YSU SPRING GAME A whole lotta Gliatta

The quarterback transfer from Penn State helped White rally past Red.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Freshman redshirt transfer Vince Gliatta officially threw his name into the quarterback race and senior Matt Rycraft showed his versatility in the annual Red and White spring football game Friday that culminated the Youngstown State workouts.
The Red team, led by Gliatta and Rycraft, rallied in the second half to post a 17-7 victory over the White team.
Gliatta, who transferred to YSU this winter after spending two seasons as a defensive back at Penn State University, directed both second half scoring drives for the Red.
Rycraft, who was the backup quarterback a year ago and was moved to wide receiver this spring, was strong in the running and passing games.
The West Branch High graduate has been used at both wide receiver and tailback this spring.
Friday, he rushed 10 times for 36 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 32 yards and helped set up senior Nick Terracina's 31-yard field goal.
Solid defense
The Red defense also came up strong with a goal-line stand at their own 1-yard line.
The White had the ball first and goal at the 1.
After three downs, the White was back at the 3 yard line, thanks to two tackles by Dorian Chenault and Jeff Koval and a pass breakup by Anton Rush in the end zone.
Punter Joe Bishop, who handled the place kicking duties for the White, then missed a 20-yard field goal.
"It was a continuance of what we've seen all spring out here," YSU head coach Jon Heacock said. "The enthusiasm was still high, there was competitiveness on both sides and there was some good individual efforts out there tonight."
When asked if he felt that he's come out of spring with a definite starter at quarterback, Heacock said, "We'll evaluate the films and will talk with all those guys, but I'll say one thing about that position is that [all of them] improved 100 percent from the start of spring practice."
Freshman redshirt quarterback Tom Zetts of Boardman started for the Red team and junior quarterback Aaron Marshall started for the White.
Quick lead
Marshall got the White team out to an early lead when he fired to a wide open T.J. Peterson for a 41-yard touchdown pass at about the midway point in the first half.
Peterson was so wide open that he came back for the ball and backed into the end zone.
Zetts got the Red on the board late in the half as he drove the team 83 yards in just six plays, including passes of 17 yards to Tyler Morton and 24 yards to senior Phil Larmon.
Rycraft went the final 14 yards off tackle for the touchdown.
Gliatta took over in the second half for the Red and took the team 51 yards for the go-ahead score.
He threw 24 yards to Rycraft to set up the score, which came on an eight yard run by junior tailback Josh Cayson.
In the second drive of the half, Rycraft carried the ball six times before the drive stalled at the 14 and Terracina, who missed earlier from 42 yards into the wind, booted a 31-yarder.
Rycraft said he had fun this spring.
"I'm out here to do whatever the coaches want me to do," he said. "If that's at wide receiver or tailback or whatever, I just want to be out here on the field helping in some way."
Leaders
Cayson led the rushers with 75 yards on 12 carries for the Red while sophomore Justin Reams led the White with 36 yards on six carries.
Sophomore transfer Monquantae Gibson finished with 19 yards on eight carries.
Gliatta was 5-of-7 for 50 yards passing, while Zetts was 3-of-7 for 59 yards.
Marshall hit on 7-of-11 for 76 yards and a touchdown, while senior Ryan Wisecarver was 3-of-5 for 24 yards and had an interception near the end of the scrimmage, the only turnover in the contest.
Senior cornerback Herb Jones had the interception.
The Red win was the second straight in the event which dates to 1973. The White leads the overall standings with 20 wins and 12 losses.
YSU SPRING GAME
RED 17, WHITE 7
Red710--17
White70--7
WHITE -- T.J. Peterson, 41 pass from Aaron Marshall (Joe Bishop kick).
RED -- Matt Rycraft, 14 run (Nick Terracina kick)
RED -- Josh Cayson, 8 run (Terracina kick)
RED -- Terracina, 31 F.G.
TEAM STATISTICS
RedWhite
First downs118
Yds rushing11947
Yds passing109100
Total offense228147
Fumbles/lost1-01-0
Penalties2-102-10
INDIVIDUAL
Rushing--(Red) Josh Cayson 12-75, Matt Rycraft 10-36, Tom Zetts 1-6, Joe Juby 3-2; (White) Justin Reams 6-36, M. Gibson 8-19, Aaron Marshall 2-0, Ryan Wisecarver 3--8.
Passing-- (Red) Vince Gliatta 5-7-50, Tom Zetts 3-7-59; (White) Aaron Marshall 7-11-76; Ryan Wisecarver 3-5-1-24.
Receiving--(Red) Matt Rycraft 3-32, Tyler Morton 2-27, Phil Larmon 1-37, Joe Juby 1-8; (White) T.J. Peterson 5-73, Dustin Helle 2-17, Nick Forro 2-7, Demetrius Ison 1-3.