Football Ben Miles, Coordinator of Athletics Communication | HCAC

HCAC 2025 Football Notebook, Week 4

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) football teams competed in week four of the 2025 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Football Schedule
 
Athletes of the Week: 
Offensive Player of the Week:
 Marshall Kmiecik (Michigan City, Ind.) Franklin College | Quarterback | Sophomore - Kmiecik threw for 335 yards and engineered a late seven-play, 71-yard drive to lead Franklin to a 34-33 victory at Muskingum. The sophomore made an 11-yard throw to Jordan Fonda on fourth and 8 to keep hope alive and then followed with completions on the next three plays as well, the last an 11-yard to Isaiah Miller for the winning points with 1:13 remaining. Kmiecik had three passing TDs and added a 15-yard scoring run.

Defensive Player of the Week:
Brady Pierce (Thompson Station, Tenn.) Mount St. Joseph University | Safety | Senior - Brady Pierce had a huge day for the Lions in the 41-21 win over Anderson, including a school-record 97-yard interception returned for a touchdown. The pick-six was one of two interceptions for Pierce in the game. To go along with 6 tackles (4 solo), and two pass breakups.

Special Teams Player of the Week:
Drew Michael (Eaton, Ohio) Anderson University | Kicker | Junior - Michael tied Bluffton's school record with 4 field goals on Saturday, hitting from 23, 38, 39 and 41 yards while also connecting on 3 PAT's for a school-record tying 15 kicked points. Michael added four kickoffs for 188 yards as Bluffton opened HCAC action with a 39-23 win over Manchester.
 
Notable Performances:
Offensive Players:
  • Adam Dunson (Columbus, Ohio) Anderson University | Wide Receiver | Senior - Adam Dunson tallied 108 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns in Saturday's loss to Mount St. Joseph.
  • Jaivon Hudson (Bedford, Ohio) Bluffton University | Running Back | First Year - Hudson led Bluffton's three-headed ground monster with 12 carries for 117 yards and a score as the Beavers ran for 301 yards total in a 39-23 win over Manchester.
  • Eian Roudebush (New Palestine, Ind.) Hanover College | Quarterback | Junior - Eian Roudebush led the Panther attack as they defeated Rose-Hulman 44-10, including three first quarter touchdowns. The junior quarterback threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns, finishing the game 26-of-30. He also added 16 rush yards and a score. Roudebush led an offense that had 439 total yards of offense.
  • Eli Aston (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) Mount St. Joseph University | Wide Receiver | Sophomore - Mount St. Joseph wide receiver Eli Aston helped the team to a 41-21 win over Anderson to open HCAC play. He hauled in 5 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the game.
  • Jay Smith (Evansville, Ind.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Running Back | Senior - Jay Smith was a standout offensively for the Fightin' Engineers in their 25-17 loss to Albion. Smith led the team with 29 carries for 91 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown in the narrow loss. Smith also recorded five catches for 20 yards receiving.

Defensive Players:
  • Devin Hogan (Warren, Mich.) Bluffton University | Linebacker | Junior - Hogan was the engine that helped stuff Manchester's offense in a 39-23 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans managed just 58 yards on the ground and 242 total. He led the Bluffton defense with six total tackles, that included 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
  • Brayden Baker (Bedford, Ind.) Franklin College | Linebacker | Sophomore - Baker was all over the place in the Grizzlies' thrilling 34-33 victory at Muskingum, making a career-high 19 tackles (10 solo, 9 assist). He had 2.5 tackles for loss, forced a fumble and added a QB hurry. Two of Baker's tackles came during the fourth-quarter defensive stop that allowed Franklin to get the ball back with 2:49 left for a game-winning drive.
  • Ashton Schuetter (Jasper, Ind.) Hanover College | Linebacker | Senior - Schuetter helped lead the Panthers to a 44-10 victory at Rose-Hulman. The senior had nine stops, six of them solo, and a tackle for loss. He was a key member of the defense that held the Fightin' Engineers to just 151 yards of total of offense.
  • Ziare Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Manchester University | Defensive Line | Sophomore - The Spartans might not have won their conference opener against Bluffton, but Ziare Sullivan was a wrecking ball on defense. Sullivan tallied 5 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks on the afternoon.

Special Teams Players:
  • Clint Hearne (Madison, Ind.) Hanover College | Kicker | Senior - Hearne helped lead the Panthers past Rose-Hulman 44-10. The senior kicker went 5-for-6 on PAT's. He also added an impressive 45 yard field goal as time was running out in the second quarter.
  • Angel Estrada (Bremen, Ind.) Manchester University | Punter | Junior - Angel Estrada was crucial in the field position game for Manchester on Saturday. Estrada tallied 7 punts for 263 yards with a 37.6 average, 54 long, 2 punts inside the 20, and 2 punts of 50+ yards.
  • Trevor Saguto (Saint Charles, Mo.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Kicker | Senior - Trevor Saguto was a standout on special teams in the team's loss to Hanover with four punts for 192 yards and a long of 73 yards. He also hit one field goal from 28 yards out and drained one extra point. 
Looking Forward:
HCAC Football Standings