GATEWAY FOOTBALL Western Illinois ready for YSU

The Leathernecks are trying to avoid their third losing season since 1990.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Since 1990 Western Illinois has had only two losing seasons in the Gateway Conference, the last coming in 1999.
Saturday, the Leathernecks will play host to Youngstown State in a conference game at 2:05 p.m. at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill.
WIU is 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the Gateway and with two games remaining must win both to prevent a third losing campaign.
Coming off losing rout
The Leathernecks are coming off their worst performance of the season, being humiliated by No. 1-ranked Southern Illinois 66-13 last week in Carbondale, Ill.
Western managed just 183 yards of total offense, while allowing the Salukis 606 yards.
The Leathernecks were coming off back-to-back playoff seasons, but returned just seven starters on offense and only three on defense.
Western Illinois has one of the best running backs in the league, junior tailback Travis Glasford (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) who is nearing his second straight 1,000 yard season. He's gained 967 yards on 196 carries and scored 11 touchdowns.
He also leads the team with 40 receptions for 438 yards and three scores.
Sophomore quarterback
Sophomore Steve LaFalce, who was a backup a year ago to Gateway player of the year Russ Mincha, is the quarterback.
In nine games the 6-1, 205 LaFalce has passed for 1,506 yards (100-for-188) with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Junior wide receivers James Norris and Reggie Gray are two of the league's best, with a combined 59 receptions and six touchdowns.
The Leathernecks defense, although giving up 36.7 points and 436.7 yards per game, has standouts.
The team's top tackler is junior linebacker Wyatt Green (6-0, 210) who has 81 stops, including six for losses and one sack.
17 interceptions
The WIU secondary has 17 pass interceptions on the season, led by senior cornerback Marlon McLaughlin and senior free safety Michael Woods with four each.
Norris is also the team's leading kick returner with a 25.8-yard average, including a 98-yard touchdown.
Western Illinois also has an outstanding kicker in senior Justin Langan, an All-American last year, who is 10-of-12 on field goals this year, with four of them over 40 yards.
The Leathernecks are always tough at Hanson Field where they are 4-0 this season and 199-87-7 all-time.
WIU lost its season opener at Nebraska, 56-17, then beat Cheyney (Pa.) 98-7 at home. They also have home wins against Quincy (Ill.), 38-31, Indiana State, 29-27, and Illinois State, 40-31. The Leathernecks lost at Hampton 40-20, at Southwest Missouri State 36-31, at Northern Iowa 36-13 and at Southern Illinois.
mollica@vindy.com