DALLAS — Wow.
That was the word from the crowd exiting Mountaineer Stadium Friday night as Meyers rallied back from a halftime deficit and used a Ken Macko 32-yard field goal with 43 seconds left to stun Dallas 36-35 in a game that featured almost 20 penalties and lasted more than three hours.
The Dallas offense, which had been shut out in its last two games, saw a change at starting quarterback as freshman Michael Starbuck really sparked the team. He completed his first five passes and 10 of 17 for more than 199 yards. As a team, the Mountaineers ran up 427 yards – 200 yards more than Meyers
But it was the explosive, fun-and-gun offense from the Mohawks that had the final laugh.
Down 35-33 with the time winding down, Meyers’ Safee Shivers intercepted a Starbuck pass to set the Mohawks up on the Mountaineer 32 with two minutes left. Three straight runs from quarterback Janssen Wilborn gave his team a first-and-10 on the 18.
Dallas’ defense was up to the task, stopping three straight Mohawk runs to set up a fourth-and-7 from the 15.
Macko entered, and calmly split the uprights, giving Meyers its first lead at 36-35.
The Mountaineers had one last attempt, but couldn’t get across the 50-yard line, falling to 1-5 on the season. With the victory, Meyers improves to 4-2.
Dallas opened the scoring in the first quarter, marching 74 yards in just six plays – most of them coming behind the legs of Hutchins. He carried the ball on five plays, the last one a 32-yard scamper to the end zone.
The Mountaineers grew the lead to 14-0 before Meyers responded with a 12-play drive, capped off by a Wilborn 11-yard pass to Willie Wallace.
The Mohawks, who didn’t score in the opening quarter again, put up 19 points in the second quarter and used a 90-yard kickoff return for a score by Wilborn to trim the Dallas lead to 21-19 at the break.
From there, it was a case of punch and counter-punch.
Dallas put together an eight-play drive, capped off by a Hutchins two-yard score.
Meyers needed just two plays to answer as a 60-yard run by Wilborn cut the lead to 28-26 with 5:36 left in the third.
The Mohawks, though, controlled the fourth quarter — outscoring the Mountaineers 10-0
Wallace hauled in another scoring pass from Wilborn, this time a 60-yard connection, as Meyers found itself down 35-33 with 11:50 left.
The Mohawk defense did its job in the final 12 minutes, holding Dallas to just one first down in the period.
Dallas’ Hutchins had a great game, running for three scores and 152 yards. Meyers’ Wilborn was just as sensational. He finished with a total of four touchdowns (two passing, one rushing, one special teams) and almost 200 yards of total offense.
Meyers 36, Dallas 35
MISSED FG’S: None
Records: M 4-2, D 1-5
Winner x, Loser x
Meyers`0`19`7`10`—`36
Dallas`14`7`14`0`—`35
M `0`19`7`10 – 36
D `14`7`15`0– 35
First quarter
D — Justin Hutchins 31 run (Nathan Maransky kick), 9:05
D — Chris Murray 65 pass from Michael Starbuck (Maransky kick), 4:12
Second quarter
M — Willie Wallace 11 pass from Janssen Wilborn (Ken Macko kick), 10:35
M — Khabir Williams 17 run (kick failed), 7:36
D — Hutchins 5 run (Maransky kick), 1:52
M — Wilborn 90 kickoff return (run failed), 1:38
Third quarter
D — Hutchins 2 run (Maransky kick), 6:40
M — Wilborn 60 run (Macko kick), 5:36
D — David Schuster 7 run (Maransky kick), 0:02
Fourth quarter
M — Wallace 60 pass from Wilborn (Macko kick), 11:50
M — Macko 32 field goal, 0:43
Team statistics`MEY`DAL
First Downs `7`14
Rushes-Yards `29-135 `46-228
Passing Yards `71`199
Total Yards `206`427
Passing `2-6-0`12-17-1
Sacked-Yards Lost `1-3`1-6
Punts-Average `4-28`1-31
Fumbles-Lost `3-1`2-1
Penalties-Yards `8-85`11-115
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — MEY, Janssen Wilborn 16-126, Khabir Williams 6-16, Reese Patronick 4-3, Namir Murphy 1-3, Nazir Dunell 1-1, Team 1-(-14). DAL, Justin Hutchins 21-152, David Schuster 13-53, Michael Starbuck 8-12, Taylor Bolesta 2-9, Stone Mannello 1-2.
PASSING — MEY, Wilborn 2-6-0-71 yards. DAL, Starbuck 10-17-1-199 yards.
RECEIVING — MEY, Willie Wallace 2-71. DAL, Bolesta 5-58, Chris Murray 3-80, Mannello 3-61.
INTERCEPTIONS — MEY, Safee Shivers.
