ELKVIEW, W.Va. – The Emory & Henry University Football Team (1-0) got the 2025 season underway with a convincing non-conference win over Glenville State University (0-1) Saturday afternoon. The Wasps took an early 17-0 advantage and never looked back, as they ran all over the Pioneers on their way to a dominant 45-17 victory. The game was played at a neutral site on the campus of Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview, West Virginia. This is the second consecutive season that E&H has defeated Glenville State to open the year after beating the Pioneers by a 38-7 margin at Fred Selfe Stadium to start the 2024 campaign.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 45, Glenville State 17
LOCATION – Elkview, West Virginia
VENUE – Herbert Hoover Stadium
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-0, 0-0 SAC); Glenville State (0-1, 0-0 MEC)
How It Happened
The two teams exchanged punts to begin the game, but the Wasps got their offense going on their second possession. E&H marched down the field as they put together a 10 play, 85 yard drive capped off by a three-yard scamper into the end zone by senior quarterback Charles Mutter, III (King George, Va.) to give the visitors from Emory an early 7-0 lead.
The Emory & Henry defense picked up where it left off to end the 2024 season on the ensuing GSU possession as senior defensive back Shawn Collins (Salem, Va.) picked off a pass from quarterback Anthony Garrett to set the Wasps up with the ball once more. E&H wasted no time as senior running back Jordan Jackson (Richmond, Va.) broke free two plays later for a 67-yard touchdown gallop to push the Wasps' advantage out to 14-0 through the opening 10 minutes of play.
Both offenses stalled through the latter stages of the first quarter, but a 26-yard punt return from senior wide receiver Cam Peoples (Reidsville, N.C.) put the Wasps in business to begin the second stanza. The E&H drive would stall at the GSU 17 and senior kicker Trace Butcher (Dacula, Ga.) drilled a 34-yard field goal through the uprights to make it a 17-0 game in favor of the Wasps.
The Pioneers had an answer with their next possession of the ball, driving 75 yards on just three plays to find the end zone on a 17-yard pass from Garrett to Jeremiah King to trim the deficit to 17-7 with 13 minutes remaining in the half.
Emory & Henry responded with another scoring drive, this time through the air, as Mutter found redshirt freshman wide receiver Parker Prioleau (Radford, Va.) for a 32-yard catch and run to balloon the Wasps' advantage out to 24-7. GSU would put together an 11-play, 52 yard drive near the end of the frame resulting in a 30-yard field goal by Brody Layman to make the score 24-10 heading into the halftime break.
GSU came out of the break firing on all cylinders offensively, driving 80 yards on eight plays to find paydirt on a 36-yard pass from Garrett to Tariq Miller to close within seven at 24-17. After an E&H punt, the Pioneers were forced to attempt to kick the ball away but redshirt freshman defensive back D.J. Ferrell (Cocoa, Fla.) sprinted around the GSU line and blocked the punt. Sophomore linebacker Trey McBride (Dinwiddie, Va.) scooped up the loose ball and ran into the end zone for the special teams score to make it 31-17 Wasps.
Both squads were kept off the scoreboard until the early stages of the fourth when E&H would strike again. The Wasps strung together another long drive, going 58 yards on nine plays. Mutter found the end zone on the ground for the second time of the afternoon as he strolled in from 20 yards out to run the Emory & Henry lead to 38-17.
E&H put the finishing touches on the convincing season-opening win with yet another long drive, this one of an 11-play, 63 yard variety. Mutter found sophomore wide receiver Gabe Karstaedt (Leesburg, Va.) for a nine-yard touchdown to send the score to its final at 45-17.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
Mutter was 11-for-26 through the air for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding 46 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
Jackson had a monster day on the ground as he rushed for 226 yards on 26 carries and added a pair of receptions for nine yards. Junior running back Rudolph Paul (Douglasville, Ga.) finished with 26 yards on six carries and had one catch for five yards.
Prioleau led the receiving corps with 47 yards on a pair of catches for the touchdown while sophomore wide receiver Tristan Stitt (Indian Trail, N.C.) added 28 yards on a pair of receptions. Karstaedt scored the touchdown on his lone catch of the day.
Defensively, senior defensive back Tyreon Porter (Charlotte, N.C.) had a team-high nine tackles and two pass breakups while McBride had seven tackles and the special teams touchdown. Senior linebacker Kasey Branch (Waynesboro, Va.) recorded five tackles and fellow senior linebacker A.J. Burgess (Roxboro, N.C.) contributed four stops.
Glenville State Individual Leaders
Garrett threw for 210 yards on 18-for-33 passing, but turned the ball over twice with a pair of interceptions. Tariq Miller had five catches for 64 yards and a score while Jeremiah King went for 22 yards on three receptions and a touchdown.
King led the Pioneers on the ground with 44 yards on 20 attempts and Garrett added 22 yards on four carries.
Brandon Penn paced the Pioneers defensively, finishing with nine stops while Tank Gant had eight tackles, 1.5 for loss. Jamar Grimball had four tackles and a sack while Sean Scott added six tackles, one for loss.
A Deeper Look
Emory & Henry finished with 414 yards of total offense on 69 plays, including rushing for 296 yards on 43 attempts. It is the most rushing yards in a game for the Wasps in the Division II era, and most since rushing for 342 yards in a 66-13 win over Guilford College during the 2021 season. The Pioneers had 293 yards on 65 plays from scrimmage.
The Wasps were 7-for-15 (47%) on third-down while GSU converted just 27% (4-for-15) of their third-down chances.
E&H forced a pair of turnovers without coughing up the ball themselves.
Emory & Henry won the time of possession battle as the Wasps held the ball for 33:42, compared to 26:18 for the Pioneers.
Up Next
Emory & Henry gets the 2025 South Atlantic Conference and home slate underway on Saturday, September 6 when the Wasps host Catawba College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Fred Selfe Stadium at Nicewonder Field.
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