Boston College Athletics
Freshmen Looking Forward to Homecoming
December 23, 2014 | Football
When freshman running back Jon Hilliman and freshman wide receiver Sherman Alston arrived at Boston College to start classes early this summer, neither expected they'd cap their first season at The Heights with a trip home.
Hilliman, a product of Plainfield, New Jersey, and Alston, who hails from Harlem, New York, were two freshman hoping to get acclimated to the Eagles' complex system. Let alone star in it.
Part of second-year head coach Steve Addazio's heralded recruiting class, Hilliman and Alston ended up playing big roles in the BC football team's second-straight trip to the postseason where the Eagles play Penn State on Saturday in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. (Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN. Radio: BC IMG Sports Radio Network.)
Hilliman, who on Monday was recognized as the ECAC's co-rookie of the year to go with his honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors earlier this month, racked up 712 net rushing yards on a team-high 185 rushes this season. He also finished third in all-purpose yards.
Alston finished fourth on the team with 622 all-purpose yards, including rushing, receiving and punt returns.
Both players, who are New York-area natives and have played large roles in BC's success this year, are excited to close their successful freshman seasons "at home."
"I was happy when I heard we were going to the Pinstripe Bowl," Alston said after a recent practice. "I literally live like 5-10 minutes away from Yankee Stadium, so I'm going to have a lot of support - my family, friends, high school team - coming to see me play. It's just a great feeling to get back home your freshman year."
"We were very excited, being Tri-State kids," Hilliman added. "There's going to be a lot of Tri-State support at the game. We're just really happy since it's the bowl we really wanted to play in. There'll be a lot of people there, so we can't wait to put on a show."
Hilliman and Alston were just two of the Eagles excited to play at Yankee Stadium. With 19 players hailing from the Tri-State area, more than a few players were thrilled for the end-of-season homecoming for the bowl game.
"It was crazy! The Tri-State kids - the New York kids, the New Jersey kids, even some Connecticut kids - everyone went crazy because they knew it would be a great set-up. Christmas in New York is going to be real cool. Playing Penn State, which is a great team, will be fun," Hilliman added.
"It's a blessing," Alston continued. "To do what we've done our freshman year, it's a blessing to get back home to perform in front of all our friends and family, and get a W."
Hilliman, Alston and the rest of the local Eagles will have an opportunity to spend Christmas around their families, and then in front of their closest fans, try to help the Eagle re-start their postseason winning streak.
"At the beginning of the season, if you told me I'd be able to come back home for a bowl game, I probably would not have believed you," Hilliman said. "So I can't wait to get out there, get the W and have fun doing it."
