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West Virginia State University Athletics

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FB Wilkins td vs uc 2018
31
WS WS 0-1 , 0-1
35
Winner Charleston UC 1-0 , 1-0
WS WS
0-1 , 0-1
31
Final
35
Charleston UC
1-0 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WS WS 0 24 0 7 31
UC Charleston 14 7 14 0 35

Game Recap: Football |

Yellow Jackets Drop Season Opener as Rally Falls Yard Short

     West Virginia State came back time and again Thursday night at Laidley Field against rival University of Charleston in the season opener for both teams but in the end needed one more yard as the Yellow Jackets dropped a hard fought 35-31 decision.
   
      The Golden Eagles scored on their first two possessions of the evening to go up 14-0.

     But WVSU answered with a pair of touchdowns on the ground by sophomore Calil Wilkins and a 55-yard scoring strike from Austin Hensley to Tyrell Henderson gave WVSU a 21-14 lead in the second quarter.

    Charleston answered with a touchdown with 26 seconds remaining in the first half.

    The Yellow Jackets came back once again. They started at their own 40 on the ensuing kickoff, drove 27 yards to the UC 33 with 1.9 seconds showing and pre-season All-American Aaron Ball came on to hit a 50-yard field goal as time expired to make the score 24-21.

    Charleston opened the second half just like the first scoring on its first two possessions to go up 35-24 and held that advantage going into the fourth quarter.

    WVSU opened the final period at the Charleston 15 and immediately scored on a pass to Wilkins out of the backfield to complete a six-play, 65 yard drive and pull within 35-31 with 14:54 to play.

     The WVSU defense forced the Golden Eagles to punt on their next two possessions but the Jackets were unable to move the ball very much themselves.

     They got the ball back for one final possession starting at their own 36 with 3:30 left in the game.

     Hensley was forced out of the game with a leg injury on the third down play of the previous WVSU possession so backup quarterback Faustino Saucedo came in to try and lead the game-winning drive.

    Wilkins ran for 11 yards to get the drive off to a good start.

     But two incomplete passes and a short run followed along with a holding penalty forced the Yellow Jackets into a fourth-and-17 situation at their own 40 yard marker.

     With the game on the line Saucedo hit Zach Pate over the middle and Pate sprinted a few yards and then pulled a pair of defenders with him for a few more to pick up 19 yards and a first down. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against UC moved the ball all the way to the 26.

     After four running plays WVSU faced another fourth down, this time at the UC 2-yard line with 22 seconds to play.

      Wilkins ran wide right but was pushed out just short of the endzone and the Golden Eagles took over with 16 seconds to play.

      Hensley finished 22-34 passing for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Wilkins ran for 138 and two scores while Henderson finished with nine catches for 142 yards and Pate added seven for 85.

      The teams combined to generate 1,076 yards of offense on the night.

      

     
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