Local Sports, Morgantown, Sports

Woodrow Wilson shuts down Morgantown’s 2-point conversion in OT to earn 28-27 win

By GARY FAUBER, The Register Herald

BECKLEY — Elijah Redfern dropped Brodrick Washington on a two-point conversion run in overtime to preserve Woodrow Wilson’s 28-27 win over Morgantown Friday at Van Meter Stadium.

Tied 21-21 after regulation, Matthew Moore put the Flying Eagles ahead with a 20-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime. Connor Mollohan’s PAT made it a seven-point game.

After getting to the one on their first OT play, the Mohigans gave the ball to Jarrett Lawrence, who brought the ball in to make the score 28-27. Morgantown elected to go for two, but Redfern cut Washington down at the eight-yard line to end the game.

“We were kind of depleted in the backfield. We were running out of backs and we figured if we had to go another offensive series we might not have enough guys in there, so we just decided we were going to go for it,” Morgantown coach Sean Biser said. “We called a play that had been working all night, they made a great play and hats off to them.”

Woodrow (2-2) overcame four turnovers. Morgantown (1-3) was only able to convert one into points — the first touchdown of the game, a 38-yard touchdown pass from Maddox Bowers to Jarrett Lawrence after an interception in the game’s first two minutes to put the Mohigans ahead 7-0 at the 10:15 mark.

After that, Woodrow changed its offensive attack and put Redfern at quarterback. Regular starter Maddex McMillen lined up as a ball carrier.

The Eagles moved the ball well in the scheme, with Moore, Jay Jones and McMillen running effectively through the night. The turnovers proved costly until the overtime finish.

“We prepared for it. We just didn’t play well,” Biser said.

Morgantown led 14-13 after the third quarter and went ahead 21-13 on Lawrence’s 24-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Woodrow later got the ball at its 44 with 7:44 to play and inserted McMillen back in at quarterback. The shift worked, with McMillen hitting a wide open Keynan Cook in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown. Moore ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21 with 4:07 left.

On the next drive, Cook intercepted Bowers at the Woodrow 49 and returned it to Morgantown’s 32. The ensuing series saw Woodrow line up for a 43-yard field goal attempt, but Mollohan’s kick was wide right.

Morgantown ran out the clock to set up overtime.

The Mohigans will host Musselman at 7 p.m. next Friday.