YSU FOOTBALL Burns, Theissen, Dellarose earn player awards

Mike Burns of Niles made his first career start in the Penguins' 19-0 loss to Western Illinois on Saturday.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mike Burns had an outstanding high school football career at Niles McKinley.
He rushed for over 3,300 yards and scored more than 30 touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Red Dragons and was a second-team All-Ohio selection.
The 1998 Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year came to Youngstown State with high expectations.
Now a junior tailback with the Penguins, Burns has seen only backup action, mainly because right after he came to the Penguins, P.J. Mays transferred from Cincinnati and took over the No. 1 spot.
The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Burns had been running No. 3 for most of this season behind the senior Mays and junior Josiah Doby.
Last week both Mays and Doby were hobbled with injuries and Burns got his first collegiate start against Western Illinois. The Penguins were shut out 19-0, but Burns was one of the few positive parts of the offense.
He led the team in rushing with 42 yards on 15 carries, with his best run being a 17-yard scamper right up the middle.
The Penguins finished the contest with a net rushing total of just 10 yards.
Burns was named the MVR Club's offensive player of the week for his efforts as he almost exceeded his season's rushing total against the Leathernecks.
He had just 44 yards on 16 carries previously.
Had best year in 2001
Burns had his best season a year ago as a sophomore when he rushed for 399 yards on 61 carries and had his first 100-yard game with 116 yards against Elon University. He also had 86 yards on 13 carries in the season finale at Marshall.
The MVR defensive award when to senior linebacker Justin Dellarose and the special teams honors was earned by junior defensive back Scott Theissen.
Dellarose (6-2, 232), from Brownsville, Pa., had six tackles against Western Illinois, but three of them were behind the line of scrimmage.
Theissen (6-2, 195), from Modesto, Calif., had three tackles last week and performed on all of the YSU special units.
The Jim Zdelar offensive lineman of the game for the second straight week was senior tight end Dennis Dlugosz, while the Jermaine Hopkins defensive lineman of the game was senior tackle Matt Mechling.
The Wash-On-Wheels Derrick Pixley Hit of the Week was recorded by sophomore defensive back Mike Bracken.
The Haines Family Player of the Game award, as selected by the YSU broadcasters, was former Ursuline High standout Brandon Brown.
The Penguins (4-4, 2-3 Gateway) play host to Southern Illinois (4-5, 2-2) in the Homecoming game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
mollica@vindy.com