Penguins fall in a Flash

Travis Mayle's game-winning field goal lifted Kent State past YSU, 16-13.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
KENT -- Sophomore Travis Mayle kicked a 33-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining as Kent State handed Youngstown State its first defeat of the season, 16-13, before 20,172 fans Saturday night at Dix Stadium.
The Penguins (2-1) lost three costly fumbles, the final one coming in the final three minutes to set up the Golden Flashes' winning field goal.
YSU drove 85 yards in 12 plays to take a 13-10 lead on a 12-yard touchdown pass by Aaron Marshall to sophomore Damian Wright with 8:49 remaining. Nick Terracina's extra-point kick hit the left upright.
Kent State then drove 84 yards in 14 plays, tying the score at 13 on Mayle's 23-yard field goal with 3:19 remaining.
On the ensuing kickoff, YSU junior Jake Godec was hit and fumbled at the Penguin 30, where Lucas Bowen recovered for the Golden Flashes.
Kent State ran down the clock to 18 seconds before Mayle came on to kick the game-winner.
"In all five games that we've played against Kent over here the winner has been decided by the turnover margin," said YSU coach Jon Heacock.
"I can't fault my team's effort; we played as hard as we possibly could and I'm very proud of their effort," he added.
Kept in check
For the most part the Penguins kept Kent State junior quarterback Joshua Cribbs in check.
He scored a touchdown in the Golden Flashes' opening drive and finished the game 10-of-22 for 92 yards. He threw two interceptions. Cribbs also had 15 rushing attempts for 69 yards and the touchdown.
Kent finished the game with 406 total yards, 282 of them on the ground behind the running of Elijah Brooks, who had 145 yards on 28 carries, and David Alston, who had 16 carries for 58 yards, most of them coming on the last two drives of the game.
Senior Mike Burns led the Penguins with a career-high 18 carries for 117 yards and one touchdown. Marshall finished 8 of 16 passing for 91 yards and one touchdown.
The Penguins totaled 294 yards, 180 rushing and 114 passing -- their lowest totals of the year.
"I thought we did a good job of containing Cribbs most of the game," said Heacock. "He's a heck of a football player, but he didn't beat us tonight. We kind of beat ourselves."
Other than the opening drive the Penguins kept Cribbs under control in the first half.
Early lead
Cribbs drove the Golden Flashes 72 yards in 12 plays to open the contest and put Kent State on top 7-0 with 10:14 remaining.
Cribbs completed just one pass in the drive, while halfback and backup quarterback Antwan Smith completed a 32-yard strike to Darrell Dowery on a reverse pass play to put the Flashes at the YSU 17.
The Penguins dug in and held Kent three times from the 8-yard line, before Cribbs took it over on a bootleg from the 3.
YSU tied the score late in the period with the help of a Joe Bishop punt that was downed at the Kent State 5. The Penguins held the Flashes and forced a punt that gave them good field possession at the Kent 46.
On first down YSU pulled a trick pass play of their own as Marshall flipped to wide receiver Kyle Smith, who then tossed a 21-yard completion to Shawn Carlson at the 25. The Flashes were guilty of a late hit on the play and the Penguins had first down at the 12.
Two plays later Burns followed a big hole off right tackle from 7 yards out to score.
Missed opportunity
Neither team threatened to score in the second quarter, although the Penguins missed a chance at three points late in the half.
With time running out, Scott Thiesson came up with his second interception of the season as he picked off a Cribbs pass at the YSU 33.
The Penguins got to the Kent State 46 and, on third down, Marshall fired a strike to Carlson at the KSU 26, but the big tight end was hit hard by Shannon Davis and fumbled with Eric Mahl recovering.
YSU had 160 total yards in the half, to 149 for Kent. The Penguins rushed for 93, led by Burns with 43, while Kent had 96 with Elijah Brooks getting 77. Cribbs had just 16 yards rushing and was 4-of-8 for 21 yards passing in the half.
mollica@vindy.com