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Email: "The Hilltoppers have seen a football resurgence"
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WEST LIBERTY — As he led his team out onto the Russek Field turf for Saturday’s NCAA Division II playoff game against Edinboro Saturday, something happened to West Liberty University head football coach Roger Waialae that had never happened before. “It was the first time in my coaching career I ever looked up in the stands and said, ‘Oh my goodness,’” Waialae said. “The stadium was packed and everybody was standing and cheering and waving their towels. Our fans just created a tremendous college football atmosphere. “I was so glad our kids got to experience a moment like that, especially our seniors. We’ve come a long way in five short years and they’ve been with us from the start.” Making their first NCAA playoff appearance, the Hilltoppers wasted no time rewarding their fans as Kashif Walls returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, adding a few more decibels to the din, with just 12 seconds having ticked off the scoreboard clock. That turned out to be merely the opening salvo in an incredible barrage as the Fighting Scots found themselves hanging on the ropes, trailing 28-7 after a first quarter that resembled a track meet far more than an NCAA postseason football game. Early in the second quarter, a goal line stand by the Hilltoppers — West Liberty’s third consecutive defensive stop — kept the score at 28-7 but left the WLU offense backed up inside its own 1-yard-line. It took the Hilltopper offense all of two snaps and 26 seconds to put together a 99-yard scoring drive. Tailback Kevon Calhoun covered the final 85 yards on a dazzling sideline scamper after taking a short pass from quarterback Zach Amedro and the rout was on. West Liberty rolled to a 56-21 halftime lead and swelled to 70-28 midway through the third quarter. A late Edinboro surge made the final margin more respectable but the visitors never got closer than the final score of 84-63. Waialae said the defense deserved just as much credit as the offense for Saturday’s win. “I don’t care if the final score is 3-0 or 100-99,” Waialae said. “All that matters is that the biggest number is next to West Liberty on the scoreboard. “You have to play defense to go up 35-7 and we came up with an interception, forced a couple of punts and had a goal line stand. Our offense’s job is to score after our defense gets stops and that’s how we built that big lead. It was very much a team win.” That victory propelled the Hilltoppers into this week’s Super Region One championship game against two-time defending regional champion California (Pa.), which squeezed past Shippensburg, 26-21, on Saturday. Having the biggest football game in West Liberty history fall just two days after Thanksgiving won’t be a problem at all for Waialae and his team. “One of the best things about the bye week was that I was able to give the players the weekend off so they could go home and spend time with their families,” Waialae said. “Thanksgiving is a family holiday and our ‘family’ is going to celebrate it together,” Waialae said. “The team and the coaches will have our family dinner right here on Thursday.” They hope to have something else to celebrate on Saturday afternoon. ¯ Advance tickets for the playoff game against California are on sale at the athletic department offices on the fourth floor of the ASRC and at several business locations throughout the Ohio Valley. Kickoff is set for noon at Russek Field. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m. with Hilltopper fans encouraged to show up early as a sizable contingent of California supporters is anticipated. All tickets are general admission with no reserved seating. A designated visitors’ section will be blocked off for fans from the visiting team. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults, $5 for students with ID and $3 for children age 12-and-under. They may be purchased at the athletic department until 3 p.m. today and Wednesday. Advance tickets will also be sold at the ASRC during tonight’s men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader against Shepherd. The following Ohio Valley businesses have once again agreed to serve as West Liberty ticket outlets for their communities: Main Street Bank in Wheeling, Elm Grove and Wellsburg; the WLU Center at the Highlands; TJ’s Sports Garden on National Road in Wheeling; and Ollie’s Hilltop on state Route 88 near Oglebay Park. No complimentary tickets or field passes (sideline access) will be permitted at Saturday’s game, per NCAA postseason regulations. Artificial noisemakers and signs are also banned from the stadium as is the use of video-taping or other recording devices.

 

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