Wheeling, W. Va. - Sitting a half game out of the top spot in the conference, the Wheeling University Football team (4-4, 3-2) welcomed in top seeded Frostburg State for a Saturday afternoon match-up. The highest scoring offense in the conference flexed their muscles early and, despite two late Cardinal scores, the team couldn't complete the comeback as they fell to the Bobcats 31-13. The Cardinals outscored the Bobcats 13-7 over the final 15 minutes of the game, but it wasn't enough to give them their second straight come from behind victory.
The Cardinals entered halftime trailing 24-0 and looking to get the offense going in the second half. They would get the ball to start the new half, and Ade Olanegan subbed in and drove the Cardinals down to the Bobcat's 34-yard line. The Cardinals would go for it on 4th and 7 and a deep pass fell incomplete to Nasir Rhem as the Cardinal's turned the ball over on downs. The two teams would punt on the next two possessions, but the Bobcat defense would force a turnover just before the quarter let out, setting Frostburg State up from the Cardinal 46-yard line. The score remained 24-0 as the gme moved to the fourth quarter, and the Bobcats moved to the Wheeling 24-yard line. That is when the Cardinal defense came through as James Walker IV forced a fumble and Leonard Sherrod III would jump on the ball to give Wheeling possession.
However, on the very next play, Frostburg State's Daquan Stevenson would force a fumble and Kurt Thomas would take the ball 18 yards to the endzone to move Frostburg State's lead to 31-0. It was now or never for the Cardinals to answer, and Olanegan would get them on the scoreboard, after Solo Love picked up a 51-yard kick-off return to set the team up at the Bobcat's 49-yard line. The Cardinals would get to the Bobcat 37-yard line and faced 4th and 10 before Olanegan burst through a hole in the defense 13-yards for the first down. After a Frostburg State pass interference, Olanegan would finish the drive on the next play when he connected with Alex Godavitarne for a 24-yard touchdown. Conor Fitzpatrick would add the extra point and the Cardinals would get on the board, making it a 31-7 score.
On the next Frostburg State possession, Wheeling's defense would come through again as Nikale Martin tipped the ball at the line of scrimmage, and it landed in the hands of Jefferson Bretanys-Desca for the interception. Although the Cardinals were stopped on the ensuing drive, the Cardinal defense came through again, this time with Jalen Wheeler making the diving interception at the Bobcat 35-yard line. Olanegan would complete his first pass to Godivatarne to get down to the 14-yard line, and then he flipped a slip screen to Steven Mitchell for the second touchdown pass of the day. The Cardinals would go for two, but the conversion was no good and the Cardinals would cut Frostburg State's lead to 31-13. Frostburg State would get the ball back and shaved the final 7:33 off the clock as they walked away with the 31-13 victory, as the Cardinals fell to 3-2 in MEC play.
After the offense was stifled in the first half, Ade Olanegan came in and led the way, going 8-19, throwing for 128 yards and two touchdowns. His top target would be Alex Godivatarne, who pulled in two catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, while Steven Mitchell added two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. Dawaun Green would lead the ground game, carrying the ball eight times for 48 yards, while the team rushed for 111 yards on the day. On the defensive side, it was Jefferson Bretanys-Desca leading the way with 14.0 total tackles, four solo and 10 assisted, 0.5 tackle for loss, 0.5 sack, a pass break-up, and an interception in the game. Jalen Wheeler added the other Cardinal interception, while James Walker IV forced a fumble to round out the effort.
The game got started with a bang for Frostburg State, as they received the opening kick-off and, on the first play from scrimmage, Jordan Brooks would connect with Jevonn Gilyard for a 75-yard touchdown that got them out to a 7-0 lead. They followed that up with a nine-play, 72-yard, drive that ended in a one-yard touchdown run by KJ Smothers. The Cardinal offense would get past the 50-yard line once in the first quarter, and trailed 14-0 heading into the second quarter. Frostburg State would tack on a field goal on their first second quarter drive to take a 17-0 lead, and Fitzpatrick would come out for a 32-yard field goal try on the next possession. However, it would be blocked and the Cardinals would remain down 17-0. Frostburg State would add one more score before the half as Smothers rushed in from two-yards out and the lead pushed to 24-0. That was the score heading into the half and, despite their best efforts, they were unable to fight back in the game.
The Wheeling University Football team returns to action on Saturday, November 1st, when they host Concord with kick-off at noon.
