Williamson Takes Over For Lemerand at Hillsdale

Key participants for the Hillsdale High School varsity football team in 2024 include, from left, Coach Joe Williamson, Evan Towne, Wyatt Wahtola, Wyatt Coshatt, and Cam Arnold.

By Jeff Steers | JTV Sports

Friday August 23rd

(8-23-2024, 12:00PM): Joe Williamson takes over the successful Hillsdale High School varsity football program in 2024.

He replaces Marc Lemerand who coaches for 25 seasons at Hillsdale and missed the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs once between the years of 2001 and 2020.

Williamson has been on staff at HHS for two years. He played college football at Hillsdale College and has coached at Litchfield, Concord, and Jonesville.

The Hornets were 3-6 a year ago and have not made the playoffs since 2020.

Hillsdale has a new head coach and new offensive and defensive coordinators in 2024.

“Our goal is to win the day,” Williamson said. “We also need to get acclimated to the new schemes and become closer as a team.”

Hillsdale expected to line up in multiple formations and spread the field to take advantage of how the defense plays against their spread formations. The Hornets expect to keep many of the same blocking schemes used in the past.

Defensively they should like up in the 4-3 and play cover two in the defensive backfield.

The Hornets have good numbers with 55 in its high school program.

Key returnees include senior John Petersen (OL/DL), Wyatt Wahtola (OL/DL), Wyatt Coshatt (OL/DL), Jace Lennox (RB/DB), Miles Brown (RB/LB), and Carter Davis (WR/DB). Petersen and Coshatt were first-team all-league players Hillsdale in the rough and tumble Lenawee County Athletic Association.

Newcomers expected to make a difference includes a bevy of sophomore including Evan Towne (QB/DB), Cam Arnold (RB/DB), Nolan Francis (RB/DL), and Kaden Sorrell (RB/LB). Junior Ashton Thorsbury (WR/DB) and senior Dominick Cole (WR/DB) will challenge for starting positions for Hillsdale.

Hillsdale hosts its rivals from Jonesville Aug. 29 to kick off the season.

Hillsdale High School Football Schedule 2024:

Aug. 29 Jonesville at Hillsdale 7 p.m.

Sept. 6 Hillsdale at Lake Fenton 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 Blissfield at Hillsdale 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 Hillsdale at Ida 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 Hillsdale at Adrian Madison 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 Dundee at Hillsdale 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 Clinton at Hillsdale 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 Hillsdale at Onsted 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 Hudson at Hillsdale 7 p.m.