Photo by Joe Lovell The Wheeling Miners’ Grant Russell, pictured, attempts a pass while scrambling away from Colorado Spartans defensive lineman Sam Hammond. Russell accounted for six total touchdowns in a high scoring season opener inside WesBanco Arena.

WHEELING — The Wheeling Miners’ season opener plenty of pageantry and plenty of points– and nearly had a dramatic Miners comeback victory, one fourth-down stop away from getting the ball back at midfield with 30 seconds to play against the visiting Colorado Spartans inside WesBanco Arena

Wheeling’s shot at the win was squashed by a tricky throwback pass to a Spartans lineman, the yardage enough for a game-sealing first down in a game where stops were hard to come by, Colorado winning 49-44.

Before the game, the Miners raised their championship banner from last year’s undefeated season in the AAL2 up to the rafters, and introduced their starters with a pyrotechnic show. Former Steelers Merril Hoge, Bubby Brister, Louis Lipps and Brian Blankenship were at midfield for the coin toss. They also had a meet-and-greet before the game.

The Spartans attempted seven passes all game, but found plenty of success on the ground across short fields. Colorado quarterback Aaron Aiken finished with six rushing touchdowns, three of one yard, as Colorado finished with 132 yards rushing as a team.

There weren’t many yards to get, with Wheeling attempting squib kicks on the majority of their kickoffs, and Colorado getting to set up shop in Wheeling territory.

The Miners’ own offense was highly effective. Quarterback Grant Russell was sacked six times, but still managed to lead his team to 44 points, passing for 191 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions– though he was picked off on a two-point attempt after a touchdown in the second quarter, a play that went back to the other end zone for two Spartan points.

Russell also ran for four touchdowns on the ground, the crowd inside WesBanco seeing plenty of scoring with each team finding the end zone four times. The difference came in the point-afters, with Wheeling attempting a 2-point conversion after every touchdown and converting once, while Colorado made five extra points and ran back a pick-two on an intercepted 2-point attempt.

Russell completed passes to seven different receivers, with touchdown tosses to Isaiah Robinson and Jamon Langford. Fred Hargrove also ran in a touchdown on a jet sweep in the fourth quarter.

The Miners took a lead on a Grant Russell four-yard touchdown run, and again led 12-7 after a 15-yard touchdown pass to Langford, but fell behind 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, and 30-18 at the half. Russell was sacked inside the Spartans’ 10 yard-line on the final play of the half.

The lead grew to as much as 19 points, 37-18 with 10 minutes to play in the third, before the Miners began to gain ground.

A fumble recovery at the Miners’ own 23 yardline led to a two-yard touchdown push by Russell after he found Jayvon Johnson deep down the field the play before. The Spartans scored once again to end the third quarter but Russell wasted little time in leading the Miners down the field and ending the opening drive of the fourth quarter with a two-yard touchdown run.

The touchdown just kept coming though, with Colorado’s Thurlow Wilkins running in a 23-yard touchdown on the Spartans’ first play.

The Miners’ scored again on a Hargrove end-around, but their drive took over four minutes and with six minutes to go in the game, Wheeling still trailed 49-38.

Colorado milked clock before setting up a 26-yard field goal, which barely missed. The Miners seized the opportunity as Russell found Robinson from four yards out on a shallow cross to trim the lead to five points, 49-44, before Colorado got their needed first down with a reception by lineman Jack Robinson.

The Miners return to action next week on the road against the Carolina Cobras on March 15. It will be the start of a three-game road stretch for Wheeling. Their next home game is set for April 19 when they host the same Carolina Cobras.