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WHEELING -- What began as a slow-paced, defensive slugfest turned into an absolute classic rivalry game Saturday afternoon as the Wheeling Cardinals defeated West Liberty University 26-20 in overtime at Bishop Schmitt Field.
The Hilltoppers (4-4, 4-3 MEC) at one point led the Cardinals 20-7 in the fourth quarter but saw their chances to win the game slip through their fingers late in the contest.
"You've got to take advantage of the opportunities that you have, and we didn't take advantage of the opportunities we had," said WLU coach Roger Waialae. "Our kids fought, that's gonna happen in a close game."
With less than 10 minutes left to play, the Hilltoppers held a 20-7 lead and were driving deep in Wheeling territory looking to put the game away. That's when sophomore cornerback Josiah Wright jumped a pass from WLU QB Jamie Diven in the flats and took it 70 yards the other way for a game-changing pick-six.
"They're going in, they're in the scoring zone where a field goal or a touchdown probably seals it," Wheeling coach Zac Bruney said. "But we made the play and it wasn't luck, it was just a great read and he jumped the route."
"(Diven) misread it," Waialae said. "He thought they'd be in man and they weren't in man."
That play changed the outlook of the game for the Cardinals (4-4, 4-3), who had looked sluggish through the first three quarters. Wheeling missed the extra point to make the score 20-13.
The Cardinals forced West Liberty to punt on their ensuing drive and took over with less than five minutes to play and a chance to tie the game.
Wheeling responded with a methodical, nine-play drive that traversed 56 yards and finished with running back Sy Alli bursting into the endzone. The point after tied the game at 20 and left two and a half minutes left on the clock for the Hilltoppers.
West Liberty used their final drive to give themselves another opportunity to end the game. The Hilltoppers worked down to Wheeling's 25-yard line, using up all the remaining time in doing so. They had the ball on the right hash with four seconds left to give junior kicker Owen Rozanc a try at a game-winning 42-yard field goal.
Rozanc pushed the ball just right as time expired as the game went into overtime.
"He likes the ball on the right hash and we ran it over there," Waialae said. "I've got the confidence and if the citation presents itself, I'd do it again."
WLU got the ball to start overtime and on their first play, Diven was intercepted by Wheeling cornerback Rich White. Needing just a field goal to win, Wheeling ran the ball with Alli four times and found the endzone to pull off the 26-20 comeback victory.
"They continue to fight," Bruney said. "They controlled their emotions and it was an emotional game. They were flat, the emotions made us flat but we just kept working, kept battling and made the plays we needed to win."
Bruney said Saturday's win mirrored the game between the two rivals from 2019, when West Liberty scored a touchdown with 30 seconds left to win by three points.
"In the '19 game, they won it kind of like this, a late score to win," Bruney said. "Today was what college football is all about."
West Liberty kicked two field goals and scored on a one-year Diven sneak in the first half. Diven also threw a touchdown to Isaiah Robinson in the third quarter and finished 17-of-34 for 204 yards with two interceptions. WLU running back Tyler Moler ran for 150 yards. Defensively, Trevor Hoosier picked up 1.5 sacks and Jason Mitchell had an interception.
"(It was) what we expected, we just didn't come out on top." Waialae said. "We're young in some places, we're experienced in some. At this time of the year, nobody's a freshman anymore, so they can't make freshman mistakes."
Wheeling scored their first touchdown just before halftime when quarterback Brennan Norris completed a 22-yard pass to Jake Keenan. Keenan fumbled the ball into the endzone, but Jalen Dickerson was able to fall on it for the score. Norris finished 17-of-33 for 176 yards. Alli ran 20 times for 87 yards and scored the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns. On defense, Wright and White had interceptions while Myck Brown recorded a sack.
"Both teams' defenses have been really good and it was a defensive slugfest," Bruney said. "They played a little bit better on offense than we did for 2 and a half, three quarters, but we made the plays when we needed to.
"It's a shame, either team could've walked off the field with a win today and there's nothing to be ashamed of on either side. We were just fortunate enough to win."