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West Virginia State University Athletics

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FB21 Riddick
Photo: Todd Griffith
27
Glenville St. GSC 2-6 , 2-6
38
Winner West Virginia St. WVSU 5-4 , 5-3
Glenville St. GSC
2-6 , 2-6
27
Final
38
West Virginia St. WVSU
5-4 , 5-3
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GSC Glenville St. 7 3 10 7 27
WVSU West Virginia St. 10 7 0 21 38

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

West Virginia State rallies in fourth quarter to defeat Glenville State, 38-27

INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- In their first afternoon contest at Lakin-Ray Field this season, the West Virginia State University football team did not disappoint, delivering a thrilling fourth quarter performance as the Yellow Jackets downed Glenville State, 38-27. 

WVSU improves to 5-4 on the season and 5-3 in the Mountain East Conference with the win while GSC drops to 2-6 both overall and in the MEC with the loss.

Junior quarterback Donovan Riddick threw for a career-high 302 yards while completing 26-of-41 pass attempts with two touchdowns and no picks. He also ran for 31 yards and scored once with his feet. Senior wideout Tyrone Lyte was his main beneficiary with a career-high 120 yards on eight receptions.

Junior linebacker Payton Lunsford was back to leading the defensive unit with 11 total tackles, including six solo tackles, a forced fumble along with a fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. 

The Yellow Jackets defense got right to work in the opening frame, limiting the Pioneers to just 12 yards and six plays through their first two drives.

On State's first possession, they started at their own 30 and Riddick used a series of completions to a pair of awaiting receivers in freshman Dawson Gay and senior Tyrone Lyte to reach a first down on the Glenville 42. After a pair of rushes from Jones, Riddick continued to find Lyte, before connecting with Jones for a 21-yard connection into the end zone to get State on the board with the early lead. With the extra point from kicker Martin Ahlstroem good, the Yellow Jackets carried a 7-0 advantage with seven to play in the quarter.

After Glenville's second-straight possession of just three plays, State once again gained possession, starting this time on their 39. After a series of passes and attempts, first down was reached courtesy of an 11-yard pass from Riddick to senior Keedrick Cunningham. Riddick then dashed 20 yards for another first down, and later found Gay to reach the GSC 7.

With just under 2:50 remaining in the first quarter, the Pioneers called for a timeout, and State followed by calling one of their own, setting up an interesting situation at 3rd and 1. After an incompletion, Ahlstroem returned to the scene, extending State's lead to 10-0 after a successful field goal.

Glenville's offense finally broke open, as quarterback Timothy Hetzel connected with Javon Butler for a 92-yard pass and ensuing extra point, cutting the State lead to 10-7.

The Pioneers evened the contest halfway through the second quarter, using 14 plays to move 59 yards and record a successful field goal to tie things at 10-10.

State responded quickly, using just three minutes of possession and a Dant'e Jones-starring drive to regain the lead at 17-10. After a 35-yard pass from Riddick to Lyte set the Yellow Jackets up for first down, Jones rushed for 18 yards for another first down and trotted the remaining four yards into the end zone on the following play.

Another stalled attempt from the Glenville offense by a  strong performance from the State defense limited the Pioneers to 20 yards on five plays, and the Yellow Jackets finished out the half carrying the one touchdown lead.

Glenville State was first to score in the second half. A 31-yard pass completion from Clayton to Bonner brought the Pioneers to State's one yard line before Menjor got over the goalline. The touchdown tied the game at 17-apiece with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter.

Glenville State scored once more before the end of the third quarter. This time around, Heltzel linked up with Butler on a 50-yard connection that put the Pioneers at State's six yard line. The West Virginia State defense did not allow a single yard to be given up on the next three downs to force a 23-yard field goal attempt that was converted, 20-17.

The Pioneers fully gained the momentum early on in the fourth quarter when they blocked a 38-yard field goal from Ahlstroem and took over possession at their own 20 yard line. Heltzel found Butler on a streak route for a 70-yard touchdown completion that left the Yellow Jackets down by two scores, 27-17, with around ten minutes to go.

West Virginia State promptly responded with a 8-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in seven points. A 41-yard strike from Riddick to Gadson landed WVSU at Glenville's 11 yard line. Then on third and nine from the 10-yard line, Riddick found Cunningham open in the endzone to close the gap to three points, 27-24, with 6:26 left in the contest.

After the WVSU defense forced a quick three and out, the Yellow Jackets proceeded to march 67 yards down the field on nine plays to reclaim the lead. Lyte was the difference maker on the drive with three catches for 58 yards. After Riddick rushed into the endzone from two yards out, a holding penalty negated the play and set WVSU back by 10 yards. Riddick made the holding penalty a moot point, however, when he scrambled and scored on the next play from 12 yards out, 31-27.

When Glenville State regained possession with 1:31 showing on the scoreboard, defensive back Henry Houchins dashed the chances of a late Glenville comeback when he returned an interception 32 yards to the house to give the game its final scoreline, 38-27.

Both teams produced close to 400 yards of total offense. Glenville State was 0-of-11 on third down conversions and 1-of-4 on fourth down conversions. Meanwhile, West Virginia State was 9-of-19 on third down conversions and 2-of-3 on fourth down conversions.

The Yellow Jackets will be back in action next Saturday, Nov. 6th when they travel to West Liberty for the penultimate game of the season. The kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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