Charleston, W. Va –The Golden Eagles ended their 2022 season with a freezing matchup against cross-town rival West Virginia State. Going into this game, Charleston had won their last three matches with a scoring margin of 136-40, but the Yellow Jackets came prepared to Laidley Field. 
 
The Basics
Location: UC Stadium at Laidley Field
Score: UC 35, WVSU 42
Records: UC (6-5, 6-4 MEC), WVSU (7-4, 6-4 MEC) 
 
How it Happened
West Virginia State was firing on all cylinders in the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets scored on their first two drives of the ball game. The first was capped off with a 28-yard reception in the endzone from Donovan Riddick to Barry Hill for the early 7-0 lead. The second score came on a 69-yard rushing touchdown from Joel Felder to extend the lead to 14-0. 
 
Just minutes before the end of the first quarter, the Golden Eagles found their first points of the day as Chavon Wright ran the ball in from 9 yards out to cut the deficit to a one possession game. 
 
In the second quarter, Charleston would tie the game up 14-14 after Davis Black threw a dime to Niko Kausky who caught the ball over his shoulder in the endzone for the touchdown with 12:29 remaining in the half. 
 
Using the momentum, the defense snuffed out the next West Virginia State drive. John Pennington elected to go for a 4^th and 2 conversion from their own 33-yard line and the Golden Eagles forced the turnover on downs. One play later, Chavon Wright found himself back in the endzone to take the lead with an 18-yard rush. 
 
On Charleston's next drive, Wright would score his 3^rd rushing score of the day from 11 yards away to cushion the Golden Eagle lead 28-14. This would mark Wright's 17^th touchdown on the year, making him the team's scoring leader on the year.
 
With seconds left in the half, the Yellow Jackets lined up for a mid-range field goal to try and put some points on the board before the break. The snapped went through the hands of the holder and the scramble was on. Keedrick Cunningham would throw the ball down field to a wide-open Corlyn Witcher as he would take it to the two-yard line with two seconds left on the clock. The Yellow Jackets turned a potential nightmare into a touchdown as Riddick rushed into the endzone to make the score 28-21 going into the locker room. 
 
After the break, the Yellow Jackets would score on their opening possession with a long drive down field that ended with another Riddick rushing score to tie the game up at 28-28. State would then proceed to take the lead on a 37-yard catch and run from Barry Hill once again to take the lead back at 35-28. 
 
With a stalling offense and just seconds on the clock, Tae Marrero took matters into his own hands as he took a punt return to the house from 59 yards away to knot things up once again at 35-35. 
 
In the fourth quarter of play, State would score the go-ahead, and ultimately deciding touchdown on their first drive. From their own 24-yard line, they marched downfield and Barry Hill would throw the ball Donovan Riddick in the endzone from 11 yards away on a trick-play to take the 42-35 lead. 
 
Charleston put together a promising drive that would result in a punt from Hayden Pack that was downed at the 4-yard line that would surely give them another chance on offense with three timeouts. On the first play of the drive, Felder would run 75 yards downfield and put the game out of reach as the Yellow Jackets took the 42-35 win.