YSU finds Gateway glory

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State University football team improved to 6-1 in Gateway Conference openers Saturday as the Penguins dismantled Southwest Missouri State 34-7 before 16,984 at Stambaugh Stadium.
Sophomore quarterback Aaron Marshall threw two touchdown passes and the Penguins (4-2 overall, 1-0 Gateway) racked up 321 yards as they won for the second straight week.
Southwest Missouri State dropped to 3-2, 0-1 Gateway.
Splitting the uprights
Junior placekicker Nick Terracina kicked two field goals of 30 and 31 yards and had a third one taken away when the Penguins accepted a penalty against the Bears.
Marshall threw touchdown passes to senior fullback Keland Logan of 8 yards and to senior tailback Mike Burns of 39 yards on a beautifully executed throwback pass, on which Burns was all alone for the score.
Sophomore tailback Josh Cayson led the YSU rushers with his third 100-yard game of the season. Cayson gained 118 yards on 20 carries and also scored on a 4-yard run on the Penguins' first offensive series.
"It kind of looked like Youngstown State football again out there tonight," YSU coach Jon Heacock said. "The kids worked very hard in preparing for this contest and it showed."
The final YSU touchdown came after sophomore Kyle Smith returned a punt to the Bears 30 and SMS was hit with a 15-yard penalty to put the ball on the 15.
Junior Matt Rycraft took over at quarterback and ran the ball three straight times, the final one from the 1 for the touchdown.
Defensive stands
The YSU defense was again at its best when it counted, allowing the Bears only one touchdown drive while holding them to 114 rushing yards and 251 total yards.
The thing that excited Heacock most was the fact the Penguins did not commit a turnover. YSU also had just three penalties for 15 yards and forced two turnovers and blocked a punt.
"It was the best complete game we played this season," Heacock said, "and the kids deserved it after all their hard work last week."
If there is one concern, it might be the Penguins' kick coverage on punts and kickoffs.
Southwest Missouri State's Michael Sparks had 75 yards on four punt returns and 70 yards on two kickoff returns, while Steve Rush averaged more than 25 yards on two kickoff returns.
"Yes, it is definitely a concern," Heacock said. "But it would have been more of a concern if there weren't some red jerseys around the football. That kid [Sparks] is one of the best in the game and we had people there, they just couldn't tackle him."
Western Illinois looms
The Penguins will be at home again Saturday when they play host to defending Gateway Conference champion Western Illinois in a 4 p.m. kickoff at Stambaugh Stadium.
"It's a big advantage to be playing them here," Heacock said. "I wish we could play them all here in front of this crowd. I told the kids before the game that with the cold weather, this is Ice Castle night."
The Penguins scored on two of their first two drives in the first half.
YSU, after forcing the Bears to three-and-out on the game's first series, began their first scoring drive from their own 25.
Marshall hit Smith with a 15-yard pass on second down and two plays later Cayson slashed off tackle and raced 32 yards to the SMS 21.
The Penguins moved to the Bears' 4, where Cayson went up the middle for the score.
SMS moved the football on its second drive, going from its own 20 to the YSU 17, but the Penguin defense came up with two big losses. The second was a 7-yard sack by sophomore Brandon Brown that forced the Bears to attempt a 43-yard field goal, which was wide left by Jon Scifres.
After YSU went three-and-out on its second series, the Bears could do little against the Penguin defense. On fourth down SMS punter Robbie Brown had his punt attempt blocked by Sherod Holmes at the Bears 25 and Scott Thiessen recovered at the 21.
But the Penguins could get no closer than the 19. On fourth down, Terracina came on to boot a 39-yard field goal, but the Bears were caught for holding.
The Penguins accepted the penalty and wiped out the field goal for a first down at the SMS 11. Two plays later, Marshall rolled out and hit a wide open Keland Logan with an 8-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead.
The Bears finally scored after Michael Sparks returned a Joe Bishop punt 46 yards to the YSU 46.
From there the Bears used mostly passes, three by A.J. Porter, the final one for 18 yards to Preston Portee to the YSU 4. Cody Pratt carried the final 4 yards on the next play.
mollica@vindy.com