BUCKHANNON –The West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats returned home to Cebe Ross Field for its Mountain East Conference opener on Saturday afternoon, battling West Virginia State before falling 45–16.
State struck first with a 72-yard opening drive capped by a 7-yard touchdown run from quarterback Kaleb Jackson at 9:21 of the first quarter.
The Bobcats answered early in the second quarter. Trailing 10–0 after a State field goal, quarterback Quinton Pulley found Keon Adderley down the sideline for a 73-yard strike and cut the deficit to 10–7.
The Yellow Jackets countered with back-to-back touchdowns late in the half, including a 37-yard pass from Jackson to Malik Baker II and a 3-yard score from Jojo Restall, pushing the halftime margin to 24–7.
The second half began with State connecting on a 16-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 31–7. Wesleyan responded with a defensive highlight when pressure forced Jackson into a safety, followed by a determined 7-play, 48-yard drive capped by Pulley’s 7-yard rushing touchdown to trim the margin to 31–16.
The Jackets, however, struck immediately on their next series as Jackson hit Amare Ary on a 65-yard bomb. State carried a 38–16 lead into the fourth quarter.
West Virginia State sealed the contest with a grinding 13-play, 89-yard march, finished off by a 1-yard score from Nasean Hill midway through the fourth quarter for the final 45–16 tally.
The Bobcats’ 2025 Homecoming is next Saturday, Sept. 27. An evening matchup under the lights against Frostburg State University begins at 7 p.m.
