Rowan leads Red to 13-6 victory

The sophomore from LaBrae threw for 241 yards anda touchdown.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- For the second year in a row quarterback Todd Rowan led the way in Youngstown State's Red-White spring football game at Stambaugh Stadium.
With a crowd of just under 2,000 in the stands, including LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rowan led the Red team to a 13-6 victory in the 35th annual spring game Friday night.
The former LaBrae High standout, now a sophomore, completed 14-of-20 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown, a nifty 63-yard strike to sophomore tailback Jabari Scott.
Just a year ago, as a redshirt freshman, Rowan led the Red team to victory, throwing for four touchdown passes and over 200 yards.
"I just was lucky to have a lot of good guys on my team," said Rowan. "Tonight I had almost the entire starting offensive line in front of me and that helped a lot."
Fifth straight win
The Red team, which has won five straight and six of the last seven games, closed the gap on the White team, which still leads in the series 20-15.
YSU coach Jon Heacock was pleased with the overall play of his players.
"I thought it was a good spring game and the kids finally got to go out and play a game," Heacock said. "There were some good crisp hits out there and a couple of real good runs and passes.
"It doesn't matter whether you have a bunch of veterans or a lot of young players, it is still a brand new team every spring," he added. "The critical part for this group will be the next few months over the summer and if they continue to get better."
Senior quarterback Tom Zetts, who is starting his fourth season as the Penguins starter, also had a excellent game.
Zetts connects late
Zetts was 10-of-17 for 167 yards and one touchdown, a 53-yarder perfectly thrown to junior wide receiver Da'Michael Horne after the White team had fallen behind 13-0.
Zetts agreed with Heacock about the importance of summer workouts.
"The coaches can't be with us in the summer, so it's up to us to continue the progress," Zetts said. "The success we've had the last couple of years has been led by the fact that we've had between 60 and 65 guys here every day in summer workouts."
The Red team got on the scoreboard early on its first possession as Rowan drove the team from its own 22 to the White 5-yard line. The big play in the drive was a 33-yard pass from Rowan to senior wide receiver Dustin Helle of Girard.
When the drive stalled, junior placekicker Brian Palmer of Mineral Ridge drilled a 23-yard field goal.
Zetts had the White team driving midway in the first half, taking it to the Red-18 yard line. But on first down he was picked off at the goal line by the Red's Lenny Wicks.
Just before halftime the Red drove again as Rowan completed four straight passes, including 22 yards to Helle and 21 to junior wide receiver Ferlando Williams, moving the ball to the White 18.
With just eight seconds left in the half, Palmer drilled a 36-yard field goal for a 6-0 halftime lead.
The defenses controlled most of the second half and it wasn't until late in the half that the Red scored again.
Connects with Scott
This time Rowan rolled out from his own 37 and dropped a flare pass to Scott and the speedster from Texas broke loose and outraced everybody to the end zone on a 63-yard play.
Zetts came right back after the kickoff and finally got the White team on the board as he hit Horne coming across the middle on the first play and he raced 53 yards for the score.
Wicks returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards to the White 23-yard line, but time ran out before they could get another score.
The Penguins still have one more practice session, which they plan on holding Monday afternoon, but Heacock said it wouldn't be very intense and the team wouldn't be in pads.
mollica@vindy.com