INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Wesleyan (0-1) football team opened the season with a 38-13 defeat at West Virginia State (1-0) at Lakin Field at Dickerson Stadium on Saturday (March 13). 
 
Leaders for WVWC
Mason Brubeck hauled in five receptions for 57 yards and had a rushing touchdown. Devin Taylor and Kenny Lewis Jr. combined for 179 kick return yards. 
 
Grant Safford led the Bobcats with nine tackles including one for loss. Mike Sawyer made eight tackles (six solo). 
 
Leaders for West Virginia State
Dant'e Jones scored four total touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving). Donovan Riddick threw for 199 yards and a touchdown. 
 
Dustin Crouser recorded a game-high 10 tackles. 
 
Inside the First Half
Lewis Jr. returned the opening kickoff 72 yards to the WVSU 20-yard line. The ensuing Bobcat drive stalled and the Yellow Jackets took over on downs. 
 
Jones helped West Virginia State get on the board first with a 2-yard touchdown run at the 3:05 mark of the opening quarter. The Yellow Jackets began the second quarter with a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jakar Tucker. 
 
Trailing 14-0, WVWC put together a drive. Briar Wilfong floated a pass and Lewis Jr. made an incredible snag at the 1-yard line. Brubeck punched it in on the ground for the first Bobcat touchdown of the season with 11:35 left in the second quarter. 
 
The Yellow Jackets answered with a drive capped off by a 39-yard field goal by Mart Ahlstroem as the home team led 17-7 with 8:52 remaining in the first half. 
 
Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown to bring Wesleyan within the score at 17-13. 
 
WVSU scored just before halftime on a Jones touchdown run from three yards away to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 24-13 at halftime. 
 
Inside the Second Half
West Virginia State found paydirt on the opening drive of the second half after Riddick found Jones on a 19-yard touchdown pass. After an interception, the Yellow Jackets found the end zone again on a 1-yard rumble by Jones as WVWC trailed 38-13 with 3:41 to go in the third quarter. 
 
Up Next
The Bobcats head south to UNC Pembroke for a 12 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, March 20. This season marks the first for the Braves as a Mountain East Conference affiliate member in football.