PARKERSBURG, W.Va. – The Glenville State Football team erased a 28-0 second quarter deficit to tie things up with 39 seconds left before a game-winning field goal as time expired spoiled the Pioneer comeback against Wheeling in their 38-35 loss at Parkersburg South's Erickson All-Sports Facility yesterday (Nov. 8). The Pioneers fall to (5-5, 4-3 MEC) on the year.
 
1^st Quarter
Wheeling started the game out hot, picking up good field position on a 39-yard kickoff return and capitalizing on it with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Landon Lutz. The Pioneers had consecutive 10+ yard plays on the ground and through the air in their opening drive, but it quickly stalled, allowing the Cardinals to take back over. After back-to-back pass breakups by Braden Boggs, the GSU offense trotted back out but were only on the field for a few minutes as penalties ended their drive.
 
2^nd Quarter
Following consecutive three-and-outs by both teams, WU opened up the second stanza with an eight-yard touchdown run from Dawaun Green to make it 14-0. Another three-and-out for the Pioneer offense gave Wheeling exceptional field position, which eventually led to another Cardinal touchdown to push the advantage to 21-0. The blue and white's offense stayed stagnant, being forced into yet another three-and-out before the Cardinals made it a four-score game on a 10-yard TD pass from Ade Olanegan.
 
With six minutes left in the half, GSU put together their first complete drive of the afternoon, going 65 yards on eight plays as it was capped off with Anthony Garrett finding Lanon Frey from two yards out to trim the deficit to 28-7. Both teams had opportunities before going into the locker room, but neither could muster anything together as the score stuck at halftime.
 
3^rd Quarter
Glenville State had to go 83 yards out of the locker room to cut the once 28-point deficit in half, as Garrett found Jeremiah King streaking out of the backfield for a 35-yard touchdown reception. The defense started to find their footing as well, with Tank Gant notching a strip sack on a big 3^rd down stop that forced the Cardinals to punt it back to GSU. From there, Mike Kellar and his offense drained the final 7:33 off the clock and put themselves in prime position to score going into the final quarter of play.
 
4^th Quarter
It took just one play in the 4^th for the Pioneers to score when Tariq Miller caught Garrett's slant pass to make it 28-21. However, an onside kick attempt by GSU that seemed like it was going to work bounced up into the running arms of Baron Lucey who returned the onside kick 45 yards for a touchdown to push the Cardinal lead back out to two scores. Glenville State's offense answered back quickly, converting on a third and goal when Garrett found Naseem Pacheco in the back of the endzone. The defense came up big once again, as Wheeling telegraphed a pass and Jaiden McLendon Parker was all over it to pick it off.
 
From there, the Pioneers turned the ball over on downs before the GSU defense put together back-to-back stops, keeping the deficit at just seven. A drive that started at the GSU 19-yardline, the Pioneers were able to drive all the way down the field to tie things up at 35-35 when Garrett found Tariq Miller from 13 yards out. The Cardinals had a 38-yard kick return that gave them great field position near midfield. With 32 seconds left, Olanegan launched a 42-yard pass that was brought down by Jordan Kaiser to put the Cardinals in field goal range. After a dangerous pass to the back of the endzone, WU got closer with an eight-yard run that put the ball at the Wheeling four-yardline. An attempt to freeze the kicker, Connor Fitzpatrick, was unsuccessful as he drilled the 23-yard field goal to land Wheeling the 38-35 win as time expired.
 
Final Stats
Wheeling
The Cardinals started Landon Lutz at QB, who went 6-for-10 with 63 yards and one score before Ade Olanegan came in relief. Olanegan threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-22 passing with an interception. Dawaun Green had 92 yards and one TD on the ground while the Pioneers held the team's leading rusher, Steven Mitchell, to 35 yards on 14 carries. Eight Cardinals caught a pass, with two notching four receptions (Jordan Kaiser and Colin Oberdick) as Kaiser had 70 yards and Oberdick recorded a receiving TD.
 
The league's leading tackler, Jefferson Desca-Bretanys, had 12 tackles to lead the WU defense. Leonard Sherrod III added 10 tackles and an interception while Awwal Osinuga had seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. James Walker IV and Jalen Wheeler also had two pass breakups each.
 
Glenville State
Anthony Garrett had a career-high five touchdown passes with 289 yards and one interception on 21-of-35 passing. Jeremiah King flirted with 100 yards rushing, totaling 90 on 22 carries. Garrett added 39 yards and Zavione Wood got a season-high nine carries as the former Western Kentucky transfer has been battling a lower body injury all season long. Senior Tariq Miller led all Pioneer receivers with 66 yards and two scores on seven catches. King, Naseem Pacheco and Landon Frey also caught a TD pass.
 
Defensively, the Pioneers were without one of their top defenders in linebacker Shary Jefferson. Sean Scott led the way with eight tackles, 0.5 TFL, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. Parkersburg native Brandon Penn had seven stops and a pass breakup while Jaiden McLendon Parker recorded six tackles and an interception. Tank Gant had a nice day off the edge, notching four tackles with a sack and a forced fumble.
 
Up Next For The Pioneers
The Pioneers wrap up the 2025 season next Saturday (Nov. 15) at West Virginia Wesleyan. The Pioneers and Bobcats will kickoff at 1 p.m. at Cebe Ross Field and on the Mountain East Conference Digital Network.
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