A Gateway to the postseason

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- No Marcus Mason, no problem for Youngstown State.
With the nation's leading ground gainer on the sideline nursing a slight ankle injury, the Penguins turned to senior tailback Monquantae Gibson, who carried the Penguins to at least a share of the Gateway Conference championship and the league's automatic bid into the NCAA I-AA playoffs with a 19-3 win over Western Kentucky Saturday.
Gibson posted career highs of 236 yards and 43 carries and scored both YSU touchdowns as the Penguins finished the regular season 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the Gateway.
YSU began the day effectively tied with Illinois State and Northern Iowa for first place -- all three teams had just one loss -- but UNI lost to Southern Illinois, 47-23, and the Penguins own the tie-breaker, having defeated Illinois State, to give them the league's automatic bid and most assuredly a first-round home playoff game.
Strong defense
While Gibson was shredding the Hilltoppers, the YSU defense had another outstanding game, holding Western Kentucky to just 204 total yards (102 passing and rushing), and coming up with two second-half turnovers.
"It was just a tremendous effort by our kids tonight, especially our seniors," said YSU coach Jon Heacock. "We told them before the game to go out and control what they were able to control."
About getting the Gateway's automatic bid, Heacock added, "It means everything, it's just awesome.
"This win was for all those YSU faithful back home watching. This one has been a long time coming and it was for all of you," Heacock said.
The Penguins, who built a 13-3 halftime lead, scored just once in the second half, but it was a typical YSU drive that took 14 plays, covering 52 yards, and used up 6 minutes, 39 seconds.
It started and ended with Gibson, who had nine carries in the drive, including the 1-yard touchdown run that iced the victory with 4:10 remaining.
The drive was set up by YSU's second interception, this one by senior defensive back Chris Goffer at the YSU 48.
Missed opportunities
The Penguins missed two scoring opportunities early in the third period.
They took the second half kickoff and marched to the Western Kentucky 28, where two Tom Zetts passes fell incomplete. Placekicker Brian Palmer came on, but instead punted to the WKU 5.
Two plays later senior cornerback Jason Perry made a terrific interception of a Justin Haddix pass at the WKU 19, but again the Penguins couldn't get anything going and Palmer, who had kicked two first half field goals, missed from 30 yards.
But it didn't matter the way the Penguins were playing defense. Haddix was just 11-for-27 passing for 102 yards and two interceptions.
Zetts didn't have his best game, but it was more than the Penguins needed. Zetts was 7-of-16 for 83 yards and he ran for 44 more.
YSU finished with 365 total yards, including 282 rushing, and controlled the clock in the second half.
The Penguins dominated play early in the contest, but still only came away with a pair of Palmer field goals and a 6-0 advantage.
After the Hilltoppers cut the lead to 6-3 on Chris James' field goal, the Penguins had their lone touchdown drive of the half.
YSU drove 80 yards for the score on a drive that was kept alive by a couple of Zetts passes to senior wide receiver T.J. Peterson of 13 and 12 yards.
Zetts had another pass, a perfect throw deep over the middle to junior tight end Louis Irizarry, but the big receiver couldn't hold on. Three plays later, Gibson dipped outside and rambled 34 yards to the Western Kentucky 1-yard line and then scored on the next play.
mollica@vindy.com