Wesleyan football to go on the road to meet West Virginia State Saturday

Sports Release
October 8, 2022

The Basics
The West Virginia Wesleyan football team will travel south to West Virginia State on Saturday (Oct. 8). The clash is set to begin at 1 p.m. from Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium in Institute, W.Va.

Quick Hits
Last time out, the Bobcats fell to Wheeling at Ross Field.
The WVWC offense leads the MEC in 4th down conversions. The Bobcats have converted 60 percent of its fourth down attempts. The Bobcats are the least penalized team in the MEC, averaging 52.2 penalty yards per game.
WVWC quarterback Nathan Payne has completed 74 passes for 873 yards and six touchdowns. Payne logged 372 yards and three passing scores versus Concord on Sept. 17.
Wesleyan’s rushing attack has been facilitated through sophomore tailback Javian Tomlinson. Tomlinson has averaged 54.3 rushing yards per game and has one rushing touchdown this season.
Devin Washington has been the primary receiving threat for WVWC. Washington’s 88.5 receiving yards per game is the second-highest in the conference. Washington has hauled in three receiving touchdowns and 354 yards.
Deontre Logan has been a force on the defensive side of the football. Logan averages 9.6 tackles per game, which is the third-highest clip in the Mountain East Conference. The linebacker from Richmond, Va. has made 2.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and has totaled one sack.
The Bobcat defense has forced seven fumbles in five games played. Donovan Woods and Ely Ghameshlougy have both caused two fumbles. Cameron Lomax, Chris Taylor and Khalil Smith have all forced one fumble.
Woods has been an anchor for the Bobcat defensive secondary. Woods’ six breakups are the third-highest total in the MEC. The Charlotte, N.C. product has snagged a pair of interceptions and recorded a scoop-and-score versus WVWC’s home opener versus Concord.
Ghameshlougy, a freshman from Woodbridge, Va., has been a standout newcomer for the Bobcat defense. The freshman defensive back has recorded 26.0 total tackles in his first collegiate season.
WVWC alum Dwayne Martin is in his second season leading the Bobcats.

Scouting West Virginia State
The Yellow Jackets enter week six with the fourth-highest rushing offense in the conference. WVSU averages 173 rushing yards per game. Spearheading the WVSU rushing attack is sophomore tailback Joel Felder. Felder ranks eighth in the MEC with 76.3 rushing yards per game. Felder found paydirt twice on the ground versus Alderson Broaddus and once through the air versus Fairmont State. WVSU averages 196 yards per game in its passing scheme. Senior quarterback Donovan Riddick has completed 80 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns through the first five games. Riddick’s favorite target is Keedrick Cunningham, who has hauled in 18 catches for 197 yards and a score.

Defensively, WVSU has surrendered the third-fewest average yards per game mark in the MEC of 315.4 yards per game. Concord and West Virginia State sit atop the MEC with the fewest defensive scores allowed (nine). The Yellow Jackets have racked up 16 sacks, which is the second-highest total in the conference. Toledo, Ohio native Kameron Vargas is the leading tackler for WVSU. Vargas has been all over the field, making 38 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, two breakups, one sack and one forced fumble. Pass rusher AJ Joyce is the team’s leader in sacks (4.0), while Jeremiah Covington-Griggs is the MEC leader in tackles for loss per game (2.13, 8.5 total).

John Pennington is in his sixth season leading West Virginia State football. Pennington has had two separate stints with WVSU, holding roles as the special teams coordinator, offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Pennington began his coaching career in Buckhannon as a graduate assistant at WVWC from 2005 through 2006. The former West Virginia University football wide receiver graduated with a Master’s in Business Administration from Wesleyan in 2007.