GLENVILLE — Following a 36-22 setback at UNC Pembroke last week, Glenville State will look to get back on track at noon Saturday when Wheeling invades for a Mountain East Conference showdown.

The Cardinals (1-2, 1-1) lost their opener on Sept. 2 at Seton Hill, 16-14, and then followed that up with a solid showing the following Thursday in a 31-15 setback to Notre Dame. Last Saturday, the Cardinals finally got in the win column thanks to a 28-6 triumph versus Alderson Broaddus.

GSC (1-1, 1-1) head coach Mike Kellar’s squad jumped out to a 14-0 lead last weekend against the Braves, only to see the hosts tie it up and then go ahead 24-14 at halftime thanks in part to an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown.

“We blocked a punt ourselves (Cole Hughart recovered by Ben Kee) and threw the TD (23 yards from Tim Heltzel to Orion Bonner) and got the two (Javon Butler catch) and cut it to eight (at 30-22 with 9:20 left to play),” coach Kellar said. “It was a really good football game.

“We gave up a couple big plays with our punt team and a return and offensively we turned it over (four times). To go on the road and make those kind of mistakes and only lose by 14, it shows that we do have a good football team if we ever grow up and learn to handle adversity a little bit better and play a little bit cleaner game.”

That’s exactly what the G-men are looking for on Hall of Fame weekend as the 2020 class of Larry Gandee, Mark Reger, Jim Carter, Lloyd Willis, Andy Jarrell and Monique Johnson will be enshrined into the Curtis Elam Athletic HOF.

Heltzel, who hooked up with Butler on a 77-yard TD strike on the third play of the game that was followed by a Bernard Dankyi 3-yard scoring run for the quick 14-0 lead, is expected to start. DeAndre Clayton is taking reps at signal-caller but is still dealing with a thumb issue.

“He’s not throwing,” added coach Kellar. “We’ll dress him up this game. He says he’s improved a little bit each day. It’s a weird injury. If he gets strength back in it then he can throw again.”

The Pioneer defense was on the field for 76 plays last week. Jonathan St. Jacque recorded his MEC-leading fifth sack. Seth Arnold (9 tackles per game) and Shaun Sterling (8.5 tpg) rank third and tied for fourth, respectively, in the MEC.

In the Cardinals’ win last week, Trent Jackson hit on 13 of 22 passes for 155 yards, but Brennon Norris also received his first action of the season and went 12 of 17 for 140 yards.

GSC’s defense will have to keep an eye on Wheeling tailback Sy Alli. Lowell Patron had 10 catches for 177 yards and two scores last week. Monroe Central graduate Ryan LaFollette had eight grabs for 59 stripes and one touchdown versus AB.

Getting the run game going is still something the G-men are looking to do. Last week, they ran 36 times for 25 yards with Alfred Menjor going for 22 stripes on a dozen totes.

“I think they’ve learned by seeing some reads they are missing,” Kellar noted. “We are really blocking a lot better than people realize. We’re not getting the production we want out of the run game yet, but it’s closer to hitting.

“We’ve got to stick with it. We’re obviously going to need to run the football to have a good football team.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com