October 31st, 2026 2:00pm
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State (3-6, 3-3) defeated #23 West Liberty (7-2, 5-1) 34-17 Saturday at Duvall-Rosier Field. The Falcons used an 85-yard punt return and 205 rushing yards with four touchdowns to secure the win.
Nino Marzullo's 3-yard touchdown run at 11:41 capped the Falcons' opening 82-yard drive after completions of 27 yards to Joshua Jones and 15 yards to Eli Sibley. Connor Mollohan's extra-point try was blocked as the Falcons led 6-0. West Liberty answered when Hunter Patterson scored on fourth-and-1 from the 1 at 1:35 in the first after a 33-yard run and a 15-yard Kohl Meisman completion to Dominic Diaz-Ellis, and Aidan Grella's extra point put the Hilltoppers ahead 7-6.
Gage Michael put the Falcons back in front early in the second quarter, returning a punt 85 yards for a touchdown at 13:11 before Mollohan's extra point made it 13-7. Meisman answered with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Levi Gullion to cap a 69-yard drive, and the extra point gave the Hilltoppers a 14-13 lead at 7:16 in the second.
Fairmont State responded when Jones scored on a 14-yard run with 4:48 left in the first half after a 20-yard completion from Marzullo to Michael and a 12-yard Elijah Tidwell run, helping make it 20-14. Jamar Grimball recovered a Hilltoppers fumble at the 11 later in the quarter, and after the Falcons missed a field goal, the defense kept West Liberty out of the end zone before a missed 26-yard field goal as the half expired with the Falcons ahead 20-14.