GATEWAY CONFERENCE Young but improved YSU team billed at Western Illinois

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Going into the 10th game of the season, Youngstown State is still a very young football team. More experienced, but still very young.
The Penguins have struggled to a 3-6 season record and a 1-4 record in the Gateway Conference.
And they are a better team today than when they started the season.
On Saturday, the Penguins will trek to Macomb, Ill., to meet Western Illinois (4-5, 2-3 Gateway) in a 2:05 p.m. kickoff.
YSU has only 13 seniors on the roster, eight of them are starters, three are backups and two are kickers.
The underclassmen have had to carry a big load this season. And for most of those underclassmen, this is their first season of regular competition.
A few sophomores have been doing more than their share to help the team too.
Both played key roles last week when the Penguins posted their first conference win in a 45-20 victory over Indiana State.
Offensive leaders
Sophomore fullback Demetrius "Deke" Ison and sophomore center Ryan Jewell led an offense that rolled up over 400 yards of total offense and 45 points.
Ison (6-0, 226) came to the Penguins from nearby Johnson Center, Pa., and was originally a tailback in the offense. After being red-shirted his first season and seeing little action his second, he was moved to fullback in the spring.
The fullback in the YSU offense was primarily a blocking back for the tailback, but Ison has changed that role.
He's already carried 32 times for 89 yards and three touchdowns and he's the team's third leading receiver with 20 catches for 147 yards and three more scores. He's currently the second leading scorer on the team with 36 points.
"Whether it's blocking, catching passes or running the ball, I'm there to do whatever I can for this football team," Ison said.
"I feel great when I get the opportunity to carry the ball, but if they need me to block then that's what I'll do," he added.
"It's been tough playing your heart out each week and losing and last week we all came together and it felt great," Ison said.
"As long as we continue to make plays out there we'll be okay these last two games."
Jewell had surgery
Jewell (6-4, 295), a Warren Harding High standout, earned some starting time a year ago as a freshman, but suffered a shoulder injury and needed off-season surgery.
He missed all of spring practice and came back ready to go this fall. He had one brief spell where he re-injured his shoulder, but it kept him out only a game and a half.
"After I got hurt last year I was suppose to be wearing a flak jacket to protect my shoulder, but it was bothering me and I didn't wear it and got hurt again," Jewell said.
"Now I'm wearing it every week and when I got hurt this season it was freak thing where somebody fell on me and the shoulder popped out," he said.
When asked if he thought last week's effort was hit best, he answered, "I hope not."
"It was a big win and hopefully it will give us a big lift going into these final two games," Jewell said.
"The offensive line has really come together over the past nine weeks," he added. "We are a close group and we spend at least one evening together every week just sitting around together and talking."