Football | 10/21/2010 8:01:58 PM
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – There will be plenty on the line when West Liberty hosts unbeaten and No. 15-ranked Shepherd on Saturday and that's where Hilltopper head coach Roger Waialae has focused his attention this week.
On the lines.
“I've been around this conference a long time,” Waialae said, “and the one constant I've seen is that the teams that win this league are the teams with the best offensive lines.
“Shepherd has been able to start the same five guys up front in all seven games and they've really played well. Our offensive line has had stretches where they've been dominant but we've had six different starting combinations in as many games so there have been some mental lapses. That's going to be the main battle this week. Whichever team controls the line of scrimmage will have a big advantage.”
The Rams (7-0, 5-0) and Hilltoppers (4-2, 3-1) have combined for 32 West Virginia Conference championships – 16 each – and history tells us that the road to a 17th WVIAC title for either squad will almost certainly wind through Russek Field on Saturday afternoon.
The teams didn't begin playing on an annual basis until 1969 but this rivalry game has become a true WVIAC measuring stick. West Liberty has a 7-0 record against Shepherd in seasons where the Hilltoppers won or shared the conference crown. The Rams are 15-0 against the Hilltoppers during Shepherd's championship seasons.
After battling injuries for the past few weeks, the Hilltoppers appear to be getting healthier. Senior TB Kevon Calhoun – the nation's fourth-leading rusher when he went down with an ankle injury two weeks ago – will return to the lineup while senior LB Clay Beeler – the team's leading tackler who missed last week's game with a sprained knee – is also expected to give it a go.
Senior QB Zach Amedro led West Liberty to a 48-26 victory at West Virginia State last week with his second consecutive 400-yard passing game. Amedro is the nation's third-leading passer at 377.7 yards per game and is rapidly closing in on the NCAA Division II career passing record. Senior TE Ryan Travis had 13 catches for 138 yards and 3 TDs at State last week. He leads the nation in receptions per game (12.7) and ranks No. 2 in receiving yards (140.7).
Tommy Addison rushed for 111 yards against West Liberty in last year's thrilling 31-30 Hilltopper win in Shepherdstown and the junior TB is putting up big numbers again this year. He's ranked No. 6 nationally with 130.9 rushing yards per game and has rushed for 135 or more yards in 5 of his 7 starts. Senior QB Kevin Clancy has completed 104-of-174 passes for 1,407 yards and 13 TDs with 6 INTs. Robert Byrd is the Rams' leading receiver with 27 catches for 401 yards and 4 TDs.
“Shepherd always does a great job running the football,” Waialae said, “but they don't get enough credit for their passing game. They complete a high percentage and their quarterback makes good decisions. They're a very good football team that's well-coached on both sides of the ball. There's a great opportunity out there for us on Saturday. It's up to us to rise to the occasion.”
Game Notes
Ø Waialae is 2-3 against Shepherd, the only school with a winning record against West Liberty during the Waialae Era. The Hilltoppers are 28-9 against the rest of the league over that span.
Ø Shepherd ranks third out of 151 NCAA Division II teams in turnovers forced (25) and interceptions (15) and is No. 5 in turnover margin (+15).
Ø West Liberty has come up with just 9 turnovers to rank 130th in that category and is No. 122 in turnover margin (-5).
Ø The Hilltoppers are 35-3 under Waialae in games where they have fewer turnovers or turnovers are equal. They are 8-17 in games when they commit more turnovers than their opponents.
Ø West Liberty leads the nation in quarterback sacks per game (4.17) and ranks No. 15 in tackles-for-loss (8.5). Shepherd ranks 103rd in sacks (1.57) and tied for No. 108 in tackles-for-loss (5.7).
Ø The Hilltoppers close out the home portion of their regular season schedule next week against Charleston. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.
