The Hillsdale Chargers improved to a perfect 2-0 on Saturday with a commanding 55-24 triumph over McKendree, a performance that earned two G-MAC weekly honors for standout players Ben Ngishu and Shea Ruddy.
Chargers' Dual Player of the Week Accolades
Ngishu, a sophomore, rushed for a career-high 212 yards, including two explosive touchdowns of 80 and 78 yards, a feat that secured his first G-MAC Offensive Player of the Week award and placed him among the top yardage performers in program history, trailing only David Graham’s 232-yard effort from 2019.
His push toward becoming the tenth Chargers player to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season underscores his importance to the team’s early success, a milestone that would join an elite club in Hillsdale football lore.
Ruddy, the senior special teams ace, added a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a play that earned him Special Teams Player of the Week and tied a school record for career return touchdowns, now standing at six, while also extending his conference-leading career kickoff return yardage total to 1,788, surpassing Ashton Dulin’s previous mark.
Beyond the immediate accolades, Ruddy’s résumé boasts 22 receiving touchdowns and 33 total touchdowns, positioning him as the all-time leader in Hillsdale history for both categories, a testament to his versatility on the field.
With the Chargers poised at 2-0, they are set to host Wayne State University on Saturday at noon, a matchup that will test the momentum built by Ngishu’s ground game and Ruddy’s explosive returns.
The dual recognition highlights the Chargers’ balanced attack, as Ngishu’s offensive explosiveness complemented Ruddy’s knack for changing field position in a single play, a combination that coaches view as pivotal to the team’s early-season surge.
Both athletes’ achievements come as the Chargers prepare for a pivotal conference showdown, with the upcoming home game against Wayne State offering a platform to further cement their status within the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.