Big plays sink YSU, 30-24

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORMAL, Ill. -- Youngstown State found still another way to lose a game Saturday.
The Penguins, who have been losing games with turnovers, giving up big plays and on penalties, had two key mistakes on special teams in a 30-24 defeat to Illinois State before just over 10,000 fans at Hancock Stadium.
The Redbirds returned the opening kickoff 97 yards and a punt 52 yards for touchdowns to hand YSU (2-6, 0-4 Gateway) its fourth straight loss.
Illinois State is 4-3, 2-2.
"We just didn't do the things we needed to do in our kicking game," said YSU coach Jon Heacock.
"We had our opportunities today, but we just didn't get it done out there."
Led in fourth quarter
After LaShawn Bullock returned the opening kickoff to give the Redbirds a 7-0 lead, the Penguins played well and for the sixth time in eight games led in the fourth quarter.
YSU was ahead 17-14 at halftime, but Stephen Carroll kicked a pair of field goals to give the Redbirds a 20-17 lead.
Behind the running of junior tailback Josh Cayson, the Penguins regained the lead, 24-20, late in the third period.
The Penguins drove 80 yards in eight plays, all on runs by Cayson, including the final 13 yards for the touchdown with 46 seconds remaining in the quarter.
But the Redbirds' special teams struck again. Joe Watkins took Joe Bishop's punt at his own 48 and streaked down the sidelines to give ISU a 27-24 lead.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Tom Zetts was intercepted on the next series and Carroll kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 30-24.
Still had a chance
The Penguins still had a chance and with the help of two personal foul penalties against the Redbirds drove to the ISU 15. On fourth down, Zetts tossed a pass to a wide-open Cayson, who lost his balance as he caught the ball and fell down.
Cayson had a career high 146 yards on 25 carries, and Zetts finished with 162 yards passing on 14-of-28 with two touchdowns and one interception. The Penguins totaled 331 yards, including 158 on the ground.
Illinois State was led by junior tailback Brian Thompson, who had a career-high 222 yards rushing on 37 carries, while quarterback Yance Vaughan was 14-of-31 for 166 yards and one touchdown and one interception.
After Bullock's opening score, the Penguins answered with an 82-yards, eight-play drive, finished by Zetts' 27-yard pass to Mike Roberts.
The Penguins' defense which gave up 184 yards in the first half, came up with a big play on the ensuing drive. Senior safety Mike Bracken picked off Vaughan at midfield and returned it to the ISU 43. The Redbirds committed two penalties on the play and the Penguins started from the ISU 23.
Nick Terracina kicked a 19-yard field goal and to give the Penguins a 10-7 lead.
Terracina later missed a 34-yard try late in the first quarter.
Illinois State regained the lead in the second quarter when Vaughan passed to Mike Larson from the 6, completing a 16-play, 80-yard drive.
Error sets up YSU score
The game slowed after that; there were five punts and a fumble on the next six series, but it took a bad snap from center on a Redbirds' punt attempt to set up YSU's last score of the half.
Punter Ryan Hoffman was standing at his own 30 when the snap from center sailed way over his head. He tried to pick it up at the 13, but was hit by Justin Scholes and fumbled with Brandon Brown recovering at the 13.
Two plays later Zetts found sophomore fullback Demetrius Ison with a 3-yard scoring toss and a 17-14 halftime lead with 48 seconds to go.
On the final play of the half, from the ISU 49, Vaughan fired a long pass to Laurent Robinson, who caught it at the YSU 5-yard line, but the Penguins' Steve Reynolds kept Robinson out of the end zone, bringing him down at the 1-yard line as time ran out.
mollica@vindy.com