The Carthage College football team (0-0, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) opens its 2009 season on Saturday, Sept. 12 by traveling to Holland, Mich., to play Hope College in a 1:30 p.m., EDT game at the Holland Municipal Stadium. The Red Men are coming off a 5-5 season in 2008 (3-4 CCIW) while the Flying Dutchmen went 3-7 last season (3-3 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association). Carthage won last year’s game, 70-46, on Sept. 13 at Art Keller Field and broke or tied six offensive game records.
The Red Men return 49-of-66 letterwinners, 10-of-11 offensive starters and seven-of-11 defensive starters from last year’s 5-5 team. Leading the returnees are first-team All-CCIW wide receiver Jeff Koeneman (Sr., Barrington, Ill./Palatine-Fremd, 100.8 receiving yards per game), first-team All-CCIW defensive end Alex Annes (Sr., Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice, 29 tackles, 7.5 sacks), second-team all-conference wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill., 103.9 receiving yards per game, 17 touchdowns) and second-team all-conference offensive lineman Terrance Clark (Jr., Dolton, Ill./Thornridge). Carthage opens at home the following Saturday, Sept. 19, with a 7 p.m. game against Lakeland College.