WHEELING, W.Va. — The Fairmont State football team lost to Wheeling 28-24 on Saturday at Bishop Schmitt Field. The Falcons scored 21 unanswered points over three drives from late in the second quarter through the third, turning a 14-3 deficit into a 24-14 lead, but the Cardinals scored the only 14 points of the fourth quarter. The Falcons finished with 484 yards of offense, including 277 rushing yards, and held a 27-22 edge in first downs.
The Falcons turned
Gavin Smith's fourth-down interception and 40-yard return into the first points of the quarter, but the Cardinals answered late to leave the Falcons trailing 7-3 after the first quarter. To start the game,
Ty'Rek Spikes' 33-yard kickoff return helped the Falcons start at their 35, and
Ethan Vargo-Thomas later flipped field position with a 46-yard punt to the Cardinals' 4.
After the Cardinals drove to the Falcons' 30, Smith's takeaway gave the Falcons the ball at their 45, and
Nino Marzullo completed passes to
Fred Highsmith and
Gage Michael around runs of 20 yards by
James Borbor and 12 by Marzullo before
Emmanuel Richardson made a 40-yard field goal at 5:09.
The Cardinals went back in front with a 25-yard touchdown pass and extra point with 1:51 left, and the Falcons responded from their 6 with first downs on
Deven Sisler's 9-yard pass to
Eli Sibley and
Rickey Hunt Jr.'s 9-yard run before the quarter ended at the Falcons' 42.
In the second quarter, after the Cardinals' 6:46 touchdown, the Falcons answered with a four-play, 78-yard drive, as
Ty'Rek Spikes opened it with a 17-yard run, Marzullo hit Michael for 34 yards and Marzullo finished with a 25-yard touchdown run at 5:09 before Richardson's PAT made it 14-10. Earlier in the second, the Falcons sustained an opening possession with third-down runs by
Elijah Tidwell and Borbor and completions from Sisler to Highsmith and
Ralo Wesley, but the drive ended with Richardson's missed 25-yard field goal.
The Cardinals then moved 80 yards for a touchdown, with Falcons penalties helping the home team reach the 2-yard line before Landon Lutz scored. After the Falcons' touchdown, the defense forced two Cardinals punts, including one after
Marshall Milam II dropped Ayden McKinstry for a loss on third-and-19, and Vargo-Thomas added a 54-yard punt to pin the Cardinals at their 19. The Falcons finished the quarter with 65 rushing yards, 73 passing yards and eight first downs in the segment, but the Cardinals carried a 14-10 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Falcons flipped a 14-10 deficit, taking the lead on Marzullo's 47-yard touchdown pass to Wesley at 12:26 and finishing the quarter ahead 24-14. Early in the third, the defense opened the half with a three-and-out, and after the Wesley score,
Quadir Lockett-Smith added a sack and
Gavin Smith broke up a third-down pass to help force another Cardinals punt.
The Falcons came up short on a fourth-down try at the Cardinals' 31, but the defense answered by stopping the Cardinals' fourth-down attempt at the Falcons' 29 with 4:13 left after
Karron Watties forced a fumble earlier in the drive. The offense then put together a 68-yard drive, converting through the air to Borbor, Michael and
Jules Alvarado before Marzullo ran 17 yards for a touchdown with eight seconds remaining. The Falcons totaled 150 yards in the quarter, went 3-for-4 on third down and held the Cardinals scoreless in the segment.
In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals cut the Falcons' lead to 24-21 on a 5-yard touchdown pass at 13:15 after
Gavin Smith broke up a pass near the goal line two plays before the score. The Falcons followed with a 13-play, 56-yard drive built on the run, including first-down carries by
Rickey Hunt Jr., Marzullo and Borbor, before Richardson's 41-yard field-goal attempt missed with 7:52 remaining.
The Cardinals then drove 78 yards and took a 28-24 lead on Landon Lutz's 7-yard touchdown run and the extra point with 2:53 left. Borbor helped the Falcons move from their 25 to the Cardinals' 23 on the final possession, including an 11-yard run and a 30-yard gain, but the Cardinals ran out the clock after the turnover on downs to finish the game at 28-24.
Marzullo completed 11 of 18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 87 yards and two scores on 10 carries. Borbor ran for 106 yards on 14 carries and added two receptions for 8 yards. Wesley caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Gavin Smith recorded an interception with a 40-yard return and added three tackles.
Fairmont State (0-4, 0-1) returns to campus on Saturday, September 26 as it welcomes West Virginia State University to Duvall-Rosier Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
