BUCKHANNON — The West Virginia Wesleyan (0-6, 0-5) football team lost to West Virginia State (3-3, 3-2) at Ross Field on Saturday afternoon by a 38-3 score.
It was the third straight game where the Bobcats failed to score a touchdown. Wesleyan did avoid a third-straight shutout with a field goal in the first quarter.
WVWC Leaders
Javian Tomlinson rushed 69 yards on 19 carries. Derrick Jackson added 43 yards to the WVWC rushing attack. Jujuan Linzy accumulated seven catches for 75 receiving yards. Devin Taylor recorded a 31-yard reception.
Darius Broach led the ‘Cats in the tackle category with seven total tackles. Michael Herbert racked up 1.5 tackles for a loss. Chris Taylor and Kobe Vinegar both totaled one tackle for a loss. Broach and Donovan Woods each broke up a pass.
West Virginia State Leaders
Quarterback Donovan Riddick threw for 188 yards and three touchdown passes. Malik Newton totaled 131 rushing yards and posted a 28-yard carry. Dan’te Jones collected his sixth rushing touchdown of the season. Tyrone Lyte scored two receiving touchdowns and totaled 96 receiving yards.
The leading tackler for the Yellow Jackets was Payton Lunsford with 11 total tackles. Lunsford forced a fumble and recorded a tackle for a loss.
Inside the First Half
West Virginia State opened the game scoring a touchdown on a 10 play, 89-yard drive. The drive was capped off by a 28-yard scoring pass from Riddick to Keedrick Cunningham. The Bobcats responded on their first drive of the contest with a 14 play, 58-yard drive that resulted in a 22-yard field goal by Drew Feingold. The field goal was Feingold’s first of his collegiate career. WVSU held a 7-3 lead at the end of the first stanza.
In the second quarter, Martin Ahlstroem connected on a 37-yard field goal attempt to extend the West Virginia State lead, 10-3. Paul Davis made an interception to give the Yellow Jackets field position at the Wesleyan 28-yard line. Jones’ rushing touchdown put the Yellow Jackets up 17-3 with 11:31 left in the first half. The Bobcats strung together a nine-play, 55-yard drive but it stalled out at the WVSU 19-yard line. The Yellow Jackets were up 17-3 at halftime.
Inside the Second Half
Wesleyan came out of the locker room with two completions. Wilfong found Linzy for a 15-yard reception on the first play from scrimmage. On the next play, Wilfong zipped the ball to Taylor for a 31-yard play and entered WVSU territory. The Bobcats successfully attempted a 24-yard field goal, but it was negated by an illegal formation penalty. The 29-yard attempt on the succeeding play was unsuccessful.
The Yellow Jackets took over possession at their own 20-yard line. WVSU orchestrated a eight play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 43-yard touchdown completion from Riddick to Lyte to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 24-3. Riddick found Barry Hill for his third touchdown completion of the afternoon to increase the WVSU lead to 31-3. Drew Chance found Lyte for a 1-yard touchdown completion to put WVSU up 38-3.
Up Next
Wesleyan is scheduled to face Notre Dame (Ohio) in South Euclid on Saturday, Oct. 16 for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
