YSU survives W. Illinois, 31-24

The Leathernecks battled back with 14 fourth-quarter points to put a scare in the Penguins.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The smallest player on the field made the biggest play that helped save the day as Youngstown State University closed its season with a 7-4 record.

“The ball seemed like it was in the air for about an hour,” wide receiver Dustin Helle said. “I had to jump up and catch it if I could and hold on for dear life.”

The 5-foot-6, 155-pound Helle was beaming while describing his acrobatic leap and snag of an onside kick in the final minute of YSU’s 31-24 victory over Western Illinois at Stambaugh Stadium.

“I didn’t get to see the replay because my teammates wouldn’t stop hitting me when I came to the sidelines,” said the fifth-year senior who has been, primarily, a special teams player for the Penguins.

“I guess this is a good way to go out,” Helle said after Youngstown most likely completed its 2007 season.

Coach Jon Heacock said Youngstown’s fate still rests in the hands of the playoff selection committee, but he’s not optimistic.

“I pretty much told our guys that there’s not any hope, other than if you’re at 7-4 and they have to throw you out,” Heacock said. “At 6-5, we made [a decision] for them.

“We did what we could do; we’re 7-4, so they’re [selection committee] going to have to make that decision. Again, it’s out of our hands. I was bound and determined to focus this game on our seniors no matter what.”

Helle was one of 19 seniors leaving the lockerroom for the final time as the Penguins ended their Gateway Conference season 3-3.

Kevin Smith scored three times, including a 17-yard touchdown pass from Tom Zetts, who passed for 298 yards. Louis Irizarry also caught a short TD toss from Zetts and Brian Palmer kicked a 21-yard field goal.

Smith’s 1-yard run put Youngstown ahead, 31-10, but Western (6-5, 3-3) battled back with 14 fourth-quarter points to put a scare in the Penguins.

Following Alex Douglas’ second TD of the fourth that pulled the Leathernecks within seven, Helle had his career highlight.

Standing around the 40-yard line, between YSU’s front wall waiting to get the ball and the deep returner, Helle described the snag.

“I saw it hit one of our guys’ hands and knew I had to come running up there and catch it because no one else was there,” Helle said.

Helle, the son of Albert and Susan Helle of Girard, returned a punt earlier, but said he was hoping to play on offense.

“The game stayed close enough that I didn’t get in as a receiver,” Helle said. “Then I got that chance on the hands team, so I’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities.”

Helle said his career didn’t go exactly as he’d planned, but “it ended good and just being with these guys every day made it worthwhile.”

Linebacker James Terry, another senior, said he’s happy to go out with a good taste in his mouth.

Terry cited two Mychal Savage fumble recoveries, Lenny Wicks’ late interception, two missed Leatherneck field goals and two punts forced as key defensive contributions.

“We didn’t have a good turnover margin in the games we lost, so we emphasized winning the turnover margin,” the quick but powerful Terry said. “We wanted to make sure we stopped their momentum so they didn’t get started on a roll.”

Western Illinois coach Don Patterson said that the onside kicks made the finish interesting.

“It’s a shame we were offside on the first onside kick because that’s an unforced mistake on our part; that shouldn’t happen,” Patterson said of a botched attempt following Douglas’ first TD that pulled WIU within 31-17 at 10:25.

Of Helle’s play, Patterson said: “I was amazed he didn’t lose his wind on that play. If we could have gotten the ball back, who knows what would have happened. Youngstown would say they made mistakes, but I don’t think they made more than we did.”

Western took the second-half kickoff, but went four-and-out on back-to-back series.

“It would have been great if we scored on either of the two possessions, but it didn’t happen,” Patterson said. “We needed to tighten things up, but we couldn’t do it as quickly as we needed to.

“The irony is that we got a short field and took advantage of it,” he said of Jason Williams’ fumble recovery early in the fourth period at YSU’s 18.

Patterson said that five of 12 seniors were starters, so he likes WIU’s outlook.

“We have 19 returning starters for next year. I told the guys to remember the disappointment after a loss. We just have to re-commit ourselves to work hard for next year. We certainly have the makings of a championship team because we have a lot of really good players back. I don’t know why we can’t return to championship form next season.”

bassetti@vindy.com