GLENVILLE, W.Va. - The 99th edition of the "Battle For The Bit" between Glenville State and Fairmont State is set for Saturday (Oct. 4) at RCB Eagle Stadium in Clarksburg as Pioneer Football looks to grab their first conference win of the 2025 season. The contest will be on the campus of Robert C. Byrd High School and will also be streaming on the Mountain East Conference Digital Network. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. and the game is presented by Minigh Family Dentistry and WVU Medicine UHC Hospital.
 
THE MIKE KELLAR SHOW
Watch this week's edition Presented by United Bank on YouTube!
 
SERIES HISTORY

• 99th meeting ever between the Pioneers and Fighting Falcons
  • First matchup took place in 1909
• Glenville State is (44-51-1) all-time against Fairmont State
• GSU has won three of the last four matchups
• Pioneers are (14-9) against FSU since 2000
• Seven of the last nine meetings have been one-score games

GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, October 4 | 1 p.m. | RCB Eagle Stadium (Clarksburg, W.Va.)
Glenville State vs Fairmont State
Watch Live on MEC.TV | Live Stats
 
PREGAME & WATCH PARTY
11 a.m. - Franklin's Bar & Grille (Nutter Fort, W.Va.) will be hosting a Pregame Celebration with all Alumni & Friends invited!
12 p.m. - Glenville Golf Club (Glenville, W.Va.) will be hosting a Watch Party open to ALL of the public with specials and their menu available.
 
THE OPPONENT
FAIRMONT STATE
2025 Season
The Falcons come in (2-2) overall after starting the season with back-to-back wins against Seton Hill and Bloomsburg but dropping their last two conference games to Wheeling (L, 35-28) and West Virginia State (L, 60-39). Fairmont State was picked to finish 2^nd in the MEC Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
2025 By The Numbers

• 33.0 Points Per Game (4^th MEC)
• 452.8 Yards Per Game (1^st MEC)
• 222.3 Passing YPG (4^th MEC)
• 230.5 Rushing YPG (2^nd MEC)
• 40.3% 3^rd Down Conversion (5^th MEC)
• 39.0 PPG Allowed (8^th MEC)
• 404.0 YPG Allowed (5^th MEC)
• 1 Interceptions (9^th MEC)

Head Coach
Luke Barker is in his second season leading the Falcon Football program after a successful stint as the offensive coordinator at the University of Charleston for three seasons. Barker led FSU to a (7-4, 6-3 MEC) finish in 2024.
 
Falcons Offense
2024 MEC Offensive Player of the Year Nino Marzullo is going through a sophomore slump through four games, completing 59% of his passes for 889 yards and just two touchdowns with seven interceptions. The one-two punch in the backfield has kept this offense moving though, with Leanord Farrow leading the way with 497 yards on 71 carries and five touchdowns. His counterpart, LeJay Hatcher, has carried the ball 61 times for 381 yards and four scores.
 
At receiver, Marzullo has been spreading the love throughout. Five Falcons have double-digit receptions and 10 players have caught a pass thus far, led by Winston Page's 15 catches for 208 yards and two scores. Out of the backfield, Hatcher also has 15 grabs for 134 yards and one score. Davin Driskell (14 catches, 143 yards, one TD), Fred Highsmith (13 catches, 158 yards, one TD), Kimothy Massie (13 catches, 50 yards) and Joey Ramsey (eight catches, 74 yards, one TD) have been reliable options for Marzullo.
 
Falcons Defense
Tyrees Smith leads the Falcons and ranks 7th in the MEC in tackles with 33. He also has 2.5 TFLs and one sack on the year. Montel Sims, who stands at 6-foot, 230 pounds, is also top 10 in the league in tackles with 32 and ranks 3rd in TFLs with five. Veteran Nemo Roberts is another big part in why the Falcons average nearly six tackles for loss per game as the senior has totaled 3.5 TFLs in four games.
 
In the backend, Tristen Williams has the lone Falcon interception on the season while adding seven tackles. Jehvonn Lewis and Gavin Smith both sit atop the team leaderboard in pass breakups with three as both have over 10 tackles on the year as well.
 
Falcons Special Teams
Emmanuel Richardson is four-of-five on field goals and has captured MEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice, including last week when he hit a season-long 41-yard field goal. Connor Mollohan handles kicking duties and is averaging over 60 yards per kickoff with four touchbacks. Ethan Vergo-Thomas has a strong leg at punter, averaging 43.42 yards per punt with a long of 77 and three 50+ yard punts.
 
THE PIONEERS
GLENVILLE STATE
2025 Season
Glenville State enters the week (1-3, 0-1 MEC) following a close defeat to Charleston last week, 31-28. Prior to their loss to the Golden Eagles, the Pioneers captured their first victory of 2025 against Millersville in Pennsylvania, 44-28, on September 13.
 
2025 By The Numbers

• 25.5 Points Per Game (6^th MEC)
• 417.3 Yards Per Game (6^th MEC)
• 272.8 Passing YPG (2^nd MEC)
• 144.5 Rushing YPG (5^th MEC)
• 32.8% 3^rd Down Conversion (8^th MEC)
• 30.0 PPG Allowed (4^th MEC)
• 437.0 YPG Allowed (7^th MEC)
• 4 Interceptions (T-3^rd MEC)

Pioneers Offense
Quarterback Anthony Garrett continues to sit atop the league in passing, ranking 2nd in passing YPG (272.8) and passing yards (1,091) while being 3rd in passing touchdowns (7) and completion percentage (60%). Jeremiah King is first in the MEC in rushing attempts (82), 11 more than any other back in the league, and is 6th in rushing yards with 285. He's also found the endzone three times on the ground with two receiving TDs.
 
Former Fairmont State receiver Naseem Pacheco is first on the Pioneers and 7th in the MEC in receiving yards with 252 on 18 catches. Arnav Thornhill is now up to 208 receiving yards on just seven receptions and a TD. Tariq Meredith is currently third on the team in receptions (10) and receiving yards (125). Kordell Lewis has been a big target for Garrett, notching eight catches for 96 yards and a score while Amari Colon-Brown snagged his first TD of the year last week against Charleston
 
Pioneers Defense
The Pioneer defense is led by conference's leading tackler, Brandon Penn. The Parkersburg, W.Va. native has 42 tackles through four games with 1.5 TFL and an interception. Braden Boggs is coming off of a 12-tackle performance, putting him tied for second on the team in tackles with Sean Scott (23). Tank Gant has been applying the pressure off the edge, recording 22 tackles, three tackles for loss and three QB hurries.
 
Jaiden McLendon Parker, Henry Lyes and Jaziah Berberena all have one interception alongside Penn. Kaevon Blanding is batting down one pass per game, totaling four on the year with 12 tackles and one TFL also. Sean Scott (2), Anthony Bachinski, (1), Parker (1) and Andre Jefferson (1) have all recorded pass breakups as well.
 
Pioneers Special Teams
Brody Layman is two-of-three on field goal attempts this year with a long of 30 while Johann Villasenor has taken over kickoff duties, averaging 46 yards per kickoff. Zander Watson has punted 18 times for 660 yards with a long of 59 and six punts inside the 20.
 
MEDIA
Fans can follow Glenville State Football on Twitter (X) @GlenvilleStFB and Instagram @GlenvilleStFB for news and score updates plus many more all season long.
 
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