YSU is playoff ready

The Penguins rolled past Western Kentucky 42-10 to stay alive for a berth.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- It's been five years since the Youngstown State football team has qualified for the Division I-AA playoffs and although they are not officially in yet, it certainly looks good for the Penguins.
Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 12,707 the Penguins put on a display of both offense and defense and rolled to a 42-10 victory over Western Kentucky.
For the Penguins (8-3, 5-2 Gateway), it marked the first time in five years they had defeated the Hilltoppers.
The victory also assured the Penguins of finishing no less than second place in the Gateway Conference, a position that would almost guarantee them a postseason berth.
"It was just a heck of a win," said YSU head coach Jon Heacock. "Today we made the plays we needed to make, plays that we haven't made the past two weeks."
Saturday was also senior day as 19 YSU seniors were playing in probably their final home game at Stambaugh Stadium.
"The bottom line today was the play of our seniors," Heacock said. "They have led us since day one."
One of those seniors was wide receiver Kyle Smith, who finished the game with six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
"The coaches did such a great job of preparing us for this game, probably more so mentally than physically," Smith said. "We were ready for everything."
Zetts another big game
Sophomore quarterback Tom Zetts also had another outstanding game as for the third straight week the standout from Boardman went over 200 yards passing.
Saturday he connected on 14 of 20 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
"This was our best effort of the year, especially because so much was resting on this win," Zetts said.
YSU's defense also came up with another outstanding performance, forcing four Hilltopper turnovers, including two in the first quarter, as the Penguins turned both into touchdowns and a 14-0 lead.
"This was all about winning," said senior defensive end Brandon Brown. "We knew we had to win and we went out there and played like it."
Hilltoppers' mistakes
The Penguins wasted little time in getting to the Hilltoppers (6-4, 4-3), who are no longer playoff eligible.
On the game's first series, Brown hit wide receiver Chris Jackson and forced a fumble that senior Aaron Scales recovered at the Western Kentucky 31.
Zetts hit Smith with a 24-yard pass on the first down and three plays later the two connected for a five-yard scoring play.
On the second play after the kickoff, WKU's Stephen Willis fumbled and sophomore Dorian Chenault recovered at the Hilltoppers' 38.
Again it was Zetts and Smith combining for a 32-yard pass, which set up a 10-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Marcus Mason.
Questionable score
Western Kentucky's only touchdown of the game came late in the third quarter and was scored by the defense.
Zetts went back to pass from his own 20 yard line and was rushed hard. As he attempted to throw the ball, his arm was hit and the officials ruled it a fumble and Sam Sexton scooped it up and raced 21 yards for the score.
Mason returned the next kickoff 44 yards to the WKU 41-yard line and after two plays netted zero yards, Zetts found Smith wide open near the goal line and connected for a 41-yard touchdown pass.
The Penguins then put some emphasis on the outcome as they stopped the Hilltoppers and turned around and drove 60 yards with a ground attack that ended up with Mason getting his second touchdown from one yard out.
Western Kentucky got its final points on the last play of the first half when Chris James booted a 37-yard field goal.
Second half surge
The Penguins took the second half kickoff and drove 70 yards for yet another score. Zetts hit junior tailback Monquantae Gibson for a 44 yard play and then connected with T.J. Peterson for a two-yard touchdown.
Chenault intercepted WKU's Justin Haddix on the next series and then Zetts led the team to still another score that came on Demetrius Ison's one-yard run and a 42-10 lead at the end of three periods.
The defense then took over and kept the Hilltoppers out of the end zone, twice stopping them on fourth down and short yardage, once from the YSU 11. Junior defensive back finished up the job by picking off Haddix in the end zone to kill the Hilltoppers' final drive.
The Penguins will now have a week off before the 16-team I-AA field will be announced on Nov. 20. The first round of the playoffs will begin on Nov. 27.