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WEST LIBERTY -- The West Liberty University football team opened Mountain East Conference play with a victory that will go down as one of the program’s most memorable in years.
The Hilltoppers rallied from a three-point deficit in the fourth quarter, forced overtime and then defeated defending MEC champion Frostburg State, 30-24, Saturday afternoon at West Family Stadium.
The victory moved West Liberty to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in MEC play and snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Bobcats. It was West Liberty’s first win over Frostburg since a 27-17 victory in 1983.
“This was just a really, really good football game,” West Liberty head coach Chad Salisbury said. “I think, by two good teams that played really hard. … The thing that stands out the most is just the fight, just the never quit, the grit that the kids have.”
The Hilltoppers trailed 24-21 with 1:19 remaining after Frostburg’s KJ Smothers broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown run. West Liberty, however, had one more answer.
With the clock winding down, the Hilltoppers drove 63 yards in just over a minute, setting up freshman kicker Aidan Grella for a 26-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. Grella drilled the kick to tie the game at 24-24 and send the conference opener to overtime.
Salisbury said the Hilltoppers were still looking for a touchdown on the final drive before Grella ultimately provided the equalizer.
“We were trying to score,” Salisbury said. “We still had three timeouts. Hunter (Patterson) had hit a big run and there was a penalty. … Our freshman kicker went in there. Aiden … he’s kind of a pressure kid … and man, he hit it well.”
West Liberty’s defense then took the field first in overtime and quickly delivered.
On Frostburg’s second-down play, freshman defensive back Seamus Mahon stepped in front of a Jordan Brooks pass for his first collegiate interception, giving the Hilltoppers possession and a chance to win the game.
Mahon’s interception came after the Hilltoppers’ defense had held Frostburg to just six points over the final 17 minutes of regulation.
West Liberty needed only three plays to finish the job.
Hunter Patterson carried twice during the overtime possession before breaking through for a 12-yard game-winning touchdown, sending the Hilltoppers into a celebration at midfield.
For Patterson, it was the finishing touch on another outstanding performance.
The senior running back carried 28 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He also caught three passes for 21 yards, finishing with 220 all-purpose yards.
“We felt like we were wearing them down,” Patterson said. “Kept hitting them with the inside zone. … We knew it was going to break eventually, so we just kept hitting it, hitting it, hitting it. A crease hit finally and we won the game.”
The Hilltoppers finished with 337 yards of total offense, including 217 rushing yards on 41 attempts. West Liberty’s ground game averaged 5.3 yards per carry against a Frostburg defense that had entered the afternoon with a physical reputation.
Quarterback Kohl Meisman completed 13 of 26 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Levi Gullion for a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter and Jaylin Harcum for a 4-yard score in the third.
The victory gives West Liberty its first 1-0 start in MEC play under Salisbury and extends the Hilltoppers’ winning streak to three games. West Liberty will remain at home on Saturday when Concord visits West Family Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The game will serve as Champions Day, with West Liberty honoring former Hilltopper championship teams.