COLLEGE FOOTBALL Tekac is selected as YSU's top defensive player

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- A year ago as a sophomore, Jon Tekac had an outstanding season at outside linebacker for the Youngstown State University football team, working next to All-American Tim Johnson on the inside.
Johnson graduated, and this year Tekac was given the job of taking over the inside backer spot Johnson left.
He struggled somewhat early with the new responsibilities, but last Saturday was one of the few bright spots for the Penguins in their 24-14 loss to Western Kentucky.
Career best: Tekac had a career high 16 tackles in the game, 10 unassisted, and two of them were for losses as he earned his first MVR Club Defensive Player of the Game award.
Tekac went into the game with only 35 tackles in seven games, and just three for losses, and now leads the team with 51 total tackles.
The Penguins (6-2, 4-2 Gateway Conference) will be on the road this Saturday when they travel to Carbondale, Ill., to meet Southern Illinois University in a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised locally on Fox Sports (17/62).
Tekac, a 6-1, 218-pound junior from New Wilmington, Pa., has contributed to the YSU program since his freshman season. That year he played in 12 of the team's 15 games, and had his best game against Cal-Poly when he made 11 tackles, seven unassisted.
Last season, he finished third in team tackles with 65, including a season-high 10 against Hofstra. He had four pass breakups and seven tackles for losses, including two sacks.
Other honors: While Tekac took defensive honors for the week, the Offensive Player of the Game was senior wide receiver Sean Guerriero of Poland; and the Special Team's Player of the Game was sophomore linebacker Chris DiMauro of Akron.
Guerriero caught one pass for 8 yards and blocked well for the Penguins, while DiMauro picked up a blocked punt by LeVar Greene and rambled 27 yards for YSU's second touchdown, which at the time brought the Penguins to within three points of the Hilltoppers, 17-14.
Tekac also was credited with getting the Derrick Pixley Hit of the Week against the Hilltoppers.
Sophomore offensive guard Nick Roberts, a Champion High product, was the Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the game, while the Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Game was senior linebacker Bob Sivik of Mentor.
The Haines Family Player of the Game, selected by the YSU Radio broadcast team, was Greene, a senior defensive back from Miami, Fla., who blocked the punt that DiMauro returned for a touchdown.
mollica@vindy.com