GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Junior quarterback
Brian Novak's hail mary attempt from the Glenville State 35-yard line fell incomplete on the game's final play as the Concord University football team was edged by Glenville State 30-25 in Mountain East Conference action Saturday at Morris Stadium.
The Pioneers (6-3, 5-3 MEC) scored with 16 seconds left in the game to take a five-point edge on Concord (4-5, 4-5 MEC).
Earlier in the fourth quarter, CU had taken its first lead of the game, 25-23, on back-to-back safeties.
The first safety was a product of senior linebacker
Austin Dotson blitzing Glenville State quarterback Dante Roberts in the end zone and forcing intentional grounding. The second two-point play was caused by a host of CU blitzers wrapping up Roberts in the back of the end zone and stripping him of the ball.
The Mountain Lions caught an unlucky break as the ball rolled out of the back of the end zone before a Mountain Lion could fall on it.
It was just wasn't a 23-21 hole Concord had to dig out of. Glenville State scored the game's first 20 points and led 20-0 with 3:29 left in the first half. However, CU got two quick touchdowns to cut the deficit to 20-14 at intermission.
Novak scrambled out of the pocket for his first rushing touchdown of the season, an eight-yard run, and senior linebacker
Cade Rogers blocked his second kick of the season on a punt attempt. Sophomore running back
Jamal Petty scooped up the errant punt and returned it 20 yards for a score.
The third quarter saw little drama as neither team put points on the scoreboard.
The Pioneers got a field goal with 8:29 remaining in the game to extend their lead to 23-14.
A completion to sophomore wide receiver
Jermeil Douse and senior wide receiver
Tiko Henderson set up a 32-yard touchdown run by senior running back
Calvinaugh Jones cut the deficit to 23-21 before chaos ensued over the game's final eight minutes.
Even after Roberts snuck the ball in from the one-yard line to take the lead with 16 seconds left, the Mountain Lions still had a great chance to win the game.
Novak quickly found Henderson for gains of 23 and 12 yards to set up a final heave towards the goal line.
CU sent three receivers running down the far side of the field and the ball fell into the hands of freshman quarterback
Justin Cogar, but several GSC defenders were able to punch the ball out of Cogar's hands as he fell on the goal line.
Jones finished the game with 130 yards rushing and a touchdown, giving him over 4,500 yards for his career.
Henderson caught six passes for a season-high 94 yards while Novak threw for 204 yards.
Defensively, Rogers collected a career-high 11 tackles while senior defensive end
Ervin Moore and Dotson finished with 10 and eight tackles respectively. Both Dotson and Moore went over 200 tackles for their careers.
Dotson now has 202 stops while Moore has 200 tackles.
Additionally, Moore collected his 20
th career sack in the fourth quarter.
CU closes the season at home against West Virginia State 12:00 p.m. Saturday.
Â
