Wheeling, W. Va. - Over the final five weeks of the season, the Wheeling University Football team (4-2, 3-2) will get a lot of time on Bishop Schmitt Field, with three of their final five contests coming at home. The Cardinals open that stretch on Saturday when they host Frostburg State with kick-off scheduled for 1 PM. The Cardinals are looking to bounce back after a tough loss last week and get back on track before they hit the road for their final two road contests of the year.
Last time out, the Cardinals hosted UNC Pembroke for the first time in school history, and fell in a tight contest 17-16. The Cardinals would take control of the game early on with a Matt Greenwood 22-yard field goal that gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. Sy Alli scored the first Cardinal touchdown on a 40-yard run before Greenwood was at it again, breaking the school record with a 49-yard field goal that made it 13-0. However, over the final three quarters of the game, the Cardinals were outscored 17-3 and a late Field Goal miss ended the game as the Cardinals fell 17-16.
Despite missing the game winner, kicker Matt Greenwood has been on fire as of late, hitting three or more field goals in each of his last two games. He has broken the school record for the longest field goal twice already this season, kicking a 46-yarder against Glenville State and then hitting from three yards further out against Pembroke. Overall, Greenwood has gone 8-9 in field goal attempts this season and has been showing off his leg hitting 3-4 from 40+ yards on the season. He has helped secure some much-needed extra points for the Cardinals and looks to continue to be a consistent kicker for the Cardinals.
The Cardinal's defense continued their strong string of games, allowing fewer than 20 points for the second straight week. It was a big day for two Cardinal's linebackers as Jayvon Johnson and Jason Simon both set career-highs for tackles. Jayvon Johnson finished with 10 tackles, six solo and four assisted, while finishing with 1.5 tackles for loss. Jason Simon followed with 10 tackles of his own, eight solo and two assisted, while grabbing his second interception in his last two games. The Cardinals look to continue their strong defensive efforts and keep their offense in the game.
With the loss, the Cardinals dropped into a six-place tie for third and are just one game out of first place entering week seven. Concord and Notre Dame College lead the division at 4-1, followed by Frostburg State, Wheeling, West Virginia State, Charleston, Fairmont State, and UNC Pembroke all in third place. With five games remaining on the schedule, the Cardinals continue to be in strong position as they chase down the program's first-ever conference championship.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats will be meeting for the fourth time in program history on Saturday, with Frostburg State winning all three contests. However, this will be the first meeting in Wheeling between the two teams since the Cardinal's inaugural varsity season in 2019. In the three previous meetings, the Cardinals have averaged 16.33 points per game and have scored a total of 49 points. In their most recent meeting, the Cardinals would fall 41-17 in Frostburg, Maryland.
Running Back Sy Alli led the ground game with 114 yards on 24 carries as the team rushed for 122 yards on the ground. The two Cardinals touchdowns came courtesy of former Cardinal Brennon Norris and Trent Jackson, who each threw a touchdown pass. Lowell Patron caught the first score, totaling 71 yards on five catches, while former Cardinal Ryan LaFollette caught the other, totaling 38 yards on two catches.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 PM at Bishop Schmitt Field. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
