Football 9/17/2016 4:53:00 PM

Jackets Fall 35-14 to WV Wesleyan

Box Score

By RICH STEVENS
for www.wvsuyellowjackets.com

The Yellow Jackets fell 35-14 to West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday in a Mountain East Conference football meeting at Dickerson Stadium.

A pair of fourth-down conversions, a ill-timed holding penalty and having the the leading rusher in the Mountain East Conference paid tremendous dividends for the visiting Bobcats.

Wesleyan senior Michael Anderson ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass and the Bobcats took advantage of early State miscues in defeating the Yellow Jackets, who have a short week before visiting rival University of Charleston on Thursday.

The loss dropped State to 1-2 heading into its annual showdown with the Golden Eagles, who will enter the game with an 0-3 mark.

"All things are correctable," WVSU Head Coach Jon Anderson said. "We have to play better. At this point of the season, those things can't happen. We'll get those fixed, but at the same time, the players have to be able to move on and be ready to play in the next game, because it's coming in a hurry."

The Yellow Jackets were down just 7-0 when Wesleyan quarterback Ryan Deal found wide receiver Derek Drapen for a 29-yard gain on fourth-and-7 at the State 33. Anderson finished that drive for the second of his three rushing TDs.

WVSU answered when backup quarterback Austin Hensley – who got the start in place of injured first-stringer Matt Kinnick – hit Jamal Brown for a 3-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to six.

The Bobcats responded by putting together a 58-yard drive which was kept alive when Deal hit Marcus Smith for a 23-yard gain to the State 4 on fourth-and-8. Two plays later, Deal completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Zach Schademan, who juggled the ball but maintained control before tiptoeing on the boundary.

"If I remember right, it was extended plays where he had the ability to step up in the pocket or roll the pocket," State coach Jon Anderson said. "We have to do a better job of not letting him do that with our pressure with what we're doing up front, have to be disciplined in the back end in a scramble situation and lock up.

"We have to get off the field on fourth down."

Wesleyan took the second-half kickoff, following a Tavaris Anderson 53-yard return, and drove 44-yard to strtetch the lead to 28-7.

Anderson wrapped up the Wesleyan scoring with a 21-yard touchdown on a pass from Deal in the final seconds of the third quarter.

The Jackets scored on a 6-yard pass from Hensley with 12:15 to wrap up the scoring.

In his first career start, Hensley was 23-of-37 for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Juawan Etheredge finished with 68 yards on 16 carries. Reese led
the Yellow Jackets in receiving, recording 114 yards on six catches. Akil Washington led State in receptions with nine for 82 yards.

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Players Mentioned

#19 Jamal Brown: WR; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#3 Matt Kinnick: QB; 6' 0"; Junior

#16 Akil Washington: WR; 6' 1"; Senior

#12 Austin Hensley: QB; 6' 1"; Freshman

#6 Juawan Etheredge: RB; 5' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#19 Jamal Brown
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: WR

#3 Matt Kinnick
: 6' 0"; Junior
: QB

#16 Akil Washington
: 6' 1"; Senior
: WR

#12 Austin Hensley
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: QB

#6 Juawan Etheredge
: 5' 9"; Junior
: RB