memorial, 51-0; lost at Pymatuning Valley, 18-8
Of note:
* Ty Williams set program records for career tackles (479) and longest run play (92 yards)
2021 – 7-5, 5-2 WCAL; #12 seed
Won at Cardinal, 12-7; lost at Mogadore, 34-7
Of note:
* Played seven playoff-qualifying teams, five of which made the second round
2022 – 7-5, 5-2 WCAL; #6 seed
Won at home vs. Conotton Valley, 62-24; lost at Danville, 42-41
Of note:
* Was the 60th season of Hillsdale football
* Played nine playoff-qualifying teams, six of which made the second round
2023 – 8-2, 5-2 WCAL; #8 seed
Host Lucas on Friday, which will be Hillsdale’s fourth home playoff game (3-0 record so far)
Of note:
* Is the first time Hillsdale meets a team in the playoffs that it played in the regular season
* Set program record for longest pass play, 99 yards from Jack Fickes to Hayden McFadden
