Box Score    

     A good crowd turned out at Dickerson Stadium on a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon seemingly better suited for beach volleyball than football as West Virginia State entertained Fairmont State in the season opener for both teams.

     The crowded home side bleachers full of Yellow Jacket faithful had plenty to cheer for in the first half as WVSU took a 20-10 lead into the break.

     The woefully outnumbered visitors side got its turn in the second half though as the Falcons rallied to score 20 straight points and take home a 30-20 win.

     "We came out and started hot as a team," WVSU Head Coach Jon Anderson said. "It was a good game plan in the first half,"

     The Yellow Jackets took the early lead when junior quarterback Matt Kinnick topped off a seven-play, 78 yard drive with a 19-yard scoring strike to Akil Washington in the right side of the west endzone with 5:26 remaining in the first quarter.

     WVSU followed that with another long drive on the Jacket's next possession with newcomer Juawan Etheredge powering in from one yard out for a 13-0 lead with 1:53 left in the opening period.

     Fairmont State quickly countered that score with one of their own going 70 yards on just three plays right before the quarter ended.

     The squads exchanged possessions without scoring to start the second.

     The Yellow Jackets broke the stalemate at the 5:58 mark when Kinnick and Washington connected again, this time for a 65-yard catch and run score down the left sideline in front of the visitor's bench on the first play of the possession to run the count to 20-7.

      The Falcons looked as though they would answer again as they put together a 13-play, 70 yard drive on the ensuing possession but the WVSU defense stiffened in the red zone to force them to settle for a 25-yard field goal to account for the halftime score.

       Penalties and turnovers plagued the Yellow Jackets in the second half and Fairmont State took advantage scoring three times after the break to pick up the victory.

     "Penalties hurt us all day long with field position," Anderson said. "And we just made too many mistakes."

     WVSU was flagged 14 times for 112 yards.

      The five fourth quarter WVSU possessions ended in two fumbles, two interceptions, and an imcomplete pass on fourth down from the Falcons' 36 yard line.

      "The guys were just trying to make something happen, a little frustration," Anderson said.

      The Falcons took to the ground and ran off as much clock as they could on every possession over the last 15 minutes.

      Kinnick completed 22-of-38 passes for 345 yards as the Yellow Jackets outgained Fairmont 441 to 427. Quinton Gray hauled in nine passes for 87 yards and Washington finished with five receptions for 142 yards and the two touchdowns.

      "Our guys played with great effort, we need to get rid of the mental miscues," Anderson said.  "I know the players and coaches will improve from week one to week two.""

       The Yellow Jackets travel to Urbana next Saturday. Urbana dropped a 44-24 decision Thursday night at Glenville State.