Wheeling, W. Va. – As the summer months move on here in Wheeling, West Virginia the anticipation of a new season and a new start is upon us. While there may not be any action at Bishop Schmitt Field, the Alma Grace McDonough Center, or the I-470 Complex we have your fix of sports covered! Every Saturday throughout the summer, Wheeling Athletics Presents our Saturday Game Rewind as we look back at some of the most exciting and most memorable games throughout the season.

For our first Game Rewind, we look back at one of the candidates for the best game of the Wheeling Athletic season. On Homecoming and Family weekend, Wheeling Football hosted West Liberty in their yearly rivalry matchup. It took overtime to determine a winner, but Wheeling was able to pull off the victory in front of friends, family, and alumni here at Wheeling University.

Saturday, October 22nd: Wheeling 26, West Liberty 20

It was a beautiful day at Bishop Schmitt Field on this late October afternoon as campus was ready to welcome back Alumni, friends, and family for Homecoming Weekend and the excitement for the classic MEC rivalry was in the air. Fans were rolling in up until the 1 PM kick and Wheeling University Alumni Association President was on hand to do the coin toss.  On the field, the Cardinals were coming off back-to-back losses to Frostburg State and UNC Pembroke and were looking to turn things around.  On the other side, West Liberty came into the game having won three of their last four games and were looking to climb the MEC standings.  The all-time rivalry was heading into it's third game with the first two being split, with the road team winning each time.

 The Cardinals won the toss, but deferred and West Liberty would get the ball to start the game. The Cardinals defense was looking to make a statement from the start and they did just that forcing a three and out and allowing just four yards. The Cardinals would get the games first first down on the ensuing drive, but they were also forced to punt by the end of their drive.  Both teams put together long drives in the first quarter, with Wheeling driving as close as the West Liberty 27 yard line. However, neither team would get on the board  and with 15 minutes gone the score was tied at 0-0 in what was a defensive game to that point.

 At the end of the first quarter, West Liberty was driving and started the second quarter at the Wheeling 48.  The Hilltoppers ate up the first two and a half minutes of the clock and ended the drive with a 31-yard field goal from Owen Rozanc that made it a 3-0 West Liberty lead. Wheeling would go three and out on the next drive and West Liberty would get the ball again.  This time, they drove 64 yards on 15 plays and Rozanc knocked in a 31-yard Field Goal to make it 6-0 Hilltoppers. After Wheeling was once again forced to punt, West Liberty broke through with the games first touchdown when Jamie Driven capped off a 65-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run and with 1:24 left before the half, West Liberty led 13-0. 

The Cardinals would get the ball back and looked to get into some sort of rhythm. Quarterback Brennon Norris would complete two of his first three passes on the drive and got Wheeling to the West Liberty 22 yard line where they sat 1st and 10. Norris dropped back to pass and found senior Jake Keenan at the 14 yard line. However a defender came from behind and knocked the ball lose, sending it rolling towards the Wheeling endzone. It would be a heads up play by offensive lineman Jalen Dickerson who was right there to pounce on the ball and score the Cardinals first touchdown. Matt Greenwood would knock in the extra point and the Cardinals would go into the locker room trailing 13-7. Dickerson became the first Wheeling offensive lineman to score a touchdown in program history and Wheeling was looking to build off the momentum in the second half.

However, Wheeling would receive the second half kick-off and were immediately stalled going three and out. The majority of the third quarter was much like the first quarter with neither team scoring for the first five drives of the quarter. Then, with 7:24 left in the third, West Liberty got the ball and shaved five minutes off the clock, capping the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass from Diven to Isaiah Robinson. West Liberty would hold that 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter and with 8:30 to go it looked like things were slipping away. West Liberty was facing a third and short at the Wheeling 26-yarr line when the Cardinals caught lightning in a bottle.

Diven attempted to connect with Robinson again at the Wheeling 20 hard-line, but instead defensive back Josiah Wright was there to jump in front of the pass. Wright took the ball 80 yards the other way for the first pick six in Wheeling Football history and made it a 20-13 game with plenty of time remaining. The Hilltoppers got the ball back and were forced to punt giving Wheeling 4:47 to work with on the clock in a one-score game. Brennon Norris and his team would begin their drive on their own 44-yard line and used the run game to move the ball down the field, Elijah Young, Norris, and Sy Alli ran the ball on the drive as Wheeling took the ball down to the West Liberty four-yard line. Alli completed the drive with a four-yard touchdown run and Greenwood kicked the extra point to make it 20-20.

With 2:18 left on the clock, West Liberty drove into Wheeling territory and set up for a 41-yard field goal try to win the game. However, Rozanc's kick sailed right and at the end of regulation it was still 20-20. West Liberty got the ball first in overtime and set up at the 25-yard line, but their drive lasted one play as Diven threw an interception to Richard White III to give the ball back to Wheeling. The Cardinals were set up at the West Liberty 25-yard line and needed just a field goal to win. The Cardinals put the ball into the hands of the MEC's leading rusher Alli and three plays later they were at the one. Alli rushed it in and pandemonium ensued as fans, players, and coaches rushed the field to celebrate the Cardinals 26-20 win. They moved to 2-1 against the Hilltoppers and it was the first time in the series where the Home team was the winner.

Alli said after the game that it was unbelievable and he was so thankful to be put in that position in front of his home fans. In total, Alli carried the ball 20 times that day for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Brennon Norris added a 17-33 day with 176 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. On the defensive side, Josiah Wright shined as he had two tackles and a pick six in the win. Brandon Munoz, Jason Simon, and Jayvon Johnson led the way with 11 tackles each in the game.

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