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West Virginia State University Athletics

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FB21 Jones
Photo: Todd Griffith
34
Winner West Virginia St. WVSU 4-4 , 4-3
32
Concord CU 2-5 , 2-5
Winner
West Virginia St. WVSU
4-4 , 4-3
34
Final
32
Concord CU
2-5 , 2-5
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WVSU West Virginia St. 0 14 0 20 34
CU Concord 10 10 0 12 32

Game Recap: Football | | James Garcia, Sports Information Director

Yellow Jackets battle to end and beat Concord, 34-32

ATHENS, W.Va. -- The West Virginia State University football team battled back from a 17-point deficit in the first half to come away with a victory at Concord, 34-32, on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets went up by 14 with three minutes remaining in the contest and had to stave off a late push by the Mountain Lions to secure the win.

WVSU jumps to 4-4 on the season and 4-3 in the Mountain East Conference with the positive result. Meanwhile, CU falls to 2-5 both overall and in conference play with the loss.

Fifth-year fullback Dant'e Jones was the undisputed player of the game. After an injury to Malik Newton occurred, he assumed the lead back role and had a career day. Jones accounted for 188 total yards and three total touchdowns. He had a career-high 142 rushing yards to go along with 46 receiving yards. Two of his touchdowns came on rushing attempts and one was by way of a pass reception.

Junior quarterback Donovan Riddick completed 15-of-22 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed nine times for 57 yards and one touchdown. Fellow junior Tanner Williams led the defense from the linebacker position. He totaled a game-high 10 tackles, including seven solo tackles.

The Mountain Lions received the kickoff to start the game and drove 60 yards on nine plays to break into the red zone. On third and seven from the 11 yard line, Nathaniel Parrish stopped the quarterback from scrambling for a first down to force a field goal attempt from 27 yards out. The field goal attempt was converted to give Concord the early lead, 3-0.

The Yellow Jackets were able to cross midfield on their first drive, but were forced to punt after stalling at Concord's 42 yard line. The WVSU defense kept the CU offense in check on the next drive, but no offense was produced when West Virginia State regained possession. A three and out combined with a short punt set up Concord at State's 39 yard line with three minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The Mountain Lions ended up in a goal-to-go situation at the three yard line and eventually found the end zone with a pass play on third down. The touchdown was scored as time expired in the opening quarter and the resulting point after try was converted to leave WVSU with a 10-0 deficit.

In the second quarter, Concord scored first to add to the growing deficit. Four pass completions resulted in 88 yards gained and a touchdown to leave a three-score gap, 17-0.

The Yellow Jackets responded on the following drive with their first points scored of the contest. A 36-yard pass completion from Donovan Riddick to Tyrone Lyte on the first play of the drive finally ignited the offense. Dant'e Jones finished off the drive when he caught a pass from Riddick and ran 18 yards for the score, 17-7. The 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive left 6:45 on the first half clock.

The Mountain Lions drove down to the edge of the red zone on the ensuing drive. The State defense stopped them there to bring the field goal unit out once again. The 37-yard attempt sailed through the uprights as the clock ticked down towards the two-minute mark, 20-7.

West Virginia State's two-minute offense was effective when it was deployed. In seven plays, the Yellow Jackets marched 75 yards down the field. Tavis McAdoo shook off would-be tacklers on a 14-yard scamper into the end zone, 20-14. With under a minute left in the first half, the Mountain Lions were unable to do anything with possession after receiving the kickoff. WVSU subsequently went into the break down by six points.

The third quarter was defined by a long clock-chewing drive by West Virginia State. After two short possessions by each team, WVSU started a drive from its own 20 yard line. The Yellow Jackets used 19 plays over a 10-minute span to eventually find paydirt. The incredibly methodical scoring drive came to an end in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter when Dant'e Jones crossed the plane from two yards out, 21-20.

After a stop by the WVSU defense, Dant'e Jones completely turned the tide when he broke free for a 57-yard rush to the house, 27-20. State tried going for the two-point conversion after the longest rush of Jones's career, but was unsuccessful. Approximately 11 minutes remained in the game after the score.

The Mountain Lions took six minutes off the clock on the following drive and crossed midfield, but an interception returned possession to the Yellow Jackets at Concord's 24 yard line after a personal foul penalty tacked on 15 yards to the end of the return. Riddick eventually found his way into the end zone with a 10-yard scramble, 34-20.

Concord took back over with three minutes remaining and set up a quick scoring opportunity with a 45-yard pass completion. The Mountain Lions ended up punching the ball over the goalline with just under two minutes to play, 34-26. They went for the two-point conversion and failed.

West Virginia State was then forced to punt after a quick three and out, giving possession back to the Mountain Lions at their own 20 yard line. With a series of long and midrange pass completions, Concord scored a touchdown with 30 seconds to spare, 34-32. Again, CU went for two in an attempt to tie the game but was shut out by a swarm of State defenders. After recovering the onside kick, WVSU lined up in the victory formation and kneeled to seal the win.

Concord's 558 yards of total offense was greater than West Virginia State's 396 yards. However, WVSU maintained control with 218 rushing yards, compared to 137 by CU, and a larger share of possession. State also only committed three penalties for 20 yards and did not turn the ball over in a well-disciplined performance.

West Virginia State will return home on Saturday, Oct. 30th to take on Glenville State in another heated MEC affair. The kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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