WATERBURY (Conn.) — West Virginia Wesleyan football started its 2024 campaign on a high note Saturday, scoring its first touchdown on its opening drive, but eventually fell, on the road, to Post University (Conn.) 41-24.
The Bobcats’ Quinton Pulley completed a short pass to senior receiver Dariuse Cooper who ran it 40 yards for a touchdown less than two minutes into the game. But Post was quick to respond when Joshua Tracey took the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to the end zone.
Cooper snared his second touchdown with a 5-yard reception from Pulley with 2:58 left in the first quarter to top off a nine-play, 45-yard drive and Wesleyan went up 14-7.
Post tied the game after a series of Bobcat penalties including a pass interference on Keyishaun Robinson and a personal foul on Corey Baugh that placed the ball at the Bobcat four. Post’s Isaiah Emmanuel rushed the middle for the touchdown and a tie score.
The teams traded a series of plays then together, scored three touchdowns with less than two minutes before the half. At 1:37, Bobcat sophomore running back Kevin Mitchell capped a 9-play, 69-yard drive with a two-yard lunge into the end zone. Then, 23 seconds later, a Wesleyan penalty again helped move Post down the field where, from the Bobcats’ 45-yard line, Malakai Taylor found Joshua Tracey running deep to tie the score at 21. Just 60 seconds later, Post had the ball after a quick three-and-out by Wesleyan and used 13 seconds to take the lead on a 3-play, 60-yard drive capped by Tyler Phammachanh’s 10-yard run.
The Bobcats scored just three more points in the second half.
Wesleyan’s Pulley led all passers with 176 yards on 19-of-30 passes, and two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Mitchell ran for 61 yards and one touchdown on 17 attempts. Redshirt freshman Logan Altland added 28 yards on eight attempts.
Junior receiver Elijah Lewis led Wesleyan’s receiving corps with 78 yards on six receptions. Cooper caught four for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
Two Post quarterbacks threw for touchdowns. Phammachanh went 3-of-7 for 104 yards and Taylor 3-of-8 for 83 yards. Emmanuel led all rushers with 95 yards on 23 attempts. Tracey led all receivers with four receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bobcats take a week off and return to action Saturday, Sept. 14 for the home-opener under the new Cebe Ross stadium lights. Wheeling University will visit Buckhannon for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. Admission to the game is free.
