Wheeling Park's Steven Mitchell scores a touchown with 38 seconds left to defeat University on Friday.

MORGANTOWN — Just last year, running back Kenya Robinson wasn’t even in the school system. Now, he is in the Wheeling Park record books.

The transfer from St. Clairsville broke the school record for carries in a game with 40 and rumbled for 220 yards to lead the Patriots to a classic, 45-38 comeback victory against a stunned University team at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium on Friday night.

The record was held by Jay Johnson, who turned in 38 carries in a game in 1998.

“I never thought I would get that many carries or that many yards,” Robinson said. “It’s really exciting.

“I just wanted to stay focused and finish out the game.

“I didn’t think I would start up here. I thought I would play receiver but now I’m at the running back position and I guess I’m doing well.”

Wheeling Park starting tailback Rapheal Bradley went down with a minor injury early in the action and Robinson was there to step up.

“I didn’t know we ran the ball that many times,” Park coach Chris Daugherty said. “Raph got hurt and they had been sharing time but with them and Steven Mitchell, we feel we have three good tailbacks and that showed (Friday).”

As the two high-powered offenses clashed all night, the game-changing play was made on the defensive end when Park linebacker Jermain Snodgrass dove on a loose ball with 2:38 left in the game and his squad trailing by five.

The Patriots took over at the University 41-yard line and thanks to a fourth-down conversion by Robinson, tailback Steven Mitchell finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left to play to give Park a 39-38 edge.

Mitchell hadn’t even touched the ball until the fourth quarter but he performed when it mattered most.

“I think it says a lot about a sophomore,” Daugherty said of Mitchell’s breakthrough performance.

Wheeling Park’s Aden Edgmom supplied the finishing touch as he collected a fumble and raced 20 yards for a score as time expired and the Patriots stormed the field.

“At the end, you could tell this game was going to be made with one play,” Daugherty said. “Thank God it was our play to be had. Last year it was their play. This game was identical to last year at the island but the difference was we lost and this time we won, so that feels good.”

Before the late heroics, the Patriots were held in check during the third quarter and fell behind 38-27 with 8:25 remaining.

However, Daugherty’s group rallied for the final 18 points to cap off a memorable night.

“We talk about adversity all the time,” Daugherty said. “We knew there was going to be a time where their quarterback (Logan Holgorsen) was going to make plays and Amir (Richardson) was going to make catches. There is no way you are stopping those two.

“They made their plays but we said we have to stay calm in the middle of that storm. I was proud of the way our kids kept coming back.”

Both offenses are among the best in the state but have much different styles. They were on display.

The Patriots rushed for 371 yards on 66 carries and gained 449 total yards, while the Hawks garnered 338 yards through the air and finished with 382 total yards of offense.

“It’s a heart-breaking loss,” University coach John Kelley said. “I credit (Coach) Daugherty and his group. They never quit. I thought we had the game won but unfortunately we fumbled and weren’t able to put the game away.

“You can’t stop our offense but our problem is our inablility to get our offense back on the field. But (Friday) we played good enough defense to win the game but we just didn’t put them away.”

It didn’t take long for the scoreboard to light up as Wheeling Park took possession first and Alex Dunlevy finished a 53-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown strike to Devaughn McWhorter.

The Hawks answered in no time as they started in Park territory and Bowling Green commit Logan Holgorsen found Evan Parow for a 3-yard touchdown to knot the score.

Parow and Holgorsen hooked up again for a 28-yard score with 4:09 reading in the first.

Parow finished with a game-high nine catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns, while Holgorsen impressed with five touchdown passes and 338 yards.

Robinson deadlocked the score late in the first with a 12-yard touchdown.

The defenses picked up in the second quarter as each team was held to one score. Dunlevy found paydirt on the ground from 8 yards out and West Virginia University commit Amir Richardson made a sensational catch for a 24-yard TD from Holgorsen.

University outscored Park 10-0 in the third on a 32-yard field goal by Jonah Phares and another Holgorsen-to-Richardson connection.

Mitchell picked up a pair of crucial first downs on fourth and third downs during Park’s initial drive of the final quarter.

Dunlevy finished what his teammate started with a 17-yard scamper to the end zone to get within 31-27.

The Hawks looked to put the game away on the next drive as Holgorsen sent a dump off pass to Parow, who brought it in with one hand and was off to the races for a 58-yard gain. On the next play, Parow reeled in a 9-yard touchdown pass that seemed likely to secure a victory.

Park had other plans.

Dunlevy led an 80-yard march, only needing two completions to get the job done as Daugherty never panicked with his explosive rushing attack.

“We thought we had to stick to the run game,” Daugherty said. “We didn’t want to get out of what we knew we could do.

“We thought we had enough time to stick to the run and we just said ‘don’t panic’.

“That’s why you play the game. High school football might be some of the best football out there. (Friday), everybody who paid to watch this game got their money’s worth.”

The Patriots’ big plays on defense completed the comeback and kept the perfect 3-0 season alive.

McWhorter provided two sacks and Dylan Wood added another for the Park defense.

Wheeling Park 45, University 38

Wheeling Park 14 7 0 24 — 45

University 14 7 10 7 — 38

W — McWhorter 35 pass from Dunlevy (Glass kick), 10:21

U — Parow 3 pass from Holgorsen (Phares kick), 8:58

U — Parow 28 pass from Holgorsen (Phares kick), 4:09

W — Robinson 12 run (Glass kick), 2:25

W — Dunlevy 8 run (Glass kick), 4:49

U — Richardson 24 pass from Holgorsen (Phares kick), :38

U — Phares 32 FG, 8:40

U — Richardson 11 pass from Holgorsen (Phares kick), :28

W — Dunlevy 17 run (kick failed), 8:25

U — Parow 9 pass from Holgorsen (Phares kick), 7:39

W — McWhorter 9 pass from Dunlevy (run failed), 3:47

W — Mitchell 10 run (pass failed), :37

W — Edgmom 20 fumble return, :00

Rushing:Wheeling Park 66-371-4td (Robinson 40-220-td, Bradley 5-39, Dunlevy 9-61-2td, McWhorter 1-1, Mitchell 11-50-td). University 28-44 (Gribble 13-10, Holgorsen 12-26, Williams 2-2, Parow 1-6).

Passing: Wheeling Park 5-7-78-2td (all by Dunlevy). University 18-30-338-5td (all by Holgorsen).

Receiving: Wheeling Park 5-78-2td (McWhorter 3-60-2td, Stakem 2-38). University 18-338-5td (Richardson 5-88-2td, Parow 9-178-3td, Spearen 3-63, Cottrell 1-11).

First Downs: Wheeling Park 22, University 24.

Penalties: Wheeling Park 11-110, University 5-40.

Fumbles: Wheeling Park 2-0, University 1-1.