INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Liberty University quarterback Dakota Conwell scored on a dazzling 33-yard touchdown run with just 90 seconds remaining Saturday afternoon to give the Hilltoppers a wild 42-36 come-from-behind victory against West Virginia State in a mutual regular-season finale at Lakin Field.
The run capped an incredible afternoon for the junior signalcaller, who threw for 280 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns while rushing for 134 more yards and another score. In all, Conwell accounted for 414 of WLU’s 453 yards of total offense on the day.
Conwell’s spectacular late scoring dash gave West Liberty (5-6, 5-5) its first lead of the day but the Yellow Jackets (5-6, 5-5) weren’t finished.
Quarterback Matt Kinnick led the hosts on a desperation drive deep into WLU territory in the waning seconds. State picked up a first-down at the West Liberty 12 with 7 seconds left but two passes into the end zone fell incomplete as the Hilltoppers held on for the win.
The Black and Gold dug itself into an early hole with four first-half turnovers but the defense hung tough, forcing the Yellow Jackets to settle for five Anthony Herrera field goals and a 22-13 lead at the break.
State pushed the count to 29-13 midway through the third quarter on a short TD run by Kelvit Barrett but Conwell found speedy WR Anton McCallum behind the WVSU secondary for a 70-yard score just three snaps later, trimming the margin to 29-20.
Conwell opened the fourth quarter with his third TD toss of the afternoon, a 28-yarder to WR Max Kapron but State answered with a 4-yard TD burst by Tyrone Barber to make it a two-possession game again, 36-27, with a little more than 10 minutes to play.
The Hilltoppers drove right back down the field with Conwell finding senior TE Daree Goodwin from 12 yards out for Goodwin’s second TD grab of the day – and MEC-best 13th of the season – to make it 36-34 with 7:03 remaining.
State picked up a couple of first downs but the WLU defense stiffened near midfield to force a punt, setting up what proved to be West Liberty’s game-winning drive.
Conwell completed 14-of-24 passes for 280 yards and 5 TDs and led the WLU rushing attack with 23 carries for 134 yards. McCallum, who had TD grabs of 63 and 70 yards, finished with 151 yards on 4 catches to lead the Hilltopper receiving corps. Goodwin had four catches for 42 yards to go over the 900-yard mark for the season in the final game of his career.
The Yellow Jackets’ Kinnick completed 25-of-47 passes for 353 yards and a TD, putting him over 3,000 yards for the season. Quinton Gray led State’s receivers with 8 catches for 161 yards and a score.
