Golden Bears suffer second loss

By Steve Keenan
Sports Editor

September 09, 2008 08:08 pm

— For lack of a couple of two-point conversions, WVU Tech narrowly missed evening its record at 1-1 last week.
The Golden Bears lost a hard-fought 28-19 verdict to Urbana (Ohio) University Saturday.
“The game was probably a lot closer than the score indicated,” said Tech coach Scott Tinsley. “We had a chance to tie it up at 14-all but went for two and didn’t get it.
“They went down and scored and made it (the deficit) eight, and we scored again and missed another two-pointer. Our two-point conversions put us in a hole.”
On the day, Tech freshman quarterback Michael Scott had a team-best 61 rushing yards and completed 18 of 40 passes for 198 yards. Three of the tosses went for scores, as Mervin Johnson snagged a 17-yard TD pass with 4:31 to go in the second quarter, Patrick Evans hauled in a 9-yarder early in the final period and Rashard Gould caught a 9-yarder with 5:24 left.
Scott had two passes intercepted.
Running back Josh Culbertson gained 32 rushing yards in about a half of action.
Tech held a 21-18 edge in first downs and accumulated 300 total yards compared to 310 for the Blue Knights (1-1).
Gary Joshway, who moved over from receiver at the start of the 2008 season, intercepted two Urbana passes for the Bear defense. Joshway also caught a 15-yard pass for the Tech offense.
“Gary had two interceptions for us and he caught a big ball on offense,” said Tinsley. “There may be guys spelling both ways, since we’re so thin at the skill positions.”
With seven receptions for 88 yards, Johnson was Tech’s leading receiver. Patrick Evans caught four for 48 yards.
Urbana’s Kirk Hannah rushed 29 times for 180 yards, including a 20-yard TD run with 1:56 left that iced the triumph.
“We put our defense in some bad, bad spots, but they have really played well,” said Tinsley. “Offensively, we’re just not getting it done.”
Tech has this weekend off before traveling to play UVA-Wise on Sept. 20.
“We needed it,” Tinsley said of the idle date. “We’re in the middle of overcoming some adversity (leading receiver candidate Chris Fulmer was apparently lost for the season due to eligibility issues and other players have missed some time for the same reason, as well as injuries).
“We need to regroup a little.”
— E-mail: skeenan@register-herald.com