Wesleyan football ended its season at Cebe Ross Field, Saturday, falling to Glenville State University 42-23.
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It was senior day for the football team, the Wesleyan athletic trainers and graduating members of the Bobcat band and dance team.
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The game's lopsided ending did not reflect a battle that was full of big plays on both sides of the ball.
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After the Pioneers took a 7-point lead with 3:03 left in the first quarter on a Zavione Wood 3-yard run, the Bobcats responded, going 65 yards in seven plays to tie the score when tight end
Max Rocco grabbed a 17-yard
Nathan Payne pass in the corner of the end zone to record his first touchdown of the year.
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The Pioneers countered with a Markquan Rucker 3-yard touchdown run four minutes into the second quarter, then Wesleyan again tied it when wideout
Wesley Sweeney caught a 9-yard score with 3:27 left before the half.
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Glenville drove 70 yards on its ensuing possession and had a first-and-ten from the Bobcat one yard line with 30 seconds on the clock. A fumbled snap that the Pioneers recovered at the 12 set up the last attempt at a touchdown before the break, but Wesleyan's
Victor Georges intercepted a Anthony Garrett pass in the end zone as time expired and the game remained tied at 14.
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The Pioneers opened the second half with a big-play 35-yard touchdown pass from Garrett to Kordell Lewis just 78 seconds after the kickoff.
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The Bobcats responded by going 71 yards to set up a successful 26-yard field goal by
Cam Ceccotti to make the score 21-17.
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But Glenville countered with a pair of consecutive rushing touchdowns, a 9-yarder by Wood and a 4-yarder by Rucker for a 35-17 lead with 5:49 remaining.
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Payne then threw a 62-yard bomb to receiver
Joseph Triplett to pull the Bobcats within 12 but Glenville countered with its own bomb, a 56-yarder to Tariq Miller with 2:43 remaining to end all scoring.
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For the year, Payne led the Bobcats in passing with 1,360 yards on 121-of-206 completions, 12 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
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Kevin Mitchell led the ground game, rushing for 2 touchdowns and 212 yards on 68 carries.
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Sweeney grabbed 40 passes for 467 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead all receivers.
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The Bobcats ended 2024 without a win, going 0-11.
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