Late touchdown pass propels Glenville State past Wheeling, 38-34
South grad Triston Walker catches game-winner
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WHEELING -- Triston Walker's 29-yard touchdown reception from JD Sherrod late in the fourth quarter here Saturday afternoon at Bishop Schmitt Field proved to be the difference as Glenville State held off Wheeling, 38-34, in a Mountain East Conference affair.
The Pioneers (2-8, 1-6) of first-year head coach Jake Casteel now will try and finish the season strong when West Virginia Wesleyan invades at 1 p.m. next Saturday for senior day.
Things couldn't have gotten off to a better start for GSU as Wes Brown Jr. recovered quarterback Landon Lutz' fumble on the first play of the game.
Sherrod, who completed 23 of 36 attempts for 296 yards, got the visitors into the red zone after three short completions to Jamir Fox, Kashez Gedeon and Kaiden Hayton. Sherrod, who toted 19 times for 74 yards, ran for 8 yards and then scored from the 6 as Brody Layman's extra point made it 7-0 just 2:23 in.
Although the Cardinals (5-5, 4-3) of head coach Zac Bruney picked up a first down on their next drive, Lutz was picked off by Ty Wickliffe, who returned it 45 yards to paydirt for a 14-0 cushion at the 10:39 mark.
Glenville State's defense then forced a three-and-out and the offense drove right down the field and had it first-and-goal at the 5 after starting at their own 35. However, Sherrod's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Jacob Jones.
Wheeling responded with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive culminated by O'Marion Taylor's 17-yard scamper, but Connor Fitzpatrick's extra point was no good as the hosts trailed 14-6 early in the second.
Pioneer Kody Davis-Warrington had a key 34-yard punt that pinned Wheeling at its own 6 and the Cardinals were forced to punt when Lutz was sacked on third down by David Chukwuemeka.
Sherrod's 4-yard TD run and another Layman PAT gave the Pioneers a 21-6 cushion with 6:09 to go in the half, but Wheeling closed within a point thanks to a pair of Ayden McKinstry touchdown runs of 32 and 6 yards, respectively.
Caden Harris' 30-yard kickoff return got Casteel's squad going to open the third. After a personal foul, Sherrod had a 13-yard completion to Jamir Fox and then found Harris for a 39-yard touchdown, which made it 28-20 with the clock sitting at 14:14.
McKinstry, who had 17 carries for a game-high 201 yards, got loose for a 79-yard scoring burst just 76 seconds later as Lutz' two-point conversion pass to Colin Oberdick tied the game.
Fitzpatrick booted a 24-yard field goal late in the third before Layman converted from 36 yards out early in the fourth.
Wheeling, which watched any hope of a MEC title slip away with the loss and welcomes in West Liberty at noon next Saturday, took its final lead at 34-31 with 8:08 remaining on a Fitzpatrick 31-yard field goal.
Although the Pioneers needed to run out the clock following Walker's touchdown with 5:19 remaining, Wheeling forced a punt and took over at its own 44 with 1:31 left.
After getting to the 11, Lutz had to spike the ball on first down. Following incompletions to Sajari Love and Oberdick, the hosts still had 8 seconds left for a fourth-and-10 snap. However, Maddox Gillespie pressured Lutz and his pass to Landyn Hores fell incomplete.
Harris led all wideouts with game-highs of seven receptions for 132 yards. Sherrod's other top targets were Kyree Bunny (5-46) and Gedeon (3-38).
Glenville State's Anthony Bachinski, who also had a sack, finished with a game-high 18 tackles, which included eight solo stops.
Glenville State 38, Wheeling 34
GSU (2-8, 1-6 MEC) 14 7 7 10 – 38
WU (5-5, 4-3 MEC) 0 20 11 3 – 34
G: JD Sherrod 6 run (Brody Layman kick) 12:37, 1st
G: Ty Wickliffe 45 interception return (Layman kick) 10:39, 1st
W: O’Marion Taylor 17 run (kick failed) 12:51, 2nd
G: Sherrod 4 run (Layman kick) 6:09, 2nd
W: Ayden McKinstry 32 run (Connor Fitzpatrick kick), 3:24, 2nd
W: McKinstry 6 run (Fitzpatrick kick) 0:24, 2nd
G: Caden Harris 39 pass from Sherrod (Layman kick) 14:14, 3rd
W: McKinstry 79 run (Colin Oberdick pass from Lutz), 12:58, 3rd
W: Fitzpatrick 24 field goal 1:04, 3rd
G: Layman 36 field goal 12:15, 4th
W: Fitzpatrick 31 field goal 8:08, 4th
G: Triston Walker 29 pass from Sherrod (Layman kick), 5:19, 4th
Team stats
GSU: First downs: 22; Rushes-yards: 31-102; Passing yards: 296; Total yards: 398; Passing: 23-36-1; Punts-average: 3-32.7; Fumbles-lost: 0-0; Penalties-yards: 9-102
WU: First downs: 28; Rushes-yards: 34-248; Passing yards: 235; Total yards: 483; Passing: 21-36-1; Punts-average: 2-32.0; Fumbles-lost: 1-1; Penalties-yards: 7-84
Individual stats
GSU: Rushing: JD Sherrod 19-74, Amir Simmons 7-31, Jamir Fox 5-(-3); Passing: Sherrod 23-36-1, 296 yards; Receiving: Kashez Gedeon 3-38, Caden Harris 7-132, Landon Frey 2-13, Fox 3-26, Kyree Bunny 5-46, Kaiden Hayton 1-8, Triston Walker 1-29, Lucas Ripptoe 1-4
WU: Rushing: Ayden McKinstry 17-201, O’Marion Taylor 8-40, Landon Lutz 8-4; Passing: Lutz 21-34-1, 235 yards; Receiving: Sajari Love 5-56, Colin Oberdick 3-36, McKinstry 6-80, Mateo Crummel 2-25, Landyn Hores 1-4, Taylor 1-5, Manny Ortega-Garcia 3-29
Next games: West Liberty at Wheeling, noon on Saturday for senior day; W.Va. Wesleyan at Glenville State, 1 p.m. Saturday for senior day.