ATHENS, W.Va. (Nov. 16) – Led by a defense that forced six takeaways and an offense that produced the first-ever 100-yard rusher, the Cardinals earned the first-win in program-history with a 27-20 victory at Concord Saturday afternoon at Callaghan Stadium in the season-finale.
 
The win improves Wheeling University to 1-10 overall, 1-9 in the Mountain East Conference (MEC). The Cardinals completed their first-ever season as a varsity program and also gave Zac Bruney his first collegiate-win as a head coach in the process. Meanwhile, the Mountain Lions culminated the season with a similar 1-9 mark in league play and 1-10 overall record.
 
Sophomore running back Sy Alli IV (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) posted the first 100-yard rushing performance in school-history. He ran for 169 yards on 23 carries with one touchdown in the win.
 
Sophomore quarterback Tucker Strachan (Kensington, Md./Bullis) finished the afternoon 17-of-31 for 111 yards and two touchdowns (zero interceptions). Sophomore wide receiver Ryan LaFollette (Woodsfield, Ohio/Monroe Central) led the team with seven receptions for 33 yards and two touchdowns.
 
The defense forced six turnovers on the day and were led by sophomore linebacker Ryan Gorman (Millersville, Md./Mount Saint Joseph). Gorman intercepted two passes and finished with seven tackles, a half-tackle for loss, and two pass break ups.
 
Wheeling scored points on its opening possession. Alli found a hole and broke loose for a 54-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and a converted third down and long helped put the Cardinals on the Concord 12-yard line. The Mountain Lion defense held Wheeling to only three more yards on three plays and sophomore Matthew Greenwood (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) converted a 26-yard field goal to give the Cardinals the lead with 10:30 to play in the first quarter.
 
Wheeling's defense gave the offense the ball back at the Concord 31-yard line when Gorman stepped in front of a pass for his first interception of the day.
 
The Cardinals moved into the red zone on the first play, but a holding penalty on the offense pushed the team back and eventually forced a 34-yard field goal by Greenwood that made the score 6-0 with 4:46 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
Both teams exchanged punts, before Concord mounted a drive into Wheeling territory. The Mountain Lions got down to the Cardinal 26-yard line when sophomore Brandon Munoz (Halethorpe, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) forced a fumble that was scooped up by redshirt-sophomore Jermichael Isom (Gadsden, Ala./Gadsden City) to halt the drive.
 
Concord eventually got onto the board with a 35-yard field goal to make the score 6-3 with 7:32 to play until halftime. 
 
The Cardinals got the ball back and Alli broke loose for a 51-yard rush to put Wheeling on the Concord side of the field. Wheeling faced a 4^th-and-1 three plays later from the 30-yard line when Alli bounced to the outside for a touchdown run that made the score 13-3 with just over five minutes until halftime.
 
The Mountain Lions moved the ball into the red zone once again on the ensuing possession, but Gorman picked off his second pass of the day, this time inside the five-yard line, to prevent any points.
 
Wheeling managed to get the ball out to midfield, but a botched snap on fourth down allowed Concord to take over possession with 11 seconds left in the half at the Cardinal 44-yard line. A 25-yard completion setup a 36-yard field goal for the Mountain Lions to trim Wheeling's lead to 13-3 heading into halftime.
 
Neither team generated any points in the third quarter, sending Wheeling into the fourth quarter with a lead for the first-time this season.
 
The Cardinals punted on the second play of the fourth quarter and got the ball back on the Concord 14-yard line on another turnover. The punt deflected off of a Mountain Lion's helmet and was recovered by redshirt-freshman Jonny Hayden (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville). Strachan found LaFollette in the end zone four plays later to extend Wheeling's lead to 20-6 with 13:42 left in the game.
 
A penalty and a good return on the kick-off setup Concord in Cardinal territory to start the next drive. The Mountain Lions converted on a fourth-and-10 and used a trick-play to score from 30 yards out to cut the deficit back to seven, 20-13, with 12:46 remaining in the contest.
 
Concord got the ball right back on a fumble on the ensuing kick-off, but the Wheeling defense forced a field goal attempt that was missed from 39 yards out.
 
The Mountain Lions got the ball on their next possession on the Wheeling five-yard line after a 35-yard punt was returned 47 yards. Concord evened up the score two plays later with 7:57 left to play in the game.
 
Wheeling's offense went three-and-out on the next drive and punted the ball. The Cardinal defense came up with another takeaway on the first play of the Concord drive when freshman linebacker Josiah Wright (Loganville, Ga./Loganville) dropped back in coverage and intercepted a Mountain Lion pass to setup the Cards at the Concord 33-yard line.
 
Strachan connected with LaFollette three times on the drive, including an 11-yard touchdown catch, to help Wheeling retake the lead at 27-20 with only 3:24 left on the clock.
 
Concord drove the ball into Cardinal territory, but an interception in the end zone by sophomore Aaron Finch (Atlanta, Ga./Langston Hughes) helped seal the first football win in Wheeling University history.
 
Munoz finished with seven tackles, including two for loss, one forced fumble and one pass break-up on defense.
 
Greenwood had a career-day kicking the football. He made both of his field goal attempts and was a perfect 3-for-3 on point-after tries. He also punted eight times with a 45.1 average, including a 69-yard punt and two punts inside the 20-yard line.

Concord quarterback Kyle Akin was 17-of-36 for 169 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.
 
GAME NOTES: The Cardinal defense allowed season lows of 109 yards rushing and 308 yards of total offense … Wheeling finished with more rushing yards than its opponent for the first-time this season … Concord finished with more first downs (19) and more yards of offense (308) … Wheeling only committed one turnover compared to the six committed by Concord … Wheeling finished with an edge in time of possession for only the second-time this season.