HOMECOMING VICTORY 19,171 see YSU go 6-1

Jerald Burley's long TD run and Colby Street's leadership in a relief role, led YSU to a 44-30 won over Illinois State.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 77-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jerald Burley and some clutch relief work by backup quarterback Colby Street, led Youngstown State to a 44-30 Homecoming victory over Illinois State Saturday before 19,171 fans at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins (6-1, 4-1 Gateway Conference), led 29-23 early in the fourth quarter when Burley, a junior wide receiver, hauled in a punt and raced 77 yards right through the Redbird defenders to take some of the fight out of the visitors.
Street, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, came in midway in the final period after senior quarterback Jeff Ryan took a hard hit and had to leave the game.
Street directed the Penguins on a 75-yard game-clinching drive, in which he both ran and passed the team to big yardage and then handed off to junior tailback P.J. Mays who scored on a 13-yard run to ice the victory.
Street also helped the Penguins run out the final 3:57 of the game when he broke off a 41-yard run.
"I was proud of our kids tonight, proud of the way they played," said YSU coach Jon Heacock.
Burley also hauled in a 33-yard scoring pass from Ryan on a beautifully executed play over the middle as he and Mays each scored twice and Ryan added a 1-yard touchdown run and ran for two extra points, while sophomore kicker Jake Stewart connected on field goals of 44 and 35 yards.
The Penguins' running game, which had just over 100 yards in the first three quarters, finished with 194 yards, and Ryan and Street combined for 177 yards passing as the Penguins totaled 371 for the game.
Ryan, who left the game with 11:04 remaining, was 11-of-19 for 148 yards and one touchdown.
Street led the team in rushing with 66 yards on seven carries, while Mays finished with 65 yards on 20 carries.
Illinois State, which lost for the seventh straight game, came up with 272 yards passing behind the arm of Dusty Burk, who was 25-of-41 with one interception and two touchdowns.
"We did some things that were good tonight and some not so good, but I'm proud of the way they hung in there," Heacock said. "I told the kids that the only person I'm disappointed in is myself. I felt I made some decisions that were not very good."
One of those decisions might have come in the third period with the Penguins leading 29-16. On fourth down from the ISU 23 Heacock had Stewart kick a 40 yard field goal which was good, but the Redbirds were called for roughing the kicker and the Penguins had their choice of taking the points or a first down.
Heacock took the first down and on the first play Ryan made a bad pitchout to Mays who couldn't handle it. Illinois State's Adam Waugh scooped it up and returned it 62 yards to the YSU 14, then the Redbirds scored on the next play to close the gap to 29-23.
"I've always been a believer that you never take points off the board, but then again I did it," Heacock said. "Would I do it again, no, but that's hindsight since it didn't work."
The contest began more like a baseball game than a football game.
The Penguins scored first on Stewart's 44-yard field goal and then added two more points when the Redbirds snapped the ball over punter Ryan Hoffman's head and out of the end zone. YSU led 5-0 and still didn't have a first down.
Illinois State then scored on three straight field goals by Stephen Carroll of 36, 36 and 22 yards to take a 9-5 lead.
YSU scored a touchdown on the next series on a 15-yard run by Mays, but it was called back on a penalty and the Penguins had to settle for a Stewart 35-yard field goal to trail 9-8.
YSU didn't get its first down of the game until 8:05 remained in the second quarter. At halftime YSU had only 13 yards rushing and ISU had minus-25.
The Penguins took the lead for good after a muffed punt attempt by the Redbirds and took over at the ISU 7. Three plays later Ryan carried over from the 1.
Senior defensive back Antulio Aroche set up the next YSU score when he picked off Burk's pass and returned it 38 yards to the ISU 33. On the next play Ryan hit Burley over the middle for the score.
Illinois State added a score just before halftime on a 3-yard run by Burk to cut the lead to 23-16.
The Penguins opened the third quarter with a scoring drive, started by a 32-yard kickoff return by Mike Roberts. After two quick passes from Ryan to Burley and Eugene Mintze, each for 14 yards, the Penguins scored on Mays' 3-yard run.
Following ISU's score to make it 29-23, Burley returned the punt to get the Penguins back in control.