Football | 9/3/2019 10:00:00 AM

    The tight end/H-Back position has served as the Swiss Army Knife of the West Liberty offense for years and head coach Roger Waialae says the 2019 season should be no exception.
    Versatile junior lettermen Ridge Durbin (6-2, 240) and Kyle Ritz (6-3, 235) have been joined this year by Wake Forest transfer Thomas Cole (6-5, 240) and promising freshman Jesse Collins (6-3, 230), providing Waialae with a multitude of options from snap to snap.
    Durbin is a returning All-MEC standout who caught at least one pass in every game a year ago, leading the Hilltoppers with 44 catches on the season. Ritz is another two-year letterman equally comfortable with making the tough grabs over the middle or sealing the edge on a perimeter run.
    Cole brings an impressive combination of size and speed to the table while Collins is a converted high school running back who once ran for more than 340 yards and 5 TDs in a single game.
    "Cole has a chance to be a difference-maker for us," Waialae said. "With his physical tools, he's a potential matchup problem no matter where he lines up.
    "I look at Durbin, Ritz and Cole as interchangeable parts. All three can catch the ball, run with it after the catch and block. They're a little ahead of Collins from an experience standpoint but Collins has as much ability as anybody we've had in that position. It's going to be a big part of our offense."
    The Hilltoppers kick off the season on the road Saturday with a short trip to Wheeling. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.