Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

West Liberty University Athletics

Scoreboard

21

Hilltoppers Head to Buckhannon Looking to Build Momentum After Bye Week

10/17/2025 8:00:00 AM

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Fresh off their most complete performance of the season and a much-needed bye week, the West Liberty University football team will look to carry its momentum into Saturday's Mountain East Conference matchup at West Virginia Wesleyan. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Cebe Ross Field in Buckhannon.

The Hilltoppers (1-5, 1-2 MEC) erupted for a season-high 47 points in their thrilling comeback win over West Virginia State two weeks ago. Now, after a week of rest and fine-tuning, Head Coach Roger Waialae — who enters the game with 99 career victories — hopes his team can keep building in the second half of the season.

"Fundamentally, we worked on things — special teams, offense, defense — and hoped to get some of the injured players some rest," Waialae said. "That didn't happen the way we'd hoped, so now it's that next-man-up mentality. We've got to adjust and go."

Waialae noted that injuries have been a challenge throughout the first half of the season, forcing several younger players into key roles earlier than expected. Still, he said he's been encouraged by the way his team has responded.

"We've had to shuffle a lot of spots, but the guys have handled it well," Waialae said. "It's not ideal when you lose a few starters at the same time, but it gives others a chance to step up and get valuable reps. That's how depth gets built."

West Liberty's offense found its rhythm against the Yellow Jackets, sparked by a breakout performance from quarterback Antevious Jackson, who accounted for five total touchdowns — four passing and one rushing — and earned MEC Offensive Player of the Week honors. His ability to extend plays with his legs added a new dimension to the Hilltopper attack.

"He puts a lot of pressure on defenses because he can do so much with his legs," Waialae said. "When teams try to cage him in, our receivers have to win their matchups and get open. If we can mix the run and pass like we did in that game, we'll be tough to defend."

Jackson wasn't alone in his big day. Running back Hunter Patterson racked up 271 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat ability as both a rusher and receiver. Waialae said balance will again be the key against a Wesleyan defense that will likely load the box to slow Patterson down.

"You can't be one-dimensional," Waialae said. "When we've been at our best offensively, we've been able to run and throw it in rhythm. The drives where we got stuck were the ones where we did too much of one or the other."

Defensively, West Liberty showed flashes of dominance in the win, creating two interceptions in the third quarter and holding State scoreless for nearly 20 minutes as the comeback unfolded. But Waialae said the next step is putting it all together for a full 60 minutes.

"We've played better in spurts, but we've got to finish and eliminate the big plays," he said. "Our DBs have to make more plays on the ball, and we need to do a better job getting after the quarterback. The encouraging thing is there weren't mental mistakes — just plays we need to make."

West Virginia Wesleyan (0-7, 0-4 MEC) has struggled to find consistency but has shown flashes early in games. The Bobcats have scored on opening drives against several top-tier opponents and feature a physical running back and athletic receivers.

"Skill-wise, they've got good players," Waialae noted. "They've been up early on some teams — 7-0 on Fairmont, 7-0 on State — so we can't take them lightly. It's all about matchups, and our guys have to win theirs for us to be successful."

As the Hilltoppers enter the stretch run of their season, Waialae said his team remains focused on daily improvement rather than the standings.

"You can't control everything," he said. "You just control what you can — the next play, the next day. When we take care of the football and win the turnover battle, we give ourselves a chance to win every week."

Print Friendly Version