The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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November 22, 2009

West Liberty takes 84-63 shootout over Edinboro

WEST LIBERTY (AP) — West Liberty and Edinboro opened the season against each other in August with an offensive onslaught.

Turns out, they were only getting warmed up.

Zach Amedro threw for 540 yards and six touchdowns, Kevon Calhoun ran for 173 yards and four more scores, and the Hilltoppers outscored Edinboro 84-63 on Saturday in the second round of the Division II playoffs.

The teams combined for 1,394 yards of total offense, breaking the division record of 1,369 set in Chadron State’s 76-73 triple-overtime win over Abilene Christian on Nov. 23, 2007.

Their combined 1,170 yards passing broke the mark of 1,065 set by Western New Mexico and West Texas A&M; on Oct. 8, 1994.

On Aug. 29, the teams racked up more than 1,000 yards when Edinboro (Pa.) handed West Liberty its only loss, 42-30 in their season opener.

West Liberty advanced to play California, Pa., in the quarterfinals next Saturday.

Amedro finished 27-of-32 passing in the first Division II playoff game hosted by the small school near Wheeling. The senior has 4,580 yards passing and 47 touchdowns this season, and went over the 10,000-yard mark for his career against the Fighting Scots (9-4).

He was outdone everywhere but on the scoreboard by Edinboro quarterback Trevor Harris.

The senior was 50 of 76 for a playoff-record 630 yards in his second game back from a knee injury that required minor surgery. Harris tossed five touchdown passes and ran for two more scores before a crowd of more than 4,000 at Russek Field.

Both quarterbacks are among the nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, given to the best player in Division II college football.

“Zach’s had a phenomenal season,” West Liberty coach Roger Waialae said before the game, “and Harris has had a phenomenal career.”

Harris had already surpassed 11,000 yards through the air, making the shootout the first game in Division II history with two 10,000-yard passers. Most of his throws went to Gary Nolen and Marcus Johnson, who each had 11 catches for 262 total yards.

The top-seeded Hilltoppers (11-1) took the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, and after Harris hit David Bostic from 21 yards out to tie the game, West Liberty rattled off four unanswered scores to make it 35-7 with 11:32 left in the second quarter.

After another touchdown pass by Harris, Calhoun pulled in his second touchdown pass to make it 42-14, and the Hilltoppers pushed the lead to 56-21 by halftime. Calhoun finished with 116 yards receiving, one of four West Liberty players to break the 100-yard mark.

The lead swelled to 70-28 late in the third quarter before Edinboro scored four touchdowns in a 10-minute span to make the final more respectable.

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