FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Fairmont State (2-1, 1-1 Mountain East Conference) football team broke open a 23-3 lead in the first half before Wheeling (2-1, 1-1 MEC) took the lead in the second half and eventually won in overtime on Saturday (Sept. 16) afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field.
 
The Cardinals seized the lead with 14:31 in the fourth quarter with an 83-yard touchdown pass delivered to Quron Winder from Javon Davis. The Falcons evened the score at 37 when Michael Floria hit Kobe Harris for a 71-yard strike with 2:43 left in regulation. The game went to overtime, with Wheeling QB Landon Lutz connecting with Steven Mitchell for the game-winning score.
 
Floria, who completed nine passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, was also Fairmont State's leading rusher and picked up 112 yards on the ground and one score. Harris racked up 79 receiving yards and scored a receiving touchdown and a 74-yard punt return touchdown. Winston Page hauled in two receiving touchdowns and totaled 74 receiving yards.
 
On defense, Brocton Blair totaled nine tackles, one breakup and one hurry to go along with 0.5 tackles for loss. Jovon Jackson also had nine tackles and Eltayeb Bushra made eight tackles and 1.0 tackles for a loss. Defensive Back Isaiah Powell-Major swatted four pass break ups, and Josh Alt forced a fumble.
 
Fairmont State started hot out of the gates and put up six points after receiving the opening kick when Floria found Page for a 40-yard pitch-and-catch. The Falcons were unable to convert the try on the point after attempt and led 6-0. The Fairmont State defense kept the Cardinals out of the end zone on their first drive and Wheeling had to settle for a 42-yard field goal to trim the lead in half. Emmanuel Richardson drilled a 20-yard field goal that gave the Falcons a 9-3 lead before the end of the first quarter.
 
The Falcons scored a pair of touchdowns in less than two minutes of game time to begin the second quarter. Page grabbed his second touchdown reception of the afternoon from Floria with a nine-yard catch to conclude a nine play, 53-yard drive. After a Wheeling three-and-out, Harris found a seam and ran back the punt 74-yards to the end zone and the Falcons led 23-3 with 9:41 to go in the first half. The Cards completed a 14 play, 92-yard drive with an Eli Young two-yard rushing touchdown to cut the deficit to 23-10 before the half.
 
Javon Davis scrambled for a 29-yard rushing touchdown within the first three minutes of the second half to bring Wheeling within one score of the Falcons. The Falcons' defense keep Wheeling out of the end zone on their next drive and Lima split the uprights on a 20-yard field goal to pull the Cards within three points. Fairmont State responded on the ensuing drive when Floria kept the football on a read-option play and scampered into the end zone with a 25-yard rush to put the Falcons back up 10 points with 4:36 to go in the third. After Wheeling stalled on the next drive, the Cards punched loose the football from Fairmont State and Rodney Jackson scooped up the ball and ran it 40 yards on the recovery into the end zone to make it a three-point game before the end of the third quarter.
 
Wheeling took its first lead of the afternoon at the start of the fourth quarter when Davis found Winder on an 83-yard completion for a score to go up 34-30. The Falcons attempted a field goal to pull within one point but missed a 39-yard field goal with 10:07 left in regulation. The Cardinals milked over seven minutes off the game clock on the next drive and converted a 40-yard field goal that increased their lead to seven points. On the first play of the Falcons' drive Floria hit Harris over the middle for a 71-yard touchdown that evened the score at 37. The Falcons' defense forced a three-and-out and Fairmont State took over possession at midfield with 2:16 to go in regulation. The Falcons' drive stalled at the 27-yard line with a turnover on downs and the game moved into overtime.
 
Wheeling began overtime with possession of the football and benefited from a Fairmont State pass interference penalty that set up the Cardinals with first and goal. Lutz found Mitchell over the middle for six points to take the lead. Matt Pack blocked the extra point and the Falcons went on offense. Fairmont State was unable to find the end zone in overtime and Wheeling won the high-scoring affair, 43-37.

The Falcons will travel north to South Euclid, Ohio for a matchup versus Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday (Sept. 23). Kickoff is set for noon.