YSU FOOTBALL P.J. Mays is just two touchdowns from making history

The Penguins' senior has scored 43 career touchdowns in three seasons.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- P.J. Mays needs just two touchdowns this week to make Gateway Conference history.
Mays, though, would trade any individual honor he's won for a Gateway Conference championship or a berth in the I-AA playoffs.
Instead, Mays will lead the Penguins (6-4, 4-3 Gateway) against Samford (4-6) Saturday in what will be the final game for him and 17 other seniors at 1 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
Mays (5-foot-9, 220 pounds), a graduate of East High who transferred to YSU as a sophomore from Cincinnati, has scored 43 touchdowns, one short of the Gateway Conference record held by Northern Iowa's Jeff Stovall (1993-96).
"Records are nice, but the important thing Saturday is for us to win the game," Mays said. "I'd trade any record for a couple more wins this year."
The Penguins haven't played since defeating Illinois State 24-17 on Nov. 9.
Mays was named the Gateway Conference offensive player of the game, which included 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
He was also the YSU offensive player of the week for the fifth time this season. The Gateway honor was his second straight.
Mays has rushed for 1,147 yards this season and has 3,374 career yards, fourth-best on the YSU list. He's 265 yards behind Robby Robson.
Back-to-back seasons
He's also the first back since Tamron Smith (1992-93) to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing years. Only four others in YSU history have accomplished that feat, the other two were Frank Horvath (1960-61) and Paris Wicks (1981-82).
The defensive player of the game against Illinois State was senior linebacker Russell Stuvaints, who had a team-high nine tackles, forced one fumble and registered a sack.
Junior Jake Stewart won special teams honors. The place kicker from Austintown converted a 42-yard field goal and three extra points, and pinned the Redbirds deep with his kickoffs.
Seniors Andy DeNiro and Matt Mechling were the offensive and defensive linemen of the game.
DeNiro, from Cardinal Mooney High, anchored an offensive line that helped the Penguins to 215 yards rushing and 323 yards total.
Mechling had his first career interception and led a defensive front that held Illinois State to just 96 rushing yards and 199 total.
Senior linebacker Jon Tekac had the Wash-on-Wheels Derrick Pixley Hit of the Week, while Keland Logan, a former Ursuline High standout, was named the Haines Family Player of the Game.