UNCP Braves look for breakthrough win at Wheeling in 3rd straight West Va. trip

WHEELING, W.Va. — For the third straight week, the UNC Pembroke football team spent its Friday on a lengthy bus ride to West Virginia. After trips to Charleston and Glenville State, Wheeling is this week’s destination — the Braves’ longest trip this season.

The last two trips, along with a home game against Wingate and a road trip to Fayetteville State, have all resulted in losses for the Braves, who have lost their first four games in a season for the first time in program history. Before returning home to Pembroke for next week’s game, UNCP looks to end that streak when they kick off against the Cardinals at noon Saturday.

“I think we’re all ready to not be on the bus for 10 hours, but it is what it is, it’s out of our control and all we can do is try to prepare the best we can to show up Saturday and try to play our best game,” Braves coach Mark Hall said.

The Braves (0-4, 0-2 Mountain East Conference) lost 14-7 last week at Glenville State, leading for much of the game before two second-half scores by the Pioneers that made the difference. The slow start comes after the Braves were picked to finish second in the MEC following a four-game win streak to finish last season at 7-3.

“You can’t come into the season expecting to be an 0-4 team, and obviously I think it was probably the most disappointing loss, so I think guys were down, but I think they’ve responded well,” Hall said. “Monday, a lot of sad people in the building, but Tuesday I think guys started to get it back, and we had a good two practices. So I think there’s some energy, these guys haven’t quit and I think if we can just get the first one, I think we can get it moving here a little bit.”

UNCP’s defense improved in last week’s game, allowing over 300 yards less than in the previous week’s 58-36 loss at Charleston, and look to continue that level of defensive play moving forward.

“They played with good energy, they flew around, they battled,” Hall said. “You give up 14 points, you should win the football game. So I was proud of those guys. I know they were disappointed, because they did improve and they weren’t able to get it done. I think if we play that way the rest of the season, we’ll be in good shape.”

Wheeling (2-2, 1-1 MEC) scored seven touchdowns in a high-scoring, 52-49 loss at home against Fairmont State; the Cardinals beat their previous two opponents, with a 14-10 win at nonconference foe Walsh before winning 52-14 at West Virginia Wesleyan to open MEC play, and also previously lost a nonconference tilt 28-25 to Mercyhurst.

Veteran quarterback Javon Davis has throw for 894 yards and nine touchdowns for Wheeling this season, with key targets that include Tre Holloway (17 receptions, 283 yards, three touchdowns) and Chris Charles (16 receptions, 254 yards, one touchdown). Charles, a West Liberty transfer, caught four passes for 104 yards last week.

Steven Mitchell (297 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and Dawaun Green (219 yards, three touchdowns) are the Cardinals’ leading rushers.

“They’ve got some good skill kids,” Hall said. “They’ve got a transfer kid in that was one of the leading receivers in the conference at West Liberty, he’s been a nice addition to their team on top of the kids they have. The quarterback is an upperclassmen now, so he’s playing pretty well. They do a lot of good stuff scheme-wise too, so it’s going to be a tough matchup for us.”

UNCP’s offense looks to rebound after a seven-point output last week, gaining just 206 yards at Glenville State. They’ll face a Cardinals defense that has allowed 248.5 pass yards per game this season, including 435 against Fairmont State last week.

“They play a lot of coverages that could be beneficial for us — but we’ve got to get the run game going,” Hall said. “I think that’s something, the QB run game is such a big part of what we do.”

The programs had never met before 2021, but have met each year since as MEC foes. UNCP has won all three games in the series thus far, with two close victories before a 41-20 win last year in Pembroke.