Wheeling, W. Va. - For the third straight home game, things came down to the wire at Bishop Schmitt Field as the Wheeling University Football team (3-3, 2-3) hosted one of the top teams in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) in West Virginia State. It came down to the final drive of the game, and this time it was the Cardinals who came out on top with a 35-33 win. Wheeling got the ball back with 1:37 left in regulation, and trailing by four looking to drive the length of the field to win the game.
The drive started with a
Landon Lutz pop pass over the middle to
Chris Charles for a first down and the Cardinals got eight yards two plays later on a completion to
Dasyn Hores. The Cardinals would scratch and claw their way into West Virginia State territory on a few short plays, but were looking for the play to break them free. They would get it on a 15-yard connection from Lutz to Hores and the Cardinals were set up 1st and 10 on the Yellow Jacket 27 yard line. Lutz would use his legs on what looked like a broken play, and scampered on a 14 yard run to get within striking distance at the West Virginia State 13-yard line with 22 seconds remaining on the clock.
An injury timeout would stop the clock and the Cardinals had a chance to discuss their next move setting up first and 10. Lutz would be in the shotgun took the snap and Tre Holloway ran a crossing pattern over the middle of the field. Lutz threw a perfect ball that Holloway leaped in the air to make the catch and the Cardinals would take the lead 35-33 with 22 seconds left to play. The extra point was missed, and the Cardinals would have to rely on their defense to get a big stop. West Virginia State had pass completions of 14, 24, and 12 yards on the final drive to get down to the Wheeling 25, but the clock would run out on the Yellow Jackets as the Cardinals picked up the 35-33 win to get back to .500 on the season at 3-3.
It was a big day for Tre Holloway, who finished with 10 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning grab on the final drive. It was the third 100-yard receiving game for Holloway this season as he sets a career-high, beating his previous high of 125 against Mercyhurst earlier this season.
Landon Lutz was making his first start at quarterback for the Cardinals, and he had himself a day, going 26-49 while throwing for 289 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. The Cardinal ground game was also working throughout the day, with
Steven Mitchell carrying the ball 22 times for 103 yards and a touchdown, while
Dawaun Green had 17 touches for 66 yards. Mitchell also pulled in a receiving touchdown, and had four catches for 62 yards on the day. The defense was led by
Jack Parry, who finished with 10 tackles, seven solo and three assisted, and Justin McIlwain, who had two of the team's three interceptions on the day.
Early on, things weren't looking good for the Cardinals as West Virginia State got two first quarter touchdowns and led 14-0 heading into the second quarter. However, Wheeling was driving at the end of the first quarter, and started the second quarter with a 2nd and eight at the Yellow Jacket 45 yard line. They would unfortunately be stopped on that drive, but a three-and-out from the Cardinal defense put Wheeling back in business. They would go on a seven-play 63-yard drive down to the Yellow Jacket 14-yard line, where Lutz got the Cardinals on the board with a pass over the middle to Mitchell that made it a 14-7 game. The Cardinal offense got into a rhythm, getting into the endzone on the next drive after 12 plays as Mitchell's number was called once again. This time, it was three-yard touchdown and a missed extra point made it a 14-13 West Virginia State advantage.
The Cardinal defense would provide the spark the team needed to get going as on a 3rd and 7 play from their own 27-Yard line, McIlwain would get the first of two interceptions. This one was a pick six, as he took it 30 yards to the house and the Cardinals had their first lead of the day at 20-14. That advantage would hold heading into the locker room, but neither offense was quite done putting points on the board. On West Virginia State's first play of the second half, Joel Felder would go 75 yards on a screen pass and the Yellow Jackets were back in front 21-20. However, the lead did not last long as the Cardinals responded with a 45-yard pass from Lutz to Holloway and the Cardinals were back in front 26-21. That would be the score that held after the end of the third quarter and Wheeling would add a 36-yard field goal that made it 29-21 and set up the dramatic finish.
The Wheeling University Football team returns to action on Thursday, October 24th, when they hit the road to face Frostburg State at 7 PM.
